Should the curriculum be defined as what should be learned or the skills that should be developed.

Kelly says the most dangerous fallacy is that the knowledge content of the curriculum is paramount.

This would be a useful paper to consider the idea that we know a lot about curriculum theory, but for some reason we choose not to put it into practice. Kelly would argue that the curriculum designers have an ulterior motive.

The best bit is that the responsibility for organising the world comes back to the individual rather than reliance on external groups (government, school, Google, Microsoft)

The video is embedded after the fold.

Sometimes you need a revolution to get over the wall.

It challenges what we are doing in education.

Some useful quotes

“…a belief that is we are to build world class schools for a knowledge society then it is not sufficient to merely tinker with existing structures.”

Read it again and again

You can get it here

Kids use blogs more than adults.  They can be used for educational reasons as they empwer the user to create (publish) work directky to th Internet.

Huffaker says that they can increase literacy by increasing the use of storytelling

He also mentions the idea of digital fluency – how comfortable people are in the use of technology.

Mentions weblogg-ed

Resnik says we need to update our model of education to prepare students for the future.  In particular to think of computers as aiding the creative process, rather than just making existing teaching happen faster or more efficiently.  This give kids the independance to think creatively.

Title – How far does our understanding of curriculum and learning prepare students for the challenges of the 21st century?

What is our understanding of curriculum?

Does it influence the learning?  I mean if we understand a lot about learning and how a curriculum can be forged then are we actually doing it. From vision2020 – Lead or get out of the way – noble thoughts by is it actually happening?

What are the challenges of the 21st century?

• creativity required – modern society needs lifelong learners with experience of creativity – not people stuffed with facts
• people who are fluent (digitally)  (use Resnick paper – Rethinking Learning in the Digital age)
• What does industry write about their needs

What does the curriculum say?  Use UK national curriculum as well as MYP and compare factual content

Are we using what we know about learning to influence curriculum development

Is what we are doing with curriculum anything to do with what we know about learning?

An Initial Task – 6 things about me

A Reflective Review – due 9th January

Innovation in Teaching and Learning

Essay outline – due 15th December

Essay – How far does our understanding of curriculum and learning prepare students for the challenges of the 21st century – due 26th January

Thought I would give you the links so you can find them again easily.

Shift Happens, Shift Happens (UK)