Education is a powerful tool for shaping individuals’ perspectives, attitudes, and behaviours, which can create a more harmonious and interconnected world.
Sustainable Development Goal 4 focuses on education in the post-2015 development agenda. It aims to provide inclusive, equitable, high-quality education while promoting lifelong learning opportunities. The curriculum plays a crucial role in enabling quality learning and in supporting education that is relevant to holistic development. Therefore, this paper aims to identify the factors that make a quality curriculum and support curricular innovation in UNESCO Member States to achieve Sustainable Development Goal Four.
The curriculum is a determining factor in ensuring inclusive education and equitable provision. It provides the structure for quality learning when teachers may be underqualified or inexperienced, classrooms are under-resourced, and students lack prior frameworks to situate their knowledge. Additionally, the curriculum outlines the competencies necessary for lifelong learning and holistic development.
At the crossroads of SDG 4, education should have a curriculum encompassing all four key aspects.
(1) inclusive and equitable,
(2) characterized by quality learning,
(3) promoting lifelong learning, and
(4) relevant to holistic development.
Curriculum, in other words, provides the bridge between education and development – and it is the competencies associated with lifelong learning and aligned with development needs, in the broadest, holistic sense of the term, that span that bridge.
Education and knowledge are recognized as significant factors that contribute to the reduction of poverty, sustainable development, and economic growth. The curriculum is increasingly viewed as the foundation for educational reforms that aim to achieve high-quality learning outcomes.
The curriculum is a deliberate and systematic selection of knowledge, skills, and values. It shapes how teaching, learning, and assessment processes are organized and addresses essential questions about what, why, when, and how students should learn. Moreover, the curriculum is considered a political and social agreement that reflects a society’s shared vision while considering local, national, and global needs and expectations.
In other words, the curriculum embodies a society’s educational aims and purposes. Recent curriculum reform and development processes have involved public discussion and consultation with diverse stakeholders.
Curriculum design has become a subject of considerable debate, with frequently conflicting perspectives. Policymakers, experts, practitioners, and society at large engage in discussions about the complexity of curriculum development processes. The range of issues related to teaching, learning, and assessment presents significant challenges for policymakers and curriculum developers. Since local needs and broader transnational trends influence curriculum development processes, a comprehensive international perspective on curriculum issues, trends, and approaches is critical. A good quality curriculum is most likely achieved through good quality curriculum development processes.
Good processes are:
- Planned and systematic
- Inclusive and consultative
- Led by curriculum professionals.
- Cyclical in nature
- Sustainable
The provision of quality curriculum content is integral to the attainment of positive learning outcomes for students. However, such content must be supplemented by practical implementation. A high-quality curriculum not only specifies the subjects and grade levels that should be taught and learned but also provides detailed instructions on the appropriate methods of teaching and assessment. Ultimately, such a curriculum establishes clear expectations for students, teachers, schools, parents, employers, education systems and authorities.
By adhering to these standards, we can ensure a comprehensive and practical learning experience.
Students
In modern teaching, learning, and assessment practices, students are no longer considered passive recipients of knowledge. Instead, they should actively participate in and contribute to the teaching, learning, and assessment processes.
However, transitioning from passive to active learning can be challenging for teachers and education systems. It cannot be expected to happen immediately, and students need to be gradually guided into their roles as active learners in ways appropriate to their developmental stages.
To genuinely learn, students need to be genuinely engaged. They should consciously connect what they already know and the new knowledge and skills they acquire. They should apply the newly acquired knowledge and skills to actual or simulated situations and value what they learn while actively participating in the learning process.
Students must comprehend the purpose of classroom activities and take an active role in participating in them. They must also know what they will learn, the rationale behind it, the expectations placed upon them, and how their proficiency will be gauged. Students should exhibit a curious disposition, accept novel ideas, and boldly inquire, questioning even those things they once took for granted and subjecting them to the rigours of critical scrutiny. It is equally important that students employ self-assessment practices to monitor their learning progress, as well as that of their peers, to improve their learning outcomes. Furthermore, students should strive to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to become masterful learners, as well as extend support and show deference to the learning pursuits of their peers.
Teachers
It is imperative to note that a well-articulated syllabus for a subject can ensure that the curriculum is adaptable to meet the needs and expectations of diverse students. The role of teachers is crucial in this regard, as they determine and tailor the learning content, activities, and pace necessary for children to effectively navigate the curriculum. Without professional autonomy, highly prescriptive curricula would need to be prepared for students with varying strengths and abilities.
For teachers to adapt the curriculum to cater to the needs of all learners, they require relevant guidance in the form of Teacher Guides. Teacher Guides should provide teachers with information on how to plan learning and progression, as well as on the types of classroom learning activities that can bring the curriculum to life. As the content of any subject in the curriculum can be presented to students in countless ways, teachers should be equipped to create situations and activities, both in the classroom and beyond, that will optimize learning outcomes.
The teacher plays a crucial role in adapting the curriculum to meet the unique learning needs of all students. While it can be tempting for educational systems to create specialized curricula for specific groups of pupils, such practices may inadvertently lead to inequity. Every student must have the chance to learn the entire curriculum. The teacher can facilitate this by thoughtfully adjusting the pace of instruction, activities, and tasks to align with the particular interests and educational requirements of their students.
To provide teachers with the necessary tools to add value to the curriculum, professional development courses and written Teacher Guides are available. These resources offer a clear elucidation of the pedagogical philosophy that underpins the curriculum, as well as sample approaches to learning and teaching, outlining a topic or unit within a syllabus. Additionally, they provide detailed lesson notes and resources to describe how to conduct a lesson on a particular topic in a step-by-step manner, where appropriate. By availing themselves of these resources, teachers can enhance their teaching skills and improve student outcomes.
As a teacher, it’s important to have clear guidance about assessment as it serves as a bridge between teaching and learning. However, this doesn’t imply that students need to be tested frequently. Instead, it’s crucial to provide continuous feedback to learners through assessment to determine their understanding of the subject. This way, each student can ask themselves about their learning and evaluate it by answering three questions:
– Where am I?
– Where do I need to go next?
– How do I get there?
Understanding the true essence of formative assessment is crucial, as emphasized by John Hattie and other experts. It serves as a link between teaching and learning, without which the two cannot be easily connected. Teachers should be guided to use assessment not only to test how well students have learned content and skills but also to identify the strengths and weaknesses of individual learners. This information should be used to benefit each student in future classroom activities. Providing effective feedback to students on their learning means giving them information about why they understand or misunderstand certain topics and directions they need to take to improve, as Hattie has demonstrated.
It implies that the best teachers will make every effort to assess and evaluate their students’ understanding so that they might understand the constructions their students have made in their learning, and so that they might then match their next teaching act to this understanding. The most successful feedback will seek to correct erroneous hypotheses that students might have made and will be linked to reinforcement aimed at the acquisition of It is implicit that exceptional educators will take every measure to evaluate and appraise their students’ comprehension. This, in turn, enables them to customize their teaching approach to align with their students’ level of knowledge.
The most efficacious feedback should aim to rectify any flawed hypotheses that students may have formulated. The efficacy of any instructional material is predicated on its ability to reinforce the prerequisite knowledge and skills of students while also leveraging their strengths to further motivate them. In line with this, an ideal educational curriculum should prioritize the consolidation of students’ foundational knowledge and expertise, with a view to building on their strengths, and ultimately, fostering a culture of continuous improvement.
Schools / Learning environments
It is incumbent upon school leaders to have a comprehensive understanding of the curriculum content and to make informed management decisions within their areas of responsibility in order to facilitate its delivery. Equally important is the provision of encouragement and support to teachers in adopting novel and innovative pedagogical approaches.
School leaders are advised to facilitate the creation of an environment that enables Learning Leaders to engage in detailed and meaningful discussions with teachers in their teams regarding the curriculum and its implementation. This is of utmost importance in ensuring that teachers do not rely solely on the prescribed textbook but rather participate actively in the co-creation of the curriculum in collaboration with their fellow educators and students themselves.
School leaders can utilize curriculum delivery as a tool for the professional development of teachers and to ensure continuous improvement of their practices. Dylan Wiliam suggests that each teacher should answer three questions about curricular practice to facilitate this process:
– What improvements do I aim to make in my practice this year?
– How do I plan to achieve these improvements?
– What evidence do I intend to collect to demonstrate the effect of these improvements on learning outcomes?
School leaders play a vital role in enhancing the quality of education by establishing teams within and across Learning Areas. These teams facilitate professional support among teachers to improve their curricular practices. The responsibilities of school leaders include curriculum implementation and advice, which are critical aspects of effective school leadership. Furthermore, schools must ensure that learning environments are secure and adequately equipped. They should also provide high-quality learning materials that support good teaching, learning, and assessment practices. The ultimate goal is to create a learner-friendly environment that fosters effective and enjoyable learning.
Education systems and authorities
A high-quality curriculum establishes expectations for education systems and school authorities. These expectations include supporting teachers and schools to be innovative and creative. It is the responsibility of education systems and leaders to aid teachers and schools in comprehending and effectively implementing the curriculum.
In some cases, a good quality curriculum necessitates adopting innovative teaching approaches that diverge from conventional methods. For instance, encouraging students to engage in questioning, discussing, and debating can be an effective strategy for promoting active learning. Such innovative strategies must receive the necessary impetus and support to create an engaging and stimulating learning environment.
In a broader sense, a well-structured and high-quality curriculum may necessitate a redefinition of what constitutes a “good” teacher in an educational system, which, in turn, could have a significant impact on recruitment policies, professional development, remuneration packages, incentive schemes, promotion criteria, and the monitoring of teaching efficacy through inspection systems. Similarly, an educational system must encourage principals and headteachers to establish a school culture that reflects the principles and practices of a “good quality” curriculum.
Ensuring assessments, formative as well as summative, reflect the curriculum.
For a curriculum to be deemed of good quality, it must be underpinned by appropriate methods and strategies to assess student achievement as defined by the curriculum. National examinations, which are typically under the direct control of education systems, must be designed in a way that is coherent with and reflective of the curriculum.
Furthermore, a good quality curriculum must ensure that students have a balanced set of knowledge, skills, and values. The assessment requirements of the system must be aligned with this balance.
It is essential to highlight that the alignment between the curriculum and the assessment methods and strategies is crucial to achieving the desired outcomes for students. It is, therefore, imperative that education systems pay close attention to the coherence between these elements to ensure that students receive a comprehensive and practical education.
Providing the resources and equipment necessary to implement the curriculum successfully.
To be effective and successful, a good quality curriculum requires resources and equipment. Education authorities should ensure that these are available and distributed equitably. This may frequently mean allocating resources unequally. For example, additional resourcing may be necessary to provide compensatory education for particular social groups who might be disadvantaged because of history, disability, gender, socio-economic status, ethnicity or cultural background, or where they live – whether in difficult urban or deep. For a curriculum to be productive and prosperous, it needs to have access to adequate resources and equipment. Education authorities must guarantee that these resources are available and distributed equitably. This may often require the allocation of resources unequally.
For instance, additional resources may need to be assigned to provide compensatory education for certain groups in society that may be disadvantaged based on their history, disability, gender, socio-economic status, ethnicity, cultural background, or place of residence, whether in challenging urban or deeply rural environments. Education authorities must ensure that the distribution of resources is equitable yet also take into account the unique needs of individuals and communities so that all students have access to the tools and resources necessary to achieve success.
To achieve a comprehensive evaluation, it is recommended that the evaluators consider inputs, outputs, and outcomes.
To conduct evaluation processes proficiently, evaluators must construct a quality framework that aligns with the objectives and purpose of the evaluation. The preceding sections of this paper have proffered a variety of criteria and recommendations which may aid in developing this framework. These suggestions can be selectively employed to conform to the specific purpose and scope of the evaluation.
1. Clearly defined purpose and scope
To ensure that the evaluation process is conducted successfully, the evaluators need to have a clear understanding of the purpose and scope of the evaluation. The purpose of the assessment can range from a narrow focus on specific subjects, such as Mathematics, to a broad focus on the overall effectiveness of the educational system.
Inputs would refer to the appropriateness of the curriculum in terms of whether it is:
fit for its intended purposes;
inclusive; relevant;
internally aligned and coherent;
well-articulated with other aspects of the education system and
consistent with broader societal goals.
The outputs of learning assessments and national testing can be considered as indicators of the effectiveness of the curriculum in supporting teaching, learning, and checking in each subject area and across the curriculum. The evaluation of curricular outputs is essential in answering questions as to whether the curriculum provides adequate support to teachers. This necessitates thoroughly analyzing the curriculum, teaching practices, learning circumstances, and other factors to identify potential issues. By conducting careful research, it is possible to determine whether any problems arise from the curriculum or other external factors.
The term “outcomes” within the context of education refers to evaluating the efficacy of curricula in developing young individuals who possess competencies, values, and citizenship responsibilities as outlined in educational aims. Additionally, it aims to prepare them for lifelong learning, employment, and other facets of life. It is imperative to assess these outcomes as they serve as a crucial indicator of the success of educational programs. The assessment of outcomes involves a comprehensive evaluation of the educational system’s ability to impart the necessary knowledge, skills, and values to students, thereby ensuring their readiness to face the challenges of the future.
2. Based on valid data and criteria
Once the evaluators have gained a comprehensive understanding of the purpose and scope of the evaluation, they can proceed to determine the most appropriate sources of data and strategies for collecting and analyzing that data. For example, in a limited evaluation, such as the work of a specific teacher, a member of the inspectorate or school principal may collect data from classroom observations, professional conversations with the teacher, and appropriate assessments of student outcomes. However, when evaluating the effectiveness of the curriculum as a whole, a panel of evaluators may rely on stakeholder surveys, consultations with schools, and post-school destination surveys, as well as the results of national testing and other student assessments to collect data for analysis. It is important to note that essential assessments of students are crucial sources of data in any evaluation of the curriculum.
3. Regular
The assessment of the curriculum is an essential aspect for maintaining educational standards. The frequency at which a comprehensive evaluation of the entire curriculum should occur is subject to various factors such as feedback received and the availability of resources. It is, however, recommended that authorities remain vigilant regarding the need for a large-scale evaluation and make appropriate arrangements for its administration and financing.
4. Conducted by qualified and experienced people
Within the framework of the planning process, it is incumbent upon authorities to ensure that evaluations are conducted by individuals who possess the necessary qualifications and experience. Such individuals should exhibit a profound understanding of all aspects of the curriculum and the strategies and processes that ar utilized in the evaluation of educational programs. Additionally, education authorities should consider matters of objectivity and ensure that the evaluators are wholly independent from the curriculum. The evaluators should be able to present their findings in a professional, valid, and transparent manner, thereby engendering trust and confidence in the evaluation process.
The curriculum is always underpinned by principles about how children learn.
A sound curriculum is built on a foundation of well-established and consistently applied assumptions regarding the mechanisms of children’s learning. These suppositions are themselves founded on the notion that teachers play an indispensable role in bringing to fruition each of the principles governing the learning process of young learners. As far as the scope of this paper is concerned, teachers act as intermediaries between the Curriculum Framework, the curriculum itself, teaching and learning guides, specific subject syllabi, textbooks, and students.
Every student is unique. A good curriculum should be implemented in a way that allows teachers to identify the individual capacities of learners and respect the differences in how children prefer to learn.
Students learn by connecting what they already know with new information, seeking meaning and relevance. They reinforce these connections by applying their needs to be engaged and building upon or challenging them, if necessary, in order to develop new learning.
Personalized or learner-centred approaches to learning give significant importance to the background, prior knowledge, needs, current stage of development, and potential of each learner.
For students to learn effectively, the new subject matter must be relevant in some way to their previous knowledge, experience, or goals. When students find a subject applicable, it becomes more motivating for them to learn.
Furthermore, students learn best when they value what they are learning and are motivated to learn it. To sustain the learning process and develop a lifelong commitment to education, a love for learning and a motivation to continue learning are essential.
Lastly, when students play an active role in their learning – setting their own learning goals and taking responsibility for their participation and contributions to the classroom – it enhances their learning experience.
Learning is thus also a social activity, and significantly so, classroom learning experiences should be organized accordingly.
Students learn best when they reflect metacognitively on their learning and can articulate their current level of understanding. Such reflection on their learning helps students to take responsibility for their education, not least by setting goals, understanding how they learn best, and assessing their progress.
Students learn best in warm, safe and supportive environments where learning is appropriately challenging and enjoyable. Classroom regimes based on fear, excessive pressure or monotonous drilling only alienate learners.
Good relationships, between teachers and students and among students themselves, are critical for learning.
In order for students to attain proficiency in a particular area of inquiry, it is imperative that they possess a substantial foundation of factual, or content, knowledge. Additionally, they must possess a thorough understanding of these facts and ideas, and the theories that connect them, within the context of a conceptual framework. Developing the skills, values, and attitudes associated with their chosen field is also essential to the development of a particular competence (refer to Box 1 for further details).
Effective learning is best achieved through continuous assessment that provides teachers with invaluable insight into each individual student’s level of understanding. Assessment serves as the bridge between teaching and learning and enables teachers to provide personalized feedback that is tailored to the specific needs of their students. It is crucial that teachers have a comprehensive understanding of what each student is thinking so that they can provide targeted feedback that enables students to strengthen their weaker areas and build on their strengths.
Effective feedback to students on their learning is all about providing them with detailed information about what they do and do not understand and what they need to do to improve. Providing students with such information is integral to their learning journey and enables them to make progress in their studies.
It is worth noting at this point that there is a wide array of learning areas where learning outcomes are not easily quantified. These include dispositional, affective, and behavioural changes among learners – such as in ethics, civic responsibility, global citizenship, emotional maturity, moral character, tolerance of diversity, curiosity, cooperation, aesthetic appreciation, social relations, community solidarity and environmental responsibility. That these are not easily assessed does not minimize the importance of their inclusion in the curriculum.
Education systems also need to maximize curriculum support budgets and to ensure that schools are provided with the best possible quality teachers and resources (including Teacher Guides, textbooks and other materials).
Allocating time in flexible ways
Various methodologies exist for determining the time allocation to each subject or Learning Area. Within the education systems and authorities, it’s often observed that flexible approaches are adopted, whereby schools are granted autonomy in deciding the amount of time to be allocated. This facet serves as a prerequisite for and promotes the creation of a formal curriculum of exceptional quality.
Rather than allocating hours to subjects in a highly regulated way, it is possible to:
When designing a curriculum, it is important to consider how much time should be allocated to different subjects and how teaching hours should be distributed. To achieve this, five key approaches can be considered.
Firstly, it is recommended to set minimum hours over a certain period while allowing schools and teachers the flexibility to spend more time if they feel it is necessary.
Secondly, the time allocated to each subject should be expressed as a percentage of the total available hours, considering variations in the number of school days in different parts of the system.
Thirdly, hours should be allocated to a Learning Area rather than to individual subjects, allowing for some autonomy in deciding how the time should be given.
Fourthly, notional or indicative hours can be allocated, which provide a recommended number of hours to achieve learning outcomes but are not prescriptive, allowing for some flexibility in the time spent according to the needs of students.
Finally, the curriculum should describe the learning outcomes students are expected to achieve by certain ages or stages. Teachers, learning leaders, school principals, education authorities, parents, and employers can then work together to decide how the time should be allocated to different aspects of the curriculum to help learners achieve their full potential.
Using these approaches, a personalized learning experience can be created that is focused and motivating for learners. It is essential to have high-quality teachers and good-quality evaluation and assurance processes to ensure success.
To facilitate meaningful learning outcomes, it is of utmost importance to allocate sufficient time to the endeavour, regardless of the approach taken. For instance, giving a mere hour per week to learn a language is not practical and may not yield the desired results. International standards and expectations about this matter are well-established. In Europe, for instance, a minimum allocation of 1,000 hours over nine years is necessary to attain acceptable language proficiency.
Moreover, it is advisable to ensure that the percentage of time allocated to each subject or learning area aligns with accepted international practices. This measure guarantees that the time invested in each issue or area is proportionate and balanced, thereby optimizing the learning outcomes.
“Education for All – For the Cause of Education”, which is driven by the doctrine of
Education-Of the People; Education-By the People; Education-For the People. (contd………)
