Element 1: Lay the Foundation
Purpose: Applying curriculum mapping within a district or school begins with an understanding of the fundamentals. These include being knowledgeable about the basic concepts, defining a vision for the initiative, and creating a leadership structure to support it. Element 1 outlines these tasks and offers resources for the teacher to gain such an understanding.
Activity 1: Understand Curriculum Mapping Concepts
Activity 2: Create a Shared Vision for Curriculum Mapping
Activity 3: Define the Leadership Structure to Support Mapping
Element 2: Launch the Process
Purpose: Wiktionary dictionary defines launch as "to set going; to give a start to (something); to put in operation." Curriculum mapping is an ongoing process. The process involves creating maps that drive instruction, reviewing and improving those maps over time, and learning how to master mapping strategies. Element 2 outlines these tasks and offers resources for district and school leaders and teachers to launch curriculum mapping.
Activity 1: Using Curriculum Maps to Drive Instruction
Activity 2: Undertake a Review Process to Improve Instruction
Activity 3: Learn How to Master Mapping Strategies
Element 3: Sustain and Integrate the Mapping Process
Purpose: Curriculum mapping is an ongoing process as teachers review and update the respective maps regularly. The process of updating their maps enables teachers to think about how they can improve and update their instructional approaches. The Element 3 tasks address incorporating assessment results into the mapping process.
Activity 1: Conduct Ongoing Strategic Monitoring
Activity 2: Unpack Assessment Data
Element 4: Advanced Mapping Tasks
Purpose: Curriculum mapping is an ongoing process as teachers review and update the respective maps regularly . The process of updating their maps enables teachers to think about how they can improve and update their instructional approaches. The Element 4 tasks address applying new instructional techniques and integrating technology with curriculum.
Activity 1: Update Maps with 21st Century Techniques
Task 2: Integrating Technology with Curriculum
Guideline: Curriculum mapping draws upon the integration of teachers and technology to produce maps in a useful and accessible form. As it evolves in a district and its schools, the use of a mapping system becomes second nature. As the teachers gain a technological comfort level, the challenge becomes integrating technology-based tools with the curriculum. The resources provided are intended to be introductory in nature to encourage further exploration by interested educators.
Beginner's Guide to Podcast Creation
This article provides a "how to" guide on creating podcasts.
Strengthening Instruction through Web-based Curriculum Mapping
This link to the National Association of Elementary School Principals' November/December 2007 issue of Principal provides an article reviewing the benefits of web-based curriculum mapping.
Weblinks - Technology
This link is to education-related technology resources available through the technology category in this website's Weblinks database.
Web 2.0 and Education
As noted at the Business Network, "Web 2.0 describes a set of next-generation Internet technologies. These protocols and tools make it easier to create online applications that behave dynamically, much like traditional PC-based software. They're also highly social, encouraging users to manipulate and interact with content in new ways." The linked video provides insights to how Web 2.0 tools can be applied in education. The video runs 9 minutes and 34 seconds.
Wiki in Plain English
As noted at Wikipedia, "A wiki is a page or collection of web pages designed to enable anyone who accesses it to contribute or modify content, using a simplified markup language. Wikis are often used to create collaborative websites and to power community websites." The linked video provides a brief explanation of how a wiki is utilized. The video runs 3 minutes and 52 seconds.
