Curriculum Models and Technology

Curriculum Models

When considering the curriculum models discussed in this week’s reading, I am fascinated with Wiggins and McTighe’s concept of backwards design. This makes wonderful sense to me as it gives reasons to everything that is done in the classroom. As I said last week, curriculum is everything that I teach in my classroom. So I would have a reason for everything that I teach. The shortcoming to this method is the amount of detail and time necessary to complete each stage.

I found things I liked about Taba’s model, too. Although this seems to be exactly opposite of backwards design, the same elements drive the instruction. Taba allows for formative evaluation as the units and curriculum develop. In this way, a teacher can test out what methods and activities really develop understanding. The resulting curriculum has been fleshed out and is ready to share with others on the grade level, school, and district level.

I like this approach because it fits better into the time constraints of a typical teacher. With six subjects to teach, developing UbD’s overarching questions, objectives, lessons, and evaluations is just out of the question. I personally am using a Taba-type approach to introduce lessons to the other teachers on my grade level. In the next year, I hope to have a presentation for the regional teaching exposition.

Tyler’s model is extremely detailed. At first glance, I thought there was way too much involved for an individual teacher to be able to utilize it. Then I began to see the Plan/Do/Check/Act concept (that our district preaches) unfold. After examining the data gathered through various means, plans are made to meet the needs. After the activities, the evaluation gives us another set of data to begin the next unit. I think teachers are screening data through the philosophical and psychological filters Tyler describes all the time. In the end, I found this method quite intuitive. Many teachers are employing some variation of this method, even if it is not as finely delineated as Tyler’s.

Technology in My Curriculum

In my classroom, I have included some elements of technology in nearly every subject. During math, I project the workbook pages from the e-book online onto the screen so we can work the examples together. I use the publisher’s intervention exercises to reteach and for remediation. I give re-takes of tests using the publisher’s software. Our daily math warm-ups come from the e-book site. See the Harcourt e-book previews.

During reading, I present explicit phonics lessons using PowerPoint. We use cassettes with poems, stories, and background lessons for more phonics and fluency. I have a listening center just for fluency practice. I use computer assisted instruction for phonics practice and remediation in phonemic awareness. See SuccessMaker Enterprise and Earobics.

In Social Studies and Science, I project websites with relevant information onto the board. When I find activities online, I demonstrate using the projector, then take the class to the computer lab so everyone can participate in the activity.

I have recently introduced “e-mail” in SuccessMaker Enterprise to a small group of students. The students can only send messages to me. They really got into the spirit of things when I told them the first message we sent would have the subject “test”. I meant this just to see how it worked. They took it literally and sent me math questions and geography questions! I’m still waiting to hear if I passed the test.