Comment: Implementing 21st century skills in American curriculum schools
March 10, 2016, 5:50 am GMTGeorge Beauchamp states in a 1978 article in Educational Leadership that "an experienced observer examines and comments upon problems that affect the current status of curriculum".
While this statement is more than 30 years old, it still holds true to curriculum and instruction practices of today. The first author to write of definitive curriculum was Franklin Bobbitt in 1918, and today his primary curriculum question of "what shall be taught in schools" is still being developed throughout the world.
There is clear evidence that the biggest single impact on student achievement is th equality of teaching that students receive (Hattie, 2009) with high-quality, sustainedprofessional development for educators providing a key mechanism for improving classroom instruction and student achievement. The preparation and development of teacher trainers who are capable of promoting and imparting the three fundamental building blocks of training knowledge, skills and attitude is critical to this aim. Research shows that effective and regular professional development is related to improvements in instruction as well as student achievement (Demonte, 2013).
Changing the culture of a school is not an easy task and if being approached by someone who is a new leader, it is important to approach the situation with the attitude of relationships first. In his book, Motion Leadership, Michael Fullan mentions really good advice from Herold and Fedor. Fullan says that change-savvy leadership must include the following: listening to and learning from those who have been there longer.
He also says that careful entry to the new setting, with emphasis on engaging in fact finding and joint problem solving is crucial to obtaining buy-in for driving forth change. To transform a school's community it takes an instructional leader who carefully and respectfully has the ability to diagnose situations and effectively address people's concerns by creating a plan with a joint vision (or catalyst) to drive forth change (Fullan, 2010). Currently there is a shift in the UAE to make a drastic change in the education system. There is often a difficulty by educators in fusing practice and theory. "The test of a good theory is whether it can guide practice. Good Practice is in turn based on theory" (Ornstein & Hunkins, 2014). Traditionally, schools in the Gulf region relied heavily on social meliorism and social efficiency educators theories of curriculum; however, there is a regional shift emerging that is beginning to embrace theories of curriculum and instruction of developmentalism and John Dewey.
Social meliorism curriculum theory revolves around the idea that education is "a tool to reform society and create the change of the better" (Curriculum Theory). In this theory the goal of socialisation is based completely on the individual student's intelligence. The ability to progress and improve on intelligence is completely based on the individual student and his or her ability to cope, process and effectively meet the goals regardless of social constructs placed upon the student (Curriculum Theory).
Social efficiency theorists include Ross, Gilbreth, Taylor, Thorndike and Bobbitt.The basic idea of social efficiency educators was that through curriculum design, individuals could determine their useful place in society. Those who subscribed to this theory believed that through education "society could be controlled" (Curriculum Theory) with the use of scientific data collection such as IQ, personality and aptitude tests, students can be directed in their education towards a specific and predicted place in society. This often could involve tracking of students in a college track or a vocational track. The idea behind this form of education was the foundation of traditional education in the Gulf region.
Education in the Gulf is changing. There has been a recent shift in the paradigm from traditional focus of social efficiency to encompass the whole child and his or her view of the world. A focus has been placed on Dewey's theory of inspiring students and children to become engaged in their learning by incorporating real life experience and connecting it to their classroom learning. Dewey's research focused on four impulses or instincts that are natural to the learning process. These four characterisations are: social, artistic, expressive, and constructive. A school's curriculum should be built around these concepts and encourage engagement of students by developing real life interests in learning that makes a connection to between school subjects and the outside world.
The theories of Dewey are also being intricately intertwined with the educational theory of developmentalism here in the Gulf region. A focus of attention has been turned to the importance of creating a curriculum that nurtures the behavioural and emotional development of students. Character education has become an important aspect of curriculum, especially in elementary schools in the UAE. A strong focus has been put into policy by the Ministry of Education and the KHDA on the implementation of differentiation in the classroom and meeting the needs of all students regardless of ability levels. This change in best practice is clear evidence of the developmentalism theory.
Perhaps the biggest push forward of these changes in educational theory in the United Arab Emirates stem from His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid's National Agenda for the United Arab Emirates. Sheikh Mohammed's National Agenda encompasses sectors of education, health, economy, police, housing infrastructure and government services. The National Agenda targets are set to be reached in time for the UAE golden jubilee celebration in 2021. The National Agenda in relation to education has eight objectives that target students, teachers and administrators. The KHDA is working to adopt these objectives by creating individual school divisions related to the curriculum being taught at each school and must be implemented and sustained before the 2021 deadline.
Several requirements have been put into place for all American Curriculum Schools under the new KHDA US Schools division. At the heart of the changes has been the requirement of all schools undertaking the New England Association of Schools and Colleges' (NEASC) accreditation process, which is a two year self-study of various areas of the school.
The process includes a comprehensive curriculum review of all aspects of the school by the immediate stakeholders themselves. Schools must also undertake an intensive survey conducted by Endicott Research Institute in Beverly, Massachusetts. This survey encompasses curriculum-based questions and was aimed at all stakeholders in the school (faculty, staff, students, parents and alumni). The undertaking of the self-study required for NEASC if taken seriously can become the change agent or motivation for driving forward instruction in the US curriculum schools.
As stakeholders work together in the process of gathering evidence, can easily become a schoolwide action research, that can develop into professional learning communities that are able to sustain and maintain the changes needed to move in to effective 21st century learning skills.
Chassie Selouane, Assistant Principal, SAIS Dubai Campus.
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