Curriculum renewal in the stabilisation and early recovery phases of reconstruction in a Small Island Developing State.

Authors

  • Michael James Longhurst University of the Sunshine Coast

Keywords:

assessment, curriculum, education aid, pedagogy, small island developing state, systems thinking

Abstract

The curriculum is the master control program of any education system. In this paper it describes the content that students learn, the pedagogy endorsed to teach that content, the assessment system used to measure learning and the certification protocols that authenticate that assessment. In nations recovering from a disaster or rebuilding after conflict, the imperatives of education are submerged in the plethora of more immediate concerns of a nascent government. In that environment, a school curriculum is unlikely to receive considered philosophical or theoretical consideration and the temptation is to either adopt a foreign curriculum or re-establish the old curriculum without any evaluation of its suitability for the emerging nation. This paper is a curriculum primer for first responders and consultants who find themselves in that situation and a reference guide for the Ministers and government officials who will be required to approve aid funding for a curriculum program.

Author Biography

  • Michael James Longhurst, University of the Sunshine Coast

    Curriculum Vitae

    Michael James Longhurst

     

    Currently            

    • Higher Education Student at University of the Sunshine Coast

     

    Specialization

    • Education Aid project conceptualization, design, management and impact evaluation
    • Specialist in education technical areas of curriculum, pedagogy, assessment, teacher professional development and education system capacity development.

    Experience

    • National Director of Education, Republic of Nauru; 6.5 years
    • Education Project Director, The Asia Foundation, Afghanistan; 2 years
    • School Principal, Early Childhood to Year 12  Education Campus, Cape York; 5 years
    • Director, Nauru Teacher Training Institute; 3 years
    • Chairman, Government Education Policy Committee; 8 years

    Professional Papers

    • Curriculum development and implementation in a Small Island Developing State.
    • An evaluation of the use of Rich Tasks as authentic assessment
    • The impact of teacher professional development courses as a capacity building strategy - professional learning and cognitive pathways.
    • Time to upgrade the Monitoring and Evaluation schema in education aid projects.
    • Leadership strategies for returning educators to Indonesia to add value to their newly acquired professional knowledge and skills.
    • The use of marginal rates of return in education budgeting to improve student learning
    • Footpath I and II – Strategic Plans for Education on Nauru; 2008 – 2013.
    • Research Poster: Ministers views on education in aid recipient countries in Pacific and Asia.
    • Infographic: Principles of Assessment

    Qualifications  

    • M. Ed. (Research); University of Sunshine Coast. 2014
    • B. Bus. (Rural Manag); University of Queensland, 1978
    • Dip. Teaching; Queensland University of Technology, 1979
    • Grad Cert; Cape York Leaders, 2003.

    Contact

    Michael J Longhurst

    1 Jessica Bvd, Minyama,

    Queensland. Australia.  4575.

    Email: [email protected]

Downloads

Published

2016-12-30

Issue

Vol. 15 No. 4 (2016)

Section

General Refereed Papers

License

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