ROLE OF CURRICULUM COORDINATOR IN PLANNING, IMPLEMENTATION

AND EVALUATION
Introduction:

Good curriculum must be flexible to adequately serve the needs of students and community.
In fact, most technical and applied science courses must be reviewed every three years, and
all other courses must be reviewed every five years.

In today's world of rapidly shifting resources, institutions of higher education are facing the
need to make numerous changes to successful meet the challenges of the future. Creative,
innovative methods of curriculum delivery are being explored in an effort to provide cost-
effective, quality programming to an increasingly diverse population of students. Flexible
curricula are being developed that allow universities to provide programs that can quickly
respond to the needs of the local, regional, and national constituencies to which they are
accountable.
Essential Functions:

 Advises the curriculum director on the curriculum area budget.

 Conducts curriculum meetings for area as required.
 Coordinates the development of curriculum objectives for the area
 Monitors the implementation and evaluation of objectives.
 Coordinates the process for selection of textbooks, equipment and instructional
supplies for the curriculum area.
 Acts as a resource person to district teachers on issues in the curriculum area.
 Meets and coordinates with other curriculum area coordinators to promote inter-
disciplinary programs.
 Attends curriculum and other professional conferences.
 Provides support and guidance to teachers in handling of day-to-day problems of
instruction and implementation of curriculum.
 Promotes innovation within the curriculum area.
 Works with curriculum committees to ensure successful completion of all phases of
the curriculum cycle
  Works with curriculum committees in organizing and coordinating appropriate
meetings in order to affect continuity and articulation of the curriculum throughout
the district.
General functions of curriculum coordinator:

 Coordinator shall understand the central concepts, tools of inquiry, and structures of
the discipline and design developmentally appropriate learning experiences making
the subject matter accessible and meaningful to all students.
 Coordinator shall understand how children and adolescents develop and learn in a
variety of school, family and community contexts and provide opportunities that
support their intellectual, social, emotional and physical development.
 Coordinator shall understand the practice of culturally responsive teaching.
 Coordinator shall understand instructional planning, design long-and short term plans
based upon knowledge of subject matter, students, community and curriculum goals
and shall employ a variety of developmentally appropriate strategies in order to
promote critical thinking, problem solving and the performance skills of all learners.
 Coordinator shall understand and use multiple assessment strategies and interpret
results to evaluate and promote student learning and to modify instruction in order to
foster the continuous development of students.
 Coordinator shall understand individual and group motivation and behavior and shall
create a supportive, safe and respectful learning environment that encourages positive
social interaction, active engagement in learning and self-motivation.
 Coordinator shall adapt and modify instruction to accommodate the special learning
needs of all students.
 Coordinator shall use knowledge of effective verbal, nonverbal and written
communication techniques and the tools of information literacy to foster the use of
inquiry, collaboration and supportive interactions.
 Coordinator shall build relationships with parents, guardians, families and agencies in
the larger community to support students’ learning and wellbeing.
 Coordinator shall participate as active, responsible members of the professional
community, engaging in a wide range of reflective practices, pursuing opportunities to
grow professionally and establishing collegial relationships.
PLANNING:
 Curriculum planning is a continuous process which involves activities characterized
by interrelationships among individuals and groups as they work together in studying,
planning, developing and improving the curriculum, which is the total environment planned
by the school.
Planning is used to:
 set clear objectives
 ensure work is matched to pupil's abilities, experience and interests
 Ensure progression, continuity and subject coverage throughout the school.
Curriculum planning is yearly (long-term) and weekly (detailed) using the schools own
system of plans. The School has Medium-term plans but these need reviewing in light of the
new. National Curriculum Orders 2000. Planning is the responsibility of individual teachers
with co-operation between Teachers in a Key Stage also required. The Subject coordinator
can assist staff in this area.

Principles of curriculum construction:

The following principles should be kept in mind when framing a curriculum.
1. Conservative principle states that nations live in the present, on the past and for the
future. The means that the present, the past and the future needs if the community
should be taken into consideration. The past is a great guide for the present as it helps
us to decide what has been useful to those who have lived before and what will be
useful to those who are living now. The principle will be of help only when we
carefully select as to what things of the past are likely to help us in the present.
Education should give them a foundation of knowledge, feeling and that will enable
them to change the environment where change is needed.
2. Creative principle in the curriculum are those activities that should be included,
which enable the child to exercise his creative and constructive powers. The objective
of education is to discover and to develop special interests, tests and aptitudes.
3. Activity principle: The curriculum should be thought in terms of activity and
experience, rather than of knowledge to be acquired and facts to be stored.
‘Experience’ rather than ‘instruction’ is to be met in one of the various stages of
growth were the words of John Dewey.
4. Principle of preparation for life: This is the most important principle in the
construction of the curriculum.
5. Principle of maturity: Curriculum should be adapted to the grade of the pupils and to
their stage of mental and physical development. In the early childhood 'wonder' and
'romance' predominate. So subjects and activities which present the elements of
'wonder' and 'romance' should be included at this stage.
6. Principle of individual differences: Individual differs in taste, temperament, skill,
experience, aptitude, innate ability and in sex. Therefore, the curriculum should be
adapted to individual differences. It should not be rigid.
7. Principle of vertical and horizontal articulation: Each year's course should be built
on what has been done in previous years and at the same time should serve as basis
for subsequent work. It is absolutely essential that the entire curriculum should be
coordinated.
8. Principle of linking with life: The community needs and characteristics should be
kept in view while framing the curriculum.
9. Principle of comprehensiveness and balance: The curriculum should be framed in
such a way as every aspect of life, i.e., economic relationships, social activities,
occupations and spiritual life, is given due emphasis.
10. Principle of loyalties: The curriculum should be planned in such a manner that it
teaches a true sense of loyalty to the family, the school, the community, the town, the
province, the country and the world at large. It should enable the child to understand
that there is unity in diversity.
11. Principle of flexibility: Curriculum should take into consideration the special needs
and circumstances of the pupils. Curriculum of the girls may not always be identical
with that of boys. The special needs of both the sexes should be given their due
consideration.
12. Principle of core or common subjects: There are certain broad areas of knowledge,
skill and appreciation with which all the children must be made conversant and these
should find a place in the curriculum. This more important at higher secondary stage
where there are diversified courses. These subjects are to be common to all groups.
13. Principle of leisure: The curriculum should prepare the child for the use of leisure
time. Literature, music and art occupy the leisure part of life and should, therefore,
occupy the leisure part of education. The capacity to enjoy leisure greatly determines
a man's capacity to work. If leisure is spent in gambling, drinking and reading
obscene literature, it will hamper progress not only of an individual but also the nation
as a whole.
 14. Principle of all-round development of body, mind and spirit: All kinds of
experiences should be provided to the students so that they may develop their all
powers.
15. Principle of democracy, secularism and socialism: Curriculum should be such as it
trains the child to imbibe ideals and values. There should be provision for a number of
co-curricular activities.
16. Principle of dignity of labor: Curriculum should make provision for socially useful
productive work. The students should be provided opportunities to learn from the use
of hands.

Role of Curriculum Coordinator in Planning:

o Discussing common problems
o Making decisions
o Developing a functional philosophy
o Studying learners and the environment
o Keeping up to date with the knowledge
o Studying ways to improve instructions
o Carrying research and evaluation

Curriculum planning ensures:

o a shared vision
o shared understandings and a common language in the school community
o optimum coverage of all domains within the curriculum
o continuity of learning between domains across year levels
o the full range of learning needs of students are addressed
o students are given opportunities to develop deep understanding
o cohesiveness in teaching, learning and assessment practices
o elimination of repetition of learning activities without depth or breadth across
levels
o improved student learning outcomes.

Resources factors that might be included are:

  Library research and assistance
 Lab space and support
 Hiring assistance
 Facilities services
IMPLEMENTATION;
Steps for Implementation:
1. Developers initiate review process.
2. Review / comments from discipline faculty
3. Review / comments from departmental faculty
4. Review / comments from chair / director
5. Validity check of course number and description by curriculum and scheduling
information.
6. Recommendation of the appropriate curriculum committee.
7. Action by the vice president for academic affairs.
8. If approved, implementation through curriculum and scheduling information office.
Time Frame:
1. Once the draft changes are published, the review process cannot be delayed or stopped
except by the developers. Especially in cases of some minor or mandated changes, the
process can be condensed into a few days, but it cannot exceed 75 academic days without
developer approval.
2. Any member of the college senate may initiate a proposal for change. Change scheduled
for inclusion in the printed catalog for a given academic year should be processed through the
curriculum committee. Appropriate exceptions may be made to facilitate implementation due
to the need for immediate response.
3. The initiator must submit the proposal to the chair or director responsible for the
discipline, department or program in which the change is proposed. Once a proposal has been
made, within fifteen (15) academic days the chair or director must:
 Review the proposal and confirm that all required information has been supplied.
 Submit the proposal to all full time faculties in the affected discipline or program so
that each individual has the opportunity to review the request and express his or her
approval or disapproval.
 Indicate his or her approval or disapproval of the proposal and supply written
rationale for the decision.
  Forward all information to be curriculum and scheduling information office (marth
Morton) to obtain review relative to statutes and rules.
 The proposal will be forwarded as "approved without comment" if no action is taken.
 The curriculum and scheduling information office must complete this review within
ten (10) academic days.
 Within 30 academic days, the appropriate curriculum committee must review the
proposal for change and make recommendations to the vice president for academic
affairs for action. It also must report its recommendations to the Executive Council of
the collage Senate.
 Within thirty academic days, the Vice President of Academic Affairs will
communicate in writing a response with rationale to the chair(s) of the recommending
Curriculum subcommittee(s), all chairs, program coordinators, directors, the
Curriculum and Scheduling Information Office, and Student Affair.

EVALUATION
Aims
 To provide the children with an experience of history which is both valid and
stimulating?
 To enable children to gain an understanding of the past, with relation to themselves,
their families, their communities and the wider world, as appropriate to age, ability
and aptitude.
 To encourage a lively and questioning approach to history which enables children to
enjoy what they do.
 To encourage an awareness that, though there are links between history and other
subject areas, the study of the past is, in itself, a separate and important discipline.
Objectives
 To enable children to develop knowledge and understanding of the past.
 To make sure that the understanding outlined above takes place within a secure
framework of knowledge about the past.
 To enable children to understand how the environment in which they live fits into the
history which they study.
 To enable children to select, organize and communicate what they have learned about
the past.
  To enable children to make appropriate progress in knowledge, understanding and
skills in history.

CURRICULUM AND ORGANIZATION

In order to achieve the objectives of the Curriculum, the subject is taught either in topics or is
integrated with other subjects. Learning activities are sequenced to ensure progression and
are taught through a variety of approaches.
These include:
 Teacher led lessons where information is provided
 Group work where the children discuss problems in small groups
 Class discussion lessons where members are encouraged to join in with their personal
opinions
 Teachers prepared materials
 The use of outside speakers with relevant experience
 The use of audio-visual aids in presenting material to the children, including artifacts.
 Educational visits
 The use of published schemes.

Class organization and teaching style

Within classes, pupils are taught individually, in groups, or as a class as appropriate,
according to the learning task. The organization of the classroom will vary according to the
activity that is being carried out. The formal classroom layout will alter when group work
activities are taking place. Although children in the teaching groups are in broad bands they
nevertheless display a wide range of abilities with regard to this area of the curriculum. The
class teacher will provide differentiated activities for the children through task, outcome,
resources and the support given to meet the needs of the individual. The mix that exists
encourages all pupils to gain in confidence and share ideas with each other. There are cross-
curricular links with other subjects, most particularly Geography, English and Art.

ASSESSMENT
Assessment is used to:-
 Provide diagnostic information about individuals/groups.
 Plan future teaching and learning
 Provide summative information for teachers
 Provide information for parents
 Contribute to each child's curricular record

RECORD KEEPING
Records of pupil's achievements are kept to:-
 plan pupil's future learning
 report progress to parents
 maintain a written record of pupil's learning
 provide a curricular record of each pupil

Further details are included in the School's Assessment Policy.

REPORTING
Details of reporting arrangements in history are included in the School's Assessment
Policy.

SCHOOL COMMUNICATION
The levels achieved by children are passed between key stages. Individual problems are
communicated through child statements and word of mouth.

RESOURCES AND ACCOMODATION

Each Class has its own resources including published schemes, teacher prepared materials,
artifacts and CD ROMs.