Transforming social studies curriculum to integrate a social justice framework

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to empower teachers to engage in a process of curricular transformation to integrate a social justice framework, even if it means starting with small steps.Design/methodology/approachThe authors present a set of guiding principles on which social studies teachers can draw to transform their curriculum to embody a social justice framework within and across units of historical inquiry. The principles are anchored in an example historical unit, the Chicago Haymarket Affair of 1886, and an analogous contemporary sub-unit, The Exonerated Five (formerly The Central Park Five incident of 1989).FindingsThe guiding principles represent an accessible approach educators can flexibly apply to their process of curricular transformation. The authors provide a balanced approach of emphasizing the need for educators to restructure social studies curriculum with the feasibility of this process at larger or smaller scales according to educators' readiness for change.Originality/valueThe authors outline a process to empower teachers to change the status quo of their social studies teaching, at a scale determined by the teacher. The authors provide a practical, concrete set of guiding principles for educators to make changes that represent social justice integration aligned with existing social studies curriculum and standards. The authors encourage teachers to reflect on their readiness for and progress toward transforming their curriculum to integrate a social justice framework.

Integration of Sustainability in Engineering and Architectural Studies in Spanish Universities

The recommendations of the UN and other international bodies on the need to transform university curricula to incorporate sustainability values, content and competencies have met with a warm reception from universities all over the world. However, the actual state of the integration of sustainability in higher education is, in general, somewhat more modest than one would expect. This article proposes a method of measuring the extent of sustainability-oriented curricular change in the Spanish University as a whole and applies it to the degrees in engineering and architecture. The method entails a documentary analysis of the teaching guides related to 1050 subjects. The results obtained do not invite optimism: curricular transformation is slow and insufficient and its results are still incomplete.

Integrating scientific with histologic and embryologic competencies

Objective: Given the relevance of scientific training in undergraduates whatever their future professional practice and viewing that consistent bibliographic usually limit scientific training to a component of the medical curriculum, this approach intends to go a step further seizing each discipline of the medical curriculum for developing progressively scientific competencies. In this context, a strategy, integrating scientific and disciplinary competencies (in this case, Histology and Embryology), is presented Material and Method: The strategy was applied for fifteen years to 2000 ± 500 students per year while they were studying Histology and Embryology, one of the first-year disciplines. It included planning steps carried out by Ph.D. professors as well as the implementing and evaluating ones in charge of these professors and properly trained teachers Results: Averages of percentages of enrolled students who did not start the course, who dropped out before being able to take the final disciplinary evaluation, who could take it and who were promoted to the second year during fifteen years are registered. Likewise, an average of 80% of them satisfied with this strategy and the positive impact on the corresponding competencies of Biology, another first-year discipline, are also recorded. Conclusions: This strategy, implemented between 1986 and 2001, proved viable and fruitfully relevant until a curricular transformation limited its continuation without generating its equivalent replacement. Beyond the elapsed time since then and the reasons hindering its full accomplishment, this long-standing approach is rescued so that it may eventually be considered and improved by those who may value it profitably for their curricula.

Adapting Nephrology Training Curriculum in the Era of COVID-19

Purpose of review: The COVID-19 pandemic has widespread implications not only for clinical practice but also for academic medicine and postgraduate training. The need to promote physical distancing and flexibility within our department has generated important revisions to the core curriculum for the Adult Nephrology Training Program in Vancouver, Canada. Sources of information: We reviewed available educational resources and objectives to develop curricular adaptations informed by staff and trainee feedback. Methods: Many facets of the program including clinical rotations, scholarly activities, evaluation, and wellness have been impacted, and thus revised for online delivery where possible. Trainees have personalized a learning plan based on individual goals and supplemented by a list of internet-based resources for independent review. Changes in learning objectives and methods for specific rotations have occurred and are described. Ongoing evaluation will be undertaken. Key findings: Curriculum adaptation in the era of COVID-19 is necessary to ensure ongoing high-quality education for future nephrologists. We describe existing changes to formal training in British Columbia (BC), which will be tailored as the pandemic evolves, and anticipate them to have lasting impact on the way we structure training programs in the future. Standardization and harmonization of modified curriculum may be possible across Canada with sharing of these learnings. Limitations: Formal evaluation of these changes in terms of knowledge acquisition and examination performance has not yet been undertaken. Next steps will include assessing and documenting the impact of this curricular transformation to further optimize scheduling, educational yield, and trainee wellness.

Development and evaluation of a simulation-based transition to clerkship course

Background Transition to clerkship courses bridge the curricular gap between preclinical and clinical medical education. However, despite the use of simulation-based teaching techniques in other aspects of medical training, these techniques have not been adequately described in transition courses. We describe the development, structure and evaluation of a simulation-based transition to clerkship course. Approach Beginning in 2012, our institution embarked upon an extensive curricular transformation geared toward competency-based education. As part of this effort, a group of 12 educators designed, developed and implemented a simulation-based transition course. The course curriculum involved seven goals, centered around the 13 Association of American Medical Colleges Core Entrustable Professional Activities for entering residency. Instructional techniques included high-fidelity simulation, and small and large group didactics. Student competency was determined through a simulation-based inpatient-outpatient objective structured clinical examination, with real-time feedback and remediation. The effectiveness of the course was assessed through a mixed methods approach involving pre- and post-course surveys and a focus group. Evaluation Of 166 students, 152 (91.6%) completed both pre- and post-course surveys, and nine students participated in the focus group. Students reported significant improvements in 21 out of 22 course objectives. Qualitative analysis revealed three key themes: learning environment, faculty engagement and collegiality. The main challenge to executing the course was procuring adequate faculty, material and facility resources. Reflection This simulation-based, resource-heavy transition course achieved its educational objectives and provided a safe, supportive learning environment for practicing and refining clinical skills.

Educação e Emancipação: justiça social e cognitiva

O objetivo deste texto é apresentar uma breve discussão sobre alguns aspectos de uma educação emancipadora, sob o viés de uma transformação epistêmica e curricular. Entendemos o currículo como construção social e cultural envolvido em relações de poder, criação de significados e hierarquizações. Dessa forma, quando o conhecimento curricularizado é principalmente o conhecimento moderno-ocidental, outras formas de conhecimento são deslegitimadas, o que contribui para a opressão de certos grupos por outros. Defendemos que uma transformação epistêmica tem o potencial de aproximar educação e emancipação social e cognitiva e, para tanto, apostamos na ecologia de saberes. Além disso, pontuamos que essa transformação deve se iniciar na formação de professores, pois a universidade ainda permanece com uma estrutura arbórea e fragmentada do conhecimento, onde há separação entre teoria e prática e os diferentes saberes da docência. Uma das conclusões a que podemos chegar é que o professor possui papel central nessa transformação rumo à emancipação, atuando como intelectual transformador, sendo a escola, ainda, espaço privilegiado para pensarmos e tornarmos possíveis outros mundos.Palavras-chave: Currículo. Formação de professores. Ecologia de saberes.Education and Emancipation: social and cognitive justiceABSTRACTThe purpose of this text is to present a brief discussion about some aspects of an emancipatory education, under the bias of an epistemic and curricular transformation. We understand the curriculum as a social and cultural construction involved in relations of power, creation of meanings and hierarchizations. Thus, when curricular knowledge is mainly modern-western knowledge, other forms of knowledge are delegitimized, which contributes to the oppression of certain groups by others. We argue that an epistemic transformation has the potential to bring education and social and cognitive emancipation closer to the ecology of knowledge. In addition, we point out that this transformation must begin in the formation of teachers, because the university still has a tree structure and fragmented knowledge, where there is a separation between theory and practice and the different knowledge of teaching. One of the conclusions we can reach is that the teacher plays a central role in this transformation towards emancipation, acting as a transforming intellectual, and the school is still a privileged space to think and make possible other worlds.Keywords: Curriculum. Teacher training. Ecology of knowledge.Educación y Emancipación: justicia social y cognitivaRESUMENEl objetivo de este texto es presentar una breve discusión sobre algunos aspectos de una educación emancipadora, bajo la línea de una transformación epistémica y curricular. Entendemos el currículo como construcción social y cultural involucrado con las relaciones de poder, creación de signifi cados y jerarquizaciones. De esa forma, cuando el conocimiento curricular es principalmente el conocimiento moderno-occidental, otras formas de conocimiento son deslegitimadas, lo que contribuye para la opresión de ciertos grupos por otros. Defendemos que una transformación epistémica tiene el potencial de acercar educación y emancipación social y cognitiva y, para ello, apostamos en la ecología de saberes. Además, señalamos que esa transformación debe iniciarse en la formación de profesores, pues la universidad aún permanece con una estructura arbórea y fragmentada del conocimiento, en que hay separación entre teoría y práctica y los diferentes saberes de la docencia. Una de las conclusiones a que podemos llegar es que el profesor posee papel central en esa trans formación hacia la emancipación, actuando como intelectual transformador, siendo la escuela aún espacio privilegiado para pensar y hacerse posibles otros mundos.Palabras clave: Plan de estudios. Formación de profesores. Ecología de saberes.

Navigating Allyship through Indigenization, Decolonization, and Reconciliation: Perspectives from Non-Indigenous Pharmacy Educators

As pharmacy schools across Canada and North America work towards authentic and meaningful curriculum and learning opportunities in Indigenous health and cultural safety, the conversation of “why” we need to do this has become clearer, but the task of “how” we do this remains challenging. This curricular transformation can be increasingly more complex to navigate as a non-Indigenous ally and pharmacy educator. Defining your role as an ally is deeply personal and critically important, as it can transform based on the collaborative work undertaken with Indigenous partners and communities. The purpose of this article is to share perspectives gained over years of experience and practical applications of allyship through the lens of three key separate, but interconnected concepts – indigenization, decolonization, and reconciliation. Article Type: Commentary