Curriculum Review Research Articles

A successfully sustainable school: Exploring sustainable development teaching and learning practices at an additional support needs primary school in Scotland

PurposeThis paper discusses the teaching and learning of sustainable development at a single additional support needs primary school in Scotland. This school provides education to students of ages 4–12 years and with learning requirements that may not be accommodated in a mainstream education setting. Teaching of sustainable development to students with additional support needs is bound by the same standardised education policies as mainstream primary education in Scotland, and yet, there needs to be differences in practices to ensure all students can access and learn from sustainable development experiences and opportunities. This study asks 2 questions: (1) How is sustainable development taught at an additional support needs primary school in Scotland? and (2) What makes an additional support needs primary school in Scotland successful with teaching and learning of sustainable development?Design/methodology/approachThis paper is underpinned by the relational posthuman philosophy of kin and kinship. The paper draws on findings from a 2-year case study of a single additional support needs primary school in Scotland. The data were gathered through photography in photo-voice and semi-structured interviews with 12 participants. All participants of this study are education practitioners employed at the school and have a remit for teaching and/or supporting the teaching and learning of sustainable development at the school. Additionally, observations I made in my dual role as education practitioner and researcher of this study are included.FindingsThe main concept arising from the data collected is relationships. Teaching and learning practices are focused on providing students with sustainable development experiences and opportunities which may differ to that of a mainstream primary education school. The teaching of sustainable development at the case school is achieved through the entanglement of connections students make with their human and non-human kin, and the affect this has on them to become active agents in creating stronger communities and sustainable futures for all. Furthermore, the relationships these students have with their human and non-human kin are driven by the varying additional support needs of students, effectively meaning that students are involved with how they are taught about sustainable development.Practical implicationsThe findings can have implications for formal education systems around the world by providing an alternative lens by which to view and review how teaching and learning of sustainable development occurs and what this currently looks like to students with additional support needs. A review of curriculum and the framework for teaching, learning and assessing sustainable development to students with additional support needs can ignite change towards inclusion in this area and enable all learners to be active agents of sustainability practices in their everyday lives. This in turn will ensure that all citizens can participate in sustainable development at a local level and thereby contribute to national and global climate change goals, and ultimately ensure all life (human and non-human) on Earth can flourish.Originality/valueThis paper provides an alternative view to the teaching and learning practices of sustainable development to students with additional support needs by thoughtfully considering who and what are our kin and how kinship is made. This posthuman theoretical perspective provides a lens by which to view the different relationships students with additional support needs have not only with people but also with objects, and how these connections can enable this group of vulnerable learners to become active agents in sustainable development practices in their communities, and, as such, through posthuman philosophy, this paper illustrates the intersection between sustainable development and inclusion. The study also reveals the successes and barriers of teaching sustainable development to students at a single additional support needs primary school in Scotland, and how kinship can promote agency in students with additional support needs by providing community spirit through connection with the human and non-human. Recommendation following this study is for governments, schools and education practitioners around the world to review how sustainable development is taught and learnt across formal education systems and to consider alternative relational posthuman teaching and learning approaches to sustainable development that shift away from tokenistic practices that are steeped in a humanist mindset.

Sexual and reproductive health content in Australian pre-registration nursing and midwifery programs: A review of curricula.

To identify and examine sexual and reproductive health (SRH) content in Australia's pre-registration undergraduate and postgraduate Nursing and Midwifery program curricula. Sexual and reproductive healthcare, integral to women's well-being, relies on Nursing and Midwifery workforce. However, it is unknown how pre-registration curricula prepares nurses and midwives to provide this care, despite international imperatives to enhance access. Cross-sectional study METHODS: Between November 2022 and March 2023, we examined pre-registration Nursing and Midwifery programs across all Australian universities. Data were collected from publicly accessible online program information (unit handbooks, with unit coordinators were contacted for additional details when needed. Counts and percentages were used to summarize data using a term matrix designed for retrieval and coding into 'explicit', 'implicit' or 'no mention' categories. From 37 universities, 92 units from 86 pre-registration programs were included and reviewed. A total of 44 (47.8 %) of the unit outlines and 6 (6.5 %) of the unit names contained explicit terms. The most common explicit term was 'reproductive health' (102, 57.9 %), following by violence (42, 22.6 %) and all were covered in undergraduate-level programs. However, abortion care was not found in any of the reviewed curricula. There is limited content on SRH in the online handbooks of Australian pre-registration Nursing and Midwifery programs. This study recommends a more comprehensive inclusion of SRH content, particularly abortion care, in pre-registration courses to ensure that nurses and midwives receive comprehensive knowledge in this area.

560 Qualitative review of a novel student-run EDI curriculum for clinical medical students

560 Qualitative review of a novel student-run EDI curriculum for clinical medical students

The Effect of Project-Based Learning Model with Hybrid Mode on Higher Order Thinking Skills and Social Attitudes of Prospective Physics Teacher Students

The project-based learning (PjBL) model with hybrid mode supports higher order thinking skills (HOTS) preparing students to become adaptive, creative, and competent educators in the 21st century. This study aims to analyze the effect of PjBL model with a hybrid mode on HOTS and social attitudes of prospective physics teacher students. This study was conducted on 5th semester students of the physics education study program, University of Mataram, who took the physics curriculum review course. The research design used was a quasi-experiment with a posttest only control group design. The study population included 75 students from class 5A, class 5B, and class 5C in the 2024/2025 academic year. The research subjects were divided into two groups, namely the experimental class (5A) and the control class (5C). The instruments used included a HOTS test and a social attitude questionnaire. Data analysis was performed using one-way Manova statistics. The results showed a significant difference in students' HOTS between the experimental class and the control class with an average HOTS of students in the experimental class of 81, higher than the control class which obtained an average score of 72. However, there was no significant difference in students' social attitudes between the two classes with an average score of social attitudes in the experimental class of 83 and in the control class of 82. This finding indicates that the PjBL model with a hybrid mode is effective in improving students' HOTS, but has little effect on the development of students' social attitudes.

Assessing Communication Competencies in Canadian MPH Program Curriculum: A Content Analysis of Communication Courses.

Communication plays a pivotal role in addressing modern and complex public health challenges. Our study assessed the extent to which communication-related course outlines in Canadian master of public health (MPH) programs aligned with national and international public health competency frameworks in their coverage of communication competencies. We conducted an environmental scan and content analysis of MPH courses relevant to public health communication in 2022 and 2023. We used university and program websites and Google to conduct initial searches and obtain course outlines, supplementing these searches with a survey. We developed a codebook based on public health competencies and pedagogical best practices, capturing variables for communication competencies, audiences, channels, tools, and techniques. Two researchers independently coded course outlines. Descriptive statistics evaluated how these courses address communication-related public health competencies. We obtained 11 course outlines offered from 2010 through 2023. The focus of the included courses varied, with health communication (n = 3), knowledge mobilization (n = 3), and risk and/or crisis communication (n = 2) being the most common. All courses broadly aligned with communication competencies related to communication with different audiences (n = 11), and mobilizing (n = 9), interpreting (n = 11), tailoring (n = 9), and facilitating (n = 9) communication. Using technology (n = 4) and media (n = 6), addressing mis/disinformation (n = 1), and communicating with diverse audiences (n = 3) had less alignment. Findings revealed gaps in the coverage of key competencies, particularly in addressing mis/disinformation, leveraging technology and media, communicating with diverse populations, health literacy, and crisis communication. Ongoing review of curriculum would ensure alignment with evolving competencies and public health demands.

Kurikulum Matematika Australia: Tinjauan Sistematis tentang Konteks, Konten dan Proses

This research aims to provide a systematic review of the Australian Mathematics Curriculum with a focus on its context, content and implementation process, and evaluate its relevance in global mathematics education. Through a literature review approach, this study collected and analyzed relevant literature on curriculum development, teaching strategies and challenges in the implementation of the Australian Mathematics Curriculum, comparing it with curricula in other countries. The research method used is a literature review, by examining academic sources including journal articles, books, research reports from the last 10 years, and official documents related to the mathematics curriculum in Australia and other countries. The data collected was then thematically analyzed to identify strengths and weaknesses in the curriculum approach, and to relate the findings to the global context. The results showed that. 1) context description; The Australian Mathematics Curriculum is driven by an inclusive and competency-based national education policy, with an emphasis on developing critical thinking skills, problem solving, and the use of technology in learning. 2) Description of curriculum content includes three main strands: Number and Algebra, Measurement and Geometry, and Statistics and Probability, which are designed to provide a comprehensive understanding of mathematics, with a progressive and graduated approach from primary to secondary levels. 3) Process Description; the implementation of the curriculum involved inquiry-based teaching, problem solving, and technology integration, despite facing challenges related to teacher training, infrastructure, and access gaps in rural and remote areas.

The GreenComp Evaluation Roadmap: a roadmap for in-depth holistic evaluation of the integration of the GreenComp framework in higher-education curricula

Purpose The GreenComp framework identifies 12 competences for sustainability as common ground for higher-education curricula. The framework can be used for self-assessment and the review of curricula. However, a step-by-step method to conduct such a self-assessment is not yet available for the GreenComp framework specifically. Therefore, the authors present the GreenComp Evaluation Roadmap allowing to evaluate the extent to which the frameworks’ competences for sustainability are integrated in higher-education curricula. The application of the GreenComp Evaluation Roadmap to a curriculum taught at the University of Aruba, allows to report on the benefits, limitations and future potential of the approach. Design/methodology/approach The proposed mixed-method approach combines hybrid qualitative and quantitative data collection on the integration of the 12 competences for sustainability of the GreenComp framework in higher-education curricula. The authors showcase its potential through application of the GreenComp framework as an evaluation tool to a science, technology, engineering and mathematics-based bachelor program taught at the University of Aruba. Findings The GreenComp Evaluation Roadmap not only allows for an evaluation of the curriculum and identification of competence gaps. It also supports educators to conduct a self-reflection on individual course(s) and the program as a whole. The paper shows promising results that the roadmap developed could be a reproducible approach. Moreover, it provides guidance to other higher education institutes for self-evaluation and self-reflection on how the competences for sustainability are integrated in their curricula and how this can be enhanced in the future. Originality/value The need to integrate sustainability throughout higher-education curricula is broadly recognized. The GreenComp Evaluation Roadmap contributes to the literature by offering a methodological approach to evaluate the integration of the 12 competences for sustainability throughout a curriculum.

Religion, values and ethics: transformational religious education in Wales?

ABSTRACT A process of reform of Welsh education was initiated in 2015 by a curriculum review led by Professor Graham Donaldson, against the background of mounting evidence of academic underachievement and low levels of pupil self-esteem under successive (Welsh) Labour governments. Despite Professor Donaldson having little to say about religious education, the government embarked on an ambitious and controversial programme of reform. The aim of this article is to provide a short account of the process and results of reform, alongside an initial assessment. Attention is given to the original proposals, their interpretation and revision through successive documents, the final legislation, i.e. the Curriculum and Assessment (Wales) Act 2021, and subsequent statutory guidance. The article concludes with an attempt to ‘make sense’ of the Welsh Government’s reform of religious education by identify the commitments and influences that lie behind and integrate the various reform proposals.

Exploring Environmental Education Content through Education for Sustainable Development Lenses. A Case of Malawi Senior Primary School Religious Education Curriculum

The United Nations environmental education agenda calls all bodies of knowledge to engage students by instilling environmental consciousness and actively involve them through transformative classroom practices. Therefore, all curricula are expected to integrate considerable and relevant environmental content that is linked to Education for Sustainable Development through classroom practice. This qualitative article is part of a larger study that investigated the adequacy of environmental education content and the suggested pedagogical approaches in the Malawi senior primary school Religious Education curriculum. This was in an effort to seek deeper understanding on the adequacy of ecological and environmental content and how the content is pedagogically made accessible to learners. The investigation involved analyzing Religious Education curriculum documents and recommended textbooks with respect to ecological and environmental content, including the suggested pedagogical approaches. The study revealed the limited coverage of ecological and environmental issues especially the Bible Knowledge curricular that focus more on conservation and less on sustainability and ecological justice. Furthermore, the study revealed a dominance of transmission mode, with a focus on knowledge transmission rather than critical thinking or problem-posing with practical engagement of students. Among some of the propositions were the need for review of RE curriculum, focusing on adequacy of ecological and environmental content with the transformative pedagogical approaches and this in response to the UN urgent call on ecological and environmental education.

Real Time Automated Speech Recognition Transcription and Sign Language Character Animation on Learning Media

Inclusive education for deaf students requires a technology approach to address communication and comprehension challenges. This study aims to develop innovative learning media that integrates real-time ASR (Automated Speech Recognition) transcription technology and sign language character animation to improve accessibility and comprehension of materials for deaf students. This learning media receives input from live voice, voice from learning videos, and text inputted by teachers. Using the Google Cloud API-based ASR transcription module, voice and text are converted into written text, broken down into vocabulary for sign language animation search. The search is carried out using an interpolation algorithm in the sign language animation asset database, allowing the display of animations relevant to the transcribed vocabulary. The development process follows the ADDIE instructional design model, starting with needs analysis and ending with implementation and evaluation. The analysis stage includes data collection through teacher interviews, classroom observations, and curriculum reviews. The media design is designed to meet the specific needs of deaf students, while development and implementation focus on technology integration and effective material delivery. Evaluation is carried out to assess the effectiveness of the media in improving student understanding and participation. The study's results showed that this learning media can improve deaf students' understanding of the material and increase their involvement in the learning process. ASR technology and sign language animation contribute significantly to making learning materials more accessible and understandable, supporting the goals of inclusive education.

A Framework to Integrate Building Information Modelling to the Curriculum of the Quantity Surveying Undergraduate Degree Programme in Sri Lanka

One of the primary sectors that contributes to the national economy of the country is the construction industry. The Quantity Surveyors (QS), offer specific expertise in project management and cost estimation. A revolutionary change is occurring in Sri Lanka (SL)’s construction industry due to the increasing demand for innovative technologies such as Building Information Modeling (BIM). But the Sri Lankan construction industry has been remarkably lagging in adopting these cutting-edge techniques. According to past SL research findings, one of the main obstacles in BIM integration among QS professionals is a severe knowledge gap. By involving BIM approaches into QS education this research aims to develop a framework to implement BIM within the curriculum of quantity surveying undergraduates according to the industrial demand in SL. This paper focuses on the potential difficulties of integrating BIM into SL’s QS curriculum, where graduates may fulfill industry expectations. This research used questionnaire survey, semi- structured interviews for both academic and industrial QS professionals separately, and conducted existing university QS curriculum review to gather data. Purposive sampling is used as the sampling technique and this study uses a mixed-method approach to research, combining qualitative and quantitative evaluations, and analyzes data using descriptive statistics and content analysis. According to data gathered from industrial professionals, it was proved that SL construction industry does not widely use BIM and have a huge demand on knowledgeable BIM of QS in the current industry. Most of the knowledgeable BIM personnel gain knowledge from self-learning and by following some extra courses. Professionals with an academic background proved, that the current QS curriculums are outdated. As a solution, this research develops the framework to integrate BIM to the QS curriculum of the undergraduate degree programmes in SL. A framework suggestion is to be incorporated into the curriculum was the outcome of the researcher's reflections on the interview results. These results contribute to the growth and development of the Sri Lankan construction industry by knowledgeable QS professionals, thereby fostering the advancement of the Sri Lankan construction industry.

A Social Realist Perspective in Urban Planning Curriculum Transformation for Sustainability Mainstreaming: Learning from the University of Johannesburg

Transforming higher education curricula has gained traction in the past few decades, particularly in post-colonial Africa. The discipline of urban planning has not been spared especially in the context of South Africa. Numerous efforts have been exerted to infuse several aspects that among others include locally contextualized curriculum, the fourth industrial revolution tenets and sustainable development principles. However, the extent to which sustainability values have been successfully mainstreamed to ensure transformative practices that promote students’ access and success remains an unchartered territory. Consequently, in this paper, I explored the experiences of the urban planning department at the University of Johannesburg in transforming its curricula. In the paper, literature on curriculum development and reform in South African Higher Education was distilled. I adopted a case study research design and a qualitative research approach to gather qualitative data through the application of positionality and documents analyses to reveal the extent to which social realism perspectives have shaped curriculum transformation in the departmental programme development and reviews. The results reveal that curriculum development and reviews within department of urban and regional planning is a complex and messy reality that is shaped by Margeret Archer’s structural, cultural and agential emergent powers and properties. This is very evident within the Master in Sustainable Urban Planning and Development (MSUPD), an interdisciplinary programme which enables and supports lifelong and blended learning in sustainable development education. It trains a variety of professionals who find solutions to complex urban sustainability challenges. In conclusion, I recommend that concerted efforts are need to strengthen and infuse sustainability orientations and building blocks of sustainability education that include societal, institutional, environmental and economic imperatives.

Exploring nurse educators' preparation of clinical nurses and midwives for research utilization in practice: A qualitative study

BackgroundResearch utilization is crucial for enhancing nursing and midwifery practice by integrating evidence-based interventions. For effective research utilization, nursing and midwifery education, spearheaded by nurse educators, is required to prepare nurses and midwives for it. However, there is a lack of exploration into the preparation of clinical nurses and midwives for research utilization. AimThis study explored nurse educators' preparation of clinical nurses and midwives for research utilization in practice. DesignQualitative descriptive design. SettingKumasi, Ghana. ParticipantsPurposive and snowball sampling were used to select 33 nurse educators from one private university, one public university, and one nursing and midwifery training college. MethodologySix focus group discussions were conducted using a semi-structured interview guide. Recorded data were transcribed and thematically analyzed and themes were developed related to clinical nurses' and midwives' preparation for research utilization. ResultsThree themes emerged from the analyzed data: Preparation of nursing and midwifery students for research utilization; barriers in incorporating research utilization in nursing and midwifery education; and strategies to enhance research utilization in nursing and midwifery education. Nurses and midwives are not adequately prepared for research utilization during their nursing and midwifery education. ConclusionThe study revealed significant gaps in nurse educators' preparation of clinical nurses and midwives for research utilization in Ghana. These findings highlight the urgent need for curriculum review to include research use and enhancing the research capacity of educators. Also, the gaps in nursing and midwifery education identified imply that clinical nurses and midwives require training for research utilization in practice.

Unveiling Critical Thinking Pedagogy: Classroom-Based Assessment Strategies in Higher Education

Promoting critical thinking (CT) skills has largely attracted the concern of numerous relevant stakeholders, including teachers, students, and policymakers, with the assumption that CT is a vitally learned skill needed by graduates. This study explores the extent of classroom-based assessment strategies used to promote the CT ability of undergraduate students in Vietnam. Qualitative research approaches were employed through in-depth interviews, classroom observations, and assignment analysis with a curriculum review of the Global Citizens Program at Swinburne Vietnam Alliance Program with FPT Education. The findings show that teachers have widely applied a couple of assessment techniques to increase the CT capability of students, including peer review, reflective writing, case study analysis and evaluation, teamwork projects, research-type assessments, and problem-solving. Furthermore, lecturers who are more aware of the importance of CT and those who are more flexible and skilled in testing self-developing techniques have more strategies for incorporating CT into their assessments. The study reveals that if CT is explicitly stated in the program learning outcomes and incorporated into the course outlines, it is more likely to be implemented.

Addressing barriers to post-graduate research training in low resource settings: an innovative approach in an institution of higher learning in Kenya.

Numerous barriers hinder health research training in Post-Graduate Medical Education Programs, especially in developing countries. Research training is pivotal for medical residency, providing essential knowledge and skills for dissertation completion, fostering evidence-based medical practice, and nurturing future independent clinical researchers. A holistic approach to research education is imperative to surmount these barriers. We describe here a dissertation-centric research curriculum, delivered longitudinally, an innovative strategy undertaken by Aga Khan University's Medical College in East Africa (AKU-MCEA) to deliver postgraduate research. A review of AKU-MCEA post-graduate research methods curriculum was conducted based on implementing Departments' experience, institutional policies, and residency program output. The Master of Medicine program requires a well-executed dissertation for graduation. Residents undergo structured research training across four modules, with interactive sessions and workshops supporting their research milestones. Protected time allows residents to develop and report on their dissertation work. Faculty receive specialized training in dissertation supervision to ensure residents benefit from expert guidance in producing high-quality research. This approach achieves a dissertation completion and graduation rate of 98-100%. Notably, 68.5% (n = 126) of those who graduated in 2013-2023 have published two or more papers (i.e., range 2-36) in their current portfolio, demonstrating a commitment to ongoing research endeavors even after graduation. Residents' research covers diverse themes and is disseminated through departmental presentations, university-wide Faculty Academic Rounds, peer-reviewed journals, conferences, and the Annual Early Career Researchers symposium. A comprehensive approach featuring a structured research curriculum, longitudinal delivery with predetermined milestones, dedicated supervision, financial and resource support, protected research time, ongoing faculty development in dissertation supervision, and clear institutional research policies accelerates dissertation completion and enhances effective research dissemination.

Internationalisation in First-Year Computing

Higher education institutions have responded to the growing demand of internationalisation by embedding global citizenship and intercultural competency as key graduate attributes within their curricula. These attributes shape the learning outcomes (LOs) and assessment criteria (UTS, 2023), guiding students to acquire the necessary skills to thrive in diverse global environments (Wong et al., 2022). LOs are pivotal in understanding how internationalisation is incorporated and prioritised within the curriculum, reflecting the institution’s commitment to preparing graduates with these key competencies. This study seeks to evaluate how internationalisation is integrated into computing education curricula, with a focus on the potential of graduates’ design decisions to foster an environmentally sustainable and equitable world (Shultz & Jorgenson, 2009). The first phase of the study examined the LOs for five first-year units across three Australian universities to assess the initial introduction of internationalisation to students. The data for this study was sourced from publicly available information on university websites, including curriculum details, course descriptions, and associated documentation outlining the LOs. These LOs typically provide an overview of the educational goals for a course or unit, highlighting the primary skills and attributes students are expected to develop. However, they may not fully capture the specific pedagogical approaches or assessments used to achieve these outcomes. The analysis involved a comprehensive review of the available curriculum, course descriptions, and associated documentation to understand how internationalisation is integrated into the LOs. Each identified LO was systematically analysed to identify codes related to internationalisation. An inductive thematic analysis approach was used to derive themes from these codes, representing the forms in which internationalisation appeared in these units. Out of the 15 units examined, 46.7% (seven units) did not include any LOs related to global citizenship. Therefore, the themes derived from the analysis represent the remaining 53.3% (eight units) across the three universities: Ethical/Moral/Legal Obligations: Six out of eight units referenced moral, legal, ethics or ethical behavior in professional practice. Thinking Skills: Seven out of eight units required students to demonstrate analytical, and critical thinking skills as part of the learning outcomes. Diversity of People and Places: Three out of eight units mentioned diverse cohorts of people or places, emphasising the importance of understanding, and engaging with diversity. Working with People: Four out of eight units included the need for students to work effectively with others, highlighting teamwork, leadership, and conflict management skills. Communication Skills: Four out of eight units stressed the importance of effective communication, requiring students to convey complex information appropriately in various formats. While LOs provide a valuable starting point for assessing the presence and emphasis of global citizenship attributes within the curriculum, they may not fully capture the depth of internationalisation efforts. Exemplary practices are those that explicitly and comprehensively incorporate internationalisation concepts, as evidenced by detailed LOs. These practices are identified through the presence of key attributes such as ethical obligations, thinking skills, diversity, teamwork, and communication. By highlighting these attributes, the study aims to showcase effective integration methods that could serve as models for other disciplines.

Mental health curricula in predoctoral dental school programs: A content analysis.

Given the prevalence of mental health concerns, dentists have an opportunity to provide mental health screenings to enhance overall patient care. The purpose of this study is to summarize and discuss the characteristics of mental health curricula related to patient care in accredited dental schools. We identified accredited predoctoral dental programs incorporating mental health training related to patient care into their curriculum. We summarized course characteristics and thematically analyzed course descriptions using headings from the National Library of Medicine. From our review of curricula from 80 dental programs, 27 included a mental health component, and these were found in both didactic and clinical courses. Behavioral science and building clinical competence were the most common themes. While mental health is an important component in overall patient care, a minority of accredited dental programs' curricula address it. Further, the manner and extent of inclusion varies. Including mental health training into dental curricula will better prepare dentists for their patients' comprehensive health needs.

Bringing the Veterinary Medicine Curriculum to the Fingertips of Faculty and Students: A Novel Curriculum Search and Analysis Tool.

Curriculum review is a required and essential part of the continuous improvement process to ensure that all elements of the curriculum are integrated to help students achieve intended outcomes. It is also an effective way of avoiding a disparity between the knowledge and skills students gain throughout their education and the knowledge and skills required in practice. One commonly used curriculum analysis approach is curriculum mapping, which requires extensive labor and time commitment. This best practice paper describes the development of a curriculum search and analysis tool that utilizes novel computational analysis techniques from data science and artificial intelligence approaches to enhance the quality of curriculum maps by increasing the effectiveness and efficiency of the curriculum analysis and mapping process.

Do universities have the articulation of college programmes in mind when reviewing their academic curricula?

In order to articulate academic programmes from college to university effectively, the curricula of the two institutional structures must be aligned. Studies show that this is not always the case, despite the existence of national and sectoral policies that are intended to promote alignment. In grappling with this reality, this study explored the level of interface of academic programmes between TVET (technical and vocational education and training) colleges and a comprehensive university in South Africa. It also investigated whether, and the extent to which, university policies and actors considered college programmes during their curriculum-review processes. Document analysis and semi-structured interviews were used to gather qualitative data. It was found that, instead of considering college curricula, curriculum review was driven by professional bodies, market demands and relevance. Moreover, institutional actors did not have the required agency to engage with the current misalignment of college–university academic programmes or curricula. The implication is that, while necessary, university policies for promoting academic curricula for articulation and programme interface are not adequate for resolving the problem of the misalignment between college and university curricula. To facilitate the interests of agents in articulation, the articulation officers at institutions of higher learning must ensure that articulation policies are in place in departments and that curriculum designers and related stakeholders are imbued with articulation principles during the review and realignment of curricula.

Equipping prospective teachers for culturally and religiously sensitive sexuality education: curriculum reviews at Islamic universities in Indonesia

ABSTRACT Sexuality education is essential for equipping children to prevent sexual abuse and fostering understanding of their bodies, relationships, and boundaries. Early childhood education programs in Indonesia were recommended to integrate sexuality education courses tailored to child development and sensitive to religious and cultural contexts. This research employed qualitative methods to investigate the integration of sexuality education courses at eight Islamic universities in Indonesia. Data were collected through interviews with eight course instructors and documentation of their Semester Learning Plans, using content and thematic analysis. Findings revealed that while two universities offered dedicated sexuality education courses, six integrated them into child development and parenting psychology courses. Dedicated sexuality education courses had more comprehensive learning objectives compared to integrated approaches. Teaching methods predominantly included lectures, paper presentations, with some incorporating field studies and project-based learning. Challenges included credit allocation impacting study durations, which hindered the integration of specialized courses like sexuality education. Enhancing pedagogy and ensuring effective delivery of sexuality education were identified as crucial tasks requiring the refinement of curricula in early childhood education. This approach would enable prospective educators to impart knowledge sensitively, taking into account children’s developmental stages and cultural-religious norms.