Curriculum Planning Modules
Activity 1.5 Curriculum design
Overall advice for Activity 1.5 Curriculum design
Resources and notes
Outcome
Selection of a curriculum design that will best support our students in
their learning
Presentation & facilitator notes
Key questions to be explored
• What is the most appropriate curriculum design based on the
learning needs of our students and staff knowledge and
expertise?
• Will the same curriculum design be appropriate for all cohorts of
students?
• How will we arrange students, staff and resources to best
implement our curriculum design?
Module 1: Whole school curriculum planning to
suit our students slides 57 – 79
Suggested time
4 hours (minimum)
Template 1.5B Reflecting on design options
Prior to the session


make hard copies and/or download electronic copies of Handout
1.5A Design options for implementing the Standards, Template
1.5B Reflecting on design options, Template 1.5C Yearly
planner, Template 1.5D Organisational considerations, Template
1.5E Leadership responsibilities and Template 1.5F Professional
learning teams, for all participants
make copies of completed Template 1.4B Summary of drivers,
Templates 1.2C Summary of data analysis and 1.3B Victorian
Essential Learning Standards, for all participants
SEQUENCE OF ACTIVITY
STEP 1 – Imagining what is possible
Office of Learning and Teaching, DE&T.
(www.eduweb.vic.gov.au/edulibrary/public/teachlearn/studen
t/curric_plan_module_pres.ppt)
Templates and handouts
Handout 1.5A Design options for implementing
the Standards
(http://www.eduweb.vic.gov.au/edulibrary/public/teachlearn/
student/module_1.5A_Handout.doc)
(www.eduweb.vic.gov.au/edulibrary/public/teachlearn/studen
t/module_1.5B_template.doc)
Template 1.5C Yearly planner
(www.eduweb.vic.gov.au/edulibrary/public/teachlearn/studen
t/module_1.5C_template.doc)
Template 1.5D Organisational considerations
(www.eduweb.vic.gov.au/edulibrary/public/teachlearn/studen
t/module_1.5D_template.doc)
Template 1.5E Leadership responsibilities
(www.eduweb.vic.gov.au/edulibrary/public/teachlearn/studen
t/module_1.5E_template.doc)
Template 1.5F Professional learning teams
(www.eduweb.vic.gov.au/edulibrary/public/teachlearn/studen
t/module_1.5F_template.doc)
School
samples
and stories
These will be
developed as
we share
knowledge
and work
with schools.
Curriculum Planning Modules
Activity 1.5 Curriculum design
Slides 57 – 59 establish the context for selecting design options by
asking participants to imagine how curriculum drivers could be
implemented, consider the reality of the school and make links to the
Victorian Essential Learning Standards.
STEP 2 – Evaluating design options
Slides 60 – 66 present examples of design options. Participants
complete Template 1.5B Reflecting on design options. Included on the
template is an opportunity for participants to reflect on the school’s
current design. After evaluating each of the design options participants
select those they believe would be most effective to support student
learning - the ‘stand out’ design options.
STEP 3 – Selecting subjects/programs
Using slides 67 – 69 participants identify the subjects/programs based
on completed Template 1.4B Summary of drivers and Template 1.5B
Reflecting on design options. Template 1.5C Yearly planner is used to
document subjects/programs including the duration and scheduling of
each.
Step 4 - Organisation considerations
Slides 70 – 79 and Templates 1.5D Organisational considerations, 1.5E
Leadership responsibilities and 1.5F Professional learning teams provide
a structure for making appropriate organisational decisions to
implement the whole school curriculum plan.
SUMMARY
The leadership team or other identified group analyse and summarise
the responses recorded on the templates for presentation at a
subsequent meeting. They identify similarities and record these as
aspects that have been decided on and identify conflicting views. For
each of the conflicting views a solution is proposed and presented to
the whole staff for discussion and decision making.
Office of Learning and Teaching, DE&T.
Delving deeper
Reforming the Hidden Curriculum: The Key Abilities
model and Four Curricular Forms
(www.andrewseaton.com.au/reform.htm)