ALABAMA STATE UNIVERSITY
COLLEGE OF EDUCATION
The Doctoral Program in Leadership, Policy and Law
SYLLABUS FOR
LPL 710 Curriculum Planning and Evaluation
Catalog Description:
LPL 710 helps students to develop a more in-depth understanding of curriculum planning and evaluation. Students are provided an introduction to the basic models of educational program planning and evaluation. They subsequently demonstrate their knowledge of evaluation methodology and design by formulating an evaluation plan for an existing educational curriculum. Students present their evaluation plans and simulated outcomes during class for critical analysis and assessment.
Course Level: First Year Doctoral
Student Credit Hours: 3 Repeat Credit: NO
Typically Offered: Fall Spring Summer x Other
Scope and Sequence:
This is a third-semester doctoral course designed to provide students with a background in basic curriculum planning and evaluation. As such, it will build upon the knowledge base doctoral students have acquired in such areas as: administrative theory; policy, planning, and change; decision making; leadership; and law, as well as upon general principles of curriculum studied in previous degree programs. It will serve as a precursor to the more detailed study of qualitative and quantitative data design and analysis students will engage in during the second and third years of their program of study.
Textbook(s):
Worthen, B. R., Sanders, J. R., & Fitzpatrick, J. L. (2004). Program evaluation:
Alternative approaches and practical guidelines (3rd ed.). New York: Addison-
Wesley.
Professor of Record: R. Lindahl
Supporting Professor(s): R. Beach
Topical Outline / Schedule:
: Overview, Requirements, Review of Systems and Planning Concepts (Mission, Goals, Forecasting, Prioritizing, Developing and Evaluating Alternatives, Implementation, Monitoring and
Revising) and Tools (Gantt Charts, PERT Charts, Delphi, Brainstorming, Nominal Group Technique), and their Application
to Curriculum Planning
: Overview of Curriculum Evaluation; Evaluation Trends;
Alternative Views of Program Evaluation Methods; Objectives-
Oriented Evaluation Models; Curriculum Alignment and
Auditing; Consumer-Oriented Evaluation Models;
Examination of K-12 Program Evaluation Practices
: Beginning the Evaluation: Clarifying the Request, Roles, and
Responsibilities; Setting Boundaries; Analyzing the Context
for the Evaluation;
: Management-Oriented Evaluation; Expertise-Oriented
Evaluation;
Examination of Higher Education Program Evaluation Practices
: Collecting and Analyzing Quantitative Information
: Adversary-Oriented Evaluation; Participant-Oriented
Evaluation Models
Identifying the Evaluation Questions and Criteria
: Collecting and Analyzing Qualitative Information
: Designing the Evaluation and Ethical Issues in Program Evaluation
: Preparing the Formal Evaluation Report
Presenting the Evaluation Findings
Formal Evaluation Report Due
(Bold print indicates textbook chapters to be reviewed in preparation for this class session)
Approximate Field / Clinical Activity as % of Course with Activity:
Development of Curriculum Evaluation Design 15%
Course Goals / Learning Outcomes:
Students will be able to:
1. assess programmatic needs in an educational organization, attending to the diverse needs of specific groups of learners
2. plan a curriculum to meet identified programmatic needs
3. describe the diverse purposes of educational program evaluation
4. identify current issues in curriculum evaluation
5. demonstrate knowledge of arguments relative to different viewpoints on the various issues surrounding educational program evaluation
6. identify alternative models of curriculum evaluation and ably discuss respective advantages and disadvantages of each
7. interface with relevant stakeholders and identify evaluation questions
8. demonstrate sensitivity to those factors that lead to greater utilization of evaluation findings
9. develop a curriculum evaluation plan that demonstrates an understanding of procedures, group techniques, and instrumentation used in needs assessment and data collection
10. describe differences between methods used in qualitative and quantitative data collection
11. discuss issues relevant to the monitoring of ongoing curricula
12. demonstrate, in the written design of the evaluation plan and in class presentations, effective methods for communicating evaluation findings to others.
Methods and weighting of instruction / course delivery:
Lecture and Discussion = 20%
Group work = 10%
Field assignments = 30%
Hands-on activities = 20%
Presentation (of Evaluation
Design and Analysis) = 20%
Performance Assessment and Weighting:
Each student is required to complete a comprehensive evaluation plan for an educational curriculum\program in a local\regional education agency and simulate the analysis and presentation, in both oral and written forms, of data collectable through this evaluation plan. (Goals assessed: 1, 2, 7, 8, 9, 10, & 12)
Each student is expected to contribute to class discussions on curriculum planning and evaluation, including interpretations and applications of materials from the course text and the introduction of relevant new materials by each student. (Goals assessed: 3, 4, 5, 6, & 11)
Class Discussion & Activities 40%
Evaluation Plan 60%
Grading Policy:
A = 100 - 90
B = 89 – 80
C = 79 - 70
F = <70
I = Incomplete
Attendance is expected at each session. It would be very difficult to earn points for ongoing class contributions without having been consistently in attendance. If a student does not attend class during the first week of the semester and does not give prior notification to the instructor of reasons of absence and intent to attend the class, the student shall be dropped from the course. Students receiving veterans’ benefits are required to attend class according to the regulations of the Veterans Administration in addition to those set by the University for all students. Any student requiring alternative formats for testing and/or other types of accommodations because of a handicapping condition should advise the instructor during the initial week of class.
Scholarly Society(s) Compliance
National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), Educational Administration Program Accreditation
National Policy Board for Educational Administration/ Educational Leadership Constituency Council/National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education Standards Addressed in This Course:
II. Standard 2: Candidates who complete the program are educational leaders who have the knowledge and ability to promote the success of all students by promoting a positive school culture, providing an effective instructional program, applying best practice to student learning, and designing comprehensive professional growth plans for staff.
a. Provide effective instructional program
b. Apply best practice to student learning
III. Standard 3: Candidates who complete the program are educational leaders who have the knowledge and ability to promote the success of all students by managing the organization, operations, and resources in a way that promotes a safe, efficient, and effective learning environment.
a. Manage the organization
b. Manage operations
c. Manage resources
IV. Standard 4: Candidates who complete the program are educational leaders who have the knowledge and ability to promote the success of all students by collaborating with families and other community members, responding to diverse community interests and needs, and mobilizing community resources.
a. Collaborate with families and other community members
b. Respond to community interests and needs
V. Standard 5: Candidates who complete the program are educational leaders who have the knowledge and ability to promote the success of all students by acting with integrity, fairly, and in an ethical manner.
a. Acts with integrity
b. Acts fairly
c. Acts ethically
VI. Standard 6: Candidates who complete the program are educational leaders who have the knowledge and ability to promote the success of all students by understanding, responding to, and influencing the larger political, social, economic, legal, and cultural context.
a. Understand the larger context
b. Respond to the larger context
c. Influence the larger context
Relationship to the College of Education Conceptual Model:
This course conceptualizes the role of the leader as a decision maker, capable of continually acquiring, applying, and evaluating knowledge in the proposal of solutions to emerging problems. It recognizes that issues are also fluid, through its emphasis on recent research and thought on leadership, on the design of future research studies, and in its constructivist approach to guiding participants to develop their personal theory of leadership. However, it also recognizes the uniqueness of each organization’s environment, needs, stakeholders, etc.; therefore, it presents this recognized knowledge base as one which must be judiciously adapted to each situation. Curriculum planning and evaluation are decision-making processes, involving both initial decisions and decisions related to monitoring and adjusting. Curriculum that may be appropriate at one point in time may lost its effectiveness or relevance at another point in time. The very methods of program planning and evaluation change over time and must be selected in consonance with the needs and conditions of the time.
This course is developed through a combined behaviorist and constructivist paradigm, in which the instructor specifies minimum primary learning objectives and content to be explored and identifies instructional and experiential strategies for students to master that content and meet those performance expectations. Beyond this, however, the course is conceived as constructivist in nature, in that students are challenged to apply the theories and models studied to their own organizational environments, both in reflection and in the field-based curriculum evaluation project.
This course further addresses current best practice and National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education standards through its focus on authentic performance assessment. A major portion of participants’ grades is derived from the field-based program evaluation assignment.
This course addresses the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education’s emphasis on recognizing and appreciating diversity through its treatment of how curriculum may be differentially interpreted, implemented, appropriate to, and accepted in a variety of social and organizational settings, to include gender, ethnic, and cultural differences. It addresses the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education emphasis on appropriate use of technology through its strong reliance on electronic resources for participants to seek, and share, the most current knowledge on curriculum planning and evaluation. This technological approach calls for participants to use Internet search skills and skills related to the evaluation of information provided over the Internet. Furthermore, participants will utilize presentation software to develop their formal presentations on their simulated program evaluation to their instructor and peers.
Alabama State Department of Education Standards for Teacher Education Addressed in LPL 705
Educational Administration
290-3-3-.48(1)(a) 290-3-3.48(3)(b)2.iv
(2) Purpose: The purposes of the educational administration program shall be to prepare prospective educational administrators for grades P through 12 to:
(a) Provide the organizational development and maintenance services required for effective operation of the schools within the legal framework established by local, state, and federal legislative and judicial requirements;
(b) Provide the leadership needed to ensure appropriate curricula for the schools and for effective teaching and learning;
(c) Provide leadership for continuous study and evaluation of educational progress of students and for improvement in educational programs;
(d) Provide leadership for staff development programs;
(e) Provide leadership for appropriate school and community interaction; and
(f) Demonstrate through personal performance the high ethical, moral, and professional standards that the responsibilities of educational leadership demand.
(3) Curriculum: The curriculum shall provide the prospective educational administrator with the following knowledge and ability:
(a) With regard to the curriculum in grades P-12:
1. Fundamental knowledge of: child development, taxonomies of
learning; curriculum units and sequence; different purposes, uses, and means
of assessment; use of computers and other current technology; resources
available to support the curriculum; state and other courses of study;
minimum competencies, the state testing program and graduation
requirements; programs for exceptional children; cultural diversity; and current research on curriculum.
(b) With regard to instruction in grades P-12:
1. Fundamental knowledge of:
(i) Planning, supervision, and evaluation of an instructional program;
(iv) Data analysis and utilization, including student assessment for
instructional program evaluation;
(vi) Current research on instructional programs and strategies; and
(vii) How to conduct applied research.
2. Ability to:
(i) Design, supervise, and evaluate an instructional program using
diagnostic, formative, and summative techniques;
(ii) Establish and maintain a classroom/school climate conducive to
learning;
(iv) Use various data sources to reveal the effectiveness of the
instructional program; and
(v) Conduct research and apply current research findings relative to
instruction.
(e) With regard to leadership skills in grades P-12:
1. Fundamental knowledge of: Organizational theory and behavior; leadership styles, including behaviors and skills; vision and goal setting, including long- and short-range planning; group dynamics and power structures; communication skills; motivational theories and strategies; problem identification, analysis, and decision-making; accountability; ethical standards; and current research.
2. Ability to:
(i) Read, write, speak, and listen effectively;
(ii) Determine the extent to which a collaborative decision-making
process is utilized in a school or central office to arrive at a decision;
(iii) Provide leadership for involving school participants in identifying,
analyzing, and solving a problem; and
(iv) Use identified needs to design a plan for motivating personnel.
Basic course readings:
Fitz-Gibbon, C. T., & Morris, L. L. (1987). How to design a program evaluation.
CSE Program Evaluation Kit). Newbury Park, CA: Sage.
Joint Committee On Standards For Educational Evaluation (1994). The
program evaluation standards (2nd Ed.). Newbury Park, CA: Sage.
Patton, M. Q. (1997). Utilizationfocused evaluation: The new century text.
Newbury Park: Sage.
Rossi, P. H., Lipsey, M. W., & Freeman, H. E. (2003). Evaluation: A systematic
approach (7th ed.). Newbury Park, CA: Sage.
Sylvia, R. D., Sylvia, K. M., & Gunn, E. M. (1996). Program planning and
evaluation for the public manager. Prospect Heights, IL: Waveland
Press.
Wholey, J. S., Hatry, H. P., & Newcomer, K. E. (Eds.) (1994). Handbook of
Practical Program Evaluation. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Bibliography
Alkin, M. C. (2004). Evaluation roots: Tracing theorists’ views and influences.
Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Benjamin, H. R.W. (2002). Saber-tooth curriculum: Including other lectures in the
history of Paleolithic education. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Berk, R. A., & Rossi, P. H. (1999). Thinking about program evaluation (2nd ed.).
Newbury Park, CA: Sage.
Boruch, R. F., et al. (1981). Reanalyzing program evaluations: Policies and