Interns- Curriculum Development Process

Curriculum Foundations

Enduring Idea

An enduring idea in curriculum is a concept that has drawn attention of people over time. These are issues that extend beyond specific disciplines. Some examples of enduring ideas:

• Identity
• Power
• Conflict
• Ritual
• Humans and Nature
• Change

A enduring idea is very generate and unlimited. Often key concepts or questions can provide the impetus and focus for the development of the instruction. Enduring ideas help teachers to avoid activities that aren't connected to lifelong learning. It's a way to link academia subject matter to life-focused issues.

It can be impractical and unrealistic to just select an enduring idea as the starting point to curriculum. More often, curriculum design starts from looking at media artwork, a learning objective, a piece of technology or equipment, personal interest, etc. Often you need to search for the enduring idea.

Curriculum is inherently about choice. We want it to be relevant and diverse.

Relevance:

• Student interest and need
• Media understanding and processes
• Contemporary culture

Diversity:

An awareness of the range of possibilities in a particular area regarding ideas, issues, themes, artists, artwork, artifacts, or groups that are studied.

Getting Started:

1. Choosing the Enduring Idea

• Select an enduring idea with the following criteria in mind
• What is the importance of the idea?
• What is the appropriateness of the idea for students? How does it relate to their present and future interests and needs?
• How does it relate to contemporary culture?
• How is the enduring idea represented in the media arts?

2. Writing a Rationale:

Explain why the enduring idea is important for the learning and for your students in particular. Rationales motivate you to examine whether or not the idea is worth teaching and if it is relevant to students.