Looking at Innovations in Curriculum through the Lens of 21st Century Skills

Looking at Innovations in

Curriculum through the Lens of

21st Century Skills

Parisa MEHRAN

Mehrasa ALIZADEH

Osaka University

Vahid ARYADOUST

National University of Singapore

Innovation in Curriculum

1Curriculum change as the core of education development

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Demands of our rapidly changing world

Integration of 21st century skills

(Qiquan & Liya, 2013)2

3

21st Century Skills (Budhai & Taddei 2015)

Jenkins’ (2009) inventoryTranslated into Persian

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This Study: The Instrument

Jenkins’ (2009) inventory

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Academic Rationalism

Social Reconstruction

Behavioral Humanistic Cognitive

The relationship between philosophical beliefs and education is referred to as curriculum orientations.


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Academic Rationalism Humanistic


Cognitive Process

Behavioral

Rooted in Plato’s writings (knowledge as fixed or stable ideas)

Reflects traditional academic studies, withoutregard to the interest or needs of the learner, or contemporary societal problems


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Promotes the ability of students to solve social problems and participate in society

Seeks to foster and create social change to better the human condition



Cognitive Process

Behavioral


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Tries to develop students’ ability to think

Lifelong learning



Cognitive Process

Behavioral


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Seeks to provide students with opportunities to foster their personal development as unique individuals

Includes the social and emotional aspects of life and happiness



Cognitive Process

Behavioral


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Rooted in behavioral psychology, specifically the work of B.F. Skinner

Emphasizes individualized instruction

Does not focus on particular content, or social or personal issues.



Cognitive Process

Behavioral

This Study: The Participants

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Curriculum orientations of 400 Iranian school teachers

mean age of 41

mean teaching experience of 17 years

teaching a variety of subjects from foreign languages (English & Arabic) to Art, Social Sciences, and Biology

23%

77%

Sex

Male Female

The participants

endorsed curriculum innovation

valued the development of higher-order thinking skills and students’ 21st century concerns

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1. During the teaching-learning process, it is most important to give students opportunities to think about problems.

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Cognitive Process

78.8

21%0.2%

Strongly agree

Agree

Disagree

4. Curriculum should first let students master the cognitive skills (e.g. deducing, analyzing, critical thinking) and then the teacher may teach conceptual knowledge.

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Cognitive Process (Cont.)

60%

33%

4%

1%

2%

Strongly agree

Agree

Disagree

Strongly disagree

Missing

9. The basic goal of curriculum should be the development of students’ cognitive skills, such as memorizing, hypothesizing, problem-solving, analyzing, and synthesizing, which can be applied to learning virtually anything.

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52.3%40.3%

5.5%

1.5%

0.4%

Strongly agree

Agree

Disagree

Strongly disagree

Missing

18. Curriculum should require teachers to teach thinking skills systematically.

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62.5%

33.8%

1.8%

0.8%

1.1%

Strongly agree

Agree

Disagree

Strongly disagree

Missing

23. Assessing students’ levels and forms of thinking as well as their ability to explore knowledge is most important.

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50.7%42.5%

3.8%

0.1%

2%

Strongly agree

Agree

Disagree

Strongly disagree

Missing

27. Methods of inquiry are the most important content for primary and secondary school curricula.

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38.5%

41.8%

14.8% 2.5%

2.4%

Strongly agree

Agree

Disagree

Strongly disagree

Missing

5. Curriculum should let students understand societal problems and take action to establish a new society.

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61.5%

33.5%

4.3%

0.7%

Strongly agree

Agree

Disagree

Strongly disagree

14. Existing problems in our society, such as pollution and the population explosion, should be the organizing center of curriculum.

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Social Reconstruction (Cont.)

37.3%

40.5%

17.8% 2%

2.4%

Strongly agree

Agree

Disagree

Strongly disagree

Missing

17. Students learn best when permitted to analyze, investigate, and evaluate authentic societal problems.

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58.3%31.5%

8.3%

0.5%

1.4%

Strongly agree

Agree

Disagree

Strongly disagree

Missing

24. Curriculum contents should focus on societal problems such as pollution, the population explosion, energy shortages, racial discrimination, and crime.

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37.5%

41%

17.3% 2.3%

1.9%

Strongly agree

Agree

Disagree

Strongly disagree

Missing

31. The most important goal of the school curriculum is to foster students’ ability to critically analyze societal problems.

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42.8%

40%

13.3%2.8%

1.1%

Strongly agree

Agree

Disagree

Strongly disagree

Missing

33. Assessment of students should emphasize civic awareness, problem-solving skills, and decision making skills.

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50.7%42%

5.3%

1.3%

0.7%

Strongly agree

Agree

Disagree

Strongly disagree

Missing

19. Students’ interests and needs should be the organizing center of curriculum.

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Humanistic

42%

43%

11.5%2%

1.5%

Strongly agree

Agree

Disagree

Strongly disagree

Missing

32. In addition to academic achievements, instructional assessment should also emphasize students’ personal development such as self-confidence, motivation, interests, and self-concept.

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Humanistic

57.5%37.5%

2.3%

1.3%

1.4%

Strongly agree

Agree

Disagree

Strongly disagree

Missing

34. Teachers should select curriculum contents based on students’ interest and needs.

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Humanistic

41%

38.3%

17.3% 1.8%

1.6%

Strongly agree

Agree

Disagree

Strongly disagree

Missing

Entrance exam

Ideological-political discourse

Traditional mindset

(Fahim & Ahmadian, 2012)

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Challenges

Iran

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Japan

Globalizing Japan:

Reimagining Japanese Education (Willis & Rappleye, 2011)

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Curricular Reform in Japan

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Curriculum Redesign

21st

CenturyEducation

KnowledgeTraditional Modern

-Math -Robotics-Language -Entrepreneurship

Skills

CreativityCritical ThinkingCommunicationCollaboration

Character

MindfulnessCuriosityCourageResilienceEthicsLeadership

MEXT (2015)

Collaborative learning

Inquiry-based learning

Project-based learning

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Active Learning

Experiential learning

Technology-enhanced learning

MEXT (2015)

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Japanese Curricular Practices

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

Quick to understand things

Seek explanations for things

Can handle a lot of information

Can easily link facts together

Like to solve complex problems

Openness to Problem Solving (PISA, 2012)

OECD Average Japan

• Entrance exam

• Socio-cultural traditions

• Intuitive but not logical mindset

(Laskar, 2007)

“The nail that sticks up will be hammered down.”

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Challenges

The dilemma of critical thinking

• Iran (Aliakbari & Allahmorad, 2012)• Limited class time

• Little space for free debate

• Exam-oriented approach

• Demanding work

• Avoiding discussion of controversial topics and issues

• Japan (Rear, 2008)

個性 (kosei) vs 個人主義 (kojinshugi)

diversity and independence vs reckless nonconformity

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Concluding Remarks

Thank You

Effective teachers do not cover the curriculum.

They uncover it.

Ann Parker