Week 4 Curriculum Evaluation:

In the three weeks prior, I have used my blog posts to introduced the SAL model of curriculum evaluation and to detail the first two components — objectives and design.  This week I will move on to the third component by explaining implementation of curriculum.  

Curriculum implementation moves beyond the planning phase that was prominent in the design component and includes the actual commencement of the learning experiences. This is the introduction of the curriculum to the students and includes the teacher having to answer questions such as:

• How are new topics introduced throughout the curriculum unit?
• Will students be exploring new concepts on their own?
• Will the teacher act as a direct instructor or a facilitator?
• What activities will be used to introduce and review key concepts? 

These are some of the numerous questions that must be answered in the curriculum implementation phase in order for the curriculum to be an effective teaching tool.

Implementation of curriculum is based on developing learning experiences to make the content information relevant to the child.  Making it relevant is key to retention of the material.  Connections to the real world, building on prior knowledge or experiences, and utilizing different delivery methods of content are all considerations that the teacher must make in presenting the curriculum.  One of the hardest things to learn as a teacher is that the content does not just “jump” from the teachers head to the students’.  Just writing it down for students to read or saying it aloud does not mean students learn it.

Learning styles of the students should be assessed to ensure that learning experiences are beneficial for the students. Also, the different ability levels of the students must be taken into account during implementation. Differentiated lessons will be needed to assist weaker students yet challenge more advanced students.  Audio lessons will help auditory learners, while hands-on activities will help tactile learners.  The method in which the curriculum is implemented may be the deciding factor in the students learning or not.

Pace is also an important factor in the implementation of curriculum.  Some students will learn the content to proficient level very quickly, while other students will need remediation.  Those who learn quickly can become bored if their minds are not continually challenged. Therefore, individualized higher level thinking activities will be needed for those students so the teacher can focus attention on those students who need more direct instruction.  A self-paced curriculum can be beneficial to a teacher who has a wide range grade levels (or ability levels) in a classroom.  In a self-paced curriculum, the teacher acts like more of a facilitator and the students move through the curriculum on their own — learning at their own pace.  The teacher is utilized only when the student needs reinforcement of the content or the student is not progressing.  Sometimes students utilize a “scripted” paper based curriculum or they may use an online curriculum for a self-paced learning experience. 

The overall theme in the implementation of curriculum is that the opportunities for learning are, and must be, endless~