5: Subject Curriculum Knowledge

1. Curriculum Knowledge
Learning and teaching in the subject
(Art & Design and Design & Technology)
Please sit in your
regular seat

2. The Sutton Trust
influenced Government education policy
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3. Question 1:
“What makes great teaching?”
The six components of great teaching
1. (Pedagogical) content knowledge (Strong evidence of impact on student
outcomes)
2. Quality of instruction (Strong evidence of impact on student outcomes)
3. Classroom climate (Moderate evidence of impact on student outcomes)
4. Classroom management (Moderate evidence of impact on student outcomes)
5. Teacher beliefs (Some evidence of impact on student outcomes)
6. Professional behaviours (Some evidence of impact on student outcomes)
(Coe, et al. 2014)
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4. “What makes great teaching?”
(Pedagogical) content knowledge
as defined by (Shulman 1987)
A teacher’s subject knowledge is an
“extremely important influence on pupil
attainment”.
Hattie (2009) cited in (Pollard, et al. 2014a, p.258)
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5. Session aim (learning objective)
KQ: why do we need to understand how to interpret the curriculum?
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6. By the end of the session you should be able to:
– define the principles of curriculum provision and the elements of learning
(knowledge),
– identify knowledge, concepts, skills and attitudes related to schemes of work
(comprehension) and
– interpret current subject knowledge in relation to curriculum aims (application).
What do you know already about
the subject curriculum you are
training to teach?
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7. Recall the aims for your subject curriculum?
A&D The national curriculum for art
and design aims to ensure that all pupils:
•produce creative work, exploring their
ideas and recording their experiences
•become proficient in drawing, painting,
sculpture and other art, craft and design
techniques
•evaluate and analyse creative works
using the language of art, craft and design
•know about great artists, craft makers
and designers, and understand the
historical and cultural development of their
art forms.
D&T The national curriculum for
design and technology aims to ensure that
all pupils:
•develop the creative, technical and
practical expertise needed to perform
everyday tasks confidently and to
participate successfully in an increasingly
technological world
•build and apply a repertoire of
knowledge, understanding and skills in
order to design and make high-quality
prototypes and products for a wide range
of users
•critique, evaluate and test their ideas and
products and the work of others
•understand and apply the principles of
nutrition and learn how to cook.
(Department for Education (DfE) 2014)
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8. Three ways of thinking about curriculum
(1) official,
(2) hidden and
(3) experienced.
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9. Principles of curriculum
• The nature of knowledge,
• The needs of the learner, and crucially
• The interactions between them.
(Pollard, et al. 2014a, p.235)
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10. Reflective Activity 9.1
To examine statements of aims and values presented in National
Curriculum and school documentation
Aim
– To examine statements of aims and values presented in National Curriculum and
school documentation.
Evidence and reflection
– Are aims and values explicitly stated within the National Curriculum and school
documentation at your disposal?
– If so, are the aims consistently supported by the stated underlying values?
– What vision of education do you derive from reading these statements?
– If not, can you derive some of the core aims and values from an examination of
the curriculum advice presented in the documentation?
(Pollard, et al. 2014b)
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11. Aims and values
• Breadth
• Balance
• Connection
• Coherence
• Congruence
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12. Elements of learning
• Knowledge
• Concepts
• Skills
• Attitudes
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13. Reflective activity 9.3
Aim
– To consider knowledge, concepts, skills and attitudes in schemes of work.
Method
– Select topics within a programme of study in a subject area. Working on your
own or preferably with a colleague, identify and list the knowledge, concepts,
skills and attitudes, which are targeted for development.
TOPICS Knowledge Concepts Skills Attitudes
(Pollard, et al. 2014b)
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14. Reflection activity 9.4
Aim
– To consider the idea of transformations when preparing to teach.
Method
• For a particular lesson or series of lessons focus specifically on what you know about the content
and what you want your pupils to learn about the content. If teaching materials are prescribed,
review them in the light of your understanding of the subject matter.
• How do you represent your personal understanding of this content? How might you make it
meaningful for your pupils?
• Consider some ways in which you might transform the content. How might you introduce
ideas/concepts/principles?
• How can you best move pupils from what is known or familiar to new knowledge?
• Are there any strategies, activities or tasks which seem particularly appropriate?
• What makes you think they will work?
• Are there parts of the learning where pupils may misunderstand or be mislead? How might you
avoid this?
• What language will you use?
• How will you approach any subject-specialist language?
• If possible discuss your ideas for transformations with another teacher or student teacher.
(Pollard, et al. 2014a, p.261)
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15. References
– Coe, R., Aloisi, C., Higgins, S. and Major, L.E., 2014. What makes great
teaching? Review of the underpinning research.
– Department for Education (DfE), 2014. National curriculum [online]. Gov.UK.
Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/national-curriculum
[Accessed 11/03 2014].
– Department of Education and Science, 1985. <br />The Curriculum from 5 to
16 <br />HMI Series: Curriculum Matters No. 2 [online]. London: Her Majesty's
Stationery Office 1984-9. Available at:
http://www.educationengland.org.uk/documents/hmi-curricmatters/index.html
[Accessed 11/03 2014].
– Pollard, A., Black-Hawkins, K., Hodges, G.C., Dudley, P., James, M., Linklater,
H., Swaffield, S., Swann, M., Turner, F., Warwick, P. and Winterbottom, M.,
2014a. Reflective Teaching in Schools. Bloomsbury Publishing.
– Pollard, A., Black-Hawkins, K., Hodges, G.C., Dudley, P., James, M., Linklater,
H., Swaffield, S., Swann, M., Turner, F., Warwick, P. and Winterbottom, M.,
2014b. Reflective Teaching in Schools (online) [online]. Bloomsbury Publishing.
Available at: http://reflectiveteaching.co.uk/ [Accessed 11/03 2014].
– Shulman, L.S., 1986. Those who understand: Knowledge growth in teaching.
Educational Researcher, , 4-14.
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