College Access Summit
Curriculum Alignment
Working Group
A COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIP OF CENTRAL
FLORIDA K-12 SCHOOLS, COLLEGES, AND UCF
COMMUNITY COLLEGE
PARTNERS
History of Curriculum Alignment
• Sponsored by UCF Regional Campuses, Undergraduate
Studies, and Interdisciplinary Studies.
• Started with a need to look at digital media – which lead
to a Banner Center being awarded to Seminole State
College.
• The Chief Learning Officers of the consortium colleges
saw a need to address math, then chemistry, physics,
and biology. The most recent addition was computer
programming through the awarding of a National
Science Foundation grant in 2010
• On October 27, 2010 first regional Curriculum Alignment
conference was held at Valencia Community College.
– First time to include K-12 schools in the alignment discussion
Curriculum Alignment Work-To-Date
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
Begin align
Regional
Begin align Begin align
Begin align
Digital Media
Digital Media
Physics
Math
Biology
Between
Education And
CC and UCF CC, SC,
CC and UCF
CC’s and UCF
Workforce
and UCF
Development
Initiative
Begin align
Chemistry
CC and UCF
2011
Continue align
STEM Disc
CC, SC, UCF
Math Begin
Multidisc
Align CC, SC,
UCF
Begin Explore
Ways for
PreK-12 to
Work with CC, SC,
UCF
Key Successes
• Alignment of topics and learning outcomes across the 7
educational institutions.
– Changing courses to improve student success.
– Mutual agreement on topics covered in key courses.
• Sharing of best practices:
– Discussions at the workshops.
– Postings on the web site.
• Changing curriculum and courses.
– Changing 4 UCF Digital Media courses from 3xxx to 2xxx so that
the community college partners had a common set of
transferrable courses.
– Adding MAC1140 at UCF.
Curriculum Alignment Conference
October 27, 2010
• Purpose: To bring together instructors and
administrators from K-12, Community Colleges,
State Colleges, and UCF to begin working together
on curriculum alignment from K-20
•
•
•
•
•
Meet each other and determine to work together
Identify concrete goals for the upcoming year
Discuss next conference scheduled for October, 2011
Set long term goals
Special guest Mary Jane Tappen, Deputy Chancellor
for Curriculum, Instruction, and Student Services from
DOE
Goals and Action Items
• Biology
–
–
–
–
–
Improve biology lab skills for entering freshman.
Standardize HS biology curriculum beginning with labs.
Improve pedagogical and content knowledge of MS/HS teachers.
Increase ongoing support from CC/Univ to MS/HS.
Improve general college readiness of HS Students.
• Chemistry
– Academic transition readiness - Students will be prepared to enter the next level
of the chemistry curriculum
– Students will demonstrate mastery of core concepts and skills, eg. scientific
method, experimental design, data collection and analysis, results communication
(written and verbal), inquiry labs are a tool for accomplishing this
– Students will demonstrate strong problem solving and critical thinking skills and
scientific curiosity
– Students will have established successful learning strategies including basic
study, note taking, and time management skills
– Establish and maintain a supportive communication, resource network, and
meeting schedule for K-16 and industry
Goals (continued)
•
Math
– Continue and initiate more dialogue between high school and college levels.
– Provide constant communication of course descriptions and ongoing
assessments between levels.
– Discuss and align placement process from secondary to post secondary (6-20).
– Develop a consistent alignment of concepts taught and tools used in the K- 20
levels.
– Share data to modify instruction to achieve desired learning outcomes.
• Physics
–
–
–
–
Develop a Lab Curriculum/List of Suggestions
Clear communication between K-12 , colleges, and FDOE
Improve Public Relations
Implement STEM Competition (JETS, Physics Olympiad) hosted by the regional
college
– Align physics curriculum (middle school – college)
Curriculum Alignment Future Work
2010
2011
First Joint
K-12, CC, SC,
UCF Meeting
Begin align
STEM Disc
HS,CC, SC,
UCF
2012
2013
2014
2015
Cont. align Cont. align
Cont. align
Cont cross
STEM HS,CC, STEM MS, HS, STEM ES, MS, Disciplinary
SC, UCF
CC, SC, UCF HS, CC, SC,
alignment
UCF
Incorp.
Incorp.
Begin cross
Middle
Elem
Disciplinary
Schools
Schools
alignment
2020
More Information
• http://www.curriculumalignment.ucf.edu