IIS-HR
Job Description and Person Specification
Job Title: Education Officer: Curriculum Development
Department of Curriculum Studies
4 January 2011
Location:
London, UK
Reports to:
Head - Department of Curriculum Studies (DCS)
Hours per week:
35
Contract type
FTE
Length of contract
Permanent
Job description
The Institute of Ismaili Studies (IIS) seeks to recruit an Education Officer to assist in the
development of its secondary curriculum materials.
Drawing on credible scholarly sources and the best educational principles, the IIS
secondary curriculum seeks to inspire and challenge secondary students (ages 12-15) in
the faith, ethics, history, thought and cultures of Muslim peoples through a
multidisciplinary, civilisational and humanistic approach to the study of Islam including the
arts, architecture, literature, science, technology, medicine, law, philosophy and other
fields.
Key responsibilities of the education officer include constructing engaging and stimulating
teaching, learning and assessment strategies for the curriculum that engender
comprehension, deep understanding, stimulate thought, reflection and critical thinking on
the part of students. Responsibilities will include constructing the pedagogy for the student
reader, constructing the accompanying activity books, classroom resources and
constructing a teacher’s guide. [The basic narrative on Muslim civilisation will be provided].
Responsibilities will include making links with secondary secular education content and
achievement standards.
The education officer will have extensive teaching experience at the secondary level in the
humanities and/or the social sciences and a knowledge of achievement standards at the
secondary level. The candidate will also have experience in constructing educational
materials and/or writing secondary level textbooks in the humanities and the social
sciences. Teacher education experience is desirable. A background in Islamic studies will
be beneficial but not necessary. Responsibilities may also include inducting in-service
teachers in secondary curriculum pedagogies.
Applicants are required to send samples of their educational materials (lesson plans,
activity sheets, projects, etc. as evidence of their pedagogical expertise) as part of their
application. Shortlisted candidates will be expected to construct the pedagogy of a topic
from the secondary curriculum as part of the evaluation process.
Objectives
1. Curriculum Planning
 Provide input on the conceptual outline of the module
 On the basis of a content outline of the module suggest a framework for
constructing age relevant and standards based pedagogy of the module (consisting
of the student reader, activity book, teacher’s guide and classroom resources).
2. Curriculum development
 Develop objectives for each of the topics of the module on the basis of the outline
and a draft of the module narrative
 Develop teaching, learning and assessment strategies for each of the topics of the
module consistent with the stated objectives and meeting secular secondary
education standards in the humanities and the social sciences.
 Develop accompanying activity books and classroom resources.
 Suggest and compile additional teaching/learning resources
3. Curriculum consolidation
 Consolidate on an ongoing basis all curriculum materials, including module
narrative, images, maps, pedagogy into a total unified curriculum
4. Curriculum review
 Set-up a review structure for formative review of curriculum materials
 Elicit input from internal as well as external reviewers
 Incorporate input where necessary
 Work collaboratively with colleagues in the refinement of the educational materials
as a whole.
5. Editing and Proof-reading
 Edit and proof read all curriculum materials
6. Teacher education input
 Induct Secondary Teacher Education Programme (STEP) teachers in secondary
teaching, learning and assessment standards
 Assist teachers in lesson planning
 Analyse STEP teachers’ MA research findings to feed into the secondary
curriculum.
 Contribute to lesson observations, mentoring, and other aspects of STEP within the
framework of DCS parameters.
7. Evaluation
 Contribute to the summative evaluation of curriculum materials of the department
 Undertake evaluation-related field visits, if necessary, based on the department’s
annual plans.
 Assist in the collation and analysis of evaluation data received from the field.
8. Other tasks
 Undertake other relevant tasks connected with the department’s programmes, as
identified by the Head of Department.
Corporate Responsibilities
Quality Assurance
The role holder is required to participate in quality assurance procedures to maintain and
develop standards of ‘best practice’ in all the areas of the department’s activities. S/he is
also required to implement the outcomes of reviews and evaluations
Continuous Professional Development
The role holder is expected to maintain and improve the quality of his/her role through
continuous professional development within the available time and resources.
Equality of opportunity
The role holder is expected to commit to the principle of equality of opportunity for all staff
and students and to providing an environment where respect is shown to all.
Person Specification
A weighting figure should be given to each separate requirement according to its
relative importance to the overall job:
Low Importance
=
Medium Importance
High Importance
=
1
2
3
Experience Required
Score

Teaching experience at the secondary level in the humanities and /or the
social sciences

Experience in constructing education materials and /or textbooks at the
secondary level
3

Experience in teacher education (desirable)
2
3
Knowledge Requirements
Score

Teaching and learning strategies at the secondary level
3

Secondary level textbook construction
3

Secondary level achievement standards in the humanities or social sciences.
3

Teacher education training /certification
2

Educational background in the humanities and/or the social sciences.
3
Main Skills and Abilities
Score

Ability to construct effective teaching/learning and assessment strategies at
the secondary level

Ability to align teaching/learning strategies with secular secondary school
achievement standards

Ability to induct in-service teachers regarding effective secondary
teaching/learning and assessment strategies
3
3
2