Case Studies in Curriculum Design

Professor Fred Mednick

Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences
VRIJE UNIVERSITEIT BRUSSEL
Phone: +1 206-356-4731/ Skype: twbfred
E-mail: fred@twb.org

Spring, 2018
 At VUB Campus Online Only
February March
Monday, 19 February: 10:00-12:30 Course platform: Canvas
Wednesday, 21 February: 10:00-12:30 May
Friday, 23 February: 10:00-12:30 Course platform: Canvas

April
Monday, 16 April: 10:00-12:30 Online Office Hours
Wednesday, 18 April: 10:00-12:30 (posted on Canvas)
Friday, 20 April: 10:00-12:30

Table of Contents

Access to Canvas: Course Platform ............................................................................................. 3

Background: Case Studies in Curriculum Design ...................................................................... 3
Requirements and Grading............................................................................................................ 3
Readings and Discussions .............................................................................................................. 5
Major Project: Four Options .......................................................................................................... 6
February Sessions at VUB .............................................................................................................. 9
April Sessions (2.5 hours, 3 sessions)............................................................................................ 9

Template for Research Paper

Abstract.............................................................................................................................. 12
Purpose of the Study and Project Goal................................................................................ 13
Approach to Research ........................................................................................................ 13
Theory of Change Process .................................................................................................. 13
Curriculum Model .............................................................................................................. 13
Summary of Survey............................................................................................................ 13
The Curriculum Plan and/or Teacher’s Guide ..................................................................... 14
Feedback from Beneficiaries .............................................................................................. 14
Conclusions, Lessons Learned, and Recommendations ....................................................... 14
Bibliography ...................................................................................................................... 14
Annotated Bibliography ..................................................................................................... 14
Optional Appendix: Survey Questions ............................................................................... 16
Access to Canvas: Course Platform
This course will be conducted face-to-face and online. All activity: announcements, assignments,
discussions, assignments, and more will be made on Canvas. It is your responsibility to register
for the course. It will not be done automatically through Pointcarré. There will also be no
duplicate postings on Pointcarré. Here is how to access the account:
• If you don’t have a Canvas account already, please register for a free student Canvas
account: https://canvas.instructure.com/register
• Once registered, please enroll in the course:
https://canvas.instructure.com/enroll/74L66F

Background: Case Studies in Curriculum Design

This course centers around the development of curriculum development frameworks designed
to offer solutions for a particular community within its own context. You will both create a
theory of change and the curriculum itself.
Along the way, we will help you develop your competencies in scholarly-trained educational
design, assessment, strategic planning, and program implementation.
It is impossible to explore in depth all the myriad models and features of curriculum design. We
will, however, explore exemplary models and practices in order to frame and analyse current
practices in real contexts.
This course deepens and extends a corpus of your acquired knowledge in change management,
adult education, strategic design, and leadership. While prior experience designing curriculum
is a benefit, those not directly engaged in teacher education shall be able to derive substantial
benefit. We will:
• Provide you with several curriculum models in the discussions and readings, but you will be
given an opportunity to create your own distinct approach.
• Integrate and apply your knowledge on management of educational change, curriculum
development and professional development in order to support authentic contexts
• Develop your competencies as a professional and, in so doing, help you acquire additional
perspectives within grounded research in curriculum development and change management

Requirements and Grading

This course is conducted online and in two intensive three-day sessions at Vrije Universiteit
Brussel in February and April, 2018.
• Your participation online and at the face-to-face sessions is critical. Students are expected to
make arrangements (within reason) to attend each face-to-face session.
• Students will be expected to participate in each of 6 major online discussions, based upon the
readings. While there will be reminders to begin and submit discussion items, it is essential
that students take responsibility for their own calendar.
• Students will be expected to complete a research paper that involves the creation of (or
model for) a detailed curriculum, lasting approximately 1-3 days, for professionals in one of
four areas: (1) in-service teachers (2) professional development for teachers (3) social service
professionals, and (4) public service professionals

Points

Readings and Discussion Topics

(6 discussions/readings; one point each)

Major Paper
(four options)

Professor's discretion, based upon assessment of each student's

commitment to the quality of discussion and growth in curriculum
development

Criteria for Grading: Research Paper (total: 12)

Abstract .5
Approach 1
Theory of Change 2.5
Curriculum Model 1.5
Curriculum 2.5
Feedback 1
Conclusions 1
Bibliography 1
Appendix 1
Readings and Discussions

Students will explore relevant sections of Columbia

Discussion/Readings 1: Columbia Teachers’ College curriculum model, focusing on Case
Teachers’ College Commentaries, Rubrics, and Notes for Facilitators.
(Details on Canvas)

A comprehensive treatment of how New Zealand

Discussion/Readings 2: New Zealand
approaches curriculum design, development, and
Implementation implementation. (Details on Canvas)

A prototype that resonates the most with your choice

Discussion/Readings 3: UNESCO of research options, along with how it can be
Prototype of National Curriculum integrated into a greater understanding of how
curriculum is design. (Details on Canvas)

Discussion around the idea of a Theory of Change

Discussion/Readings 4: Theory of
Change, Part 1: Terms
models designed for anyone (policy-makers,
community activists, curriculum designers) interested
in taking a systematic approach by a structured
consideration of stakeholder engagement, inputs,
outputs, and outcomes.

At this point, you will have uploaded a PDF of your

Discussion/Readings 5: Theory of Theory of Change (based upon Advocacy Progress
Change, Part 2: Feedback Planner, and both solicited and received feedback from
your colleagues

Students will be asked to present evidence of their

Discussion/Readings 6: Feedback on
Curriculum Design and Draft
curriculum in the form of a "work in progress" to the
agency, school, or other organization and seek their
feedback in ONE short paragraph.
Based upon agency feedback, students will solicit
additional feedback from peers on next steps

Discussion Protocols
Basically, this is about being nice and respectful. When you are in an online course, it's hard to
get to know everyone. And since we stress feedback on the contributions of others, it's also hard
to know if what you say - and how you say it - is acceptable or constructive.
Try to think like great writing teachers who facilitate the development of ideas, rather than judge
the writer. That's a big deal. It's okay to ask challenging questions. It's just that the asking
should be done in a way that builds a sense of community. You cannot assume that what
pleases, does not bother, or hurt you is the same for everyone.
Here are some tested phrases that help people see you (as the one who comments on the work of
others) as interested in what others have to say:
o I was really impressed/moved/challenged when you wrote _______ because ________.
o It surprises me when you say _______ because I had always thought ________. I want to
know more about___
o I am interested when you say ________ because it makes me think of _________.
o Although I agree with you that ________, have you considered __________.
o Some might say __________ in response to what you wrote. What are your thoughts?
o I want to know more about ______ because _______.

Major Project: Four Options

This course’s content focuses on a current topic in educational curriculum innovation—analysed,
mapped, developed, and implemented as a contribution to—and collaboration with—
educational stakeholders in four sectors: Pre-Service Teacher Preparation, In-Service Teacher
Development, Social Service Curriculum Development, and Public Service Curriculum
Development.
Students are to choose ONE. See the next page for details
 RESEARCH Options Community Short Description

This option requires a thorough understanding of the range of pre-service

teacher preparation offerings in Brussels, as well as research on identified
gaps in the current system of teacher pre-service preparation, as evidenced in
Training Belgian schools. This is followed by interviews of stakeholders via a survey
Option 1: Pre-Service design focusing on challenges and priorities.
institutions or
Teacher Education schools in Brussels Data gathering is then compared with general research about pre-service
training effectiveness in this region of Europe, along with a 1-3 day training
curriculum based upon one of the priorities, using a design that the research
and interviewees have identified as relevant.

Design a strategic plan (and 1-3 day training) for an innovative curriculum
focused on the professional needs of a specific school (primary or
secondary/high school), about which you have personal knowledge
Option 2: Teacher In- A school or (examples: you may have graduated from that school or your children
community site currently attend that school).
Service Professional with which you are
Development familiar You have two choices here: (1) for the teachers alone to address priorities not
yet available (such as different ways to address the learning needs of
refugees or (2) a teacher's guide for a new subject (such as climate change)
for a particular grade-level.

Brussels has hundreds, if not thousands, of social service agencies serving

the poor, immigrant communities, the elderly, for example, and dovetails
A social service with education, homelessness, mobility, safety, environment, governance,
agency, community
Option 3: Social Service health, transportation, and energy.
center, or religious
Curriculum Development community in Your goal is to provide the research and justification for a curriculum
Brussels innovation and 1-3 day training for an existing training program for one of
the following entities: a government-led social service agency,
a public community center, or a religious community.
 The Service Public Régional de Bruxelles focuses on six areas:
• Brussels Housing: logement.brussels
• Brussels Economy and Employment: economie-emploi.brussels
• Brussels Finances and Budget: http://finances-budget.brussels/

Option 4: Public Service A government • Brussels Mobility: mobilite.brussels

Curriculum Development entity in Brussels • Brussels Local Authorities: pouvoirs-locaux.brussels
The ultimate goal here is to create a model for curriculum for the identified
needs of a particular population, and accessible in a form that public service
officials can use effectively.
The model for your curriculum shall be based upon Entrecomp's
Competency Framework.

Full descriptions can be found on Canvas

February Sessions at VUB
(2.5 hours, 3 sessions)

19 Monday, February 2018

• Introduction: perspectives to Case Studies in Education: case studies, curriculum,

perspectives
• Slide show
• Paper

21 Wednesday, February 2018

• Pre-Service Option
• In-Service Option

23 Friday, February 2018

• Higher Education lens

• Inequality lens
• Network and Technology lens

April Sessions (2.5 hours, 3 sessions)

(2.5 hours, 3 sessions)

16, 18, 20 April, 2018

To be determined and announced in Canvas

TITLE OF PAPER (ALL CAPS). No need for subtitle

Template for Research Paper

Available on Canvas (included here as well)

TITLE: Subtitle (example below)

CURRICULUM FOR MOBILE SOCIAL WORKERS TO BUILD CULTURAL

COMPETENCIES IN BRUSSELS: A Focus on Homeless Encampments and
Squatters’ Quarters

YOUR NAME(s)

Case Studies in Curriculum Design

Vrije Universiteit Brussel
Dr. Fred Mednick, Professor

OPTION: (List either: In-Service Training, Teacher Professional Development,

Social Service, or Public Service

[Date]
TITLE OF PAPER (ALL CAPS). No need for subtitle

Style: This research paper is an academic treatment of your lens, as applied to the focus, and
reflective of your reading and engagement.
• 20 pages maximum
• Times New Roman 11.5 for normal text, line spacing: 1.15
• Cite sources using APA style in the document and in a separate bibliography (not
counted in your 20-page total)
• Annotated bibliography of at least 8 substantial research articles (also not counted in your
20-page total)

For Table of Contents: The Table of Contents is based upon MS Word’s Heading 2 style;
please use them because it makes navigation a lot easier for the reader.
• If you want to change the title in the Table of Contents (below), it won’t work.
• If you change the title of a heading in the document itself, it will work.
• After you make those changes:
o Right-click or Ctl click on Table of Contents
o Choose Update Field, then
o Update Entire Table to refresh the Table of Contents.
• Points will be taken off for sloppy attention to detail.
TITLE OF PAPER (ALL CAPS). No need for subtitle

Table of Contents

Abstract .................................................................................................................................................. 12
Purpose of the Study and Project Goal ............................................................................................. 13
Approach to Research.......................................................................................................................... 13
Theory of Change Process ................................................................................................................... 13
Curriculum Model ............................................................................................................................... 13
Summary of Survey ............................................................................................................................. 13
The Curriculum Plan and/or Teacher’s Guide ................................................................................ 14
Feedback from Beneficiaries ............................................................................................................... 14
Conclusions, Lessons Learned, and Recommendations ................................................................. 14
Bibliography.......................................................................................................................................... 14
Annotated Bibliography ...................................................................................................................... 14

Abstract
(250 words maximum)

An Abstract is the entire paper in a condensed form, written for those seeking to learn more. An abstract
summarizes, usually in one paragraph of 250 words or less, the major aspects of the entire paper in a
prescribed sequence that includes: 1) the overall purpose of the study and the research problem(s) you
investigated; 2) the basic design of the study; 3) major findings or trends found as a result of your
analysis; and, 4) a brief summary of your interpretations and conclusions.
The abstract allows you to elaborate upon each major aspect of the paper and helps readers decide
whether they want to read the rest of the paper. Therefore, enough key information [e.g., summary
results, observations, trends, etc.] must be included to make the abstract useful to someone who may
want to examine your work.
How do you know when you have enough information in your abstract? A simple rule-of-thumb is to
imagine that you are another researcher doing a similar study. Then ask yourself: if your abstract was the
only part of the paper you could access, would you be happy with the amount of information presented
there? Does it tell the whole story about your study? If the answer is "no" then the abstract likely needs
to be revised.
TITLE OF PAPER (ALL CAPS). No need for subtitle

Purpose of the Study and Project Goal

(2-3 pages)
Give the reader a sense of the issue and the challenge. Perhaps X, Y, or Z is understudied, or at
least understudied in the particular context you wish to explore or region you have been tasked to
support. Cite statistics you can verify. Go into detail about the history of the problem or the forces
at work in favor of—or as obstacles to—success.

Approach to Research
(2-3 pages)
This is where you discuss how you approached the research. Describe your desk research.
Compare it to your interviews and surveys. You can use a classic coding scheme or come up with
one yourself. Add to “Appendix: Surveys and Interviews” a summary of questions from your
surveys and interviews, as well as your process for OBJECTIVELY drawing conclusions from
what data and insights you gathered. Here, you might want to add how you coded the responses.
The Theory of Change Process (below) will supplement this section

Theory of Change Process

(2-3 pages)
Summarize the findings from your Theory of Change, and include evidence (screenshots or a link
to a Google Doc of the PDF). See Theory of Change, Part 1 for details.

Curriculum Model
(2-3 pages)
We have introduced several models in the course. There are hundreds more. If you chose one of
the models from the readings/discussions, explain why and how you used it. If there are other
curriculum models (perhaps suggested by the agency, school, or other entity), describe it here. It is
likely that the curriculum model reflects the philosophy and values of the agency, school, or other
entity. This will take some effort, so you may need to consult the agency, research, your
colleagues.

Summary of Survey
(2-3 pages)

• Please refer to the page on Canvas devoted to surveys

• Describe the subject of the survey and think through: “What do I want to know?” and “What do
I need to know?”
• Ask: “Who should I ask?” and describe who was surveyed, relevant demographic data
TITLE OF PAPER (ALL CAPS). No need for subtitle

• Assess what your target audience expects to gain from the survey. In this case, it might be the
development of a model based upon perception, so your survey might focus on beneficiaries,
rather than actual trainers. This is a delicate choice. Sometimes researchers conduct similar
surveys from the perspective of both.
• As for the types of surveys, you can consult your earlier courses, but make certain to follow a
consistent guide and explain it here. Here’s some help: https://explorable.com/selecting-the-
survey-method
• As for reporting the results of the survey, be very specific – what you asked, what you learned,
what conclusions you drew from data collected, and how you can justify the conclusions you
drew

The Curriculum Plan and/or Teacher’s Guide

(4-5 pages)
This is your product – the curriculum plan or guide itself for a training of 1-3 days

Feedback from Beneficiaries

(1-2 pages)
Once presented to the agency, school, or other entity, what was their feedback? What do they think is
effective or useful? What was confusing? Not useful?

Conclusions, Lessons Learned, and Recommendations

(1-2 pages)
• What you learned from the agency, school, or other entity
• Projected (future) challenges and opportunities in developing this further for greater
implementation, sustainability, or scale

Bibliography
• Separate page, not included in page count
• Include all sources footnoted and consulted in the document
• APA style format

Annotated Bibliography
• Separate page, not included in page count
• See more on Annotated Bibliographies: https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/614/01/
 TITLE OF PAPER (ALL CAPS). No need for subtitle
• Include how the work has enhanced insights into your chosen option (Example below)
Source
Ehrenreich, B. (2001). Nickel and
dimed: On (not) getting by in
America. New York: Henry Holt
and Company.
Annotation # of pages
In this book of nonfiction based on the journalist's
experiential research, Ehrenreich attempts to ascertain
whether it is currently possible for an individual to live on a
minimum-wage in America. Taking jobs as a waitress, a
maid in a cleaning service, and a Walmart sales employee,
the author summarizes and reflects on her work, her
relationships with fellow workers, and her financial struggles
in each situation.
An experienced journalist, Ehrenreich is aware of the
limitations of her experiment and the ethical implications of
her experiential research tactics and reflects on these issues 32
in the text. The author is forthcoming about her methods and
supplements her experiences with scholarly research on her
places of employment, the economy, and the rising cost of
living in America. Ehrenreich’s project is timely,
descriptive, and well-researched.
Ehrenreich’s work informed my [include here: your
approach to the focus, an emerging theory of change; your
curriculum model; the curriculum itself; feedback systems
and stakeholdership] by doing X, Y, Z and re-evaluating
XYZ…
TITLE OF PAPER (ALL CAPS). No need for subtitle

Optional Appendix: Survey Questions

(Separate page, not included in page count)