Principle 4: Enhanced Curriculum and Instruction

PRINCIPLE STATEMENT:

Curriculum and pedagogy involve rigorous and relevant instruction that enhances learning and enables students to attain academic and technical standards and credentials.

PRINCIPLE DESIGN ELEMENTS:

1. Programs integrate academic and career and technical content to create contextual instruction that engages student interest and improves learning outcomes.
2. Programs infuse career exploration, development and guidance throughout the educational system.
3. Programs strongly encourage dual credit opportunities in career and technical education and academic courses to accelerate student learning and encourage transition to and success in college-level occupational programs.
4. Programs involve business, industry and community partners to provide relevant instructional opportunities (e.g. work-based learning, access to current technology, mentoring and leadership development, cross-cluster projects).
5. Programs' cluster-level orientation courses have a rigorous foundation of CTE and academic content that prepares students for more advanced academic and training level CTE courses.
6. Curriculum and pedagogy are designed to include the rigor and support services necessary to reduce the need for remedial/developmental education.
7. Programs include multiple measures of assessment designed for diverse learning styles that accurately determine acquisition of both academic and technical knowledge and skills.
8. Programs develop, improve or expand the use of technology to foster students' technical skills and reach more learners.

 
 
PRINCIPLE RESOURCES:
Achieve. (2008). The building blocks of success: Higher-level math for all students (Achieve Policy Brief). Washington, DC: Author.

Dworak-Muñoz, L. (2004). Update issue 1: Building effective employer relations. Washington, DC: Workforce Strategies Initiative.

Gillespie, M.K. (2002). EFF research principle: A contextualized approach to curriculum and instruction(EFF Research to Practice Note 3). Knoxville, TN: Equipped for the Future.

Kuh, G.D. (2008). High-impact educational practices: What they are, who has access to them, and why they matter. Washington, DC: Association of American Colleges and Universities.

National Institute for Literacy. (2007). What Content-Area Teachers Should Know About Adolescent Literacy? Retrieved May 4, 2009, from http://www.nifl.gov/nifl/publications/adolescent_literacy07.pdf.

Partnership for 21st Century Skills. (2009, January 23). Learning environments must break through the silos that separate learning from the real world. Retrieved March 30, 2009, from http://www.21stcenturyskills.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&....

Rebora, A. (2008, September 10). Making a difference. Teacher Professional Development Sourcebook, 2, (1), 26, 28-31. Retrieved May 18, 2009, from http://www.teachermagazine.org/tsb/articles/2008/09/10/01tomlinson.h02.html.

State Scholars Initiative. (2008). Education beyond the rhetoric: Making “rigor” something real. Retrieved March 30, 2009, from http://www.wiche.edu/statescholars/summit/summitPolicyBrief.pdf.

Steinberg, A. & Almeida, C. (2008). Raising graduation rates in an era of high standards: Five commitments for state action. Retrieved March 30, 2009, from http://www.pathwaystocollege.net/PCNLibrary/ViewBiblio.aspx?aid=17852

Stites, R. (2005). EFF research to practice: An approach to assessment based on cognitive science(EFF Research to Practice Note 4). Knoxville, TN: Equipped for the Future.

Teaching in the 21st Century: A review of the issues and changing models in the teaching profession (2008). Retrieved March 31st, 2009 from http://www.k12perspectives.com/teaching_21century.asp.

Venezia, A., Callan, P. M., Finney, J. E., Kirst, M. W., & Usdan, M. D. (2005). Betraying the college dream: How disconnected K-12 and postsecondary education systems undermine student aspirations. Stanford, CA: Stanford University, the Stanford Institute for Higher Education.

Wang G. J., & Hughes, K. L. (2008). Dual enrollment policies and practices: Earning college credit in California high schools. New York, NY: Community College Research Center, Teachers College, Columbia University.

Getting Results: A Professional Development Course for Community College Educators--
According to the website, "This multimedia resource for community college faculty will challenge your previous thinking about teaching and learning and give you the basic tools for effective classroom practice. The key theme of the course is to encourage you to focus on what the students will do and take responsibility for their success."
More information can be found at:

• http://www.league.org/gettingresults/web/index.html

 
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