Seminar/Workshop onSeminar/Workshop onthe Management of Curriculum Changethe Management of Curriculum Change

7-9 June 2006, PSSC, Quezon City, Philippines7-9 June 2006, PSSC, Quezon City, Philippines

Revisiting the Four Revisiting the Four ‘‘Pillars of Learning’:Pillars of Learning’:

Roles of the Pillars in the Reorientation Roles of the Pillars in the Reorientation and Reorganization of Curriculumand Reorganization of Curriculum

Zhou Nan-ZhaoZhou Nan-Zhao

ChinaChina

Outline of PresentationOutline of Presentation

I. INTRODUCTIONI. INTRODUCTION

II. WHY: II. WHY: Reorganizing Educational Content in Reorganizing Educational Content in the 21st Centurythe 21st Century

III. WHAT: III. WHAT: Redefining the Pillars in View Redefining the Pillars in View of the Changed Learning Environmentof the Changed Learning Environment

IV. HOW: IV. HOW: Rethinking ApproachesRethinking Approaches to the Use of to the Use of the Four Pillars in Curriculum Changethe Four Pillars in Curriculum Change

INTRODUCTIONINTRODUCTION Landmarks in Landmarks in

Educational Rethinking:Educational Rethinking:

The Fraure ReportThe Fraure Report ‘Learning To ‘Learning To Be’ (1972): Be’ (1972):

““The alienation and de-humanization in the process of The alienation and de-humanization in the process of material progresses”material progresses”

“ “ Educational aim as the Educational aim as the ‘development of a complete person’ as ‘development of a complete person’ as the fundamental aim of education the fundamental aim of education

Lifelong education Lifelong education

The Delors ReportThe Delors Report ‘Learning: The Treasure ‘Learning: The Treasure Within’Within’ (1996)(1996)

Tensions in education:Tensions in education:Between personal and societal Between personal and societal Between the local and the global Between the local and the global Between cooperation and competition Between cooperation and competition Between the infinity of information and the Between the infinity of information and the

limitation of human capacity to assimilate limitation of human capacity to assimilate knowledgeknowledge

Between spiritual and materialBetween spiritual and material

Education is a fundamental means to Education is a fundamental means to personal and societal developmentpersonal and societal development

Education providing Education providing mapsmaps of a complex world of a complex world in constant turmoilin constant turmoil

Education providing simultaneously the Education providing simultaneously the compasscompass that will enable people to find their that will enable people to find their way in itway in it

Learning throughout life as ‘a key to the 21st Learning throughout life as ‘a key to the 21st century’century’

Full flowering of human potential of Full flowering of human potential of individual learner and tapping talents ‘hidden individual learner and tapping talents ‘hidden like buried treasure in every person’like buried treasure in every person’

Development of services sector: Development of services sector: occupational occupational skills becoming secondary and human qualities skills becoming secondary and human qualities for inter-personal relationships becoming for inter-personal relationships becoming essentialessential

Globalization: Globalization: the need for preservation of the need for preservation of cultural identity andcultural identity and for international for international understandingunderstanding

If it is to achieve its aims education in the If it is to achieve its aims education in the 21st century should be reorganized around 21st century should be reorganized around four pillars: learning to know, learning to do, four pillars: learning to know, learning to do, learning to be, and learning to live togetherlearning to be, and learning to live together

I. WHY THE PILLARS: I. WHY THE PILLARS: Reorganizing Educational ContentReorganizing Educational Content

New Environment of LearningNew Environment of Learning

New ICT breaking barriers of time and New ICT breaking barriers of time and space for global access to updated information space for global access to updated information by anyone, anytime and anywhereby anyone, anytime and anywhere New ICT creating learning environment to New ICT creating learning environment to be configured by the learners for their own be configured by the learners for their own needs and learning styles/pacesneeds and learning styles/paces Encouraging interaction between teacher-Encouraging interaction between teacher-learner, teacher -teacher, learner-experts and learner, teacher -teacher, learner-experts and man-computerman-computer Encouraging learners to contribute/publish Encouraging learners to contribute/publish their own material to the learning their own material to the learning environmentenvironment

New Aims of Learning

From learning as an instrument for productivity to From learning as an instrument for productivity to learning for learning for fulfilment of the complete person, fulfilment of the complete person, in all the richness ofin all the richness ofhis/her personalityhis/her personality

From developing part of intellectual faculty to fully From developing part of intellectual faculty to fully tap the human potentials ‘hidden like buried tap the human potentials ‘hidden like buried treasure in every treasure in every person’person’

Learning for creativity and adaptability to change in an uncertain future

Learning for continued learning throughout life in a learning society

Learning to live together in peace and harmony in a globalizing world

New Content of Learning

from teacher-centered to learner-centered curriculum from subject knowledge towards intellectual abilitiesfrom disciplinary-based curriculum to integrated, inter-

disciplinary learning from supply-driven to demand-driven learning content from individual learning to cooperative learning from mastery of itemized information or factual knowledge to acquisition of instruments of knowing a new balance of scientific-technological and social-humanistic-cultural content of education a new balance of general vs. vocational components of

education and general vs. specialized training

New Process of LearningNew Process of Learning

from linear model of education to cyclical from linear model of education to cyclical paradigm of study-work alternation and paradigm of study-work alternation and lifelong pursuit of learninglifelong pursuit of learning

from ‘one-stop’ knowledge/degree from ‘one-stop’ knowledge/degree acquisition acquisition at schools/universities to more at schools/universities to more

diversified diversified entries into learning entries into learning opportunitiesopportunities

from rote learning, man-machine from rote learning, man-machine interaction interaction to more teacher-pupil, to more teacher-pupil, pupil-pupil pupil-pupil interaction/dialogue and interaction/dialogue and collaborative collaborative team learning.team learning.

New Types of Learners

new learners in ‘generation gaps’, with different values, ‘languages’, and ‘pop-cultures’, and in different ways of thinking, reacting, responding and getting motivated new generation of learners ‘growing digital on the net’, with skills and competencies oftentimes better than their teachers in using ICT as powerful learning toolsnew generation of learners of more diverse backgrounds and ‘cultural identities’ (age, ethnicity, linguistic, economic, religions, working experience, etc.) new learners with new traits of independence, creativity, open-mindedness, and enterprising minds

New Spaces/Dimensions of Learning

Horizontally: from schools to work-places, communities, mass media, and other social learning environment

Longitudinally: from early childhood through adulthood to post-retirement years (lifelong)

Vertically: from real to digital and virtual learning environments

II. WHAT THE PILLARS ARE: II. WHAT THE PILLARS ARE: Redefining the Pillars in View Redefining the Pillars in View

of the Changed Learning Environmentof the Changed Learning Environment

A fundamental reflection and preconception A fundamental reflection and preconception of the roles of education: as means and endsof the roles of education: as means and ends

A fundamental shift of content from an A fundamental shift of content from an instrumental view to one stressing the instrumental view to one stressing the development of all-rounded human beingsdevelopment of all-rounded human beings

Complementation and interpenetration of Complementation and interpenetration of one one anotheranother

A identification of fundamental skills, A identification of fundamental skills, competencies, adaptabilities and values competencies, adaptabilities and values needed for a new century needed for a new century

A set of universal principles for teaching-A set of universal principles for teaching-learning at all levels of formal/nonformula learning at all levels of formal/nonformula education and for all phases of lifeeducation and for all phases of life

A framework for re-organizing educational A framework for re-organizing educational content and processescontent and processes

Mastering the Instrument of Knowing and Mastering the Instrument of Knowing and Understanding:Understanding:

to learn to learn and to discoverto learn to learn and to discoverto understand about his/her to understand about his/her environmentenvironmentto think in a coherent and critical to think in a coherent and critical waywayto acquire a knowledge of the to acquire a knowledge of the scientific scientific method and instrumentsmethod and instrumentsto develop a scientific spirit and an to develop a scientific spirit and an inquiring inquiring mindmindto acquire independence of to acquire independence of judgementjudgement

Learning To Know

LEARNING TO DOLEARNING TO DOFrom skill and ‘practical know-how’ to competenceFrom skill and ‘practical know-how’ to competenceTo apply in practice what has been learned To apply in practice what has been learned To develop ability to transform knowledge into To develop ability to transform knowledge into

innovations and job-creationinnovations and job-creationTo develop competence, a mix of higher skills, of social To develop competence, a mix of higher skills, of social

behaviour, of an aptitude for team work, and initiative/rebehaviour, of an aptitude for team work, and initiative/readiness to take risksadiness to take risks

New types of skills, more behavioural than intellectualNew types of skills, more behavioural than intellectualFunction of learning no longer limited to work but Function of learning no longer limited to work but

responds to participation in development; a matter of responds to participation in development; a matter of social as of occupational skillssocial as of occupational skills

AAbility to communicate, to work with others, and to mability to communicate, to work with others, and to manage and resolve conflictsnage and resolve conflicts

LEARNING TO LIVE TOGETHERLEARNING TO LIVE TOGETHER

To discover others To discover others To appreciate the diversity of the huma To appreciate the diversity of the huma

n race n race To know oneself To know oneself To be receptive to others and to encou To be receptive to others and to encou

nter others through dialogue and debate nter others through dialogue and debate To care and share To care and share To work toward common objectives in c To work toward common objectives in c

ooperative undertakings ooperative undertakings To manage and resolve conflicts To manage and resolve conflicts

LEARNING TOLEARNING TO BE BE

To To be human, for development of mind be human, for development of mind and body, intelligence, sensitivity, and body, intelligence, sensitivity, aesthetic sense, personal aesthetic sense, personal responsibility and spiritual values responsibility and spiritual values

To develop the qualities of To develop the qualities of imagination and creativity imagination and creativity

The complete fulfillment of man, in all The complete fulfillment of man, in all the richness of his personalitythe richness of his personality

The full flowering of human potential, The full flowering of human potential, the tapping of the hidden treasure the tapping of the hidden treasure within each individualwithin each individual

a very individualized process and at a very individualized process and at the same time one of constructing the same time one of constructing social interactionsocial interaction

III. HOW: III. HOW: Rethinking ApproachesRethinking Approaches to to Apply the Four Pillars in CurriculumApply the Four Pillars in Curriculum

Using the pillars as a set of universal Using the pillars as a set of universal principlesprinciplesin defining curricular objectives, in facilitating curricular in defining curricular objectives, in facilitating curricular structural changes, and in guiding the reorganization of structural changes, and in guiding the reorganization of curricular contentcurricular contentUsing the pillars to define fundamental Using the pillars to define fundamental competencies for a competency-based curriculum competencies for a competency-based curriculum Using the pillars to develop conceptual Using the pillars to develop conceptual framework for re-organization of contentframework for re-organization of contentTranslating the competences into learning Translating the competences into learning sequences/experiences in a given learning area sequences/experiences in a given learning area through interdisciplinary thematic learning modulesthrough interdisciplinary thematic learning modules

USING THE PILLARS IN DEFINING USING THE PILLARS IN DEFINING FUNDAMENAL COMPETENCIESFUNDAMENAL COMPETENCIES::

‘‘a mix of higher skills acquired through a mix of higher skills acquired through technical-vocational training, of social technical-vocational training, of social behaviour, of an aptitude for team work, behaviour, of an aptitude for team work, adaptabilities to change, problem solvingadaptabilities to change, problem solving, and , and readiness to risksreadiness to risks skills….’ skills….’

For example, competency in science:For example, competency in science: Acquiring basic knowledge of physical laws, chemical formula, Acquiring basic knowledge of physical laws, chemical formula, Acquiring basic skills in doing scientific experiments, etc. Acquiring basic skills in doing scientific experiments, etc. Developing values of a scientific spirit in the pursuit of truthDeveloping values of a scientific spirit in the pursuit of truth Mastering methodology of scientific inquiryMastering methodology of scientific inquiry Applying the knowledge, skills, values and competencies in Applying the knowledge, skills, values and competencies in

solving problems in real situationssolving problems in real situations Understanding ethics in the use of scientific discoveries for the Understanding ethics in the use of scientific discoveries for the

interest of human developmentinterest of human development

USING THE PILLARS IN DEVELOPING USING THE PILLARS IN DEVELOPING CONCEPTUAL CURRICULUM FRAMEWORKCONCEPTUAL CURRICULUM FRAMEWORK

A Proposed A Proposed at IBE-PROAP Seminar)at IBE-PROAP Seminar)

Subject Matter Content

(to reflect interdisciplinarity / interconnectedness)

Rationale Goals / Objectives Philosophy

(To incorporate the principle of education throughout life)

Learning Outcomes(To include the four pillars of learning)

Teaching Approaches

(To highlight holistic / interdisciplinal approaches)

TRANSLATING THE COMPETENCY-BASED TRANSLATING THE COMPETENCY-BASED CURRICULUM FRAMEWORKS, STANDARDS CURRICULUM FRAMEWORKS, STANDARDS

INTO ACTUAL LEARNING CONTENTINTO ACTUAL LEARNING CONTENT

Defining learning areas and study of themes aimed at Defining learning areas and study of themes aimed at integrating knowledge and abilities through skill-based integrating knowledge and abilities through skill-based learning and problem-solvinglearning and problem-solving

Structuring knowledge in ‘Learning Domains’ Structuring knowledge in ‘Learning Domains’ Subjects/courses Subjects/courses thematic teaching-learning thematic teaching-learning modules/integral learning units (as ‘curricular blocks’) in modules/integral learning units (as ‘curricular blocks’) in order to develop the intended competencies (knowledge, order to develop the intended competencies (knowledge, skills, values) of individual learnersskills, values) of individual learners

The Mongolian experiences in transforming its school The Mongolian experiences in transforming its school curriculum in light of the four pillars of learningcurriculum in light of the four pillars of learning

Chart on the Relationship between Education Content and Fundamental Competencies: a Mongolian Model

Humanistic science

Mathematics

Natural science

Social science

Technology

Con

tent

dom

ain

Competence

To know To do

To be To live socially together

[Source: Mongolian country report to the Regional Workshop on Management of Curriculum Change, Tokyo, February 2005]

Thank you!Thank you!

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