Curriculum Development and Planning

Level of courses offered: there may be a number of levels of courses learners can choose from.

Entry requirements: there may be courses that learners are able to enrol on without any need for prior learning achievements whereas other courses may require specific academic achievements before they can enrol on a specific course.

Community based or academic: courses can be based in the community, for example, a church hall, or in an academic environment, e.g. a university.

Further education or Higher Education: both have different delivery styles. One can expect a lot of teaching provision and support in a F.E. environment as opposed to a H.E. environment which tends to expect learners to undertake more work themselves. The student based in a H.E. environment would be expected to carry out their own work e.g. reading and research in order to complete their coursework requirements.

Times when the course will be held: this varies from institution to institution.

Length of the course: the course could be taken in a couple of hours each week, a block or over a period of weeks or months.

Frequency of the classes: again this varies from institution to institution.

Type of assessment: this depends on the actual course requirements. It could be a course that continually assesses students during the length of the course. Equally the course may assess learners through examinations at the end of their course. A third option may be the learners will have both continued assessments during the course and take a final exam at the end of their course. A portfolio-based course requires the learner to collect evidence during the course.

Access needs: it is important that varying access needs are recognised and met so to allow the student to fully participate on the course and for the teaching to be effective. Access needs can vary – a student who has Ushers Syndrome will require appropriate lighting and seating arrangements, another student who has learning difficulties should be given language support to ensure access information provided on the course. This can also apply to a learner with dyslexia. The institute also need to ensure that their buildings are accessible for wheelchair users.