Running head: CURRICULUM MODEL 1

Curriculum Model: Concept-Based Curriculum and

Units of Inquiry

Courtney Lipski

University of Nevada, Las Vegas, CIE 685

October 6, 2019
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Curriculum Model: Concept-Based Curriculum and Units of Inquiry

Curriculum development must reflect the philosophy and objectives of the developers of

that curriculum. The developers must understand the purpose of student learning and what

outcomes the learning will achieve amongst students. In other words, the acquisition of

knowledge is largely defined by the curriculum developer’s philosophical view of education and

pedagogy.

As a proponent of inquiry-based learning, and the experimentalist approach, I personally

feel curriculum should be developed to integrate multiple subject areas, interconnecting content

and building upon student experience. Learning should be continuous and constantly challenging

students to solve new problems from past experiences and new investigations. “[The educator]

must constantly regard what is already won not as a fixed possession but as an agency and

instrumentality for opening new fields which make new demands upon existing powers of

observation and of intelligent use of memory” (Dewey, 1963, p. 75). More specifically, I find my

philosophy aligning with concept-based curriculum (CBC), which emphasizes cross-content

learning rather than subject-specific content (Murphy, n.d.).

CBC requires students to ask big questions and utilize their experiences and prior

knowledge to begin explorations into problem solving or inquiries to discover new knowledge

and experiences. Students investigate essential questions, or big concepts, which are investigated

cross-content. Lynn Erickson’s 3-D model is a constructivist approach where “[u]nits of inquiry

are developed to transect different subjects” (Grisham, 2019, slide 18). In the 3-D model,

students develop knowledge, understand that knowledge, and apply that knowledge to real world

situations. The learning thus becomes continuous, building upon prior knowledge, and

challenging students to make connections between what they are learning, to how their new
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knowledge is applicable to their lives. In Erickson’s curriculum model, students are advocates of

their own learning and can thus take ownership of the knowledge that they acquire. The teacher

can act as the facilitator of the learning, while students lead investigations and discoveries,

creating more meaningful learning experiences.

Curriculum which aims to teach conceptually, rather than constrained by subject, is a

natural form of learning that can provide accessibility to all students, regardless of their abilities

in specific subjects. Rather than teaching only math, where some students may have a false

narrative about their ability in math, the curriculum can integrate math with reading, science, and

social studies, providing more accessibility and meaning to the math content. The constructivist

views students, not as lacking knowledge and needing to be told, but instead as possessing

intellect that can then be nurtured and expanded upon (Wiles & Bondi, 2015). Curriculum should

be designed to teach students how to be life-long learners, seeking knowledge, investigating

unanswered questions, and exploring new discoveries.

To write my own curriculum unit, I would follow CBC or Erickson’s 3-D curriculum

model. It is imperative that students understand the interconnectivity and relevance of all

subjects, while seeking answers to big questions. Not only would this make student learning

more relevant, but it would be engaging for students. Students would be leaders of their own

learning, making mistakes and learning from their own missteps. New knowledge would thus

become more valuable to students.

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References

Dewey, J. (1963). Experience and education. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster.

Grisham, A. (2019). Curriculum models [PowerPoint slides]. Retrieved from UNLV

WebCampus

Murphy, A. (n.d.). A quick guide to concept-based learning and curriculum: Curriculum

development. Retrieved from https://www.rubicon.com/concept-based-learning-

curriculum/

Wiles, J. W., & Bondi, J. C. (2015). Curriculum development: A guide to practice (9th ed.).

Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.