Week 4 Reading

I read an article this week that turned out to be quite the amazing find. It details a study conducted in southern Africa regarding the implementation of software to facilitate changes in curriculum development.

Exemplary materials, such as teacher guides, have been found to be especially useful

during the initial phases of curriculum implementation. Van den Akker (1998)

summarizes three main advantages offered by exemplary materials:

• Clearer understanding of how to translate curriculum ideas into classroom

practice

• Concrete foothold for execution of lessons that resemble the original

intentions of the designers

• Stimulation of reflection on one’s own role with the eventual possibility

of adjusting one’s own attitude toward the innovation.

(McKenney, S., 2005, p. 170)

Talk about a powerful argument for this type of teacher training. I'm holding on tightly to this article.