Presented by:
Stephanie Foote
Rob Rodier & Brandon Smith
Key Statement:
This session will describe the approach and outcomes of a national community that blends improvement science and curricular analytics to identify opportunities for curricular redesign.
Keywords:
Curricular redesign, curricular transparency, continuous improvement
Abstract:
This session will describe the outcomes of a national Curricular Analytics Community that engages institutional teams with a set of curricular analytics tools and improvement science-informed process that can be applied to identify opportunities for curricular change. The goals of the CAC are to improve curricular transparency, reduce complexity, and create more equitable educational outcomes. Designed as a Networked Improvement Community, the CAC engages faculty and staff in “practitioner research” allowing them to learn from and with each other.
Participants will leave with strategies and resources they can adapt and to create their own institutional community focused on curricular redesign.
Learning Outcomes:
1. Describe curricular complexity
2. Compare and contrast improvement science-based approaches to ameliorate curricular complexity and create transparency
3. Employ the resources from the session to consider the development of their own curricular redesign community
Hear it from the author:
TRANSCRIPT:
Greetings from the Gardner Institute,
Please join us for "Different by Design: Scaling Efforts to Improve Curricular Transparency." This session, presented by Stephanie M. Foote, Brandon Smith, and Rob Rodier, delves into the innovative approaches undertaken to enhance curricular transparency and educational outcomes.
The core of this initiative lies within the Curricular Analytics Community (CAC), a national network engaging institutional teams with tools and improvement science methods.
We utilize four key elements to analyze curricula: blocking factors, delay factors, centrality, and overall complexity, which we will explain further during our poster session. These factors help pinpoint areas for potential improvement that increase student access to classes, support scaffolded learning, and ultimately improve student success.
The approach we employ involves visualizing, analyzing, implementing, and studying curricular systems, and follows a method of inquiry based in Improvement Science. Topics covered include data visualization, problem identification, driving improvement, and the Plan-Do-Study-Act cycle.
We have three years of experience delivering this community of practice, and institutions have benefited from this approach, tackling issues like unnecessary curricular complexity, prerequisites, and improving student completion rates.
Join us in exploring these strategies, gaining insights, and contributing to a more transparent and effective educational system.
REFERENCES:
Bryk, A. S., Gomez, L. M., Grunow, A., LeMahieu, P. G. (2015). Learning to improve: How America’s schools can get better at getting better. Harvard Education Publishing.
Heileman, G., Abdallah, C. T., Slim, A., & Hickman, M. (2018). Curricular Analytics: A framework for quantifying the impact of curricular reforms and pedagogical innovations. https://doi.org/10/48550/arXiv.1811.09676
Langley, G.J., Moen, R.D., Nolan, K.M, Nolan, T.W., Norman, C.L, & Provost, L.P. (2009). The improvement guide (2nd Ed.). Jossey-Bass.
Park, S., & Takahashi, S. 2013. 90-Day cycle handbook.Carnegie Foundation for Advancement of Teaching.