The Future Of Curriculum

Running head: FUTURE CURRICULUM

The Future of Curriculum

Crisogono Zavala

University of Phoenix

The Future of Curriculum

The United States of America has moved out from its industrial age to an era of information technology, new knowledge is required for an individual's success.

In this new modern era of globalization and information technology, the way of learning is in transition from normal classroom settings to virtual classrooms. The present educational system has standardized the curriculum to math, language, science, and social studies; nevertheless, an international curriculum could be the most optimal.

International Curriculum

The environment from which students of our nation will graduate, is essentially different from the one many of us grew up in. America is increasingly living in a multicultural society that brings a new complete set of challenges.

The significance of educators studying regional and national population distribution is crucial for betterment of these changing communities. School administrators should investigate ways to furnish the social, physical and educational needs of their distinct population.

Responding to these needs, the National Association of State Boards of Education recommends interjecting classroom instruction with a strong multicultural point of view, and including debates of contemporary local, national and international events.

Our students live in a globalized world and our schools must adapt instruction to harmonize learning in today's environment. Globalization and rapid technology changes have impacted the educational system; thus, the necessity for a constant curriculum improvement on language training, technology based education and instruction in cultural awareness.

The needed information that students will have to acquire goes farther than the current knowledge that American schools offer; basic knowledge of math, science and technology are not enough to compete in the new globalized world.

Students must be educated about the world and capable of communicating with others in different languages.

In the United States, educational institutions are teaching about the rest of the world in a superficial manner. For the present and the future, students need a deeper knowledge on global trends in science and technology, how cultures have developed and how international trade and the world economy function.

When teaching students about the world, it should be integrated in all subjects they are learning. Educators must motivate their students to discover knowledge beyond their national limits. Furthermore, educational institutions must engage partnerships with other schools around the world. By providing student exchanges they will produce world class students. The internet is facilitating the process of globalization and providing virtual interaction with others. Moreover, the internet is encouraging students to engage in meaningful cross cultural dialogue and mutual learning about how issues of race and ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion, national origin, social class, and age might influence the interaction of different cultures living together.

Curriculum and Languages

Globalization has accelerated intercontinental migration. Immigrants from Latin America and Asia are increasing the diversity of American communities, which reflects the entire world. As this ethnic diversity increases in the United States, educational institutions must develop ways to create multicultural classrooms with a globalized curriculum.

A multicultural classroom possesses a pedagogical and social challenge to educational institutions. Languages play a key role in multicultural integration. Therefore, students must learn languages that are influencing the economy of the world.

In the United States, only about one half of high school students are learning a foreign language. In the present, languages such as Arabic and Chinese should be learned in American schools because they are crucial to the prosperity and security of the nation. Countries in Europe and Asia are offering foreign languages in elementary levels where findings have shown that learning languages is more effective. Students in those countries learned foreign languages until they became proficient (Stewart, 2007).

The interjection of bilingual elementary schools can help to solve the rising issue of globalization and can help ESL students to succeed in generous America. Stewart (2007), mentions that "Seattle public schools created the John Stanford International School, a public elementary bilingual immersion school. Students spend half the day studying math, science, culture, and literacy in either Japanese or Spanish; they spend the other half of the day learning reading, writing, and social studies in English. The school also offers English as a second language course for immigrant students and after-school courses for their parents." These internationally oriented schools should be expanded throughout the nation because of its effectiveness.

Curriculum Development

The government has a main role to play in the development of legislations that will incorporate a global dimension into American schools. Nevertheless, school officials, educators, community members, parents and students must be part of all school changes, especially curriculum development.

Steward mentioned some suggestions on how policy makers can prepare schools; curriculums for the present and future. He mentioned that they should:

- Redesign high schools and create new graduation requirements to motivate higher achievement and promote important international knowledge and key skills.

- Expand teacher training to deliver rigorous study in world history and cultures, economics, world regions, and global challenges.

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