Learning Dilemmas of Curriculum Development at IASA and its Influence on Students’ Concepts of Learning

Abstract

The Israel Arts and Science Academy is a residential high school for gifted students. The academy is a greenhouse for holistic excellence with visual arts, music and science as majors. The development of an independent learner with wide cultural interests, creative approach and high sensitivity to ethical problems, was the curriculums main goal. Implementation of the learning vision was measured by comparing IASA students’ learning perception with traditional school’s students’ learning perception, by integrating qualitative, quantitative research methods. Results show that IASA students view learning as an active process of deep thought, originality, creative thinking, and self structuring of knowledge. Regular school’s students focus on outcomes, on fulfilment of tasks in learning, absorbing material from the teacher and repetition. The students’ learning perceptions were closely bound with the character of the learning environment they attended; hence it can be viewed as a realization of their school’s learning vision.