Susan D. Montgomery (dba Shadowfax Publishing) has extensive experience in curriculum development and instructional delivery with both children and adults. She uses current educational theory (brain-based learning, multiple intelligence theory, performance assessment, outcome-based curriculum, etc.) in the development of curriculum projects.
Shadowfax Publishing is seeking curriculum projects, especially those which are conducive to exploring Internet applications.
What is Curriculum?
- more than information (but requires content of some sort)
- it is structured with the intent that learning occurs
- all curricula have an underlying philosophy about how "we" learn
- information and/or learning tasks are organized- usually sequential- represented by a scope, sequence, spiral, task analysis
- curriculum must be adaptable in order to meet the needs of a variety of learners (styles, cognitive, emotional, physical developmental levels, skill levels, motivation, other special considerations)
- critical components: goals, outcomes, content, activities to help learner make connections, assessment
Foundations of Learning (children and adults)
Learning is the responsibility of the learner:
You can't teach anyone anything. . . but you can carefully design an environment that encourages the learner to make his/her own connections. Much of human learning occurs without a teacher.
Each brain is unique (Caine and Caine, see reference):
To summarize Caine and Caine, this concept means that each brain is a bit different (no two brains are exactly alike) and as learning occurs (connections are made) each brain continues to become more unique. In a class of 30 students (children or adults) each person will "get" something a little different from the same lesson. This doesn't mean that curriculum is irrelevant- (scope, sequence, task analysis, and spiraling are excellent tools to increase the chances that students will learn). This does mean that the more ownership the student has in the learning process and the more self directed the learner is, the greater the chance that learning will occur.
Assimilation and Accommodation (Piaget):
There are different learning processes that can be accessed for different learning tasks. Piaget offers one model with assimilation (fits into existing structures) and accommodation (new information changes structure to make it fit). Caine and Caine identify taxon memory (rote) and locale memory (natural). Bloom's taxonomy outlines hierarchical thinking (processing) skills. It is important to match the learning process to the task.
Risk taking is essential for learning to occur:
A learning friendly environment is one that is trusting and supportive. Learning isn't always having the right answer- but it is often a process of "trial and error" or "successive approximations". Making "mistakes" is necessary for learning and an environment must support the taking of risks to learn.
Need always to recognize prior experience:
Children and adults bring with them a wealth of background experiences (cognitive, emotional, social, physical) to the learning process. Recognizing what each individual brings to the learning task is essential. Identifying prior experience helps the learner focus on the learning task and make new connections to existing knowledge. It also builds a supportive learning environment by giving value to individual experiences and supporting a variety of learning styles.
Individual learning styles:
It is essential to recognize that individual students take in, process and express information in different ways. Multiple Intelligence Theory, Learning Styles, Cognitive Styles, and Thinking Skills offer various models demonstrating this concept.
Natural curiosity:
Humans have a natural (innate) curiosity or need to learn. Caine and Caine describe this by observing that the brain continually seeks patterns or meaning. Motivation and learning have a very complex relationship- well, maybe the relationship is simple- motivation plays an important role in learning. How this plays out in practical terms is the complexity!
General health:
Cognitive functions, learning and brain function cannot be separated from health (emotional, mental and physical). Maslow recognized that in order for higher order processing to occur, basic physiological and and psychological needs must be met. Stress is a real deterrent to learning. Caine and Caine believe stress causes the brain to "downshift" or function at lower levels.
Caine, Renate and Caine, Goeffrey. (1991) Making Connections: Teaching and the Human Brain. Alexandria, Virginia: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.