My Education
So, what exactly is curriculum design after all? Why is it worth discussing and why is there such variety in the strategy and writing of it?
After more than 5 decades on our Earth, I have experienced a plethora of styles, approaches, and resources in support of the curriculum with which I have worked. At the beginning my education career, in the mid 1990s, we used the Provincial Integrated Resource Plans, in British Columbia. They were aimed at being cross-disciplinary guides, reinforcing the connectedness of learning across subjects. Planning with them was positive, with guides that helped educators link objectives across subjects. They also reminded children and young people of past learning and extended them toward next steps. Resources were organised by subject and year group to promote buy-in for this new curricular format.
From Canada to Scotland: Working with a New Curriculum
In 2000, I moved (back) to Scotland. I experienced the 5-14 curriculum with a series of levels, A – F. These levels spanned primary years and extended into secondary broad general education. This curriculum included National Tests. Teachers administered these tests when they felt confident that the learners in their care had achieved at the expected standard for a level. Occasionally, head teachers intervened to encourage testing to occur more quickly, but this was not the norm.
After some time in Poland, where planning followed a textbook approach, I returned to Scotland with a new framework: The Curriculum for Excellence (CfE). This system ran from Early Level, where learners are three or four, to fourth Level, where learners are about fifteen or sixteen. This was a more fluid curriculum with scope for progression within a year group or level when recommended by the teacher. It is here that I experienced my first opportunity to guide curriculum development.
Despite the flexibility, the aim was always to get to the end of the year or level, with a hoped for positive report at the end. There wasn’t any sort of recognition for completing a milestone part way through the level or year. Thus began my foray into micro-learning.
Starting the Design Journey
My first foray into design was from a company by the name of Sumdog 
I began working with Sumdog as a teacher advisor. The groups allowed me to share my thoughts about learner engagement and effectiveness of new media. I also shared thoughts on the questions the platform used to encouraged learning. Working within the teacher advisory panels allowed me to experience the variety of viewpoints from fellow educators. Additionally, it helped me come to terms with the wealth of knowledge I had amassed over my years of teaching.
After this, and several class visits for the staff to see Sumdog in action, they asked me to look at their curriculum progression. I started with one curricular area within maths: money. Using the government written curriculum outcome, I engaged in the process of creating steps for success.
Implementing the Process
With discussion with managers, I designed ‘skills’ within a year group or level and ‘steps’ within a skill. Through this, the Sumdog Universal Curriculum was born. Now, rather than the long year, or multi-year, journey to finish, learners had only a skill to master.
To maximise success, I designed an average skill to be achieved within a week. Each year group had about thirty skills, but learners had the opportunity to stretch themselves or revise as needed. If learners wanted to progress beyond their year, there was nothing to stop them. If they wanted to revise content, or build fluency, this opportunity was also open to them.
Alongside the learning journey, I also decided on timings for each step question, challenge level and importance. With these three criteria, learners were
- given enough time for the question type,
- rewarded according to the difficulty,
- progressed to greater challenge only when ready.
This method proved a hit with schools and learners, and the company grew earnings, employees, and reach. I feel good knowing that I was a part of this impact.
One pupil I will never forget, I worked with before Sumdog and saw the fruits of her efforts upon return to the classroom. She had achieved fluency with her arithmetic. She had reached blistering speed with her recall of addition and subtraction to a level difficult to match with a standard only-forward curriculum.
Applicability to Mainstream Learning
After working with several other companies, I have taken my learning back to the classroom, and employ the strategies for steps to success. I have found that young people who are able to see the end of each skill have greater success. I endeavour to encourage all learners to look beyond the day’s learning but not be overwhelmed by a full year.
One successful skill at a time, and celebrated, will lead to happier, more confident individuals in any learning environment. I’ve attached one skill idea below and a template for you to consider.
Questions to Think About
Have you experienced a change in curriculum design? Do you have a preference for delivery, design, or learning for yourself? Share your thoughts below so we can all learn something new.