Experience centered design

A short discussion of Experience Centered Design Curriculum

1. Experience-Centered Design “Learning is a social activity.”

2. Experience-Centered Curriculum Design closely related to child-centered designs in that children’s concerns are the basis for organizing children’s school world. But they differ in the children’s needs and interests cannot be anticipated. Curriculum framework CANNOT be PLANNED for all children.

3. Child or Experience-Centered Curriculum heavily emphasize the learner’s interests, creativity and self-direction.

4. Teacher’s task To create a stimulating learning environment in which students can explore, come into direct contact with knowledge and observe others’ learning and actions. To provide opportunities, not to mandate certain actions.

5. STUDENTS essentially design their own learning ; they CONSTRUCT and REVISE their knowledge through direct participation and active observation.

6. For John Dewey… Interest was purposeful. Education should commence with the experience learners already possessed when they entered school. Experience was essentially the starting point for all further learning. Children exist in a personal world of experiences.

7. Their interests are personal concerns, rather than bodies of knowledge. “ T he easy thing is to seize upon something in the nature of the child, or upon something in the developed consciousness of the adult, insist upon that as the key to the whole problem.” -Dewey, 1900

8. Dewey wanted EDUCATORS to: ANALYZE children’s experiences and see how these experiences shaped children’s knowledge. THINK of the child’s experience as fluid and dynamic. Thus, the curriculum would continually change to address students needs.

9. Who subscribe to experience-centered curriculum design? Those who have faith in each student’s uniqueness and ability. Those who believe that an open, free school environment will stimulate all students to excel.

10. TEACHER who has design an experience-centered curriculum has designed potential experiences for students to consider. STUDENTS are empowered to shape their own learning within the context furnished by the teachers.