Evaluate Curriculum and Instruction

Evaluate Curriculum and Instruction

Introduction

The main objective of this essay is evaluating curriculum and instruction as an educator. The writer will indicate the purpose of why teachers evaluate curriculum and instruction. The methods for evaluating curriculum and instruction will be identified. The writer will specify and explain the types of assessments that are used when evaluating curriculum and instruction. The identification of methods on how curriculum and instruction can support instructional practices in a differentiated learning environment will specified. In the end, the writer will explain how she will implement the change process in the evaluation of curriculum and instruction to meet the needs of both teachers and students.

The evaluation of instruction is the effectiveness of the instructor in evaluating curriculum. Teachers use this evaluation to determine if the students have accomplished the curriculum. The phases of evaluation are pre-assessment, formative evaluation, and summative evaluation. Preassessment if done beforehand instruction. Formative evaluation is done throughout the process of instruction. Summative evaluation is done after instruction. According to Oliva and Gordon (2013), instructional strategies must be accurate for the students, the educator, subject-matter, time consumption, resources used, organizations, and objectives.

According to Popham (2011), measurable objectives aim at assessments and curriculum. Teachers use them as instructional tools to determine whether or not students are at the level of achieving the goal. Teachers focus on students’ learning statuses by using measurable objectives. They use materials, strategies, techniques to teach, and measurable objectives that are effective towards the accomplishment of goals. With this, students come to realize what the teacher expects them to accomplish in learning.

Assessment

Assessment is more than just questions from the teacher and answers from the students. It is a process of learning evaluation. Teachers become able to determine a student’s status in learning performance, knowledge level, and engagement in learning. Assessments are constituted through curriculum, instruction, assignments, textbooks, lesson plans, tests, grades, and grade level. Popham (2011) stated that “educational assessment constitutes a “formal” attempt to get a fix on students’ status” (p. 7). With the diagnostic feedback from the assessment, teachers are able to set standards, evaluate learning progress of students, and motivate performance. Assessment is a high priority in the field of education. The reasons for teachers to know about assessment are:

• Test results determine educational effectiveness
• Assessment performance is viewed as the teacher evaluation process
• Assessment improves instructional quality (Popham, 2011, p. 18)

Formative and summative assessments are used in the classrooms. Formative assessment should not be used as a test because the task has ended. Assessment should be given within the strategy to guide the teacher in making decisions about the improvement of the task. Formative assessment is valid to use in programs that do not meet teachers’ goals and objectives, which can cause gaps between the program’s deficiencies that were eliminated. Summative assessment is prepared to determine how the needs of a program are met for the needs of students and program objectives.

The learning objectives and outcomes of the assessment are aligned with continuous assessment methods. These methods can be done in the framework of the existing curriculum. Pellegrino, Chudowski, & Glaser (2001) commented that there are varies types of classroom assessments.  The monitoring progress on assessments gave educators a way to improve the quality of assessment and also organize assessments.

Differentiated Instruction

“Differentiated instruction helps teachers to (1)meet the needs of diverse students, (2) meet legal mandates, (3) be ethical in implementing democratic values, (4) dispel myths that abound in education, and (5) be more effective in teaching students” (Thousand, Villa, & Nevin, 2007, p. 2). Hall, Strangman, & Meyer (2003) described differentiated instruction [DI] as allowing teachers to build flexibility into their presentation of instruction and adapt the curriculum to meet the needs of students. With differentiated instruction, teachers have those options instead of the continuous demand process on instructing students at the wrong level. An effective education improvement planning process may allow schools to develop an eternal plan that focuses on the accuracy of education and improvement of student learning performance. The principles of improving educational accountability are congruence, specificity, relevance, respect for diversity, continuous improvement, and focus on proficient achievement (Wong, Nicotera, & Guthrie, 2007).

Curriculum differentiation is a strategy used by teachers for meeting the individual needs of all learners. As discussed previously, the need for teacher and student input is necessary to gauge the extent of curriculum differentiation that is needed for each child. The following methods can assist in differentiating the curriculum:

• Assessing learners” prior learning skills and performance 
• Utilizing curriculum
• Encouraging independent
• Allow learners to work with like-minded classmates
• Designing tasks so learners can expand and use their learning skills.      

Implementing Evaluation of Curriculum and Instruction

The focus is to design good instructional practices and curriculum that meets the needs of students. As an educator, it is essential to demonstrate that commitment to improve the knowledge of evaluating instruction and curriculum. There is an opportunity to support this change process but also impact instruction in a way that is transformational for teachers and the students.

In order to achieve success, I understood the importance of supporting the methods of curriculum and instructional development. The focus is not always on instruction, but on how to evaluate the curriculum. My mission is to support and improve the staff’s instructional capacity and practices in order to impact student learning.

Teachers should use their understanding of essential standards and evaluate student learning outcomes. To make a change, it was essential to promote differentiated instruction, as well. When teachers implement the change process, instructional practices and the curriculum will be more effective. The improvement of evaluating curriculum and instruction can be made in a safe learning environment for students to engage in learning opportunities. Teachers can gain a deeper understanding of essential standards and methods – learning outcomes and realizing instructional practices were validated. I believe that teachers can change processes and think around improving student learning and achievement. Overall, this change can become a structure for providing teachers with on-going feedback that serves as a benefit to learners.

Conclusion

The evaluation of instruction is useful for the evaluation of the curriculum. The evaluation phases are pre-assessment, formative evaluation, and summative evaluation. Assessment is essential in the process of evaluating curriculum and instruction. Differentiated instruction is used to meet the needs of all learners.  The writer identified methods that can assist teachers in differentiating the curriculum. Finally, the writer discussed her opinions and goals to implement the evaluation of curriculum and instruction.
References

• Hall, T., Strangman, N., & Meyer, A. (2003). Differentiated instruction and implications for UDL implementation. Retrieved from
• Oliva, P. F., & Gordon, W. R. Developing the curriculum. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson.
• Pellegrino, J.W., Chudowsky, N., & Glaser, R. (2001). Knowing what students know: The scienceand design of educational assessment. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.
• Popham, W. J. (2011). Classroom Assessment: what teachers need to know (6th ed). Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.
• Thousand, J. S., Villa, R. A, & Nevin, A. I. (2007). Differentiating instruction: collaborative planning and teaching for universally designed learning. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
• Wong, K. K., Nicotera, A., & Guthrie, J. W. (2007). Successful schools and educational accountability: concepts and skills to meet leadership challenges. Pearson Education, Inc.