The creation of curricula is a complex process that calls for a grasp of several areas. Curriculum leaders’ main goal is to provide students information and learning opportunities that are suited to their requirements and nature. Curriculum designers must take into account a number of variables, such as social forces, learning styles, and human development to accomplish the goal. Chapters 2-4 of Parkay book address each of these topics in detail. This paper provides a summary of the issues that were most helpful in gaining a deeper understanding and respect for curriculum creation and curriculum leadership.
In Chapter 2, Parkay et al. (2014) discuss 10 trends and concerns that teachers and curriculum administrators may use to adapt the curriculum since each of these trends will significantly influence education. These forces comprise of: ethnic and cultural diversity, shifting moral standards, family stress, the environment, the way technology is transforming the workplace, the advancement of equal rights, crime and violence, a loss of direction and meaning, and dependency on a worldwide scale. Although I was aware of most societal influences, I was unaware of their impact on curriculum development. For example, authorities must make sure that students are aware of the risks linked with crime and violence since these incidents are more likely to occur in schools and on the streets. In the present world, it is essential to understand the procedures for preventing the negative effects of being exposed to crime and violence. Another crucial concept I was unaware of is that students of all ages need more direction and significance. The consumeristic perspectives of the western world brought about the incapacity to find pleasure in each day of life. It has dawned on me that curriculum designers must assist kids in discovering purposeful pursuits in life.
Two trends that stood out of the ten were the workforce and family stress. The family dynamic has changed in recent years, adding to the stress levels of pupils. According to Parkay et al. (2014), families are no longer as connected to one another or their community as they once were, and parental responsibilities have evolved. Furthermore, fewer students are growing up in two-parent households, but more are suffering from malnourishment and maltreatment at home. It goes without saying that pupils bring these pressures with them when they arrive at school. Rather than learning how to manage stress, learners may act out and be classified as having behaviour issues. Because of this, it is critical to keep these things in mind while creating the curriculum.
My comprehension of the influence of social forces will greatly impact my career. In the future, I shall consider the societal dynamics influencing students in the United States while creating curricula. Specifically, I will make sure that all pupils, regardless of age, take lessons on orientation in life, which will help the kids realize how important they are and give them the confidence to do great things for the nation, the world, and God Almighty.
The impact of human growth on curriculum development was discussed in Chapter 3. Parkay et al. (2014) outline five elements that curriculum designers should consider. They include physical ageing, intellectual growth and success, emotional development, social development, and the biological foundation of physical variations. To provide information and experiences for learners that are appropriate to the stage of development, educators must put these five aspects into practice. Stated differently, curriculum designers must ensure that the explicit curriculum aligns with the developmental phases of learners. I was familiar with Erikson’s psychosocial development concept before reading Chapter 3. I now realize that both Kohlberg’s moral development theory and Piaget’s theory exist. These ideas have enhanced my comprehension of the phases of human growth. Simultaneously, I saw that there was ambiguity about the categories of developmental phases and the ages linked to transitioning to the subsequent phase.
This insight will be beneficial for my future profession in curriculum leadership since it promotes the management of uncertainty. There is no set age at which a kid transforms, according to the body of empirical research and ideas now in existence. Individuals go through different phases at different rates. This suggests that I will only be able to accommodate some students’s demands according to their developmental stage. I will have to provide most pupils with a curriculum that meets their needs. I must, however, carefully evaluate if the presumptions on the current developmental phases at various grade levels are sufficient. This assessment will assist me in mitigating the uncertainty arising from discrepancies among many theories of human development.
Parkay et al. (2014) mention in Chapter 4 that curriculum directors often use Kolb’s theory of learning styles to support the learning process. The idea explains why individuals learn differently by suggesting that people choose two of the four processes: feeling, observing, thinking, and doing when acquiring new information. Four distinct learning styles thus arose: accommodating (doing and handling), converging (imagining and doing), assimilation (watching and reasoning), and diverging (feeling and observing) (Parkay et al., 2014). Although I was aware of the different learning styles, I was unaware that they are not innate. People’s developmental phases and environmental conditions influence how they learn throughout time. Furthermore, the best way to benefit pupils was to take advantage of their chosen learning method. However, according to Parkay et al. (2014), students may benefit from recognizing and enhancing their less favoured learning style.
Having an understanding of the significance of learning styles will be useful to me in my future role as a curriculum leader. My goal is to create a well-rounded curriculum that utilizes skills from every phase of the learning cycle. I will encourage students to experiment with different learning styles to determine which one(s) suits them best. In addition, all instructors must have the chance to assess each student’s unique learning style and make use of both their areas of strength and weakness. The curriculum should support instructors in creating learning opportunities for children that are tailored to their learning styles rather than giving them a predetermined list of assignments. This suggests that most activities provide students with merely broad instructions to allow for creativity in the learning process or offer many paths for completing the assignment depending on the student’s preferred learning method.
In conclusion, curriculum leaders must guarantee that all students, irrespective of their learning style, developmental stage, or social circumstances, get the optimal learning experience. To prevent despair and abnormal conduct, curriculum designers must assist kids in discovering purpose in life. In addition, the curriculum needs to be modified based on people’s developmental stages to satisfy their demands. However, since every kid is different in their developmental stage, attaining perfection in this area is hard. Lastly, for instructors to capitalize on the unique variances among their pupils, all curricula must provide learning opportunities for individuals with varying learning styles. Teachers should be allowed to enhance the least desired learning styles rather than focusing only on developing the preferred ones. Ultimately, using the information I have learned from chapters 2-4 will make me a stronger curriculum leader.
References
Parkay, F. W., Anctil, E. J., & Hass, G. (2014). Curriculum leadership: Readings for developing quality educational programs. Prentice Hall.
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