Curricula vary by country, region, grade level and subject. An open curriculum involves students and teachers in the learning process, allowing them to choose topics and approaches. College-level curricula vary widely, with some following core requirements and others having no restrictions on courses.
A curriculum is a basic outline that teachers follow when creating their lesson plans for the year. Curricula vary by country, region, grade level and subject. The curriculum can also indicate what goals each student should achieve in reading, writing, and speaking by the end of the school year. Curricula can be very specific, clearly outlining what a teacher can address in the classroom, or be very broad, allowing the teacher to customize the curriculum. Depending on the educational level, an open curriculum is one where the student or teacher determines the educational topics covered and the amount of time spent on each.
Secondary schools are typically linked curricula established at the national or regional level; therefore, open-curriculum secondary schools may be alternative schools or charter schools. The aim of an open curriculum is to involve the teacher and the student in the individual learning process. Depending on the school, teachers can choose what they want to cover in Linguistic Arts, which periods to focus on World History, which labs to take Chemistry in, and how to approach concepts in Geometry. Teachers and students must work closely in an open curriculum school, so class sizes tend to be smaller than those found in most public schools.
High school students can work individually with their teachers to develop an individualized learning plan. The plan can include educational objectives and how the student would be evaluated after completing a unit or assignment. In an open curriculum, students are encouraged to engage in hands-on work in the classroom and more independent work at home. In schools that follow an open curriculum, teachers are considered facilitators of learning and students are responsible for achieving their learning gains.
College-level curricula vary widely and are generally less restrictive than high school curricula. Some colleges follow core curricula where all students must meet specific course requirements for graduation. Colleges that follow curricula with a distribution requirement expect students to complete a certain number of classes in each subject. Schools that follow a completely open curriculum have no restrictions on courses, except that students must choose a major and complete a designated number of semesters to graduate. Students at open-curriculum colleges can take any class they choose as long as they meet the necessary prerequisites.
Students at colleges that follow a core curriculum will have many classes in common with the rest of the student population. In schools with an open curriculum, students have the opportunity to take a wide variety of courses. Some students prefer to delve deeper into their chosen field of study.
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