Module 8 – Curricular Landscape in the 21st Century Classrooms

Module 8 Curricular Landscape in the 21st Century Classrooms

3

Module Overview:

A dramatic technological revolution ushered the 21st century. We live in a society that has
become diverse, globalized, complex and media-saturated. Current education breaks the mold that
we know of the past. It has to be flexible, creative challenging and complex. Module 8 makes student
aware of the current landscape in curriculum and the skills that the curriculum have to develop.

`
Lesson 1 The 21st Century Curricular Landscape in the Classroom

Desired Learning Outcomes

➢ Described the curricular landscape of the 21st century

➢ Identified the 21st century skills to be developed in the curriculum

Take Off

The world has shrunk because of technology. Classroom have become virtual and global. Current
students are facing emerging issues like global warming, health issues war, population growth and, many
more. What would all of these require?

Content Focus

Emerging Curricula of the 21st Century Learners

How does the curriculum for the 21st century look like? What are the emerging factors and conditions
that will shape the curriculum of the century?

Discussion in various groups here and abroad revolve along the different issues.
• Globalization of economies and independence on international markets.
• Increased concerns and actions about environmental degradation, water and energy shortages,
global warming, pandemic (HIV, Ebola, etc.)
• Nations competing for power block thus generating conflict but gives opportunities to build
alliances and cooperation
 Module 8 – Curricular Landscape in the 21st Century Classrooms

• Increased global migration and opportunities for working overseas

• Science and technological revolution
• Knowledge economy as generator of wealth and jobs.

All these issues need a curriculum that will address global solutions to environmental problems,
sustainability, cultural diversity, global conflicts, technological revolution, and science breakthrough.
Thus an integrative approach to curriculum is absolutely necessary. There should be unity in core
academic subjects where life and career skills are included. Curriculum includes interdisciplinary themes,
development of essential skills for modern pedagogies and technologies.
The curriculum incorporates higher order thinking skills, multiple intelligences, technology and multi-
media and multiple literacies of the 21st century skills. The 21st century curriculum includes innovation
skills, information and media and ICT literacy.
The curriculum for this century should inspire and challenge both the teacher and the learner. These
are some of the characteristics of this curriculum. It is curriculum that. . . .
• Provides appropriate knowledge, skills and values to face the future.
• Is based on knowledge drawn from research.
• Is a product of consultative, collaborative development process.
• Supports excellence and equity for all learners.

Need to Develop 21st Century Skills of Learners in the Curriculum

What are the skills needed by 21st century learners in order to cope with the curriculum? Will the
curriculum likewise develop these skills too? According to the Singapore Ministry of Education, such
clusters of the competencies are seen in the matrix below:

Cluster of Skills for the 21st Century Specific Descriptors

Learning and Innovation Skills Critical Thinking Problem Solving
Creativity and Innovation
Oral and Written Communication
Knowledge, Information, Media and Technology Content Mastery
Literacy Skills Information Literacy
Media Literacy
ICT Literacy
Life Skills Flexibility and Adaptability
Initiative and Self Direction
Teamwork and Collaboration
Social and Cross-Cultural Skills
Productivity and Accountability
Leadership and Responsibility
Citizenship Skills Valuing of Diversity
Global Awareness
 Module 8 – Curricular Landscape in the 21st Century Classrooms

Environmental Awareness
Values, Ethics and Professionalism

On the other hand, Howard Gardner (2006) from his book Five minds of the Future, sees that the five
frames of thinking which would help in the development of thinking skills. Each frame of thinking is
attributed to the type of mind the learner has to use in order to survive the future.

The Five Frames of Thinking

Five Frames of Thinking Descriptions
The Disciplined Mind Makes use of the ways of thinking necessary for
major scholarly work and profession
The Synthesizing Mind Selects crucial information from the voluminous
amounts available, processing such information in
ways to make sense to self and others.
The Creating Mind Goes beyond existing knowledge. Posse new
questions, offers new solution.
The Respectful Mind Sympathetically and constructively adjust to
individual differences.
The Ethical Mind Considers one’s role as citizen consistently and
strives toward good work and good citizenship.

Lastly, Tony Wagner is his book The Global Achievement Gap mentioned the seven several skills for
the 21st century curriculum.
1. Critcal Thinking and Problem Solving
2. Collaboration across Networks and Leading by influence.
3. Agility and Adaptability.
4. Initiative and Entrepreneurship
5. Effective Oral and Written Communication
6. Accessing and Analyzing Information
7. Curiosity and Imagination

Take Action

Activity 1 – The 21st century Classroom

In the space below, draw a classroom of the 21st century.
 Module 8 – Curricular Landscape in the 21st Century Classrooms

Lesson 2 The Final Action for Curriculum Material: A Celebration

`
Desired Learning Outcomes

➢ Viewed and valued the big picture of the whole module on Curriculum Development for Teachers.

Take Off

Lesson 2 captures your view of Curriculum Development as course to prepare you as teachers as
reflected in the Curriculum Development for Teachers Module. It will put together your experiences from
the whole series of modules, lessons and activities. At the end of the journey, this lesson will further find
out the depth of your understanding. The intensity of your involvement, the excitement you went through,
the difficulties you have experienced, and the learning adventures which yon enjoyed. This lesson will
require your reflection, critical thinking and decision making as a curriculum evaluator. In the end, we will
find out if this worth a CELEBRATION!

Content Focus

The 7 Rs of QUALITY CURRICULUM MATERIAL

(Modified from Ron Ritchart, Culture of Thinking Project, Bialik College, Melbourne)
The Rs of Quality Description of R
seven Curriculum Material
(7)
1 Rigorous Students need to demonstrate a high level of understanding and
thinking
2 Real Students demonstrate authentic quality that mirrors what they will
do as teachers
3 Requires Independence Student and self-directed in doing their tasks
4 Rich in thinking This requires more than memorization from the students
5 Revealing It uncovers students’ level of understanding and misconceptions.
6 Rewarding It intrinsically motivates the students to do the task.
7 Reflective It made students more reflective in the learning process that
contributes to better performance

Here is the more detailed explanation of the R. Study so that you can very well evaluate and give
feedback on the curriculum material (Module) that you have used Curriculum material refers to the
Curriculum Development for Teachers.
 Module 8 – Curricular Landscape in the 21st Century Classrooms

Rigorous. A curriculum material is rigorous if it provides students opportunities to develop higher

order thinking skills, decision-making and deep understanding. It also points the direction for learning
but opens for students understanding beyond a minimal outcome. Do the activities in the lessons
allow students to develop higher order thinking? How do the activities launch learning?
Real. A curriculum material is real if it builds understanding to engage in real life activities related to
becoming teachers. Are the topics significant or important to the life of the students? How do the
topics intersect their lives as students and as future teachers?
Requires Independence. A curriculum material requires independence if students are given
opportunities to make appropriate choices, like who to interview or what class to observe and when
to do it. This will make students engage in deep learning and also allow students to learn from their
mistakes.
Rich in thinking. A curriculum material is rich in thinking it is asks student more than just memorization
or repetition. The curriculum materials make students do observations, ask questions, consider
alternatives, evaluate outcomes, reflect and make judgment based on evidence.
Revealing. A quality curriculum material is revealing if it seeks to show what the students do and do
not understand, but how they understand it. Does the curriculum material reveal what they
understand from their answers in the activities, self-check and self-reflection?
Rewarding. A quality curriculum material is rewarding if students can articulate what they are
learning, if they can share clearly the results of their individual and group tasks. This is indicative of
the students’ effort which is directed toward a well-defined learning goal. The sense of purpose is
shown in their work as the intrinsic rewards they gain. In short, they are happy with what they are
doing.
Reflective. A quality curriculum material is reflective if it allows students to think about one’s learning
not only about feelings. For example, the statement. “I used to think . . . but now I think . . .”

These are the seven Rs of the quality curriculum material. They collectively focus on the topics to be
covered, skills to be mastered, facts to be learned and outcomes to be achieved. These are the aspects of
quality curriculum material.

Take Action

Let us use the seven Rs to find out if the Curriculum Development for Teachers served its purpose as
a support instructional material for learning the course.

Take the Final Action!! Be Curriculum Material Evaluator

Let’s Walk our Talk
Based on YOUR experienced in using Curriculum Development for Teachers, rate on a scale of 1
to 5, (with 1 as the lowest and 5 as the highest) the different Rs that describe this instructional material.

7 Rs Key Statements Ratings 1,2,3,4,5

Rigorous 1. The curriculum material requires me to have a
higher level of understanding and thinking
 Module 8 – Curricular Landscape in the 21st Century Classrooms

Real 2. The curriculum material replicates the activities

for a teacher
Requires 3. The curriculum material allows me to make
Independence choices
Rich in 4. The curriculum material makes me think more
thinking and memorize less.
Revealing 5. The curriculum material makes me reveal my
level of understanding
Rewarding 6. The curriculum material inspires me to study
more
Reflective The curriculum material allows me to reflect on
learning.

CONGRATULATIONS! YOU DID A SPLENDID JOB.

You made it! You can now be a curriculum material evaluator. But we want to hear from you more.

In the boxes below, please write in Box A, the things that you like most in the course and write in Box
B, things that you least like in the course. Please include your reasons below.
Box A Box B