FOCI XIII Group C: Giving Learners a Stronger Voice in Curriculum Design and Development Forum On Curricular Issues Contibutors: Neslihan EKİL, Fulden NOYAN, Onur ERGÜNAY, Kadriye KUBİLAYHAN, Claudette CLERC, Canan ŞABAN, Jonathan SMITH, Çisem ALTUĞ, Aslı Ersen YANIK

1. Giving Learners a Stronger Voice in
Curriculum Design and Development
Neslihan EKİL
Fulden NOYAN
Onur ERGÜNAY
Kadriye KUBİLAYHAN
Claudette CLERC
Canan ŞABAN
Jonathan SMITH
Çisem ALTUĞ
Aslı Ersen YANIK
’
FOCI XII @ Yeditepe University: ‘FEEDBACK AND CURRICULUM
10-11 December 2015

2. OUTLINE
A. Why?
B. Challenges?
C. Methodology
D. What to include?
E. How?
F. When?
G. What to do next?
H. Take away ideas

3. WHY?
Our purpose is to improve students’ learning by involving them in curriculum development
process
Benefits for curriculum
◦ Improving curriculum
◦ Raising students awareness
Benefits for learners
◦ Language development
◦ Critical thinking
◦ Empowerment

4. CHALLENGES
- Timing (too late/too often)
- Institutional limitations
- Resistance from stakeholders
- Different expectations
- Analyzing data

5. CHALLENGES
- Reliability
oLack of understanding
oLack of awareness
oDifferent priorities
oSubjectivity
oReluctance

6. Methodology
Participatory Research and Action
(PRA)
- Emic research (vs Etic research)
- Creative research methods
- Emphasizes group consensus

7. Our Group Process

8. WHAT TO INCLUDE
Strengths, weaknesses, suggestions, solutions,
comments
- Course materials
- Assessment tools
- Tasks and activities
- Teaching methods and techniques

9. HOW?
Data collection methods for curriculum developers (long term)
◦ focus groups
◦ group discussions
◦ scenarios
◦ metaphors
◦ observations
◦ comment box
◦ interviews
◦ questionnaires

10. HOW?
1. Qualitative methods
2. Forming the questions from students’
responses
3. Creating quantitative tools

11. HOW?
- For teachers (ongoing)
build a culture of reflection
provide opportunities to take immediate action

12. WHEN?
- Formative
- Summative
- Ongoing

13. WHAT TO DO NEXT?
1.Comparing / Collecting data from all
stakeholders
2.Setting priorities (long/short/no action)
3.Responding to feedback
4.Feedback Cycle

14. FEEDBACK CYCLE

15. Take Away Ideas
A. Curriculum is a living thing (ongoing feedback essential)
B. Develop tools with learners’ help (PRA)
C. Give learners’ voice but also listen and respond (Do not be afraid of
empowerment)
D. Put the learners at the heart of curriculum design and development
process
E. We will benefit as much as the learners

16. Thank you for listening to our voice
Any feedback?