Curriculum Project
6
Curriculum Development Project
Student’s Name
Institutional Affiliation
Introduction
The educational system in the United States is constantly changing. The necessity to be globally competitive, as well as the increasing demands of students from all backgrounds, causes mandates to be created, or even reinterpreted, in order to construct a system that is intended to be full of equal opportunity. Important demands have shaped the direction of education in America on a large scale, as well as for individual students. Education has undergone numerous changes in order to better educate pupils to face the challenges of today's world. Depending on community conventions and needs, school curriculum has ranged from family and religion to computer literacy.
Historical Perspective
Education must change as societal difficulties occur in order to continue to provide equitable opportunity and success for all. When racial, gender, or other disparities in society are addressed, the educational system is frequently challenged to ensure that it is addressing the needs of these specific groups as well as the general public. In society, for example, there was a clear disparity between males and women. Congress acknowledged this and enacted Title IX, which prohibits gender-based discrimination in education. Housing, admissions, sexual harassment, and athletics were all covered under this law, ensuring equality in education for both men and women (Schachner, 2019).
The events depicted in the timeline will have an eternal impact. Allowing feminization in education made it easier for women to enter the teaching profession without facing discrimination. Following that, the Civil Rights Movement established policies prohibiting racial discrimination. The campaign also spurred anti-segregation protests in schools, resulting in the diversity we see today in our classrooms. The Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 gave impoverished pupils equitable access to education. Free meals for children were provided, as well as a specific focus on special education groups. In 1972 Title IX aided in the fight against gender inequity in education systems (Banks & Banks, 2019). All schools must now provide every kid with equitable access to federally supported activities and education, regardless of race. The No Child Left Behind Act was passed in 2002. This Act is still in effect today, and it helps the government hold schools accountable for their academic performance. This act prioritized English-language learners, special education pupils, minorities, and underprivileged kids (Spaulding & Pratt, 2015).
Finally, in 2010, the Common Core State Standards Initiative was established to ensure that all children, regardless of where they received their education, received an education that would prepare them for college, life, and future employment. Curriculums are now built around state-mandated requirements.
Exploration
The sequence of events has prepared the path for various individuals to pursue chances in various fields. For example, the Women's Suffrage Movement and anti-discrimination regulations guaranteed that people had access to the tools they needed to affect people's job chances (Tibbitts, 2015). The advancements in society and the educational system provide a foundation for a bright future in the workplace, with an emphasis on fair opportunity for everyone. STEM, for example, was introduced as a result of the evolving curriculum, which initially had more men than women (Banks & Banks, 2019). However, the inclusion of STEM in all school curricula has sparked a greater diversity of interest in the topic among people of all genders.
Since its inception, education in the United States has been evolving at a rapid pace. These developments are fantastic for ensuring that everyone has equal access to possibilities; yet, it is evident that the system still has a lot of room for improvement (Dogra et al, 2016). Soft-skill requirements in the workplace, such as leadership capabilities and social-emotional intelligence, are increasing as the world develops technologically and societally. In today's workplace, a factory mindset is no longer required, but rather a mindset that can adapt to and conquer new problems. Educators have a new challenge in changing their teaching approaches to meet these demands. This is where social and emotional learning comes in. Notably, changes in school curriculum in the United States have reshaped education by incorporating collaborative for academic, social, and emotional learning (CASEL) (Uljens & Rajakaltio, 2017). CASEL has been important in bringing together prominent experts to help schools across the country drive research, guide practice, and influence policy in the area of social-emotional learning.
Conclusion
The American educational system dates back to the 16th century and has experienced numerous significant and small changes over the years. Major events, orchestrated by renowned leaders, mark each stage of curriculum development. These significant events influenced and molded the evolution of American education as we know it today. The drive for the general movement toward better educational standards may be related to the growing importance of education in the American economy, as well as the incorporation of information rather than industry. The inclusiveness effort has created a demand for a workforce with higher-level skills and knowledge than previously existed, as well as ensuring that people from all walks of life have equal opportunities and access to education. Curriculum reform was seen as an important and necessary step in bringing schools into the twenty-first century and allowing them to respond to a rapidly changing reality in the United States.
References
Dogra, N., Bhatti, F., Ertubey, C., Kelly, M., Rowlands, A., Singh, D., & Turner, M. (2016). Teaching diversity to medical undergraduates: curriculum development, delivery and assessment. AMEE GUIDE No. 103. Medical teacher, 38(4), 323-337.
Schachner, M. K. (2019). From equality and inclusion to cultural pluralism–Evolution and effects of cultural diversity perspectives in schools. European Journal of Developmental Psychology, 16(1), 1-17.
Spaulding, L. S., & Pratt, S. M. (2015). A review and analysis of the history of special education and disability advocacy in the United States. American Educational History Journal, 42(1/2), 91.
Tibbitts, F. (2015). Curriculum development and review for democratic citizenship and human rights education. UNESCO Publishing.
Uljens, M., & Rajakaltio, H. (2017). National curriculum development as educational leadership: A discursive and non-affirmative approach. In Bridging educational leadership, curriculum theory and Didaktik (pp. 411-437). Springer, Cham.