Undertake a classroom based investigation, informed by reading and associated research.

Subject based ” investigate ways in which the curriculum in your subject can be developed, with a focus on innovation.
Research, planning, delivery, assessment and critical reflection.
Required to monitor pupils” learning and evaluate how effective the implemented development has been in sustaining and improving pupils” attainment and achievement.

Task 1 ” Planning for the curriculum development assignment
•Choose an aspect of the Science curriculum which you might like to explore in some depth.
•Undertake some background reading appropriate to curriculum development and related assessment issues in Science. Make notes on your reading.
•During observation week, and following finalisation of your teaching timetable for Block B, agree with your subject mentor a class and curriculum area that might provide a suitable focus for the CDA.
•Note how the class is currently taught, levels of attainment, attitudes to learning etc. and gain some insights into the pupils” previous learning in this area.

OUTCOME:
•In not more than 500 words write a statement that sets out the reasons for your choice of curriculum area and teaching and learning ideas, indicating how these will contribute to curriculum development and innovation. You will also need to provide a rationale for the choice of class and how your CDA will help these pupils to make progress in your subject.
•This will form Appendix 1 of your Curriculum Development Assignment.

Task 2- Planning the unit of work for CDA class ” produce a medium term plan to cover all the lessons you will teach to your CDA class
OUTCOMES:

•Produce a scheme of work for your CDA class
•This will form Appendix 2 of your Curriculum Development Assignment.
•Individual lesson plans and evaluations, alongside copies of resources used in lessons,
•These will form Appendices of your Curriculum Development Assignment.
•Ensure these are clearly sequenced and numbered to aid cross referencing when used as evidence to support points made in the main text of your CDA.

Task 3 ” Monitoring and assessing the learning in your CDA class
” To integrate assessment into your planning and collect the data for your CDA class, which will provide evidence of pupil learning.
•OUTCOMES:
•Produce appropriate assessment records for your CDA class
•This will form one of your Appendices of your Curriculum Development Assignment.
•A collection of evidence from the sample pupils in your CDA class
•These will form appropriate appendices in your Curriculum Development Assignment.

Submitting the Assignment
•The assignment is double weighted and the submission comprises three elements:
•Part 1: Justification of your focus for curriculum development (2,500 words)
•Part 2: Reflective account and discussions of findings (2,500 words).
•Appendices (2,000 words equivalence *at Masters” level)

•Total word count: 7,000 words.

PART 1 ” Justification of your focus for curriculum development (2500)
•Identify your aims and what it is you hope to discover or achieve. Explain and justify your choice of approach and curriculum development focus. Contextualise this with explicit reference to reading and enquiry and place your study within wider research.
•Make reference to such sources as: relevant texts, journals, curriculum documentation and appropriate online resources to support your writing. Make reference, as appropriate, to evidence presented in the appendices.

PART 2 ” Reflective account and discussion of findings (2500)
•Reflect upon and evaluate your experiences and those of the learners and discuss your overall findings in relation to initial goals. Make reference to appendices materials.
•Substantiate your reflections through references to reading and information or evidence in the Appendices.
•Draw out some firm conclusions and consider what implications these have for your future professional practice.

Data and analysis..
•Quantitative and/or Qualitative data? (attitude, engagement, motivation)
•Appropriate representations ” think carefully about graphs/bar charts
•Summarise key points/findings in text ” appendices are only for further info for the reader
•If using statistical analysis do it correctly and explain outcome.
•Discuss (reflection and criticality)
•Link to literature

APPENDICES (2000 equivalence)
•The Appendices form your evidence base and will comprise relevant materials taken from your CDA file.
•This aspect must include elements such as: the unit of work, lesson plans and evaluations, original curriculum development resources, teaching and learning materials, examples of pupils” work, assessment records and the assignment activities and may include any other research data and other materials as suggested in subject specific guidance.
•Any material included in this section must be numbered and clearly identified when referenced in the main body of the text. Do not include if not relevant and/or not referenced
•Evidence can be presented in a wide variety of forms including video/audio recordings, and photographs.

Focus: Kagans structure ” Cooperative Learning vs Independent Learning

Unit taught: Medicine & Drugs

Two separate classes with a mixture of gifted and talented GCSE students all will be on the same attainment levels. One class will be learning with Kagans Structure of Cooperative Learning and the other class will be Independent Learning. Unit taught to both classes is Medicine & Drugs.
The essay needs to conclude whether Cooperative Learning or Independent Learning helps pupils progress further in methods of teaching and this is assessed by end of unit on medicine & drugs assessment.
AQA Science Biology New GCSE (AQA) Author: Nelson Thornes
Unit
Medicine & Drugs:
Developing new medicines
How effective are medicines?
Drugs
Legal & Illegal drugs
Does cannabis lead to hard drugs?
Drugs in sport

Curriculum Development
Order Description
Using 8 of the content headings, develops a week-long plan for group time appropriate for 2 years old and a second plan appropriate for 4 years olds focusing on literacy.