Curriculum Design Approach Research Articles

Nursing Education for Sustainable Development: A Concept Analysis.

Sustainability represents an increasingly vital yet inconsistently implemented topic in nursing education. Formal concept analysis can promote unified conceptualisation to inform sustainability integration in nursing curriculums. Analyse the concept of 'nursing education for sustainable development' using the Walker and Avant framework to clarify meaning and application in nursing programmes. The literature was systematically searched for attributes, antecedents and consequences used to formulate a concept definition, and compared to existing conceptualisations. Core concept attributes are interconnectedness of human/ecological health, sustainability-focused curriculums, competency cultivation and social justice orientations. Antecedents include recognising ecological determinants of health and committed nursing faculty. Consequences encompass the preparation of sustainability-competent nurses and elevated nursing contributions to sustainable health systems. The concept analysis provides an original synthesised perspective advancing coherence and applicability to guide sustainability education in nursing programmes through a translational framework for competency, curriculum design and content delivery approaches. We followed the guidelines outlined in the Walker and Avant framework in the conduct and reporting of this paper. No patient and public contribution.

What are artificial intelligence literacy and competency? A comprehensive framework to support them

Artificial intelligence (AI) education in K–12 schools is a global initiative, yet planning and executing AI education is challenging. The major frameworks are focused on identifying content and technical knowledge (AI literacy). Most of the current definitions of AI literacy for a non-technical audience are developed from an engineering perspective and may not be appropriate for K–12 education. Teacher perspectives are essential to making sense of this initiative. Literacy is about knowing (knowledge, what skills); competency is about applying the knowledge in a beneficial way (confidence, how well). They are strongly related. This study goes beyond knowledge (AI literacy), and its two main goals are to (i) define AI literacy and competency by adding the aspects of confidence and self-reflective mindsets, and (ii) propose a more comprehensive framework for K–12 AI education. These definitions are needed for this emerging and disruptive technology (e.g., ChatGPT and Sora, generative AI). We used the definitions and the basic curriculum design approaches as the analytical framework and teacher perspectives. Participants included 30 experienced AI teachers from 15 middle schools. We employed an iterative co-design cycle to discuss and revise the framework throughout four cycles. The definition of AI competency has five abilities that take confidence into account, and the proposed framework comprises five key components: technology, impact, ethics, collaboration, and self-reflection. We also identify five effective learning experiences to foster abilities and confidences, and suggest five future research directions: prompt engineering, data literacy, algorithmic literacy, self-reflective mindset, and empirical research.

Deeper Than Reason

This article chronicles factors contributingto the neglect of the assessment of practical forms of knowledge in Vocational Education and Training (VET) in England. It illustrates how older, more coherent concepts of forms of knowledge, skills and competence have been pushed to the margins of educational discourse, replaced by restricted, fragmented and much less credible conceptual imposters. The consequences of these restricted conceptions and how they have subsequently become organised, taught and assessed in VET are discussed. Particular attention is given to the ways in which such restricted conceptions can lead to vocational assessment regimes which require little more than ‘one-off’ demonstrations of successful performance, expressed in behaviourist outcomes; the superficial recall of cognitive concepts; and the regurgitation of factual information in pen and paper examinations. Comparisons are drawn between the strongly centralist system of control regulating VET in England and alternative more collaborative state partnership systems of VET currently operating in Continental Europe. This small-scale, qualitative study, conducted with 12 tutors of VET in Further Education (FE) colleges and Industry Training Providers (ITPs) brings to light the impact of these restricted concepts in VET in England today. Research methods include, iterature review, transcripts of semi-structured interviews with vocational teachers and education leaders and focus group discussions. Reflexive Thematic Anlaysis (RTA) is employed to identify subthemes and themes in the data in order to identify, refine and discuss findings. Results reveal that sector practitioners require further professional development in addressing current issues in incoherent curriculum design and inauthentic approaches to assessment.

Designing a Digital Business Study Program using Lean Startup Methodology

In the ever growing digital era, the need for adaptive and innovative business education is becoming increasingly important. This research focuses on the central problem of the lack of integration between traditional business theory and dynamic digital business practices, as well as the need to develop entrepreneurial skills that are relevant to today's market. The aim of this research is to design a digital business study program that utilizes the Lean Startup methodology to promote action-oriented and experimental learning. The method used in this research is a participatory curriculum design approach, involving stakeholders from academia, industry and digital entrepreneurs. Data is collected through surveys, in-depth interviews, and case studies, which are then analyzed to identify best practices and principles of effective learning. The conclusion of this research shows that the integration of Lean Startup in digital business study programs can increase students' adaptability and innovation capabilities, preparing them for success in a rapidly changing business environment. The designed program emphasizes iterative learning, rapid market validation, and scalable business model development, all of which are crucial for modern entrepreneurship. This research provides a framework for more responsive and practical digital business education, which can be adopted by educational institutions to develop curricula that meet current and future industry demands.

Perceived Changes to Quality Assurance after AUN-QA Programme Assessment: Voices of Quality Assurance Practitioners, Academic Staff, and Students

Quality assurance in Vietnamese higher education has been turning to a new page since it was made in recent years. Foreign accreditation is accepted in Vietnam, and, among foreign accrediting agencies, AUN-QA is more popular. This study examines the extent to which quality assessment by the AUN-QA could lead to changes in Vietnamese universities. This study adopted a basic qualitative approach to explore various stakeholders’ perceived changes with AUN-QA assessment with convenience and purposeful sampling techniques. Qualitative data were collected through interviews with various stakeholders such as students, academic staff, and quality assurance practitioners, followed by thematic analysis. The findings suggest that the AUN-QA quality assessment appeared to be the driver of positive changes, varying from accepting external quality assurance to learning the principles of constructive alignment in curriculum design, teaching and learning approaches, and student assessment. When the principle was learnt, superficial and minor changes were reported. The impacts were also evident in forming a culture of evidence (to demonstrate compliance with the external assessment). There were a few instances whereby changes were perceived as “perfunctory” because institutions used copying strategies for external assessment. Less evidence in the findings with not much discussion related to regular improvements and the dependence on individual academic staff for quality can be seen as directions for actions to be taken not only for the participating universities but also for other universities in Vietnam. The findings suggest that external assessment if applied appropriately to trigger stakeholders’ perceptions, could contribute to quality enhancement.

Teaching Complex Introductory Concepts in a Sophomore Circuits Course: A Descriptive Case Study

This descriptive case study explores the teaching and learning of complex introductory circuit concepts in a compulsory sophomore circuits’ course. The study investigates the instructional strategies employed by the instructor to facilitate students’ understanding of intricate circuit phenomena. Data were collected through classroom observations, interviews with the instructor, and an analysis of the course documents. The findings shed light on the challenges encountered by students when grappling with introductory circuit concepts, the effectiveness of different instructional methods, and implications for curriculum design and pedagogical approaches in electrical engineering education. Specifically, the instructors reported students’ prior knowledge, the nature of the content, and the structure of the course itself as some of the main features that impact students’ overall learning of the content. The study highlights the importance of providing targeted support and scaffolding to students, promoting active learning strategies, and incorporating practical applications to enhance the comprehension of introductory circuit concepts in sophomore-level electrical engineering courses.

Developing Progressive Engineering Curriculum for Global Acceptance and Sustainability

Abstract— Engineering education of the 21st century demands to be knowledge-based with rich innovation and value creations. On graduation, one should have an engineering career of 40 years. Therefore, learners shall develop the needful KSA and ACM who can not only do the traditional and routine jobs but also give the vision, create new avenues, create new jobs, help the industry to diversify the activities for sustainability, and provide the individual a lifelong career. It demands an evolving curriculum that should not only comply with the university curriculum but also fulfill the needs of the hour by providing flexibility, acceptability, and agility. TCET understands the needs and hence always strives to bring excellence and relevance to the curriculum. Being autonomous from A. Y. 2019-20 onwards, the college has the freedom to design its own curriculum, not only trying to comply with the requirements of affiliated universities but also trying to achieve global excellence in the field of technical education. The revision cycle has been set for three years. The curriculum highlights that practical & practice-based learning, problem & project-based learning, industry & research orientation, and pedagogy supplemented with andragogy & heutagogy have made the curriculum unique. The strategy and approach for curriculum design have not only made the institute achieve various compliances but also made the curriculum evolutionary and well-accepted by stakeholders including industry. Keywords— KSA, Curriculum, NEP 2020, Accreditation, Design and Development (DAD)

Environmental Education for Sustainable Development: A Bibliometric Review of Curriculum Design and Pedagogical Approaches

Environmental education plays a pivotal role in fostering a sustainable future by equipping individuals with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed to address complex environmental challenges. This research presents a comprehensive bibliometric review of the literature on environmental education for sustainable development, with a specific focus on curriculum design and pedagogical approaches. The analysis encompasses a wide range of scholarly articles published between 1961 and 2023, providing valuable insights into the current state of research in this field. Furthermore, the research employs VOSviewer, a bibliometric software, to analyze co-citation and bibliographic coupling networks, identifying influential authors, prominent journals, and emerging trends within the field. The most frequent and fewer occurring keywords are compared to highlight central concepts and potential areas for further research. The results of this study contribute to a comprehensive understanding of the diverse themes, effective practices, and influential contributors in environmental education for sustainable development. By identifying key areas of focus and research gaps, educators, policymakers, and researchers can design targeted interventions and initiatives that promote environmental literacy, responsible behavior, and sustainable practices among learners. Ultimately, this research seeks to advance the field of environmental education and empower individuals to become active stewards of the environment, shaping a more sustainable and resilient future for all.

LEARNING TO COLLABORATE: ANALYZING SPECIFICITYOFMANAGINGCOLLABORATIVESPECIFICITY OF MANAGING COLLABORATIVE LEARNINGINHIGHERINSTITUTIONSOFLEARNINGLEARNING IN HIGHER INSTITUTIONS OF LEARNING –ALITERATUREREVIEW– A LITERATURE REVIEW

The space in which higher educaƟ on insƟ tuƟ ons thrive is fast changing, and the demands and expectaƟ ons from society are rapidly increasing (Hazelkorn, 2015). A wide thirst for 21st-century skills, the connec-Ɵ on between research and development, the need for innovaƟ on, knowledge transfer, and stakeholder networks have raised the interest in collaboraƟ ve learning within HEIs. This is therefore propagaƟ ng a desire to do more with less as public spending on the educaƟ on sector conƟ nues to dip.To this end, collaboraƟ ve learning or otherwise referred to as cooperaƟ ve learning, becomes a low-hanging fruit to explore in the circumstances saƟ sfying both the needs of the insƟ tuƟ on (Knowledge generaƟ on) and of those that embrace it (innovators, employers, governments, etc.) to obtain the benefi ts of the valued life-trans-forming educaƟ on. Through this study, three objecƟ ves, which include: – ascertaining the ability of lecturers tomanage collaboraƟ ve learning environments, establishing the need for insƟ tuƟ onal frameworks for collaboraƟ ve learning management, and ascertaining the eff ecƟ veness of curriculum design and management in ensuring col-laboraƟ ve learning, are invesƟ gated. Literature on these aspects is elaborately reviewed to answer the research quesƟ on.The study makes a case for the need to build the capacity of lecturers to enable collaboraƟ on among learners. It also idenƟ fi es a need for insƟ tuƟ onalised pracƟ ces to embed a collaboraƟ ve learning atmosphere as well as an integrated curriculum design approach to make learning content more exploratory and Ɵ me relevant.

Rethinking Education in the Age of AI: The Importance of Developing Durable Skills in the Industry 4.0

This article discusses the pressing need to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) into education to facilitate customizable, individualized, and on-demand learning pathways. At the same time, while AI has the potential to expand the learner base and improve learning outcomes, the development of NACE Competencies and durable skills – communication, critical thinking, creativity, leadership, adaptability, and emotional intelligence - must be purposefully integrated in curriculum design now more than ever. Recent studies have shown that AI-driven learning pathways can achieve outcomes more quickly, but this comes at the cost of the development of durable skills. Therefore, traditional student-to-student and student-to-teacher interactions must be prioritized. As such, this study proposes a balanced approach to curriculum design to ensure the best outcomes for learners, where durable skill development is prioritized alongside subject-specific skills and rote memorization. Additionally, the article highlights the need for a combination of Just in Time Training (JITT) approaches, facilitated by AI technology, to reach the implementation of durable skills. The article concludes by questioning how to develop human skills in an increasingly AI-driven education system and emphasizes the importance of curriculum design and traditional learning approaches in creating a cohesive learning experience that develops durable skills in students. It is necessary to recognize that AI-driven education cannot replace the development of human skills, and that traditional interactions play a crucial role in developing these skills.

A Conceptual Curriculum Design Approach for Educating Engineers of and for the Future

The 4th Industrial Revolution (I4) highlights the demand for engineers equipped with technical expertise, emotional intelligence, communication, leadership, and critical thinking skills to navigate the complexities of modern engineering. This conceptual paper presents a future-oriented approach to engineering curriculum development, emphasizing the adoption of Outcome-Based Education (OBE) and project-based learning. The integration of key frameworks, such as the Conceive Design Implement Operate (CDIO) model and blended learning techniques, enhance the learning experience. The curriculum aims to align with global goals, including the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the 14 Grand Challenges for Engineering. An innovative curriculum is designed to inspire students' passion for engineering and engage them with emerging technologies, such as additive manufacturing and artificial intelligence. By equipping graduates with the necessary skills and knowledge, this curriculum strives to make a significant impact on society, fostering sustainability and addressing complex engineering challenges. This paper contributes to the field of engineering education by providing a comprehensive and forward-thinking approach to curriculum development.

Teachers’ creative, critical, and agentic professional learning in liminal spaces

ABSTRACT This paper reports on a research project exploring the aspirations, assumptions and experiences of students on a Master’s in Education course. Professional Learning (PL) for teachers in England has increasingly prescribed content and delivery, is highly regulated and embedded within politically sanctioned evidence-based research, structured in linear, accelerated modes. This PL largely ignores the contested ideological spaces education inhabits, reducing opportunities for teachers to engage in situated, relational, exploratory work towards how, why or for whom educational values and practices are enacted. The data suggests that liminal PL spaces are characterised by fluidity and uncertainty, often productive of personal and professional change. Using one Master’s in Education course as an assemblage of liminal PL, where curriculum design and critical pedagogic approaches foreground socio-material and affective conditions, we argue that liminality can generate creative, critical, and agentic responses to knotty issues of education. We argue that liminal PL spaces need rigorous defending as shifts to regulated PL (e.g. the Early Career Framework in England) grow apace. Drawing on focus groups (n = 4 + 50), we pay attention to what teachers say mattered in their personal/professional learning. Our findings foreground non-linear, multiple ways of becoming teacher, and we further reflect upon affordances of liminal PL spaces.

Curriculum Implementation Approaches of Secondary School English Teachers: A Case Study

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to identify the curriculum implementation approaches of secondary school English teachers.
 Design/Methodology/Approach: The study group of this qualitative case study consists of 14 English teachers and students studying in the classes of these teachers. In determination of the study group, maximum variation and criterion sampling was used. The data of the study was obtained by observations, interviews, document review and it was analyzed by qualitative content analysis technique with an interpretive qualitative approach.
 Findings: Study results indicated that English teachers have basically three different approaches while implementing the curriculum: curriculum fidelity, curriculum adaptation and curriculum design. In each three approaches teachers make student-based and exam-based implementations. However, under the curriculum adaptation approach, the student-based and exam-based adaptations made by teachers during their implementations are philosophically so different from each other that they worth mentioning under a different sub-title as student-based adaptation and exam-based adaptation. Teachers who adopt curriculum fidelity approach tend to apply the curriculum materials without making any change while teachers with curriculum adaptation approach make some adaptations in these materials. In the student-based adaptation approach, teachers make these adaptations by taking student characteristics into account, while in the exam-based approach, the focus of the teachers is to prepare students for national exams or the exam of the course. Teachers with curriculum design approach teach in private schools and do not make use of curriculum materials during their instruction. These teachers have more flexibility in their classroom practices compared to the teachers with curriculum fidelity and adaptation approaches.
 Highlights: Based on the results of this study, it can be suggested to investigate the effect of teachers’ curriculum implementation approaches on their professional development and on their students’ motivation and academic success.

Problematizing constructive alignment in higher education in gulf cooperation council countries

ABSTRACT Constructive alignment (CA) has developed into one of the most significant concepts in higher education since its establishment in the late 1990s. CA is a powerful instrument for curriculum design that aligns learning outcomes with teaching and learning activities and assessments to enhance the quality of students’ learning. In this conceptual study, Foucault’s concept of problematization is used as the theoretical framework to explain how and why CA has become a powerful approach for curriculum design dominantly used in higher education worldwide. The discussion focuses on three main blind spots of the CA: pedagogical hegemony, implementation fidelity, and policy enactment. The study closes by offering concluding thoughts and identifying new agendas for research.

A Hybrid Curriculum Framework for Developing Content, Sequence and Methodology in the Saudi EFL Context

English is the dominant language of international communication. Therefore, language teachers worldwide use several language teaching methods and curriculum design approaches to create a learning environment that promotes significant and continuous improvements in their students’ language proficiencies. However, many of these teaching methodologies and curriculum content designs may not always be suitable and effective across every EFL teaching and learning setting. To this end, this paper takes into consideration such concern and advocates the use of a specific framework for developing a hybrid curriculum specifically designed for EFL students enrolled in the preparatory year at Jazan university. The aim is to meet students’ immediate needs and common interests of using their L2 meaningfully and purposefully inside and outside the university settings. The framework is built around thematic and text-based content in addition to the ESL integrated skill textbook currently used by teachers. This course outline may inform Saudi language policymakers to adopt a hybrid curriculum that also involves instructional themes that address students’ immediate needs and, therefore, gives them a motive to use L2 in real-life contexts.

Translanguaging genre pedagogy: implications for teaching business communication in the Greater Bay Area

The present paper discusses how insights from translanguaging theory and pedagogy can help inform and promote genre pedagogy for teaching business communication courses such as writing and translation. To this end, the first part traces and reviews the developments of genre theory and pedagogy in tandem with translanguaging theory and pedagogy, thus teasing out their similarities and differences in historical roots, core premises, theoretical frameworks, and research methodologies. In light of these integrated accounts, the second part of the paper proposes a genre-based pedagogical framework augmented with key tenets and general principles of translanguaging pedagogy to design and implement task activities and classroom practice in teaching business communication courses in the Greater Bay Area (GBA). The paper then outlines perceivable advantages and potential challenges to the application of this translanguaging-informed genre-based pedagogical approach in curriculum design and professional training practice in superdiverse megapolis regions such as the GBA.

Examination of Preferences of Teachers for Educational Program Design Approaches

This study aims to examine preferences of teachers for curriculum design approaches in terms of various variables. In this study, the relational survey model, one of the quantitative research methods, was used. The population of the study consists of branch teachers working in all types and levels in public schools in the central districts of a province of Turkey. Since the population of the study is very large, sampling was made using the typical case sampling method. The sample of this study consists of 415 teachers who voluntarily supported it. During the study process, the data necessary to reach the goal were obtained by using two scales: "Personal Information Form" and "Teachers' Curriculum Design Approach Preferences Scale". Since the data collected from the scale showed normal distribution, t-test from parametric tests, one-way ANOVA test and Tukey test from Post Hoc tests were used to determine which groups differed in multiple comparisons. In the analysis of all data, the value of 0.05 was taken as the confidence level. As a result of the analysis of the findings obtained from the study, it was stated that the teachers' scores on the curriculum design approach scale were high, and they preferred to use problem-centered curriculum design approaches most in the learning-teaching processes, and at least they preferred to use subject-centered curriculum design approaches.

Precision Education Evaluations for Small Class Courses Using Artificial Intelligence

Recently, small class course teaching, with less than 30 students, seems to outperform the traditional large class course teaching in the field of education. Students can use online private course platform to preview course-related knowledge and promote practical experiences of offline courses. In this study, an evaluation strategy has been proposed for precision education protocol in small class course (SCC) based on artificial intelligence (AI), with the goal of focusing on the curriculum design and teaching approaches. By using the AI precision education model, the teaching approaches of SCC can be integrated into the traditional classroom. The results showed that the AI precision education model can promote the learning outcomes and enhance students’ learning achievements.

Analysis of AI Precision Education Strategy for Small Private Online Courses

In recent years, the learning efficacy of online to offline (O2O) teaching methods seems to outperform traditional teaching methods in the field of education. Students can use a small private online course (SPOC) teaching platform to preview class-related materials, learn basic knowledge, and enhance the practical experience of system development in offline courses. The research team applied an artificial intelligence (AI) precision education strategy to design a teaching experiment that evaluated whether this approach may lead to better learning outcomes. In addition to questionnaire surveys to ascertain students' attitudes toward and their satisfaction with learning, this study employed in-depth interviews to understand a potential influence on changes in teachers' curriculum design and teaching approaches when SPOCs was integrated into the traditional university classroom, as well as the impact of the AI precision education model. The results showed that the AI precision education model may facilitate students' learning experience and enhance student achievement.

Moving From Fragmented to Seamless Sense-Making in Blended Learning

Context: Sense-making, understood as meaning making or giving meaning to experience, is an integral part of everyday life, work and learning, and is a process critical in enabling people to recognise how and when to respond to situations appropriately so that they can resolve problems effectively (Weick et al., 2005). Earlier studies on sense-making in educational or organizational settings (e.g. Harverly et al., 2020; Weick et al., 2005) tended to focus on the sense-making process per se in particular setting such as classrooms or organizations, few of them have paid much attention to the sense-making process in blended learning (BL). BL in vocational training mainly aims to enable adult learners to apply what was learnt in classrooms to solve authentic problems in workplaces or simulated settings. High quality of sense-making is crucial to help the learners achieve the aim. This timely study is to offer a comparative look at how different dynamics of BL interplay together to mediate the quality of sense-making in achieving learning outcomes. The dynamics include industry and training connections, policy and institutional contexts, the inhabited pedagogical practices and curriculum design. Methods: This study adopted phenomenological (Moran, 2000) and semi-ethnographic approaches (Hammersley, 2010), including semi-structured interviews, observations, analysis of relevant documents (e.g. curriculum and learning materials) to capture the rich data in case studies to understand learners’ sense-making experience in BL. Researchers focused on seeking to understand how different environments, tools and artefacts mediate the quality of sense-making as the learners progressed through their learning journey. To triangulate the data, adult educators, curriculum designers and where possible, workplace supervisors, were also interviewed and observed for their perceptions and behaviours in learners’ sense-making in BL. Findings: The findings from two different BL courses (ICT and HR) surface that the degree to which learners’ sense-making is fragmented (low quality) or seamless (high quality) is mediated by the interplay of different contextual factors in BL in multiple ways, such as, the connections (or not) with industry, the use (or not) of authentic problems and tasks. Conclusion: The interplay between different dynamics in BL is of great importance to mediate the curriculum design and pedagogical approaches used in BL for high quality of sense-making of adult learners in vocational training.