curriculum development in pakistan|general recommendation for curriculum development process

 CURRICLUM DEVELOPMENT IN PAKISTAN

5.1 problems of curriculum development in Pakistan and suggestions for its improvement.

 Falling education standard is one of the most favorite topics for discussion at our social gatherings. Everyone has his own views and experiences to narrate and ultimately, to lament and then recall the good old days when everything was at its best.

It is a known fact that our educational standards are one the decline. We have progressed in quantitative expansion but gone backward qualitatively, in the government policies there are planning and recommendations for the revolutionary steps but the progress in negligible.

We have innovative ideas but unable to implement any positive change effectively. That is why we could not achieve the desired goals. We have many leaders in education but most of them are without dedication to work. We have many schools, colleges and universities but they are working only to award certificates and degrees to the students without changing their attitude. The students are just memorizing facts and information from their text material without developing proper concepts to apply in daily life. Teachers are following conventional methods such as the lecture. Textbook recitation and notes dictation. The innovative methods are not followed even in teacher training institutes. The textbooks are also theoretical ignoring the activities. All these and many more are the curriculum related problems. These problems are identified by various policies along appropriate recommendations as given on the next page.

5.2 Problems of Curriculum Development Process

If we look to the various phases or elements of curriculum development process. So many problems can be indicated i.e.

A. Problems related to objectives.

B. Problems related to content.

C. Problems related to methods.

D. Problems related to audio-visual aids.

E. Problems related to evolution.

a. problems Related to Objective 

The curriculum development is a continuous and dynamic process, having some goals to be achieved though classroom activates.

The effectiveness of curriculum process depends largely upon the extent to which these goals are achieved. If the objectives are formulated in clear an behavioral terms, their achievement becomes easy. The objectives formulated for the existing curricula are mostly ambiguous and non behavioral such types of objectives can be considered as invalid. Some of the objectives are too broad to achieve and some of them are not related to the socio economic conditions in the country. There are certain objectives that are not according to the psychological needs of the learners.

b. Problems Related to Content

It has already been mentioned that curriculum development is a dynamic process. So it must be flexible enough to be changed from time to time along with the changes occurring in the society. But in our country, researches in curriculum development are very rare which make it static.

Some to the defects of existing subject matter are as under;

• The content is not selected on the basis of research.

• To content does not help in the achievement of desired goals.

• The content is not suitable to the life situation of the learners.

• There is a lack of horizontal and vertical coordination in various concepts.

• The content does not demand active participation of learners, instead it encourages rote memory.

• Logical sequence (when required) is missing.

• The subject matter does not help in the development of understanding, indicative reasoning and desired creative abilities.

c. Problems Related to Methods

The problems of curriculum development related to methods of instruction are:

• Methods of instruction are not suggested by the curriculum planners.

• Methods of instruction which are being followed in the classroom do not help in the achievement of desired goals.

• Teachers take last interest in inquiry-based methods.

• Participatory or communicative approaches are not followed in the class.

• Methods are not helping the learners to develop various skills.

• The existing teacher training programmes do not fulfill the requirements of the innovative methods.

• Teachers are reluctant to follow activity-based methods.

d. Problems Related to Audio-visual Aids

• Lack of sources and resources educational institutes affects badly the implementation proves of curriculum development.

• Teachers are not properly trained preparation and used of low cost material.

• The curriculum planners have not given any guidelines to the teachers to use the local resources as audio-visual aids.

e. Problems Related to Evaluation 

• Proper evaluation programme is not suggested by the curriculum planners.

• The test items are not related to the objective sof the relevant course.

• Most of the test items are ambiguous.

• Only cognitive aspect is emphasized in evaluation.

• The content validity is very low existing evaluation system.

• The concept of continuous evaluation in to applied.

5.3 GENERAL RECOMMENDATION FOR CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT PROCESS

• The curriculum should base upon native research and not on the basis of opinions of experts.

• Some of the enthusiast working teachers should be involved in curriculum development.

• The objectives must be spelt out in specific behavioral terms.

• While setting the objectives, equal weightage must be given to all the domains such as cognitive effective and psychomotor.

• Curricum should be future oriented to cope with the needs of 21st century, whcich is expected to be scientific and techonological.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)|A Legacy of Exploration and Discovery

 The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)|A Legacy of Exploration and Discovery

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration, commonly referred to as NASA, has been the forefront of space exploration and scientific discovery for over six decades. Established on July 29, 1958, NASA was created in response to the Soviet Union's launch of Sputnik, the world's first artificial satellite. Since its inception, NASA has been responsible for some of the most significant achievements in the history of space exploration.

Early Years: Mercury and Gemini Programs

NASA's early years were marked by the Mercury program, which aimed to launch the first American astronauts into space. On May 5, 1961, NASA successfully launched astronaut Alan Shepard into space aboard the Freedom 7 spacecraft, making him the first American in space. The Mercury program paved the way for the Gemini program, which focused on developing the capabilities for a manned mission to the Moon.

The Gemini program, which ran from 1961 to 1966, saw the first American spacewalks, the first rendezvous and docking of two spacecraft in orbit, and the longest-duration spaceflight to date. The Gemini program laid the foundation for the Apollo program, which would ultimately put humans on the Moon.

Apollo Program: Landing on the Moon

The Apollo program, which ran from 1961 to 1972, was NASA's most ambitious undertaking to date. The program aimed to land humans on the Moon and return them safely to Earth. On July 20, 1969, NASA achieved this goal when astronauts Neil Armstrong and Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin became the first humans to set foot on the Moon's surface.

The Apollo program consisted of 11 manned missions, with six of them landing on the Moon. The program also included several unmanned test flights and a series of lunar orbiters. The Apollo program marked a major milestone in the history of space exploration and cemented NASA's position as a leader in the field.

Space Shuttle Program

In the 1970s and 1980s, NASA developed the Space Shuttle program, which aimed to provide a reusable spacecraft that could carry crew and cargo into low Earth orbit. The Space Shuttle program, which ran from 1981 to 2011, consisted of five orbiters: Columbia, Challenger, Discovery, Atlantis, and Endeavour.

The Space Shuttle program was marked by several notable achievements, including the deployment of the Hubble Space Telescope, the construction of the International Space Station, and the conduct of numerous scientific experiments. However, the program was also marred by two major tragedies: the loss of the Challenger in 1986 and the loss of the Columbia in 2003.

International Space Station

In the 1990s, NASA began collaborating with international partners to develop the International Space Station (ISS). The ISS, which was launched in 1998, is a habitable artificial satellite that orbits the Earth at an altitude of around 250 miles.

The ISS serves as a research laboratory, observatory, and testbed for spaceflight technologies. The station is occupied by a rotating crew of astronauts and cosmonauts, who conduct scientific experiments, perform maintenance tasks, and carry out spacewalks.

Mars Exploration

In recent years, NASA has shifted its focus towards exploring the planet Mars. The agency's Mars Exploration Program, which was established in the 1990s, aims to explore the Martian surface and search for signs of life.

NASA's Mars program has included several notable missions, such as the Mars Pathfinder, the Mars Science Laboratory (Curiosity Rover), and the InSight Lander. The Curiosity Rover, which was launched in 2011, has been exploring the Martian surface since 2012 and has made several significant discoveries, including the presence of ancient lakes and rivers on Mars.

Artemis Program

In 2019, NASA announced the Artemis program, which aims to return humans to the Moon by 2024. The program, which is named after the Greek goddess of the hunt, also aims to establish a sustainable presence on the lunar surface and to use the Moon as a stepping stone for further human exploration of the solar system.

The Artemis program includes several key components, such as the development of a new lunar lander, the creation of a lunar Gateway, and the conduct of several uncrewed and crewed missions to the Moon. The program also aims to include the first woman and the next man on the Moon.

NASA's Future Plans

Looking ahead, NASA has several ambitious plans and projects in the works. Some of the agency's future plans include:

Mars Sample Return

NASA plans to launch a Mars sample return mission in the late 2020s, which will retrieve samples from the Martian surface and return them to Earth for study.

Europa Clipper

NASA is currently developing the Europa Clipper mission, which will explore Jupiter's icy moon Europa and search for signs of life.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)|A Legacy of Exploration and Discovery