Curriculum

• Curriculum - three levels
• Planned curriculum
• eg. We will run 5 case based interactive tutorials on respiratory medicine
• Delivered curriculum
• eg. 4 tutorials happened and one was on cardiorespiratory medicine as the tutor did not understand exactly what he was supposed to do 
• Experienced curriculum
• eg. Only half of the students came to one tutorial as there was confusion regarding the timetable. At another tutorial there was limited interaction as the tutor had more of a lecture style 
• 
  

• The hidden curriculum
• “what students learn as they experience the gap between what we say and what we actually do.” Jodi Skiles
• Powerful
• Transmits values through role modelling
• Never stated but everyone understands

• Curriculum – four elements
• Content
• Teaching and learning strategies
• Assessment processes
• Evaluation processes.

• Curriculum design – models

Prescriptive

• What curriculum designers should do
• How to create a curriculum

Objectives based Educational purposes? Educational experiences to reach purposes? Organise educational experiences? Evaluate if purposes being reached?	Educational purposes – defining these is the most important step BUT objectives especially behavioural objectives can be restrictive Objectives based model – fallen from favour
Outcomes based Starts with the outcomes you want students to obtain	Statement example: “students will competently assess and manage patients with asthma” Popular Focuses on what students do (rather than staff) BUT don’t be too restrictive/reductionist

Descriptive

• What curriculum designers actually do

• What a curriculum covers

Situational model

• Situation/context
• “Thoroughly and systematically analyse the situation in which they work for its effect on what they do in the curriculum.”

• External and internal factors 

Curriculum design – curriculum maps

• Show links between the elements of the curriculum

• Means of clear display

• Structure for the organisation of the curriculum
• Mapped to computer databases

 

• No gaps
• No overlapping

• Holistic approach to care by showing links between different learning outcomes

• Curriculum design – windows on the map
• The expected learning outcomes
• Curriculum content or areas of expertise covered
• Student assessment
• Learning opportunities
• Learning location
• Learning resources
• Timetable
• Staff
• Curriculum management
• Students

• Curriculum design – cost benefit
• Curriculum design is expensive
• Planning
• Organising
• Running
• Assessing
• Evaluating
• Good curriculum design has tangible benefits
• Better reputation for your medical school
• Better applicants to your medical school
• Better and happier faculty
• Better graduate doctors
• Better and safer healthcare
• No gaps, no overlaps in educational delivery
• Everyone knows what’s going on 
• External inspections passed