Curriculum design and review
Curriculum design and review is a continuous, cyclic process. It involves a department making decisions about how to give effect to The New Zealand Curriculum as well as the school vision and values. In this section, middle leaders are guided through:
- the key components in the NZC for focus for curriculum review
- the processes to lead review, and set goals and priorities for action.
How can you use the New Zealand Curriculum as a driver for curriculum change?
Overview | What the research says | Discussion tools | Examples from practice
Overview
The New Zealand Curriculum empowers schools to exercise:
...the scope, flexibility, and authority they need to design and shape their curriculum so that teaching and learning is meaningful and beneficial for their particular communities of students.
For every school, curriculum review is an ongoing process as the needs of students, their communities, and wider society change and curriculum understanding deepens.
The principles of The New Zealand Curriculum are the foundations that guide every aspect of curriculum decision making. Curriculum review involves challenging your understanding of the principles, values, key competencies, and learning areas to ensure your curriculum continues to meet the needs of your students.
What aspects of The New Zealand Curriculum do you, as a middle leader, need to understand to lead curriculum change in your department?
What the research says
The NZC Update issue 11 summarises the findings of the Monitoring and Evaluating the Implementation of the New Zealand Curriculum (MECI) project:
'The research found that the two factors that most strongly influenced the degree of change in practice were the respondent's confidence (the single strongest factor) and her or his perception of the quality of internal support. This included collegial support from other staff, the teaching resources available, and the effectiveness of professional development organised and led by the school.'
- Monitoring and evaluating curriculum implementation: Final Evaluation report on the Implementation of the New Zealand curriculum 2008-2009
- Curriculum Implementation Exploratory Studies (CIES)
- Implementation of the New Zealand Curriculum: Synthesis of research and evaluation
Discussion tools
What are your understandings of the direction set by the New Zealand Curriculum?
What is the vision for students in your department?
Examples from practice
Understandings of the direction set by the NZC
'Watch NZC as a driver'. Duration 3:19
Judy Maw, assistant principal and network learning facilitator, discusses the importance of looking at the curriculum as a holistic document. In this video she explores the New Zealand Curriculum as a driver for curriculum change.
NZC Update 9 - Effective learning pathways
The case study from Mount Maunganui College (p. 5) outlines how teachers give students choice in what they learn, enable students to see the relevance of learning to their own lives, and plan collaboratively across departments.
Departmental review and school review
Building for the future: New and changing secondary schools in New Zealand
This report by John Locke, former principal at Alfriston College, offers some valuable insights into how secondary schools need to be thinking about learning in the 21st Century.
Vision for students
Living the principle - Te reo me ōna tikanga at Rotorua Boys' High
Rotorua Boys’ High School has designed their curriculum based on tikanga and te reo Māori, making a difference for the school's Māori students.
What is the process for design and review in your department?
Overview | What the research says | Discussion tools | Examples from practice
Overview
Curriculum review is likely to identify changes. Changes may include choosing different content and different teaching strategies (and monitoring the impact of these changes on student achievement). They may include structural changes in areas such as timetabling and resources.
What the research says
… effective leadership involves not only determining the goal content (task focus) but doing so in a manner that enables staff to understand and become committed to the goal (relationships). What works, it seems, is careful integration of staff considerations with task requirements. Effective leaders do not get the relationships right and then tackle the educational challenges – they incorporate both sets of constraints into their problem-solving.
Robinson, M. J. (2007). School Leadership and Student Outcomes: Identifying What Works and Why.
Discussion tools
What drives your department's curriculum review?
What are the goals for your department?
What evidence do you use to monitor your progress in achieving your goals?
Examples from practice
Drivers of departmental curriculum review
Watch 'Maths and the NZC'. Duration 4:48
In this video Anna Cox, head of mathematics at St Hilda's Collegiate, discusses the curriculum review she led with her department.
Watch 'Te Mana Kōrero - Greymouth High School'. Duration 4:01.
Teachers at Greymouth High School discuss how the professional development they’ve had has enhanced their capability to reflect on their practice and make a difference for Māori students.