Study Programs should not Copy Model Study Programs: Similarities and Differences between these Programs

Often, an educational institution takes a particular model study program as a basis and builds a learning process only slightly adapting it to its needs. Roman Shyyan, Deputy Director of the Reform Support Team of the MoES of Ukraine, and Iryna Starahina, an expert of this team, were trying to help us understand differences between model study programs and study programs as such.

SIMILARITIES BETWEEN MODEL STUDY PROGRAMS AND STUDY PROGRAMS AS SUCH

The State Standard guides the development of a framework curriculum (national level), model study programs (author’s teams, the programs are approved by the State) and study programs as such (can even be developed by individual teachers).

This document will focus on the level of model study programs and study programs as such.

The State Standard defines learning objectives for a particular subject of each educational area. It also includes groups of learning outcomes: general and specific learning outcomes, and benchmarks for their assessment.

The basis of any program is the development of transversal skills. In the Ukrainian legislation, these skills include:

• critical and systems thinking;
• ability to collaborate with other people, make decisions, assess risks;
• ability to manage emotions constructively;
• initiative;
• reading with understanding;
• ability to express own opinion verbally and in writing;
• ability to logically justify a position;
• creativity;
• ability to solve problems.

Transversal skills relate to each of the competencies defined in the law «On Education». At the same time, each educational area contributes to the development of each competence (this is called the competence capacity of the educational area). For example, such educational area as «Mathematics» develops not only mathematical competence, but also other competencies (to a greater or lesser extent).

Program developers should also be guided by values:

• uniqueness and talent of each child, no discrimination;
• development of a holistic worldview;
• development of a free personality;
• harmonious physical and psycho-emotional development;
• welfare and security;
• human dignity and integrity;
• recognition of own identity;
• active citizenship.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MODEL STUDY PROGRAMS
AND STUDY PROGRAMS AS SUCH?

The model study program defines an approximate sequence and outlines expected student learning outcomes. The study program details these sequences and results, and clearly defines them. This, in fact, means that we must find ways letting us «sprout» a clearer and more understandable study program based on the model one.

The model program determines the content of a subject or an integrated course in question as well as the types of activities for students. The study program describes this more specifically and in detail.

Also, the model program does not determine the number of academic hours, while the study program specifies the minimum and maximum academic load for a particular subject or course.

The study program is approved by the Teachers’ Council of an educational institution, while the model program is to be approved by the State.

Model Study Programs

Model study programs link the expected results, learning content and types of learning activities.

The model study program does not give concrete explanations on how to teach the subject, thus leaving a wide space for thoughts and creativity of authors creating learning materials. Any authors’ team or teachers can develop a study program and learning materials based on the model program.

The authors of a model study program transform assessment guidelines from the standard of education into expected learning outcomes and determine the content and types of learning activities.

Expected learning outcomes are the results that students must achieve at a particular stage of the educational process.

In the model study program, the results of learning are arranged in a certain logical sequence. And this is the key task of the model study program – to determine the sequence of achieving the expected results, for example, within the framework of a unit or topic.

This means that the authors of the program should think about the logical sequence of mastering the topic. For example, while in the Standard we see a benchmark for assessment «distinguishes some language phenomena», «explains their essence», the model program will specify the expected results as «distinguishes phonetic phenomena», «distinguishes lexical phenomena», «distinguishes grammatical forms», etc. (examples for grade 6).

And this sequence is already a sign of different study programs as it can be different in different model programs (for example, vice versa – from the lexical meaning to grammatical and phonetic constructions).

The model study programs are therefore designed to organize the logic and sequence for obtaining learning outcomes. This logic should be further developed in study programs as such.

Study programs

The model study program is not final – the teacher does not take it to a class. The teacher comes to children with a vision of not just how the expected results should be achieved, but of how to link these results to a certain time interval. And this time interval is not a year, half a year or semester – it is each lesson. This is fixed in a study program.

That is why study programs are compiled mainly at the level of the educational institution. This is where the learning outcomes are further detailed – from the expected results of a unit and topic (specified in the model program) to the expected results of each lesson.

Often, when developing study programs, an institution takes a model program as a basis, slightly adapting it to its needs. However, this is not entirely correct as this approach does not take into account all the advantages of study programs.

Experts recommend first of all to address primary sources – relevant laws and standards, and only afterwards to consult model study programs. After all, no model study program has enough information to create an effective study program. The model study program should be detailed in a study program.

First of all, model study programs do not specify the required number of hours for teaching a particular topic. Moreover, only the teacher understands what topics should be taught to repeat and consolidate what has already been covered, and what lessons will be aimed at building completely new knowledge and skills.

For example, the phrase «distinguishes lexical phenomena» in the model study program can be transformed into a number of topics of a so-called lower level – «monosemy and polysemy, direct and figurative meaning, synonymy and antonymy», etc.

Study programs can also include interdisciplinary projects. When developing model study programs, it is only possible to note and recommend an interdisciplinary project, which can be offered to students within the framework of a particular unit. As the creation of a project depends on a number of factors in the educational institution, it can be detailed only in a study program, which can take into account the capacities of the teaching staff and specifics of school activities.

The same applies to assessment: how often and what exactly should be assessed. Authors of a model study program can only provide general recommendations, not specific answers. Instead, the school might work in accordance with its internal annual assessment plan, based on which each teacher develops a system for assessing their subject. In assessment, the school relies on its own assessment principles and standards.

WHAT PROGRAMS ARE USED FOR WRITING TEXTBOOKS?

The textbook is created based on a model study program. After all, although it does not take into account the number of hours and is created for a «generalized» educational institution, it nevertheless focuses on the use in various educational institutions. At the same time, at the school level, additional learning materials can be developed that will meet the needs of the study program of the institution. It has specific number of hours already calculated, considers the school capacity, and is created by the school community for its own use.

There is another intricacy – it is impossible to develop a study program without focusing on the textbook chosen for teaching. The content that the textbook offers is important. However, the teacher may not be satisfied with one textbook, use several ones at once, or supplement them with own materials. This is especially true in classes where children have different levels of competence, including inclusive classes.

About the Reform Support Team

The Reform Support Team (RST) of the Ministry of Education and Science, which has been functioning since June 2019, is a group of Ukrainian experts who are not civil servants. The Reform Support Team provides targeted support to the Ministry in developing and implementing priority vocational education reforms, the New Ukrainian School reform and the public administration reform. The activities of the Reform Support Team are temporarily funded by donors within the framework of the Ukrainian Reform Architecture (URA) project. The Ukrainian Reform Architecture (URA) project is a comprehensive technical assistance program deployed by the EBRD jointly with the European Union to support key reforms in Ukraine. The Ukrainian Reform Architecture (URA) project is implemented with the support of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the Stabilization and Sustainable Growth Multi-Donor Account (Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, the United States and the European Union, the largest donor).

This material was produced for The Learning Together project and published on the NUS portal following the results of the Autumn School for Developers of Modern Learning Materials for the New Ukrainian School within the framework of the Finland’s Support to the Ukrainian School Reform Project «Learning Together» + EU project, which took place in autumn 2021.

This document was produced with the financial assistance of the European Union and the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland. The views expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union or the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland.