BASIC STEPS IN CURRICULUM DESIGN

There are at least 8 important steps ( based on Taba 1962) in curriculum design : (discuss example of maths curriculum - KBSM/KSSM)

1. Diagnosing needs (situational analysis - educational philosophy/ ideology, world-view etc)

2. Formulating aims, goals and specific objectives (learning outcomes)

3. Selecting content (areas -arithmetic, algebra, geometry etc)

4. Organizing content (depth, breadth, scope, etc)

5. Selecting learning experiences (teaching and learning activities based on learning theories such as
    behaviourism, cognitivism and humanism etc)

6. Organizing learning experiences (activities)

7. Evaluating (formative and summative)

8. Checking for balance and sequence

EPISTEMOLOGY OF KNOWLEDGE

How knowledge begins ?

Examples:

1. Biology : The study of biology begins as a study of living things/ organisms (plants, human, animals, micro-organisms etc), their life processes as well their interactions with the environment.

Biology can divided into few main areas such as botany, zoology, anatomy, genetics and ecology .

2. Chemistry : the study of chemistry begins as a study of the changes in matter (related to properties, structure, composition and reactions between atoms, ions, elements and substances) which are followed by changes in energy.

Chemistry can be divided into few main areas such as bio chemistry, physical chemistry, organic and inorganic chemistry.

3. Physics : the study of physics begins as a study of natural phenomena and an attempts to explain it scientifically.

Physics can be divided into two main areas ie classical physics (deals with matter, motion and energy ) and modern physics ( deals with atomic, nuclear, particle physics).

4. Mathematics : the study of mathematics begins as a study of numbers, shape and relations.

Mathematics can be divided into two main areas ie pure mathematics and applied mathematics.

Mathematics developed as a body of knowledge and it can be seen from 4 perspectives : language, science, a way of thinking and as a tool for problem solving.

5. Technology : the study of technology begins with the application of science to practical human needs ( ie increase productivity, improve quality of life etc) in agriculture, engineering, manufacturing, transportation, communication, medicine etc.

Discuss the importance of epistemology of knowledge in teaching and learning of science and mathematics.

DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF MATHEMATICS CURRICULUM

Synopsis : This course addresses issues and problems in designing and implementation of mathematics curriculum. The topics that will covered include : factors influencing curriculum design,various models used in curriculum design, several examples of mathematics curricula viewed in terms of contents, pedagogical and psychological aspects. Problems related to the implementation of a particular curriculum model. Current issues and trends of  mathematics curriculum in several developed countries will be discussed.

Main text :

Robert S. Zais (1976); Curriculum - Principles and foundations, Thomas Y. Crowell Co, Inc


Assessment :

1.   Individual assignment and presentation  ( 30 marks )
2.   Group assignment and presentation       ( 30 marks)
3.   Final examination (comprehensive)        ( 40 marks)

Introduction :

The word curriculum comes from a latin root, meaning "racecource"- ie racecourse covered by students in their race toward the finish line (eg getting a diploma, degree, etc)

Concepts of the curriculum - what is the curriculum? many definitions : As an examples

1. Curriculum as the program of studies and course content

2. Curriculum as a (written) plan for action ie plan which guides teaching/instruction

3. Curriculum as planned learning experiences

4. Curriculum as a structured series of intended learning outcomes

Curriculum design most commonly refers to the arrangement of the main components or elements of a curriculum :

1. aims, goals, and objectives - curriculum policy
    ( how does philosophy and ideology/world view influence the curriculum design ? )

2. subject matter or content - curriculum organization (scope, sequence, continuity, and integration;
    models  or orientations -   integrated, thematic, outcome-based curriculum  etc)
    (how does philosophy of mathematics (invented or discovered) influence the curriculum design ?)

3. teaching and learning processes ( activities or experiences) - pedagogical issues/how does the curriculum
    being implemeted? ie curriculum implementation.
    (how does psychological theories (behaviorism, cognitivism, humanistic etc) influence the curriculum
    design?)

4. assessment and evaluation - assessment of learning, assessment for learning and assessment as learning)

    (how does assessment influence the curriculum design?)

Due to the complexity of the curriculum design, it draws from theories in various fields such as from  philosophy, psychology, sociology etc as a guide for the curriculum design.

EPISTEMOLOGICAL, SOCIAL AND ETHICAL ISSUES IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Synopsis : This course is intended to enhance students' understanding of epistemological, social and ethical issues in science and technology and its relation to education.

Brief history (including various definition of science) and philosophy of science and technology will be discussed .

Students will be required to discuss critically the social and ethical implications of the advancement of science and technology to the society and their effects on the environment.

The relationships between science, technology and society (STS) and the role of education will be highlighted.

Introduction:

Philosophy can be generally defined as a study of the nature of being and thinking, and more specifically of the human experience in four main areas:

1. Logic - the study of formal structure of arguments and reasoning

2. Metaphysics - the study of nature of being and reality - the theory of reality

3. Epistemology - the theory of knowledge (TOK) - study the origin,validity and limitation of knowledge

4. Ethics (axiology) - the study of moral/ethical issues (good, right, beauty, values, etc) and

Epistemology ( from Greek word episteme means knowledge, logos - the study) is a branch of philosophy (love of wisdom)

that inquires about the sources/origin of human knowledge (eg science - physics, chemistry,biology, mathematics; arts- geography, history, economics, politics, psychology, etc), the role of experience and reasoning in generating knowledge (rationalistic and empiricistic), the changing forms of knowledge that arise from new conceptualizations, its potential and possible limits, and to what extent it can be certain ( exact) or only probable, the question meaning and truth, the question of validity, objectivity, subjectivity, and scepticism/confident doubter/the theory of doubt etc.

HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL CASE METHOD (HBS) DLM PENDIDIKAN MATEMATIK

Salah satu pendekatan P&P yg bertambah popular khasnya di peringkat pengajian tinggi terutama di USA dan kini meluas juga ke Malaysia adalah penggunaan konsep atau pendekatan P&P menggunakan kaedah kes HBS yg merentas kurikulum dan tidak terhad seperti selama ini kpd bidang ekonomi, perniagaan dan undang undang shj.

Kaedah ini juga sesuai digunakan dlm bidang pendidikan matematik disemua peringkat pengajian kerana matematik melibatkan pelbagai bentuk penyelesaian masalah, ada yg berbentuk sama ada masalah sebenar (actual/real problems - actual case) yg berlaku dlm kehidupan seharian (mudah atau kompleks) iaitu dlm konteks sebenar spr dlm perniagaan, kejuruteraan dsb atau pun masalah yg direka dan berbentuk latihan yg bertujuan untuk membina kemahiran pelajar menyelesaikan masalah dlm tajuk tajuk tertentu (artificial /simulated problems - simulated case) spr dlm algebra, geometri, kalkulus dsb.

Disamping membolehkan pelajar menguasai isi kandungan secara bersepadu ( sebab sesuatu masalah biasanya melibatkan beberapa konsep matematik sekali gus) pelajar juga dapat belajar

kemahiran berfikir aras tinggi iaitu mereka perlu membuat analisis masalah ( dikenali sbg case analysis) yg melibatkan daya imaginasi dan spekulatif atau inkuiri pelajar.

Format HBS ini terdiri dari 4 bhg atau aktiviti utama (ie four-part HBS format) iaitu flashpoint, background, situation dan flashpoint reprise.

( the flashpoint section opens the case,catches your attention, foreshadows the problem. The background section provides the contextual information; situation section describes the problem and the flashpoint reprise returns you to the starting point of the case so that you can begin your work/solve problem).

PENTINGNYA MEMAHAMI EPISTEMOLOGI DLM PENYELIDIKAN

Setelah sekian lama menyelia dan memeriksa projek sarjana muda, disertasi sarjana dan tesis PhD serta beberapa kali menjadi pemeriksa luar tesis PhD bidang pendidikan matematik di USM, saya mendapati antara kesukaran dan kelemahan utama pelajar pada semua peringkat adalah mereka kurang memahami kepentingan epistemologi ilmu (roots of knowledge) yg mendasari kajian atau penyelidikan masing masing (ie epistemology of research).

Oleh sebab itu universiti universiti khususnya di negara maju mewajibkan pelajar disemua peringkat mengambil kursus ilmu falsafah mengikut kesesuaian bidang pengajian masing masing yg boleh membantu pelajar memulakan penyelidikan dgn asas yg betul.

Untuk memulakan sebarang penyelidikan, rata ratanya pelajar lebih berfikir tentang data yg hendak dikutip dan biasanya mereka tidak menghadapi banyak masalah dalam proses mengumpul data dari pelbagai sumber yg diperlukan.

Tetapi kemudiannya disedari bahawa masalah sebenarnya ialah untuk menentukan apakah maklumat/konsep/ilmu yg diwakili oleh data berkenaan (ie the kind of knowledge it represents or what knowledge that the research presupposes ?).

Dengan pemahaman yg baik mengenai espitemologi ilmu tersebut, pelajar akan mempunyai asas yg kukuh untuk mengkonsepsikan masalah kajian dan membentuk pernyataan masalah (problem statement/research questions), membina kerangka teori kajian, menentukan objektif kajian dan seterusnya merangka metodologi kajian untuk mengutip data yg diperlukan serta menganalisis data berkenaan bagi menjawab persoalan persoalan kajian yg telah ditentukan.

Dengan demikian saya mencadangkan agar pelajar, sebelum memulakan projek penyelidikan hendaklah berusaha bersungguh sungguh memahami epistemologi ilmu bidang pengajian masing terlebih dahulu.

ZADUD-DUAT: Contact Me

ZADUD-DUAT: Contact Me