Collection, analysis and reporting of data on Curriculum for Excellence draft experiences and outcomes
In February 2008 Learning and Teaching Scotland commissioned a research team from the University of Glasgow to collect, analyse and report on information gathered during the Curriculum for Excellence draft experiences and outcomes engagement process. An interim report for Learning and Teaching Scotland, drawing on information gathered during the first eight months of engagement, was completed in August 2008.
Methodology
During the engagement process information has been collected from stakeholders who attended focus groups or completed trialling feedback questionnaires and online questionnaires.
The report contains information on each of the first 10 curriculum areas for which draft experiences and outcomes were released, as well as highlighting common themes across all of the curriculum areas. Feedback for the remaining curriculum areas will be published in a final report.
Common themes across all curriculum areas
The research team reviewed the feedback received for each curriculum area and identified common themes across each one.
The way in which the draft experiences and outcomes are set out provides a challenge for teachers, by creating opportunities for greater creativity, choice and autonomy. However, they have also prompted concerns among stakeholders about curriculum structure, pupil assessment and professional accountability.
The provision of non-prescriptive exemplars and guidance is likely to help generate discussion within a curriculum area and allow teachers to respond with their own interpretations of the draft experiences and outcomes.
There is a feeling that greater precision in the use of language is required. For instance, the draft experiences and outcomes could make closer reference to key concepts within disciplines and to current knowledge about learning.
Conclusions
The responses to the draft experiences and outcomes from across the different curriculum areas request more guidance from a subject-specific, disciplinary perspective (particularly in the secondary sector) on the organisation of the curriculum.
A significant proportion of responses welcome the opportunity for an increased role for practitioners, individually and collectively, to make professional judgements in determining the detail of the curriculum that is taught in their schools and classrooms.
There are some concerns about the perceived difficulty of assessing pupils’ progress.
There is almost universal acknowledgement that a major programme of CPD activity will be necessary to support the successful development and implementation of the new curriculum.
Full report
Please contact the Research team (research@LTScotland.org.uk) for copies of the full report.