"Teaching materials" is a generic term used to describe the resources

teachers use to deliver instruction. Teaching materials can support

student learning and increase student success. Ideally, the teaching
materials will be tailored to the content in which they're being used, to
the students in whose class they are being used, and the teacher.
Teaching materials come in many shapes and sizes, but they all have
in common the ability to support student learning.
Examples
Teaching materials can refer to a number of teacher resources; however, the term usually refers to
concrete examples, such as worksheets or manipulatives (learning tools or games that students can
handle to help them gain and practice facility with new knowledge -- e.g. counting blocks). Teaching
materials are different from teaching "resources," the latter including more theoretical and intangible
elements, such as essays or support from other educators, or places to find teaching materials.
Student Learning Support
Learning materials are important because they can significantly increase student achievement by
supporting student learning. For example, a worksheet may provide a student with important opportunities
to practice a new skill gained in class. This process aids in the learning process by allowing the student to
explore the knowledge independently as well as providing repetition. Learning materials, regardless of
what kind, all have some function in student learning.
Lesson Structure
Learning materials can also add important structure to lesson planning and the delivery of instruction.
Particularly in lower grades, learning materials act as a guide for both the teacher and student. They can
provide a valuable routine. For instance, if you are a language arts teacher and you teach new vocabulary
words every Tuesday, knowing that you have a vocabulary game to provide the students with practice
regarding the new words will both take pressure off of you and provide important practice (and fun) for
your students.
Differentiation of Instruction
In addition to supporting learning more generally, learning materials can assist teachers in an important
professional duty: the differentiation of instruction. Differentiation of instruction is the tailoring of lessons
and instruction to the different learning styles and capacities within your classroom. Learning materials
such as worksheets, group activity instructions, games, or homework assignments all allow you to modify
assignments to best activate each individual student's learning style.
Acquiring Teaching Materials
Getting your hands on valuable teaching materials is not nearly as difficult as it can seem at first. The
Internet has many resources for teachers, most of them free, that can significantly increase the contents
of your teaching toolbox. You can also make your own materials. Every learning material you develop will
be an asset to you when you next teach a similar unit. An investment of time or money in good teaching
materials is an investment in good teaching.
Source:http://www.ehow.com/

7
Choosing and Using Instructional Resources
 What issues should I consider when selecting instructional materials?
 How can I use electronic resources to enhance student learning?
 How can I help my students use textbooks more effectively?
A key feature of effective teaching is the selection of instructional materials that
meet the needs of students and fit the constraints of the teaching and learning
environment. There are many pressures for educators to match the audiovisual
stimuli of television, computers, and electronic games with which students are
experienced. The speed of personal computers and the ease of authoring
systems permit instructors to design and customize computer-based audiovisual
presentations and to develop computer-based assignments for their students.
The tremendous increases in rates of information transfer, access to the Internet,
and posting of materials on the World Wide Web give instructors and students an
almost limitless supply of resource material. In addition, the ease of electronic
communications between an instructor and students, and among students,
provides new opportunities for sharing questions, answers, and discussions
during a course. At the same time, there remains a major role for student use of
textbooks and for instructional use of demonstrations, films, videos, slides, and
overhead transparencies.

Carefully scripted presentations and activities run the risk of emphasizing teacher
delivery rather than student learning. Carefully planned and prepared
instructional resources sometimes tempt instructors to race ahead and to cover
more. The rapid-fire presentations combined with audiovisual overload can tempt
students to remain intellectually passive. One way to avoid this is to intersperse
activities which assess student understanding and encourage reflection and
critical thinking. Another possibility is to reduce the pace of the class session, by
pausing periodically to invite questions.

Instructional resources usually fall into one of two categories: student-centered

and teacher-centered. In the student-centered model, instructional resources can
be used for tutorials, problem solving, discovery, and review. In the teacher-
centered model, resources are used for presentations of supplementary or
primary material in the classroom as described in some examples in Chapter 2.
Information technology can also be used for communication and for information
retrieval.

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Suggested Citation:"Chapter 7: Choosing and Using
Instructional Resources." National Research Council.
1997. Science Teaching Reconsidered: A Handbook.
Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi:
10.17226/5287.
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TEXTBOOK USE IN TEACHING AND LEARNING

The mode of teaching so common today—the lecture-text-exam approach-is an

artifact of centuries of European education. The professor's main role before the
wide availability of the printing press was to lecture on information obtained from
a rare copy of an often ancient book. Despite the fears of the faculty at the
University of Salamanca during the sixteenth century, the textbook rapidly
became a useful supplement to the class lecture rather than its replacement.
Today a textbook is available for almost every college science class. As
McKeachie (1994) notes, ''. . . my years of experience in attempting to assess
teaching effectiveness have led me to think that the textbook, more than any
other element of the course, determines student learning."

Advantages and Disadvantages of Using Textbooks

Books are a highly portable form of information and can be accessed when,
where, and at whatever rate and level of detail the reader desires. Research
indicates that, for many people, visual processing (i.e., reading) is faster than
auditory processing (i.e., listening to lectures), making textbooks a very effective
resource (McKeachie, 1994). Reading can be done slowly, accompanied by
extensive note taking, or it can be done rapidly, by skimming and skipping. There
are advantages to both styles, and you may find it useful to discuss their merits
with your students.

Issues to Consider When Selecting Instructional Resources

 What is the effect of the resources, methodologies, and technologies on student learning?
 How are students using them?
 What are students learning from them?
 Which students are using them?
 How and to what extent are students using optional resources?

One important aspect of any science class is helping the student to make sense
of the mass of information and ideas in a field. This can be done by showing
students how to arrange information in a meaningful hierarchy of related major
and minor concepts. Well-chosen textbooks help students understand how
information and ideas can be organized.

Textbooks have several major limitations. Although a well-written book can

engage and hold student interest, it is not inherently interactive. However, if
students are encouraged to ask questions while they read, seek answers within
the text, and identify other sources to explore ideas not contained in the text, they
will become active readers and gain the maximum benefit from their textbook. In
order to meet the needs of a broad audience, texts are often so thick that they
overwhelm students seeking key information. Texts are often forced to rely on
historical or dated examples, and they rarely give a sense of the discovery
aspects and disorganization of information facing modern researchers.

Changes in Textbook Style and Content

Science textbooks have evolved considerably from the descriptive and historical
approaches common before World War II. Today's texts are far more
sophisticated, less historical, and contain more facts than in the past, with
complex language and terminology (Bailar, 1993). Illustrations and mathematical
expressions are more common. Emphasis has shifted toward principles and
theory. Modern texts attempt to deal with issues of process as well as matters of
fact or content. They are replete with essays, sidebars, diagrams, illustrations,
worked examples, and problems and questions at

Page 49
Suggested Citation:"Chapter 7: Choosing and Using
Instructional Resources." National Research Council.
1997. Science Teaching Reconsidered: A Handbook.
Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi:
10.17226/5287.
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many different levels. One result of these changes is that the average book
length has increased two to four times in the past several decades.
In response to the need for quality science textbooks for all students, not just
science majors, some authors are returning to descriptive and historical
approaches. Generally, books for science literacy courses describe important
ideas and discoveries, present a limited number of fundamental concepts, and
emphasize the links among different facts and principles. Others (e.g., Trefil and
Hazen, 1995) take an interdisciplinary approach, by covering a range of science
disciplines in a coherent, connected manner.

Textbooks and Effective Learning

Research on the effectiveness of textbooks has focused on two general areas:
text structure and layout. The study of text structure has focused on how the
reader builds cognitive representations from text. Recent work categorizes the
structure of science text as either a proof-first or a principle-first organization
(Dee-Lucas and Larkin, 1990). The proof-first organization develops a proof or
argument that builds to a conclusion, usually in the form of a fundamental
concept, principle, or law. In principle-first organization, a concept or principle is
stated explicitly, then the evidence needed to support it is presented. The
prevalence of the proof-first structure in contemporary textbooks may be due to
the fact that most college science textbooks are written by scientists with little
formal training in education. They present science the way it is practiced by
experts. However, studies by Dee-Lucas and Larkin (1990) indicate that the
principle-first structure is more effective for long-term retention and
understanding by novice readers.

Layout and illustrations are important predictors of a text's effectiveness. One of

the most effective types of illustration, especially for students with low verbal
aptitude, is a simple multicolor line drawing (Dwyer, 1972; Holliday et al., 1977).
Although more visually appealing, and more prevalent in the current textbook
market, realistic drawings or photographs are less effective at enhancing student
learning. The organization of information on a page also affects student learning
(Wendt, 1979).

How to Choose and Use an Appropriate Textbook

Before selecting a text, it is important to know what books are currently on the
market. Colleagues who teach the same or a similar course (in your department
or at other institutions) are good sources of ideas and information. Your campus
bookstore's textbook manager can provide the name and phone number for
textbook sales representatives from many different companies. Science
education publications (see Appendix B) carry advertisements from major
publishers, and some feature a book review section or annual book buyer's
guide. Professional society meetings also provide a chance to talk to publishers
and see their new textbooks. Many companies will supply review copies to
potential textbook adopters, in return for information about the course in which it
might be used.

There are a number of factors to consider when selecting a textbook. To be of

greatest value to students, the objectives of a textbook must be consistent with
those of the course. Authors often try to meet particular objectives in their books,
and these may differ among the choices. Skim the preface to see whether you
share the author's approach to the subject.

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Suggested Citation:"Chapter 7: Choosing and Using
Instructional Resources." National Research Council.
1997. Science Teaching Reconsidered: A Handbook.
Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi:
10.17226/5287.
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Consider how the table of contents aligns with your course syllabus and teaching
philosophy:

 Is coverage of topics broad or specific?

 Are key principles stated precisely and clearly?
 Are the explanations and interpretations consistent with your teaching
style?

In addition to content, evaluate the text structure and layout as discussed in the
previous section. Textbooks vary greatly in their level of difficulty with respect to
readability, depth of theoretical treatment of information, and complexity of end-
of-chapter problems. Colleagues who have adopted the book can provide insight
about these issues. They are also helpful for determining whether a textbook
contains errors, which have been shown to have a large, negative effect on
student learning (Iona, 1987).
Considerations in Choosing a Textbook

 Look at it from the point of view of novice users. Is it accessible? Is it clear? Is it

organized in a useful way?
 Consider the information and the weight. A single large encyclopedic text, of which only
certain chapters will be used, may be selected by a professor who thinks that students
ought to have all of that text's material available. A book which is more appropriate for
the course may be available, often at substantially lower cost to the student.
 Choose a book that contains most of the information that is needed, and supplement it
with additional readings. This alerts students to the existence of other resources.
 Match the text to the audience in terms of its preparation and prior knowledge. The text
should be read-able from the students' point of view. Check the book carefully for errors.

The text itself is rarely the only resource available to the students and instructor.
Many publishers have a separate study guide, often with chapter summaries and
solutions to textbook problems. Upon adoption of a text, publishers often provide
(or offer for sale at a reduced price) transparencies, slides, and computer test
banks. Software to accompany textbooks is also becoming more popular. This
software can vary considerably in quality and usefulness, so you may want to ask
for a demonstration disk before purchasing it or requiring that students purchase
it.

Once you have chosen a textbook, help your students use it effectively. A
number of suggestions are given in the sidebar. Allow time during the first week
of class to introduce the text and outline your strategy for its use. Encourage your
students to use the text by asking them questions that require higher-order
critical thinking skills drawing on and extending its material, methods, or
examples. Simple factual questions are of little value to long-term retention or
true understanding. Higher-order questions require students to think about the
readings, ask questions, integrate material, and develop answers in their own
words.

When appropriate, help students to understand that a text book is not always the
final authority on a topic, particularly in fields where new information is
discovered at a very fast rate. Students may learn that it is okay to question the
text if the instructor also openly disagrees with some interpretations or
approaches in the book. The instructor can use different interpretations as
examples of unresolved problems and illustrate critical thinking by presenting
reasons and evidence for differing opinions. However, be careful not to develop
such a negative attitude toward the text that students stop using it, or question
the teacher's judgment for choosing it.
 What If I Can't Find the "Perfect" Textbook?
After a thorough search, you may find that the book you want simply does not
exist. Publishers have realized this and have taken steps to customize their
products to meet faculty needs. It is possible to select certain chapters of a given
book to be bound as a volume. It is also possible to

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Suggested Citation:"Chapter 7: Choosing and Using
Instructional Resources." National Research Council.
1997. Science Teaching Reconsidered: A Handbook.
Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi:
10.17226/5287.
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Suggestions to Students on How to Use a Textbook

 Study assigned readings before each class. Be prepared for questions, references to those
readings, and other activities building on that material.
 Take notes in outline form as you read the text, indicate key points with a highlighter,
note connections between sections, make lists of questions that come to mind or
uncertainties, and pause frequently to summarize the key points of each section or
chapter.
 Compare your lists of questions and your lists of key points with those of others in the
class.
 Bring questions to class or recitation sections and ask the instructor to answer them.
 Review the text after the class to gain additional perspective.
 Look in supplemental texts to see how other authors present similar topics, especially if
the points seem vague or unclear in the primary text. Remember that often the
presentation that introduces new information, concepts, and vocabulary will seem
foreign. Another presentation with a slightly different twist may help you see something
differently or may confirm that you have identified key points.
 Review the text before exams and quizzes or periodically throughout the term.
 Study and review worked examples before attacking the homework problems. Read over
questions, exercises, and problems that are not assigned and think about how to answer
them. Group questions or problems by the topics they address or the methods required to
solve them. Summarize by writing your own problems. Consult worked examples in
 other texts.

combine chapters of different books from the same publisher. This approach
offers considerable flexibility, given that many smaller textbook publishers are
now subsidiaries of larger corporations. Another option is to combine resources
from several different publishers and to offer students a "coursepack" instead of
a textbook. Many college bookstores and copy centers will work with faculty
members to collect chapters, readings, and supplements. They obtain the
required copyrights, and bind and sell custom-designed materials tailored for a
particular course.

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY USE IN TEACHING AND LEARNING

Internet
The Internet is an international high-speed electronic communications network
(linking many local, regional, and national networks) which allows individuals at
institutions or at home to access each other's computers for rapid communication
or information retrieval. For some, the value of the Internet is that it allows users
at remote locations to sign-on to computers where they have accounts, often
using connection software called telnet. For others, rapid electronic
communication and document sharing replaces phone conversations and
meetings and facilitates collaboration.

Another major use of the Internet has been to provide free public access to
documents in electronic form. Many individuals and organizations "post"
documents on their own computers so that others can obtain electronic copies
(without need for special accounts and passwords). File transfers can be made
by FTP (file transfer protocol) software, and for many who have posted
documents to their Web pages (see below), file transfers can be initiated by as
little as the click of a button on the title of the document.

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Suggested Citation:"Chapter 7: Choosing and Using
Instructional Resources." National Research Council.
1997. Science Teaching Reconsidered: A Handbook.
Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi:
10.17226/5287.
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World Wide Web

The World Wide Web (WWW) is a system of linking information (text, sound,
graphics, and video) in a way that allows for easy movement between related
documents and sites. To use the Web you need a computer with special software
that is called a browser, such as Lynx, Mosaic, Cello, or Netscape, or equivalent
services available through commercial Internet providers. Highly detailed text,
graphics, and videos are available on a wide array of topics.

The Internet and the ease of information viewing and retrieval that are possible
through the Web mean that students are no longer limited to information provided
by textbooks and printed materials in libraries. Students may "search" on the
World Wide Web for preprints and reprints of articles, for discussion bulletin
boards on specialized topics, for conference abstracts and proceedings, or for
topical compilations of materials for research or teaching. Most Web navigational
software systems include search engines that allow the user to locate information
or sites by topic area. With more than a thousand new Web sites added every
day, browsing for information on the Web needs to be done even more carefully
than a literature search for library references. Bear in mind that while the Web
holds enormous potential in providing access to information, much of the
information available has not been reviewed for quality or reliability.

Examples of Faculty and Student Use of Web Resources

 Course Web pages give students easy access to assigned readings and reference material.
 Student presentations to their class mates through creation of Web pages.
 Student access to resource information for papers or research projects.
 Access to discussion groups and the latest information on particular topics.

A number of electronic resources are available to those seeking information

about education. Many professional societies have created Web pages with
information about their educational initiatives and with links to other resources.
Also, consider looking at the information posted by those who fund educational
initiatives, including the National Science Foundation, the Howard Hughes
Medical Institute, and the Department of Education. Other databases of
references and curricular initiatives are provided by the NRC Committee on
Undergraduate Science Education (http://www2.nasedu/cusehome), Project
Kaleidoscope (PKAL), the Eisenhower Clearinghouse, and the Educational
Research Information Center (ERIC).

Electronic Communication
Electronic mail ("e-mail") enables students and faculty to communicate with each
other and with people all over the world. Many groups have adopted or created
systems under which messages sent to a single address are delivered to mail
accounts of all members of the group. This kind of electronic bulletin board is
called a "listserv." A variation of a listserv bulletin board is a moderated listserv
for which all messages are viewed by a moderator (and perhaps condensed,
grouped, arranged, and/or edited) before being broadcast. Another form of group
electronic communication is through a bulletin board on which messages are
posted, called a newsgroup. Interested readers must sign on to a particular
electronic address to find and read messages or posted documents. Bulletin
boards of this type permit readers to leave their reactions to and comments on
the postings of others.

Many instructors use electronic communication to facilitate interactions among

students, and between students and themselves. Some faculty

Page 53
Suggested Citation:"Chapter 7: Choosing and Using
Instructional Resources." National Research Council.
1997. Science Teaching Reconsidered: A Handbook.
Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi:
10.17226/5287.
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members create course-related Web pages with a mechanism for students to
enter their comments or messages when they are connected to the Web page.
Sample uses of e-mail or Web pages for communication include:
  Students send questions electronically to the instructor, which gives them
an opportunity to express a doubt or misconception that they might have
been afraid to voice in class. The instructor can transmit the question and
the answer simultaneously to all students, without identifying the individual
who asked the question.
 Students send or post questions about course material and are
encouraged to answer each other's questions. Faculty members can
monitor these exchanges to gauge student understanding and progress.
 Faculty hold "electronic office hours" in addition to traditional ones, so that
students can ask a question and receive an answer almost immediately.
This approach is becoming more common at institutions with a large
commuter population, where students cannot always attend the faculty
member's office hours.
 Faculty require drafts of student papers to be submitted electronically; not
only does this make it easier for some faculty to review the draft, it forces
the student to become familiar with technology used in the workplace.
 Faculty members distribute or post homework assignments, homework
solutions, exam solutions, and other supplemental information
electronically.
 Faculty create electronic "suggestion boxes" where students can post their
comments about the course; consult the administrator of your campus e-
mail system for ways to make the postings anonymous.

Choosing and Using Electronic Technologies

Before reviewing particular software, it is important to know which course goal it
will help you to achieve. The next step is to talk to publishers, colleagues, and
personnel from your campus's academic computing department. Lists such as
those published by Boettcher (1993) and Kozma

Advantages of Interactive Computer Software

 Increased motivation because software packages offer feedback and respond to the
questions and uncertainties of the student.
 Increased enjoyment of learning because students shift from the passive role of receiving
knowledge to the more active role of becoming seekers of knowledge.
 Reduced learning time due to personalized instruction which accommodates different
learning styles.
 Self-paced instruction encourages the student to invest the time in weak areas rather than
in areas they have already mastered.
 Increased retention from the enhanced engagement and participation of the learner.
 Mastery can be more nearly ensured because programs can be designed so that new
material will not be covered until the current material is mastered by the student.
  Privacy because students interact on a one-on-one level and are free to ask questions
without feeling intimidated or embarrassed.
 Opportunity to conduct simulated laboratory procedures and experiments which are too
dangerous or expensive to be performed by students, or which require expensive
laboratory equipment.

Page 54
Suggested Citation:"Chapter 7: Choosing and Using
Instructional Resources." National Research Council.
1997. Science Teaching Reconsidered: A Handbook.
Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi:
10.17226/5287.
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and Johnson (1991) describe award-winning software developed by faculty
members. Many software vendors offer demonstration disks that illustrate many
of their products' features. In addition to working with the demonstration disks
yourself, invite students to give you feedback on the product.

After purchasing software for student use, you should invest the time necessary
to maximize its benefit to students. Some class time (or special sessions in a
computer lab) may be needed to teach the students how to use the software
effectively. If students will use the product outside of class, introduce the
software to the staff at the campus computer labs, so that they will be prepared
to answer students' questions. Faculty usually need to develop "courseware" to
help guide the students through the software.

The great advantage of multimedia systems is that the combined audio and
visual explanation helps students learn and remember. But to avoid student
frustration with interactive systems, instructors should make their expectations
clear and should provide opportunities for students to get assistance.

Teacher Education provides a platform to student-teachers to acquire the required knowledge, skill and
develop positive attitude, values and beliefs. This can be done with the help of the provided curriculum.
And the quality of teacher produced in any institution invariably depends on the curriculum offered to
them during their training period. After reviewing various researches on the curriculum and significant
role of teachers’ in framing the curriculum the process of curriculum development was decentralized.
The process of curriculum framing and preparation of textbooks be decentralized so as to increase
teachers’ involvement in these tasks. Decentralization should mean greater autonomy within the
state/district. As curriculum is the best mean of overall development of students. And teacher is
mediator between curriculum and students. She/he knows various needs of students, educational
institutions, industries, parents (stakeholders). The quality of teacher education is maintained by
curriculum of Teacher Education. The curriculum development is dynamic process. The paper will dealt
with the following objectives such as1. To explain the curriculum development process. 2. To explain the
role of the teacher as curriculum developer.3.To communicates the best practices in the context of
curriculum development. The present paper will discuss the role of teachers’ in curriculum development
for teacher education. Keywords: curriculum development, teacher education, curriculum developer.
(PDF) ROLE OF TEACHERS’ IN CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT FOR TEACHER EDUCATION. Available from:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/258023165_ROLE_OF_TEACHERS'_IN_CURRICULUM_DEVEL
OPMENT_FOR_TEACHER_EDUCATION [accessed Oct 11 2018].

ROLE OF TEACHERS’ IN CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT FOR TEACHER

EDUCATION
Dr.(Ms) Pratibha S Patankar2 Ms. Megha Sahebrao Jadhav1
Teacher Education provides a platform to student-teachers to acquire the required
knowledge, skill and develop positive attitude, values and beliefs. This can be done with the help
of the provided curriculum. And the quality of teacher produced in any institution invariably
depends on the curriculum offered to them during their training period.
After reviewing various researches on the curriculum and significant role of teachers’ in
framing the curriculum the process of curriculum development was decentralized. The process
of curriculum framing and preparation of textbooks be decentralized so as to increase teachers’
involvement in these tasks. Decentralization should mean greater autonomy within the
state/district.
As curriculum is the best mean of overall development of students. And teacher is
mediator between curriculum and students. She/he knows various needs of students, educational
institutions, industries, parents (stakeholders). The quality of teacher education is maintained by
curriculum of Teacher Education. The curriculum development is dynamic process. The
objectives of this paper are
1. To explain the curriculum development process.
2. To explain the role of the teacher as curriculum developer.
3. To communicate the best practices in the context of curriculum development.
Firstly, understand the meaning of curriculum.
Curriculum
Curriculum plays an important role in the field of teacher education. Curriculum is the
planned interaction of pupils with instructional content, materials, resources, and processes for
evaluating the attainment of educational objectives.
Curriculum is used in several meanings. There are also a number of definitions of the
term, curriculum.
The word curriculum is derived from the Latin word 'currrere' which means 'run' and it
signifies a 'run-away' or a course which one runs to reach a goal.
Carl (1995:40) defines curriculum development as"... an umbrella and continuous process
in which structure and systematic planning methods figure strongly from design to
evaluation."For the purposes of this study, this definition is accepted as it includes all aspects
from design, dissemination, and implementation to evaluation.
According to Taylor (1966) curriculum means all the learning which is planned or guided
by the school, whether it is carried in groups or individually, inside or outside the school.
Kerr (1968) says, "Curriculum means all the learning which is planned or guided by the
school, whether it is carried on in groups or individually, inside or outside the school”.
Importance of curriculum in teacher education
A curriculum guides the instructional lessons that teachers use. A curriculum defines
what the learner will learn and can possibly guide when the learner learns the information from
the lesson.
A curriculum offers teachers the ideas and strategies for assessing student progress. A
student must meet certain academic requirements in order to go to the next level. Without the
guidance of a curriculum, teachers cannot be certain that they have supplied the necessary
knowledge or the opportunity for student success at the next level, whether that the levels
involve a high school, college or career.
Curriculum can help students to achieve some personal control over their learning, to
plan their semester, and to manage their time effectively, and describes Active Learning.
Students often conceive of learning as the acquisition of correct information, but they may not
know what it means to take an active role in the process, beyond rote memorization and recall,
students should be given some idea about what they should already know and what skills they
should already have before taking course so they can realistically asses their readiness, sets the
course in a Broader Context for Learning, describes Available Learning Resources.
Curriculum development
Curriculum development is the process of creating planned syllabus, teaching, training,
and exhibition modes. It is a term used to refer to the process of instituting and putting in place
precise guidelines of instruction for the curriculum. It describes ways in which teaching and
different training organizations plan and guide learning which can be in groups or as an
individual.
Curriculum development is a local, regional, or state/provincial level process that student
teachers often have difficulty comprehending (Hansen, Fliesser, Froelich, & McClain, 1992). In
their eyes, it is something undertaken by authorities (e.g., regional advisory committee members)
with years of experience in the teacher education system. The expectation of the teacher
candidates, often enough, is that they will learn how to teach and thereby become effective at
transmitting the knowledge, skills, and attitudes associated with a particular subject or program.
Education practitioners with years in the profession know differently. Successful practice in the
classroom is inextricably linked to curriculum development-the everyday decisions about both
what to teach and how to teach.
Curriculum development process
Curriculum development is dynamic process it changes according to the need of the
society and the stakeholders of the education system. The curriculum development process
includes several stages such as planning, preparing, designing, developing, implementing,
evaluating, revising, and improving.
Traditionally curriculum development has been seen as planning for a sustained process of
teaching and learning in a formal institutional setting. Curriculum development is systematic and
dynamic process sensitive to time and place in which preparation, development, implementation
and evaluation steps are involved.
The challenges in curriculum development
There are varieties of challenges facing curriculum development, but in general they are
classified into three types, global challenges (external), internal challenges of the education
systems, and challenges specific to Region.
With regard to the external challenges, curriculum planners should response to eight
critical processes: the process of globalization, accelerated pace of scientific and technological
progress, radical transformation in the work field, increasing social inequalities, progress of
democracy and human rights, multi-culturalism, the feeling of insecurity, and moral decline.
In addition, the third type of challenges may be summarized as: universal literacy,
shortage of highly skilled human resources, reconciling traditional orientation of education with
the aspiration for modernity, privatization of schools, diversification of the economy, the need to
invest more in education research.

Role of teacher in curriculum development

Teachers know the needs of all stakeholders of teacher education. Teachers can
understand the psychology of the learner. Teachers are aware about the teaching methods and
teaching strategies. Teachers also play the role as evaluator for the assessment of learning
outcomes. So teachers must possess some qualities such as planner, designer, manager,
evaluator, researcher, decision maker and administrator. Teachers play the respective role for the
each step of curriculum development process.
Curriculum planning involves analysis of philosophy, social forces, needs, goals and
Objectives, treatment of knowledge, human development, learning process & instruction, and
decision.
Curriculum preparation involves systematic data, content, selection, collection,
assessment, organization.
Design factors includes school (levels, types, Structures), educational technology,
systemic vocational, social reconstruction, Curriculum design, analysis of social needs,
translating the needs into Course/general/learning/terminal objectives, splitting the objectives
into specific objectives, grouping the specific objectives into subjects, deriving the subjects from
the above classification, specifying enabling objectives, unitizing each subject matter,
specification of required time, and syllabus formulation.
Curriculum development phases consist of Instructional development, Materials & media
development, Methods of teaching & testing
Implementation of the Curriculum involves Instructional scheme of each subject to be
completed in the semester, Planning the lessons as per the timetable, Using the transactional
strategies, Using the appropriate media, Providing the learning resources, Promoting classroom
learning experiences, Progressive testing
Curriculum evaluation involves, Intra-curricular evaluation, Teacher evaluation of
students, Student evaluation of teachers, Materials evaluation, Verification of methods,
Evaluation of tests and examinations, Checking the learning outcomes while on the field,
Curriculum review/ improvement/ change/ modification, System revision.
After evaluating the prepared curriculum it is observed that the curriculum is not
satisfactory then developer turns for revising and improving phase.
Best practices
Minocha,Manisha (1989) undertaken a study entitled “Responses of primary school
teachers to an experimental school teachers to an experiment in curriculum reform: a study of the
teachers involved in the integrated programme” the findings of this study as follows: teachers
were more receptive to the NCERT evaluation scheme and textbooks than to those of the
integrated programme, teachers cited may problems that they faced, the problems related to
learners parents being the most intense.
Yadav, A.J. (1992) undertaken a study entitled “A study of hotel workers in Kolhapur
district with a view to preparing a curriculum for their education” the major objective for this
study was to develop a need based curriculum for hotel worker and to examine the impact of
training programme on hotel worker. The findings were a need based curriculum for hotel
worker can be developed.
Patnakar, P.S. (2013) undertaken research entitled “M.Ed. Curriculum as a Quality
Indicator in teacher education: student’s feedback”. The present research is descriptive in nature
in which survey method was used. To collect the feedback from the students the questionnaire
was used as the data collection tool. The findings of her study are as follows: standard of M.Ed.
curriculum is satisfactory, curricular and co curricular activities help them in developing their
personality, evaluation of the curriculum is satisfactory. Hence, present M.Ed. curriculum
prescribed by Shivaji University, Kolhapur is a quality indicator in Teacher Education.
Jadhav, M.S.(2013) undertaken research entitled “Quality Circles in M.Ed. Curriculum
for enhancing Quality of Teacher Education”. In this research quality circles are assumed as
student-teachers complete predetermined task in groups to successfully compete the M.Ed.
curriculum. The findings of this study are quality circles work very effectively in implementing
M.Ed. curriculum. Present M.Ed. curriculum (prescribed by Shivaji University) is playing very
important role in shaping the personality of students also indirectly enhance the quality of
Teacher Education.
In last year Department of Education, Shivaji University, Kolhapur organized an
orientation programme for B.Ed. curriculum for teacher-educators.
Suggestions
The curriculum development process can be improved by following ways:
 Need based analysis of curriculum,

(PDF) ROLE OF TEACHERS’ IN CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT FOR TEACHER

EDUCATION. Available from:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/258023165_ROLE_OF_TEACHERS'_IN_CURRICU
LUM_DEVELOPMENT_FOR_TEACHER_EDUCATION [accessed Oct 11 2018].

Teaching Strategies that Enhance

Higher-Order Thinking
By: Janelle Cox
 One of the main
21st century components that teachers want their students to use are higher-order thinking skills.
This is when students use complex ways to think about what they are learning.

Higher-order thinking takes thinking to a whole new level. Students using it are understanding higher
levels rather than just memorizing math facts. They would have to understand the facts, infer them,
and connect them to other concepts.

Here are 10 teaching strategies to enhance higher-order thinking skills in your students.

1. Teaching Strategies to Help Determine What Higher-Order Thinking is

Help students understand what higher-order thinking is. Explain to them what it is and why they need
it. Help them understand their own strengths and challenges. You can do this by showing them how
they can ask themselves good questions. That leads us to the next strategy.

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2. Encourage Questioning

A classroom where students feel free to ask questions without any negative reactions from their
peers or their teachers is a classroom where students feel free to be creative. Encourage students to
ask questions, and if for some reason you can’t get to their question during class time, then show
them how they can answer it themselves, or have them save the question until the following day.

3. Connect Concepts

Lead students through the process of how to connect one concept to another. By doing this you are
teaching them to connect what they already know with what they are learning. This level of thinking
will help students learn to make connections whenever it is possible, which will help them gain even
more understanding. For example, let’s say that the concept they are learning is “Chinese New
Year.” An even broader concept would be “Holidays,” and if you take it one step further it can be
“Celebrations.” Each small concept can be connected to a bigger, broader concept.

4. Teach Students to Infer

Teach students to make inferences by giving them “Real-world” examples. You can start by giving
students a picture of a people standing in line at a soup kitchen. Ask them to look at the picture and
focus on the details. Then, ask them to make inferences based on what they see in the picture.
Another way to teach young students about how to infer is to teach an easy concept like weather.
Ask students to put on their raincoat and boots, then ask them to infer what they think the weather
looks like outside.

5. Use Graphic Organizers

Graphic organizers provide students with a nice way to frame their thoughts in an organized manner.
By drawing diagrams or mind maps, students are able to better connect concepts and see their
relationships. This will help students develop a habit of connecting concepts.

6. Teach Problem-Solving Strategies

Teach students to use a step-by-step method for solving problems. This way of higher order thinking
will help them solve problems faster and easier. Encourage students to use alternative methods to
solve problems as well as offer them different problem-solving methods.

7. Encourage Creative Thinking

Creative thinking is when students invent, imagine, and design what they are thinking. Using your
creative senses help students process and understand information better. Research shows that
when students utilize creative higher order thinking skills, it indeed increases their understanding.
Encourage students to think “Outside of the box.”

8. Use Mind Movies

When concepts that are being learned are hard, encourage students to create a movie in their mind.
Teach them to close their eyes and picture it like a movie playing. This way of higher order thinking
will truly help them understand in a powerful, unique way.

9. Teach Students to Elaborate Their Answers

Higher-order thinking requires students to really understand a concept not repeat it or memorize it.
Encourage students to elaborate their answers and talk about what they are learning. Ask parents to
reinforce this at home, as well by asking the right questions that make students explain their
answers in more detail, or to answer their child’s question with a more detailed response.

10. Teach QARs

Question-Answer-Relationships, or QARs, teach students to label the type of question that is being
asked, then use that information to help them formulate an answer. Students must decipher if the
answer can be found in a text or on the Internet, or if they must rely on their own prior knowledge to
answer it. This strategy has been found to be effective for higher-order thinking because students
become more aware of the relationship between the information in a text and their prior knowledge,
which helps them decipher which strategy to use when they need to seek an answer.

How do you enhance higher order thinking skills in your classroom? Do you have any tips
that you would like to share? Please feel free to leave a comment in the section below, we
would love to hear your thoughts on this topic.
LEARNING RESOURCE CENTER OBSERVATIO N REPORT
(continued)
School Observed: Iligan City East High School
List of Available Learning Resources in their Library and Computer Center
Ava
ilable Learning Resources
Characteristics and Unique
Capabilities
Teaching Approaches
where the Resource is Most
Useful
4.
ICT Resources

Several computer units

Overhead projector
The ICT resources of their
school are relatively new
but still in tip
-
top
condi
tion.
The computer units are
used for hands
-
on
computer laboratory
activities, while the
overhead projector is for
transparency slide
presentations.
Impression:
In all, the Iligan City East High School (ICEHS) has a very good number of
available learning
resources, which are still very relevant to the needs of the students and the
teachers and the same
time it is also congruent to their curriculum. Hopefully, when budget warrants,
they will be able to
obtain more resources to fully establish their science
, arts and basic education curriculum.
ANALYSIS
1.
Were the learning resources/materials arranged properly according to their
functions and
characteristics?
At ICEHS the learning resources/materials are arranged properly according to
their functions, althou
gh they
were assigned to different areas.
2.
Do the guidelines and procedures facilitate easy access to the materials by the
teachers?
Why? Why not?
Yes, the guidelines are pretty much simple and the teachers can easily access
the materials because the in
-
cha
rge of the facilities is always around.
3.
What are the strengths of this Learning Resource Center?
The main learning resource center of ICEHS is their library. One good thing
about it is that it is always open
even though the persons
-
in
-
charge are teachers.
They have arranged their schedule well so that
they can
accommodate library users anytime of the day. Aside from this, the library also
has a good number of books
and encyclopedia that the students can use.
4.
What are its weaknesses?
The library needs bette
r lighting especially during cloudy days and better ventilation on warm and humid
days.
5.
What suggestions can you make?
When finances can suffice, it would be better to add more lighting fixtures and
ventilation measures to the
library.
Field
Study 3 Technology In The Learning Environment
Page
3
REFLECTIO NS
1.
Which
of the materials in the learning resources caught your interest the most? Why?
Among the materials in the learning resources at ICEHS, the books really caught
my interest because ever
since I was a kid I really love reading books, despite some difficulty
in relating to some topics.
2.
Which gadgets/materials are you already confident to use/operate?
Among the gadgets that I am confident to use are the computer and the
overhead projector.
3.
Which ones do you feel you need to learn about?
Although I am confident
that I can use the computer as an instructional tool, I definitely would like to learn
more about the Web 2.0 tools like blogging and social bookmarking
as well as the issues that may be
encountered in using them for distance learning.
4.
Read an article ab
out your answer in number 3. Paste a copy of the article here.
The article I have read for my answer in number 3 is from the
Internet written
by Laddie Odom, the
multimedia producer of the Center for Support Instructio, University of Maryland
University Co
llege.
I
ts URL is
http://deoracle.org/online
-
pedagogy/emerging
-
technologies/mapping
-
newly
-
identified
-
web2
-
benefits.html
*the pdf version o
f the article will be submitted along with this portfolio

The types of curricula include the following:

1. Recommended curriculum - As the name implies, this refers to the curriculum that is stipulated and
endorsed by a higher authority such as the department in charge of education in a country. This
curriculum is recommended to meet the goals of the nation in relation to youth's participation and
education. This comes in the form of directives, standards and policies.

2. Written curriculum - This type of curriculum is prepared for exploration and evaluation. This is written
by school teachers and curriculum specialists. This comes in the form of syllabus, lesson plans and
instructional guides.

3. Supported curriculum - As the name denotes, this curriculum refers to the materials and resources
that aid the teacher and learners in carrying out the curriculum. Examples of these include worksheets,
realia, books, AV materials, graphics and illustrations.

4. Taught curriculum - This curriculum concerns the content that the teacher administers and
accomplishes in the classroom This can be in the form of lectures, discussions, experiments, projects,
field trips, group work, research and presentation.

5. Learned curriculum - This pertains to the learning that the students have actually acquired over the
course of the implementation of the curriculum. What the students can manifest, demonstrate and
execute shape the learned curriculum.

6. Assessed curriculum - After a certain curriculum has been facilitated, assessment comes next. The
assessed curriculum forms as the basis of the extent to which the students have developed. It can also
determine the strengths and shortcomings of the curriculum initially used.

7. Implicit curriculum - This curriculum may have been established unintentionally or unknowingly.
Factors such as parents' support, school culture and values, society, media influence this kind of
curriculum.

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