Impact of Curriculum Definitions and Theories

Impact of Curriculum Definitions and Theories This essay will examine several definitions of curriculum, relating one to Education and Childhood studies and the impact it has on learners. In addition, the essay sets out to explore curriculum in relation to delivery and Curriculum is often seen as the main concern in the educational field however, the type of curricula to offer to learners is crucial. The concept of curriculum is sometimes characterized as fragmentary, elusive and confusing. Teachers are concerned about the choices to make about the teaching content and methods of delivery. While, caregivers and parents are interested in knowing what is going to be taught to their children. Learners are equally concerned about the content they are going to receive in class. The concept of curriculum is as dynamic as the changes that occur in society. In its narrow sense, curriculum is viewed merely as a listing of subject to be taught in school. In a broader sense, it refers to the total learning experiences of individuals not only in schools but in society as well. Su, (2012) views Curriculum as what teachers will teach and how well learners will learn, it also involves other issues like:ÂÂ   teaching the curriculum, testing the curriculum, ad ministrative curriculum and the hidden curriculum. However, Kelly (1999, p.83), suggest that curriculum is negatively viewed as a syllabus which may limit the planning of teachers to a consideration of the content or the body of knowledge they wish to transmit or a list of the subjects to be taught or both. However, (Braslavsky, 2003) considers the curriculum as educational foundations and contents, their sequencing in relation to the amount of time available for the learning experiences, the characteristics of the teaching institutions, the characteristics of the learning experiences, from the point of view of methods to be used, the resources for learning and teaching (e.g. textbooks and new technologies), evaluation and teachers profiles. A curriculum is an intended programme of learning and has three elements: a set of curriculum standards which set out the expected student achievements (what they know, what they can do and what dispositions they have acquired) at set points of time, the student having taken part in a programme of learning; a set of pedagogical standards; and a set of summative assessment or evaluation standards (Scott,2016 p.4). Having explored some definitions of curriculum, Scotts definition best fits the curriculum delivered on the Education and Childhood Studies programme. The curriculum covers several courses that ensures learners have an informed knowledge of the course to prepare them for the next step in their career. The curriculum covers a range of courses indicate; The curriculum has an intended programme of learning which learners are expected to complete at the end of the course. For each of the modules, the learning outcome is clearly outline which guides teachers to effectively plan and deliver contents to ensure learners makes progress, paying attention to teaching and learning strategies which will facilitate learners engagement and participation. Progress is usually monitored throughout lessons in form of formative assessment ensuring learners know what they do and what dispositions they have acquired. Furthermore, at the end of each module a set of summative assessment are used to evaluate learners achievement and progress. The curriculum delivered in the Skills Company on the Access for Higher Education, is a tailored towards the learner gaining a qualification towards a place to study in a university of the learners choice provided learners achieve the required grades. Ornstein and Hunkins (2009, p.15) contend that curriculum development encompasses how a curriculum is planned, implemented and evaluated, as well as what people, processes and procedures are involved When the phase in life is reached where education begins in earnest, it is vital that the curriculum is integrated, that there is no separation of theory and practice. By this Plato seems to mean that learning the theory of something is by itself of little value unless the student knows how to make it work.

Education in Kazakhstan Essay

1.Before going to school, children attend kindergartens until they are six or seven. 2.Compulsory education begins in our country at the age of seven, when children go to primary school. 3.The secondary stage begins from the 5th form when children start studying a lot of new subjects, such as Literature, History, Natural Sci ¬ences and others. 4.Examinations are taken at the end of the 9-th and the 11-th forms. 5.Some children may leave school after the 9-th form and continue their education at vocational or technical schools or colleges. 6.Besides secondary schools there are other types of schools in Ka ¬zakhstan. There are specialized secondary schools with intensive study of a certain subject, for example Foreign Languages, Literature, Physics and others. 7.There are also specialized art, music, ballet and sport schools for gifted children and special schools for handicapped children. 8.Secondary education in our country is free of charge. Among secondary schools there are gymnasiums, colleges and lyceums most of them are private. 9.There are institutes, schools of higher education, universities and academies among higher educational institutions. 10.In 1992 Kazakhstan system of higher education adopted the western model – a 4 years course of studies with getting the Bachelor degree after graduation and a 2 years course of study with getting the Master’s degree after graduation. 11.In order to enter a higher educational institution young people have to take an entrance examination. Only those who successfully pass entrance testing are admitted free of charge. In other cases education is given on the commercial basis.

Environmental Policy and Sustainability Essay

According to the EPA, â€Å"environmental justice† refers to that people regardless of their caste, creed, religion, race, place of origin, socio-economic status, etc, should be given fair treatment and equality with regard to the development, execution and enforcement of environmental rules and regulations. Based on environment issues, no group or religion should be given preferences or abused. The negative or positive consequences of the environment that may develop out of municipal, commercial or industrial strategies should be borne proportionately by all the groups and people. The federal, state, local and other policies meant to protect the environment should not affect a particular group adversely (Maryland Department of Environment, 2009). In the state of Maryland, the Commission on Environmental Justice and Sustainable Communities has been organizing a dialogue session with citizens, groups and the local leaders to address any environmental issue. Special importance is given to the needs of the minorities and the low family income groups in the state of Maryland. Four such programs were held in different parts of Maryland in the October-November 2003. Importance is given to sustainable environment development, protection of the communities and programs that would benefit the community and the environment. The EJ Commission has strong relationships with the state and federal governments and discussions held during the meeting would be reflected in the state and federal policies. The EJ has also prepared a list of environmental indicators that could help to improve the environmental status (Maryland Department of Environment, 2004). b. Why are finding solutions to environmental problems so complicated? Frequently, it has been seen that the environmental problems may not be simple ones. If the environmental problem is a simple issue, it would be having complex mechanisms behind itself that involves several processes and structures through strong interrelationships. As the environment problems are complicated themselves, finding a solution to them is also complicated and advanced. One way of sorting out environmental problems and reducing their complexity would be to utilize flow modeling solutions which can consider several horizontal, vertical or parallel processes or structures. Based on the flow diagram and the various issues that may arise, the reality can be visualized and modified appropriately. References Cone, J. D. (1980). Environmental Problems / Behavioral Solutions, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Maryland Department of Environment Justice (2009). What is Environmental Justice? Retrieved on June 25, 2009, from Web site: http://www. mde. state. md. us/Programs/MultimediaPrograms/Environmental_Justice/ej_intro/index. asp Maryland Department of Environment Justice (2009). Public Dialogue Executive Summary, Retrieved on June 25, 2009, from Web site: http://www. mde. state. md. us/assets/document/environmental_justice/Public%20Dialogues%20Exec%20Summary. pdf

Exposing Ignorance in Heart of Darkness Through Feminism - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 2 Words: 492 Downloads: 2 Date added: 2019/06/24 Category Literature Essay Level High school Tags: Heart of Darkness Essay Did you like this example? The mentality of male superiority dominates most literature despite recent efforts for gender equality. Many masterpieces praised today contain patriarchal perspectives, particularly historic literature. In Joseph Conradrs Victorian novel Heart of Darkness, the curious seaman Marlow illuminates the feminist theory through his dismissive attitude towards women and the lack of female presence in his narration, reflecting the ignorance of Europeans regarding African natives during the period of Imperialism. The misplaced values of the European pilgrims on materialistic objects rather than living people manifest themselves as Marlowrs narration unfolds. He claims his steamboat gives him a chance to find himself: No influential friend would have served me [Marlow] better (part 1 pg 19). He expends so much effort into repairing his boat that he places worth in this inanimate object, personifying it as a female character, whereas none of the female humans in the novel receive this love and respect. Similarly, the Europeans place more value in ivory and wealth than in humanism. When Marlow and his crew arrive at the Inner Station, they see a fierce African warrior woman adorned with seemingly the value of several elephant tusks (369). She is unnamed † only described erotically and remembered by the wealth she possesses. As mistress of the charismatic chief of the station, Kurtz, she likely only brings him wealth and selfish pleasure. In his essay on feminism in Heart of Darkness, Faro ugh Fakhimi Anbaran speculates that women are often seen as objects to be possessed by men and in the service of their pleasure (1). The African womanrs ambiguity exemplifies the notion that the purpose of women is to accommodate men. The European pilgrims, such as Kurtz, exploit the people of Africa both male and female for their own personal gain while disregarding the damage they inflict on the natives. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Exposing Ignorance in Heart of Darkness Through Feminism" essay for you Create order The internalized racism and patriarchal mindset of Marlow displays the hypocrisy of many European colonists. Marlow visits Kurtzrs fiance called The Intended and deems her nave for putting full faith in Kurtzrs devotion to her even a year after his passing. According to Anbaran, he underquestions the rationality of women (4). Marlow eventually lies about Kurtzrs last moments because he does not want to cause her more grief, fearing that she is too fragile to receive the harsh truth. His intentions are well-mannered, but he assumes The Intended is inferior concerning her emotions. Likewise, although Marlowrs intent is not necessarily to dehumanize the natives, he depicts them in a negative light causing them to seem inferior. In his narration, he reduces the African slaves to black shapes and black shadows of disease and starvation (part 1 paragraph 40). Rather than extending the aid they claim is vital, the European travelers impose even more suffering on the natives. However when t hey see this suffering, they fail to claim responsibility and turn the other way. Their racist nature prevents them from treating the Africans with equality just as how Marlowrs sexist nature causes him to hold The Intended to inferior standards.