A curriculum development project creates a cohesive plan of instruction that addresses a curricular goal for the school or classroom. The curriculum plan should encompass classroom instruction in a given subject area for at least one semester or involve the entire school for at least one instructional unit. The curriculum should demonstrate a link between research findings, instruction, and student outcomes. Once created, the curriculum should be implemented and its effectiveness evaluated.
The curriculum development project proposal will be a five- to seven-page paper that communicates the goals and plans to achieve those goals to the advisor and committee members. The following outline may guide the proposal:
I. INTRODUCTION
- Identify the purpose of the project or the problem it seeks to address
- Give evidence of the problem or importance of the project
- State the project goal
II. LITERATURE REVIEW
- A reporting of the literature that frames the problem the curriculum is addressing, gives evidence of other attempts to address this educational issue, studies research on the effectiveness of such attempts, and describes educational theory or practice that serves as a rationale for the curriculum design and methods of instructions and assessment
III. DESIGN
- Describe the procedure for development of the project
- Describe how the curriculum will be implemented
- Outline an assessment or evaluation of the curriculum’s effectiveness
- Convey your plan for assessing the data you collect from the assessment plan
- Describe any limitations your study may have
IV. REFERENCES
V. APPENDICES
