Nada Wafa
Curriculum and Instruction: New Literacies and Global Learning
Graduation: Spring 2019
Adviser: Dr. Lee
Thesis Committee Members: Dr. Lee, Dr. Manfra, and Dr. Beal
My thesis will focus on the teaching of Global Education using inquiry-based learning through a technology enriched curriculum. I will be collaborating with a teacher from Wake County to build the curriculum and will research the implementation of the Global Education curriculum with students from K-7th grade. There is only one school in Wake County that teaches Global Education, and students from K-6th currently take the class. By next year, the school will open a 7th grade class. The charter school is Pine Springs Preparatory Academy in Holly Springs, North Carolina.
The idea of this project came along when I was researching about the pedagogy of social studies in elementary school for an advocacy project. I contacted the teacher and was able to learn about her strategies and implementation. I had proposed an idea of collaborating to start a curriculum for Global Education. I was able to pass on some valuable resources I had learned from the NC-CSS conference as well. We had a meeting, and I was able to introduce to her the C3 Framework and give her a better idea of the resources that could help. Later on, I had a meeting with Dr. Lee and was informed about one of my colleagues at NC State who has made an inquiry-based curriculum. I had arranged to meet with him, along with the Global Education teacher, and gained valuable information throughout our meeting. We were able to know how we could better face the challenges that will come along the way. We also benefited from the tools he used in his class, as well as the teaching tips on having students take informed actions.
After our meeting with my colleague from NC State, the Global Education teacher and I discussed what our next step would be. After developing this team of collaborators and links to a local school, the next step is to utilize a standard and analyze the curriculum. We will evaluate existing methods to determine what should be used for the enhanced curriculum.
Based on my current research, I developed the standard in collaboration with the Global Education teacher that would follow the “Know. Care. Do” structure, whereas students will learn about the content, care about it, and take action. The framework for the content will be:
KG- Global Literacy
1st- Global Knowledge [Traveling Around the World]
2nd- Endangered Species
3rd- Environmental Science/Activism
4th- International Demographics and Geography
5th- Financial Literacy
6th- Inquiry-Based [Climate change, Planet Earth Party, Financial Literacy, etc.]
7th- Inquiry [e.g., Environment]
We have also been thinking about 8th grade being a more Global/Community Outreach and Reflection type class. As a result, each grade level will have 32 weeks of instruction for the school year.
After presenting my research proposal to the school board, they unanimously agreed to have me partner with their school. To further enhance my research, I am also substituting at the school to observe first hand experience with the curriculum. I am already seeing how students are thriving in the Global Education class. I have witnessed the influence of the class within the body of students, as well as my own child’s enthusiasm and learning. At the board meeting, students came in to talk about what they liked most about the school, and one student mentioned how much he enjoyed Global Education.
I look forward to working with the teacher more throughout the year and putting together a compelling curriculum that will inspire schools and teachers to teach Global Education in schools.
Randa Quqa (KG) at Pine Springs Preparatory Academy in Holly Springs, North Carolina. The only school in Wake County that offers Global Education as a Special/Elective, and this girl loves the GE class!
Research App in C & I
I took a Research Application in Curriculum and Instruction that focused on research methods and current issues in curriculum development and supervision, as well as instructional technology, middle grades education, English ad reading education, social studies education, and special education.
I was able to build an understanding through various research issues such as sampling, study design, ethics, reliability and validity, as well as data analysis and reporting results.
Before knowing that I would be constructing a Global Education Curriculum, I completed a survey about Curiculum Constructivism, since it was a topic I was drawn to at the time. The questions I asked on this topic are more of like interview questions than survey questions. As for this survey, I'll needed colleagues to just simply role play, and choose whether they're a teacher, principal, or professor. All the rest of the questions are the same. It was so challenging for me because I had to manage to get some sort of common ground between all three types of educators. AND there's so much I wanted to know, but phrasing them or even trying to ask, would get me a paragraph type of answers and not survey-based.
https://ncsu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_b7TE01gWE44YBcF
After completing the survey, I constructed a Focus Group Plan based on the topic of Curriculum Constructivism:
I also interviewed a 5th grade ELA and Social Studies teacher at a private school in Raleigh. NC. She has 5 years of teaching experience. I conducted my qualitative interview and asked questions in relation to the curriculum she is using in her classroom and how effective it is with her students.
1) Are the curriculums you are teaching aligned with the school's goals and objectives?
2) Do you think there is a good professional development strategy to support teachers success in teaching the curriculum?
3) Is there administrative supervision to make sure that the curriculum is being used? If so, how? If not, why do you think so?
4) How does the curriculum provide suggestions or ways to teach differentiated learners in your classroom?
5) How would you evaluate the influence of your curriculum on the students you teach?
6) How would you assess your teaching process and students achievements?
7) There are three parts to teaching a lesson; the first part is where the lesson is already written out for you on paper, the second part is what you think you're teaching, and the third part is what students are learning by the end of the day. Therefore, in your opinion, do you think the curriculum is actually being used in your classroom?
8) What are some specific goals you should achieve by the end of the year with your students?
9) Do your lessons include student-led questions, whereas students are able to deepen their understanding of the subject area?
10) Do your lessons incorporate real-life situations that students can relate to, understand, and experience? How?
11) Do you feel that by the end of the year, they are prepared for the real-world? Why or why not?
11) Do you have any opportunities for student-led lessons or are all the lesson plans written and teacher-led?