Question

How has research from fields outside of education influenced the evaluation of curriculum and instruction?

Answer 1

Ans) Curriculum provides direction for instruction since instruction is the method of delivering academic curriculum. Instruction may exist without curriculum but would serve no direct purpose. Curriculum and instruction must be compatible and maintain a close relationship in order to maximize student learning.

- Learning science is a cumulative process; each new piece of information is added to what students already know (or believe) about the topic at hand. If students have a solid foundation, the new pieces fit together more easily. However, if the students' preparation is spotty or incomplete, they may find it harder to grasp the new material. If the new material conflicts with earlier misconceptions or firmly held assumptions, the students unfortunately may ignore or distort the new information so that it fits into their old framework of understanding.

- Educational researchers have found that effective teachers share several characteristics Two of these characteristics stand out:

• Through frequent assessment and feedback, effective teachers regularly assess what they do in the classroom and whether their students are really learning.

• They try to anticipate the topics and concepts that will be difficult for their students and to develop teaching strategies that present these topics in ways their students will best understand. These teachers make a special point of becoming familiar with their students' preparation, knowledge, and abilities, and adjust their teaching to maximize the class's learning.

Yet, teachers, especially new teachers, may sometimes be too overwhelmed by all that is involved with teaching to assess student knowledge and learning. Creating a syllabus, preparing assignments, developing lectures, designing laboratories, structuring discussions, and writing test questions all take time, thought, and planning. The following sections describe various assessment schemes for both you and your students.