What makes schools incapable of imparting useful knowledge to students? It’s common for students to show disdain toward school. However, statistics about it are eye-opening. For instance, a Study Finds survey shows that 80% of kids are either bored at school or dislike going there. These negative emotions indicate how poor curriculum design can make formal education ineffective. When students are bored, they start to skip classes and stop retaining any information.
The solution to this problem lies in the hands of educators to design effective curricula for their classrooms. An effective curriculum makes teaching more productive. Read this article to discover useful tips for designing an efficient curriculum.
How to design an effective syllabus?
A well-planned curriculum is the backbone of effective education and proper learning. It lets you shape the kind of education you wish to impart, stimulate creativity in academic lessons, and make any crucial information as memorable as possible.
So, how can you create an effective curriculum? An interesting set of suggestions has been given below to direct you in your academic endeavors.
1. Learn curriculum design
If you’re interested in learning about curriculum design, find some online courses to hone these skills. Distance learning can help you pursue a course in curriculum planning and instructional design cost-effectively. Search for M.Ed. online to develop your skills as an instructional coach. Moreover, a degree in curriculum planning lets you participate in an internship where you realize how to connect theory with practice. So, pursue your Master of Education and learn about instructional design.
2. Determine your goals
The most important aspect of curriculum design is to determine your goals. What do you want from this course? Be clear with your expectations to create an effective curriculum. For instance, educators may design curricula to develop students’ love for learning, make education more interactive, boost the class’ test scores, and many other reasons. You have to be specific with your reasons to give the curriculum the purpose it needs.
3. Choose your type
When designing an effective curriculum, determine which type of design you want to follow. A cursory glance at curriculum design strategies will show you that most courses focus on three distinct aspects of school education. Here are these different types of curricula explained to you here:
- Subject-centered:- In this type, educators focus on the subject students need to learn while clarifying how this particular subject should be learned. It’s common in the United States.
- Student-centered:- This type focuses more on students’ goals and acknowledges that students have different learning styles. It empowers students to learn on their terms, but it’s difficult to design.
- Problem-centered:- This type makes students problem-solvers and focuses on the particular problems they’re facing. This one doesn’t value students’ learning styles but exposes pupils to real-life problems for better skill-building.
4. Use premade content
Don’t use prepackaged curricula, but there’s nothing wrong with using premade content. Using this publicly-accessible copyright-free content, e.g., the stuff from teacherplanet.com or brainpop.com, is recommended for newcomers to curriculum design. You can find pictures, videos, diagrams, and lots of useful content to use in your course material. These content pieces make your curriculum easy to learn and more interactive. An interactive curriculum leads to students retaining more information.
5. Categorize your resources
Remember to make note of some of your favorite resources with each concept. For instance, find an interesting and educational YouTube video on difficult topics; you can rewatch this video and deliver a good lecture to your students. Keep these resources easily accessible for your good.
6. Know your students
An effective educator keeps the course student-centered, and knowing one’s students is crucial for creating such a curriculum. A survey shows that 85% of students consider it important for educators to remember their names. However, educators only recognize one-half of their pupils by name. An educator must determine the strengths and weaknesses of students to create an effective curriculum for them. So, you should familiarize yourself with your students to develop an effective curriculum. Communicate with your students, actively listen to them, and allow them to influence your curriculum planning. Collaboration is important here!
7. Choose software solutions
In today’s tech-reliant age, don’t ignore using academic software solutions for curriculum design. A simple software solution can help you effortlessly present the curriculum you’ve created and update it in the future. From Whatfix and Brainshark to Adobe Captivate and dominKnow | One – there are many digitally available resources for educators. You can also find free resources such as Finley Unit Free if your school has budgetary issues. Use these software solutions to sketch a syllabus.
8. Don’t expect perfection
Many educators set unrealistic standards for themselves. Don’t expect your curriculum to be perfect; it can be error-free. Curriculum planning involves trial and error; it’s a constantly evolving process. You should keep updating the syllabus and adding/removing things as per your students’ responses.
9. Plan for feedback
No effective curriculum can be created without planning for feedback and assessments. Remember to measure your curriculum’s effectiveness by gathering your students’ feedback. Measure your students’ progress to determine if your designed curriculum is as effective as imagined. Always keep some room for improvement by letting students give their ideas and express their opinions candidly. Then use these responses to restructure your curriculum.
Conclusion
Designing an effective curriculum isn’t difficult when educators know its recipe. Start with learning how to create an effective curriculum by pursuing an online Master of Education. Determine your goals when you are trying to design a school syllabus. Knowing your students can help you make it effective. It’s vital to plan for feedback and improvement; don’t expect it to be perfect. Most importantly, choose the kind of syllabus you wish to create, e.g., student-centered and subject-centered. Keep your resources within reach and utilize premade content to direct your efforts. All these tips combined help you design a powerful curriculum. Just don’t forget to keep updating it to make it even better for your students.
