About Us
Inspiring Better Student Learning through Better Curriculum Development
Our hope is you reach for this book regularly as you write curriculum for your program(s) of study. Whether you are looking for an example of a particular curriculum document or to improve the functionality of your curriculum development services, there is something in this book that will make your work more effective or easier to develop.
Our Story
Ever see a rubric that grades the quality of curriculum documents? A rubric that looks at things like depth and breadth, availability and access, structure and sequence, frequency and regularity, completeness and accuracy, and appearance?
As we studied a way to judge the quality of curriculum documents and materials, we were unable to find one. There were tools that judged the presence of curriculum documents, but not the quality of those documents. Those tools simply asked whether something existed or not—yes, there is a curriculum map; or, no, student learning guides are unavailable. In the absence of such a tool, we set out to develop an assessment rubric to judge the quality of CTE curriculum documents and curriculum processes.
​
The stark reality is that beginning CTE teachers often find the necessary curriculum materials to be either nonexistent or extremely limited. They find themselves spending hours planning lessons for just one day of instruction. And the alternative, “winging it,” is both ineffective and uncomfortable. Because of the immediate need for teaching materials when transitioning from the workforce into the classroom, new teachers tend to carry out curriculum development in a haphazard, piecemeal fashion. Curriculum writers should consider these questions:
​
-
Where can CTE teachers go to find an overall perspective of high-quality CTE curriculum development early in their careers?
-
What inputs and stakeholders should CTE teachers consult during curriculum development?
-
How should CTE curriculum developers prioritize and sequence curriculum development efforts?
-
How can curriculum materials help CTE teachers best represent their programs and most effectively instruct their students?
-
How can CTE teachers acquire resources, proven strategies, and materials without constantly “reinventing the wheel?”
-
How can CTE teachers ensure their hard work on curriculum development carries forward to successors for the benefit of the students, the CTE program, and the industry?
​
As we finished the Curriculum Quality Assessment, we saw a gap in the availability of a modern “how-to guide” for curriculum development in career and technical education. This book is authored from a practical perspective. We wrote this book to:
​
-
answer these questions,
-
supply supporting information such as national, state, and local guidance, and
-
layout the practical “how-to” aspects of developing curriculum.
We discuss “where,” “how,” and “why” teachers should find and share resources. While the authors spent most of their careers teaching and working in Pennsylvania, the curriculum development processes and documents found within this book can be used anywhere. We hope to inspire a passion for high-quality curriculum development in CTE teachers and curriculum developers.
