Keeping the curriculum relevant

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The strategies I use to implement my learners master the 21st century skills are as follows:

  1. Conducive learning environment - a setting which allows for a free exchange of ideas, thoughts and skills among the teachers and learners to achieve the expected educational goals by considering the physical, psychological, social and cultural needs of all the learners.

  2. Cooperative learning - an activity which helps students to work in groups and it enables them to learn and teach group members.

  3. Blended learning - learn via electronic and online media as well as traditional face to face learning. It improves student motivation and performance, promotes participation, self-learning and teamwork, opens new forms of interrelation between teachers and students allows greater flexibility and boosts digital intelligence.

  4. Experiential learning - develop knowledge and skills through hands on activities and help the students to stay focused, learn dynamically and learn faster.

  5. Classroom technology - technology is a great way to improve student engagement and learn better especially for visual learners.

  6. Classroom management strategies - students clearly understand what’s expected of them and they are more likely to be focused and engaged with their lessons.

  7. Child centered learning - teachers engage in an active learning process to help the child develop the knowledge and skills needed in all areas and achieve holistically.

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Strategies that can be used to ensure that the student’s master the 21st Century Skills.

  1. Child Centered Learning taking place in schools. This allows students to handle the new circumstances by themselves, having good interactions with peers and enables them to speak out for their needs and ask for guidance when there is a need to.

  2. Problem Solving Skills. Having these skills promotes students to be critical thinkers, be creative in whatever they do, communicate effectively, collaborate and enables them to solve their daily life problems.

  3. Technology Skills. Nowadays technology is seen to be a fast, portable and easy to be use in teaching and learning. Providing sorts of technologies where students can learn or do hands on activity so that they master the skills. Using these technologies will teach theme to find out what they should learn and how they should learn.

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Operationalizing the curriculum as a teacher involves aligning classroom practices with the national curriculum framework while ensuring that students develop 21st century skills. In Fiji the curriculum aims to foster comprehensive education that goes beyond academic content and includes skills such as sporting, arts and Extra Curricular Activities. Some strategies that can be used to promote the skills are as follows:

  1. Curriculum Alignment – thoroughly understand the curriculum and ensure that the lessons and teaching material are aligned with the learning outcomes and its objectives.
  2. Holistic Approach – the curriculum to go beyond the subject specific content and encourages critical thinking, creativity, and IT skills.
  3. Differentiated Instructions – Instructions to meet the needs of individual needs and provides opportunities for all students to excel.
  4. Active Learning – promote active learning through discussions, group work and hands on activities.
  5. Problem Solving – Provide challenges that require creative problem solving skills.
  6. Critical Thinking Skills – teaching students to analyze information make informed decisions and evaluate themselves.
  7. Experiential learning- where learners solve authentic problems from day to day life
  8. Integration of ICT in teaching
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  1. Here’s a general overview of how you can operationalize the Fijian curriculum:
    a. Lesson Planning: Educators create detailed lesson plans that outline the specific
    activities, resources, and assessments for each class session.

    b.   Instructional Delivery: Educators deliver instruction using a variety of methods to 
       engage students and cater to different learning styles.

    c. Collaboration: Educators often collaborate with colleagues to share ideas,
    resources, and best practices.

    d. Professional Development: Continuous professional development is crucial for
    educators to enhance their knowledge and skills in operationalizing the curriculum.

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It is really important that the trainings or courses designed for students nowadays address the current way of living. The current curriculum in my country focuses on building and improving the early stages of a child’s learning and this is from the early childhood to the early primary level. Therefore, I would suggest that teaching of 21st Century skills should start at an early age. This would mean introducing children to skills that they will acquire to be able to cope in the 21st Century society.
For me, enhancing the learners’ literacy and numeracy skills is a priority. The curriculum should ensure that it incorporates literacy and numeracy skills as well as technology literacy. Learners in schools should be equipped with the technology skills so they can cope with the current changing society but at the same time, they must not forget their heritage and cultural identity.

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  1. As an educator/teacher, I operationalise Fiji’s curriculum by understanding the curriculum through:
    a. Developing lessons in allign with the syllabi and CLO’s.
    b. Providing of appropriate learning materials digital literacy and text books.

  2. Project-Based Learning: Create projects that encourage students to work collaboratively, think critically, and be creative while using digital tools and resources.

Flipped Classroom: Use technology to deliver content outside of class, allowing more in-class time for discussions, problem-solving, and hands-on activities.

Inquiry-Based Learning: Encourage students to ask questions, conduct research, and solve real-world problems, fostering critical thinking and information literacy.

Digital Literacy Integration: Teach students how to effectively use digital tools and evaluate online information to enhance their digital literacy.

Cross-Disciplinary Projects: Develop projects that require students to draw on knowledge from various subjects, promoting interdisciplinary thinking.

Problem-Solving Challenges: Present students with complex, open-ended problems and guide them in finding innovative solutions.

Communication Skills: Emphasize written and oral communication skills, including public speaking, digital storytelling, and persuasive writing.

Real-World Application: Connect classroom learning to real-world situations, encouraging students to see the relevance of their education.

Self-Directed Learning: Foster a growth mindset and independence by allowing students to explore their interests and take ownership of their learning.

Continuous Assessment: Use formative assessments to provide feedback and adapt teaching strategies to meet individual student needs.

These strategies can be integrated into the curriculum to help learners develop 21st-century skills effectively. It’s important for educators to adapt their methods to t
he unique needs and learning styles of their students.

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Operationalizing the Fijian curriculum as a teacher involves understanding and following guideline and expectation set up by the Fijian Ministry of Education. These are the overviews of how we can operationalize the Fijian Curriculum:

  • To familiarize yourself with the curriculum
  • Plan your lesson align with the curriculum (Lesson Plan)
  • Use effective teaching strategies to enable students to grasp the ideas.
  • Gather resources and materials that align with the teaching strategies and allows students to participate in class.
  • Assessment and Evaluation - create assessment that measure student progress.

In addition, the strategies I use to implement my learners master the 21st century skills as follow:
-Child centered learning - allows students to have hands on activities and develop a safe and respectful environment of learning.

-Inquiry based learning** - promotes the idea of learning by investigation, where students can complete projects, ask questions and find answers by themselves. While teachers act as resources in these times, the goal is for students to solve problems and discover information on their own. Upon learning about concepts, they can explain and present the concepts in their own words to further enforce them in their memories. Then, students can advance to higher levels at their own pace. This is a way for students to perform an active role in the learning process.

- Expeditionary learning - process of learning through participating in practical experiences. These can be projects, case studies or lab experiments in the classroom or field trips to places around your school and community. For example, in a science class, you might take a trip to a nearby nature center to learn about the types of animals and plants in your area. This type of approach encourages students to apply classroom knowledge and skills to the real world. It can help them comprehend the purpose of their efforts and return to schoolwork with enthusiasm.

-Game based learning** - help children to be more excited about learning, consider developing and implementing educational games or challenges, whether in-person or online. These can inspire children, especially kinesthetic learners, to participate more fully in the learning process and keep them motivated and focused on lessons. It can also allow them the opportunity to solve problems and reach a goal.

-Technology based learning** - use technology in the classroom to make teaching processes more efficient and aid in student learning. Students can use devices like computers and tablets to read materials, conduct research or play educational games. In addition, cloud computing capabilities make it possible for students to access documents or other resources while at school or at home. Virtual classrooms using video conferencing software can be a great way to provide education remotely. This can be especially helpful for students with disabilities who may have difficulties focusing in a physical classroom environment.

-Group learning** - Segmenting students into groups is a great way to teach them skills in collaboration. While in their teams, they can discuss subjects and learn about the perspectives of others. It’s important to encourage both class participation and [listening skills] so that students can gain these abilities for the future. Teachers can assign group presentations so students can convey information to the rest of the class, ask and answer questions and interact with each other.

-Lecture based learning** - A traditional way to structure classroom learning is the lecture format, in which teachers explain information while students observe. Teachers led a lesson by presenting on, showing visuals of and modeling examples of a topic. While a teacher is presenting, students can listen, watch, take notes and copy the teacher’s demonstrations. While this is a conventional and helpful approach, teachers may alter it for different learning environments.

Here are some ways that teachers ensure the success of lecture-based learning:

  • Keep lessons brief: Students, especially those at a young age, may have short attention spans and might only be able to focus for short periods of time. It can be advantageous to keep classroom lectures short and concise to maintain student attention and engagement.

  • Allow time for questions: While lecture-based learning is a teacher-centered approach, educators can still involve student input by making time for questions before, during and after the presentation. While this can make the lecture process longer, it can also allow students to engage with the material, comprehend it and remember it more easily.

  • Create instructional videos: Many teachers use a flipped classroom approach where they encourage students to watch lectures or instructional videos at home and complete assignments in class. This can be a great opportunity to let students work at their own pace, as they can see videos again by rewinding and replaying them.

  • Use visual cues: Whether in or outside of the academic environment, using visual cues in presentations such as icons, images and videos can be a great way to keep your audiences interested in the content. Make sure to use high-contrast colors and bold shapes and lines so students across your classroom can see and understand your messages.

  • Promote handwritten notes: For those students who are able, hand-writing notes on paper can be a superb way to stay focused during lectures. It can also help people to recall information well and strengthen their spelling and writing skills.

-Kinesthetic learning** - Teachers can move around the classroom and use hand gestures while they present to engage students visually and kinesthetically. They can also encourage students to perform physical activities where they can move around and use their creativity. Here are some ideas:

  • Drawing: Many students enjoy drawing or painting, and teachers can include this activity in the classroom to make learning enjoyable. Students can have the option to develop ideas and use different colors and tools to make their ideas a reality.

  • Acting: Students, especially young children, may have an exciting time developing and role-playing in theatrical performances. This can be a great idea for implementing kinesthetic learning in group projects.

  • Building: Building structures with blocks, toys or other materials can help students develop hand-eye coordination and analytical thinking skills. It can also be a fun way for them to stay focused in the classroom.

  • Playing: A traditional form of kinesthetic learning is playing sports, and many schools have gym classes where students can exert energy and spend time outside. You can also have educational sports games in the classroom, where students can move around and learn simultaneously.

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Every Teacher is unique and so is their classroom.As an Educator here in Fiji,teaching Multi-Class,I integrate and contextualize learning by developing and designing effective lessons aligned to the curriculum as per expectations .To maximize learning I use various strategies to ensure that my learners will master the 21st century skills as per highlighted.

  1. VISUALIZATION- This strategy helps students focus on the concepts and it brings concepts to life and at the same time encourages students to make connections to the real world with the use of audio visual aids,diagrams,charts etc…

  2. CO-OPERATIVE LEARNING-It is an Instructional Strategy in which a small group of Students collaboratively work on a given task.

  3. DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION- The above is a teaching strategy that takes into account that Students at most times are at different starting points in their learning process.By combining different content,products,methods,teaching aid and learning environment help learners success.Such strategy helps address diversity in learning experiences and cater for all Students in an equally engaging way.

  4. USING TECHNOLOGY-Introducing songs,educational games encourages through technology boost students participation,which in turn ensures a fulfilling learning experience.It helps students understand and apply the concepts they learn in a fun and enjoyable manner.

  5. STUDENT CENTERED INQUIRY-This method is a great way to generate curiosity among learners and engage in active class participation. Through such approach they develop skills of researching,co-relating and reflecting on information through independent exploration and engagement.

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As an educator/ teacher, ways that I operationalise the curriculum are:

  1. Familiarizing of the curriculum myself as the educator.
  2. Preparation of teaching plan ( LTP, Workbook, lesson plans)
  3. curriculum delivery, teaching and learning.to make sure that my delivery helps children achieve the objectives of the lesson.
  4. monitoring students learning
  5. identifying slow learners , taking intervention evaluation and reflection.

Strategies used to ensure learners master the 21st century skills

  • Personalizing teaching learners to master skills and knowledge at their pace. meeting each learners needs.
  • Project based teaching- students engage themselves in projects. experience challengers of real world.
  • Embracing technology in the classrooms
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The 21st century is a progressive period of new directions, new openings, endless opportunities, and great innovations, which have brought a massive shift in the education curriculum and that of the world at large.

To flourish in this world, survival tactics alone will not be enough, all learners need special skills, which have to be taught and nurtured from a very early stage.

The traditional way of learning will equip learners to survive in the world, but the 21st century demands special skills which will equip every learner to master every aspect of life, from vocational skills to digital skills to face the challenges of uncertainties.

Schools play a vital part in teaching learners, these for example, the crucial 21st-century skills (Assessments at Anand Singapore International School, Chennai) strive to impart these skills to every learners through relevant learning & teaching programs. It is also the role of parents to teach their wards for these essential skills in support of the school going age. Just for the reasons that the primary school teachers from whom children learn moral and ethical values from a very early stage have had strong influence in their learning phase.

As indicated below the 21st-century skills are given in details, parents can go through them and create an atmosphere where kids can learn these skills.

The 21st century is an era of new dimensions, new openings, endless opportunities, and insane innovations, which have brought a massive shift in the education system. To flourish in this world, survival tactics alone will not be enough, children need special skills, which have to be taught and nurtured from a very early stage. The traditional way of education will equip kids to survive in the world, but the 21st century demands special skills which will equip them to master every aspect of life, from life skills to digital skills to face the challenges of uncertain probabilities the future holds.

Learning Skills(4C’s)

Critical thinking, Creativity, Collaboration, and Communication are the 4C’s of the 21st century’s learning skills. Which educates learners about the mental process required to adapt and advance in the real life situations.

Critical thinking makes learners understand that “every problem will have a solution” and teach them on how to observe, analyze, question, and to solve a problems.

Creativity, in this regards, teach every learners to think outside the box and guide them to approach a problem with an open mind, from a new perspective without any form of influence.

Collaboration is also important , it show how effective teamwork is at work and makes every learner understand the importance of adaptability and peer learning.

Communication among learners help them to share unique ideas effectively, and teach them the tactics of, what to do , when to do it , and who to do it.?

Literacy skills

The literacy skills needed for the 21st century go beyond just reading and writing. In this technologically advanced world, learners are expected to learn the bases of literacy, in many forms , from. both the Media literacy, and technological literacy to forge ahead in this world.

Information literacy , teach learners to discern fake and real information, to recognize and understand what sounds plausible, what sounds exaggerated or fabricated.

Through media literacy, learners are able to understand the power of information and communication, and how effective communication can make an impact and bring a desired change in the world.

Technology literacy, help learners to effectively use technology, and make them understand the importance of more than just benefiting from it. It is important for students to know how to code, edit and create technology for the needs of their time.

Life skills:

Life skills are essential knowledge that every ward needs to acquire to handle life challenges effectively in their personal and professional lives.

Adaptability, to be able to adapt and adjust to the surroundings without losing their uniqueness or touch of nature.

Leadership, show us how to support, encourage and motivate others to attain a common goal in life or to take up initiatives.

Initiative in its own field help learners take action on their plans and ideas, and allow them to take immediate actions as when needed or expected.

Efficiency, inform us to learn on how to prioritize their needs, manage their time, and be productive in an era of distraction.

Social skills, these makes children understand the importance of manners, relationship , politeness, kindness, and how to work with others for mutual benefits. Considering the above area of interest in building the curriculum for learning can improve our quest for knowledge over time for a healthy economy.

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    • In order to deliver content to students in this 21st century, i prefer to use information and communication technology to meet diverse needs of students.

  • use of powerpoint lesson notes instead of textbook as it incorporates multimedia content such as text, images, videos and animations.

  • setting child centered activities as by doing things students understand and remember for a long period of time.

  1. strategies used are:
  • groupwork/peer-to-peer
  • use of ICT-smart panel, power point lesson notes, moodle for assignment submission.
  • practical activities
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As educators we are dealing 21st student I strongly suggested the following:

  1. LITERACY AND COMMUNICATION
    students should be well versed will English language as most Companies and institution uses English as a language for communication.
  2. PRACTICAL LEARNING
    Student should be allowed practical work and to think critically, analyze and solve real life problems. These helps student to deeply understand the content itself.
  3. TECHNOLOGY SKILLS
    Improve technology for students to learn and equip themselves with the 21st century way of learning through technology.
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  1. When operationalizing the curriculum as an educator/teacher, I keep the following in mind:
  • The needs of my students: I consider my students’ individual needs and learning styles when planning and delivering lessons. I also make sure to provide opportunities for all students to succeed.
  • The curriculum: I follow the curriculum requirements, but I also adapt the curriculum to meet the needs of my students and the context in which I am teaching.
  • 21st century skills: I integrate 21st century skills, such as critical thinking, problem-solving, collaboration, and communication, into all of my lessons.
  1. Here are some strategies I use to ensure that my learners master 21st century skills:
  • I provide opportunities for students to practice 21st century skills in real-world contexts. For example, I might have students work on a group project to solve a real-world problem, or I might have students give a presentation to their classmates on a topic they have researched.
  • I teach students how to use technology to learn and to communicate. For example, I might teach students how to use a research engine to find information, or I might teach them how to create a presentation using a presentation software program.
  • I give students feedback on their 21st century skills development. This feedback helps students to identify their strengths and weaknesses, and it also helps them to set goals for improvement.
  1. I believe that it is important for all students to develop 21st century skills. These skills are essential for success in the 21st century workplace and in life. By using the strategies described above, I can help my learners to develop these important skills.
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  1. Looking at the curriculum I’ve worked with this many years, the MOE in Fiji is still very much based on the Rote learning and memorization techniques based on repetition. This is evident in the 3 hour paper that students sit at the end of the year for our FSLC and FSFE exams. The sad thing is in my opinion most of the items tested (theory) in the paper will not benefit learners who have an inclination to more practical pursuits, and those who have a hard time memorizing specific formulae for a given subject.

  2. Just recently we saw a split in our Math curriculum offering Pure Math and Life Math. Pure Math was targeted at learners for science streams while Life Math was for the commerce and arts streams. Pure Math concentrated on abstract theory while Life Math was more practical being based on problems encountered daily in society.

I believe we should bring back some components of CBAs (or something else) to give learners practical problem-solving skills that they can apply in their subject areas like Life Math has done.

Strategies used for the current curriculum are:

  1. Formative and Summative tests
  2. Studying past exam papers, solutions, and examiners reports
    3, Item analysis for remedial and intervention after internal exams
  3. Open book tests
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To operationalise the curriculum, it has to be understood first.I understand the curriculum by going through the syllabi and familiarize myself with the achievement indicators. This helps in planning the learning and teaching programme where content learning outcomes and achievement indicators are taken into consideration while planning lessons in our own context.
Therefore effective teaching strategies for the concepts are designed keeping in mind the learning environment of the students.

The strategies that I use to ensure that the learners master 21st century skills highlighted in Figure 1 are :

  1. Standards and assessments- Students are taught relevant curriculum and are assessed formally and informally. Students also present their ideas through creativity such as dramas, poems, talks, posters etc. Formal assessments are also taken at the end of the unit or as Mid Year and Annual Examination .
    Curriculum and Instructions- Curriculum is closely studied and followed and changes in the curriculum are adapted and implemented.
    Professional Development - Attend PDs so that I am aware of current changes and learn techniques to motivate and teach the students so that they master the skills.
    Learning Environment - create a positive learning environment whereby students become responsible for their learning and show dedication towards their studies. Students learn through engaging themselves in the activities so organise debates , poster competitions , dramas and other activities to actively engage students.
    Life and career Skills - Students should learn some life and career skills to help them survive in this changing world. Some students are good painters , some are good artists , some are good farmers and some good carpenters.
    Learning and Innovation Skills- Students should be given the chance to innovate and learn. They can work out alternative ways of doing or learning new concepts.
    Information, Media and Technology Skills - Students should be taught media and technology skills in their computer classes so they are able to use technology to upgrade their knowledge in their own time.
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As an educator in Fiji, i operationalise Fiji’s curriculum by understanding National Curriculum framework.

The strategy that I will use is:

  1. Inquiry based learning - encourage children to be more critical thinkers.
  2. Child Centered Learning - encourage children to research and investigate to get the solutions.
  3. Intergrate ICT in teaching and learning - make learning more fun and interesting.
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Ways I operationalise curriculum as a teacher:

Face to face lessons, uses of manipulatives, computers and projectors, hands on experience activities, videos, open discussions.

Strategies used to ensure that learners master 21st century skills highlighted above:

  1. Oral and written communication. This includes open discussion and written worksheets, either individual or in groups.
  2. Application of technology. Use of computers and projectors for presentation.
  3. Vary in activity. This can be individual, group or whole class. Learning in small groups or one to one can be very helpful ti learners with learning and thinking differences.
  4. Allow learners to do learning practically for better understanding.
  5. Open forum. This may encourage learners to speak their mind.
  6. Use of technology to make learning interesting.
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As a teacher, operationalizing the curriculum involves aligning classroom practices with the National Curriculum Framework (NCF) while ensuring that students develop the 21st century skills. The Fiji’s curriculum aims to contribute to comprehensive education that goes beyond academic content and includes skills such as PEMAC and extra curricular activities.
Below are the strategies that is used towards the learners to master the 21st century skills:

  1. Curriculum Alignment-understand the curriculum thoroughly and prepare the lessons and teaching aids aligned with the learning outcomes and its objectives.
  2. Active Learning (Student centered learning)-Students to be given opportunities to share their views through discussions, group work and providing with hands on activities.
  3. Intergrating ICT in teaching and learning which would also cater for inclusive education that will help children to learn better through visualizing.
  4. Differentiated Instructions-help to meet the needs of individual and provide opportunities for all different level of students to excel.
  5. Experimental Learning- learners to be given opportunities to explore and solve authentic problems in everyday life.
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  1. As an educator in solomon islands ,operationalise the curriculum is a multifaceted task that involves adapting and implementing educational material.First,I get familiarize myself with the national curriculum of solomon islands.I used the guidelines that setted out in the curriculum and plan and develop lesson that align with the curriculum learning outcomes and objectives to ensure that they effectively aligns with the local needs and realties.

  2. strategies for 21st century

  • Project Based Learning ,I used this approach to allows student to work on real world project promoting critical thinking.
  • Collaboration and Communication,group project and discussion help students develop team work ,communication and interpersonal skill
  • Authentic Assessment,I used performance based assessment and portfolios and presentation.
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As a teacher, i have noticed the change of curriculum. Literacy and Numeracy are the core focus subjects for lower primary students. Revised curriculum in all the subjects. Learning and teaching is derived from Syllabi and from learning and teaching teachers make lesson notes for children.

The strategy that I will use towards the learners to master the 21st century skills is

  • Child-centered learning which allows students to do work by themselves the teacher becomes the facilitator.
  • e - learning allows children to do research and use technology in learning.
  • Different forms of communication allow children to interact with other people and learn.
  • Group work also helps children to share ideas with peers.