Characteristics of Canadian Curricula
Keywords:
Canadian curricula, provincial curriculum, curriculum development, needs assessment, curriculum evaluationAbstract
Provincial curriculum guidelines in Canada, to judge by representative documents from each province, all contain objectives and lists of subject matter, but vary widely in their description of learners, management of aptitude differences, and specification of materials, facilities, and personnel. Evaluation, both of learner achievement and of program success, is rarely dealt with in detail. Curricula are developed almost entirely by professional educators, and the schools’ clients are largely unrepresented either on curriculum committees or as respondents in needs assessments. More extensive sharing of curricula among provinces is proposed as one strategy to improve provincial curriculum writing in Canada.
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