Fostering the Sustainability and Scalability of Curriculum Innovations Through Collaborative Design

Abstract

The three studies reported in this chapter seek the perspectives of teachers and school leaders on the sustainability of design teams in higher education. The first study pertains to the sustainability and scalability of teacher design teams in Ghana’s polytechnics. The second study investigated opportunities and challenges for large-scale implementation of e-learning by providing professional development for instructors through collaborative design at the Open University of Tanzania. Finally, the third study reports on the continued use of core elements of a collaborative professional development program for communicative language in Ethiopia. Data were collected among teachers who participated in design teams, non-participating teachers and management, between 6 and 18 months after the first implementation of teacher design teams. The findings of the three studies are presented. Opportunities for sustainability and implications of scaling up collaborative curriculum design in teacher design teams as a strategy for professional development and curriculum innovation are described and discussed.

Understanding EFL Teacher Engagement in TDTs’ Collaborative Curriculum Design: A Chinese Case Study From the Activity Theory Perspective

“…Voogt et al (2015) regarded the practice of CCD as effective to deepen teachers' understanding of the subject matter and enhance the curriculum design competence. Bakah et al (2019) confirmed that a collaborative professional development program serves the purpose of enhancing English teachers' competence, e.g., communicative language teaching skills. But previous research findings also demonstrate that teachers with diverse professional backgrounds and specialized skills can either promote (Deketelaere and Kelchtermans, 1996) or hinder (Schneider and Pickett, 2006) curriculum development.…”

Acht kenmerken van duurzame onderwijsinnovaties

“…Bijvoorbeeld innovaties waarbij er aandacht is voor de doorwerking in de systemen van de school (bijvoorbeeld kwaliteitszorg of hr) of waarbij docenten een duidelijk beeld hebben van de gevolgen van de innovatie voor hun dagelijkse onderwijspraktijk. Het is een teken van focus als leidinggevenden de resultaten van de innovatie daadwerkelijk gaan gebruiken (Loh et al, 2013;Bakah et al, 2019). Om focus te kunnen behouden is het belangrijk om afleiders zoals (overmatige) bureaucratie en ad hoc acti-viteiten buiten de deur te houden.…”

“…Ook als andere stakeholders zich eigenaar voelen, neemt de kans op duurzame resultaten toe. Denk aan directie, bestuur of overheden, maar ook de ondersteunende diensten in de onderwijsinstelling (Sierpina et al, 2007;Bakah et al, 2019;Wierda-Boer et al, 2020).…”

Board 186: Work in- Progress: Scaling STEM-ID—Research Strategies to Inform Initial Scaling of Middle School Engineering Curricula

“…A review committee commissioned by the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) in collaboration with the Board on Science Education at the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, describe how "high-quality content knowledge varies across grade levels…" and "…specific instructional practices that support students' integration of engineering with concepts and practices from other STEM subjects," as pressing issues driving professional development [1]. However, since curriculum innovations that work in some educational settings may not work in others [3], educators need guidance on how to balance innovation and implementation that can be sustained and maintained through teacher-informed classroom practices, especially when meeting the needs of diverse learners. Understanding how and why innovations in engineering education work is necessary for replicating success across classrooms and school districts.…”

“…As the demand increases for high-quality, research-based engineering resources, researchers and teachers need to understand the factors that influence the scaling of innovations. Teachers and other stakeholders want innovations that are adaptable over various contexts and strategies to sustain them [3]. Studies rooted in collaboration, inquiry, and multiple perspectives on pedagogy can illuminate such research efforts and inform the sustainability of curricular innovations.…”