Curriculum
Introduction to 3C Curriculum
3C curriculum is a comprehensive philosophy that seeks to create a social place of learning and knowledge where “Why” is encouraged and “What” is nurtured. This approach was developed and fine tuned over the years by MDN Edify Education with the vision of creating progressive thinking Individuals who will create a positive impact in the society. Inspired by various international educators, learners and a variety of learning practices, the curriculum provides a holistic approach towards overall development of students.
The goal is to create a participative environment that inculcates self esteem and independence, leadership and innovation, problem solving and responsibility. These are the stepping stones to creating a bright future. Intriguing curious minds and catering to individual learning styles are some key elements of this curriculum that aid in sculpting the skills and abilities of every child.
The main focus of this philosophy revolves around the 3C’s which stand for: Character, Competence and Content. Learning through the 3C curriculum is interactive and integrated that creates a life like experience for the child. Understanding is based on application of knowledge through inquiry, experimentation, research and discovery. In this process they become knowledgeable and understand the significance of the gained knowledge. It is constructive learning methodology and academic brilliance that inspires every child to succeed.
What is 3C
The 3Cs stand for: Character – Competence – Content
Character
The curriculum exposes the students towards making choices within situations that they face on a day to day basis. The suggested activities within the curriculum enable learners to
- Empathize with the weak and show concern all round
- develop sensitivity within relationships
- Understand why and why not while reasoning
- Make informed choices
- Avoid pitfalls due to jealousy, selfishness, etc
- Develop a well-rounded personality in preparation for real life
- To question ideas and beliefs
Educational games and integrated learning within agreed rules, train children to control their behavior and encourage the development of qualities such as patience purposefulness, observation, reasoning and logic.
Under the school’s guidance the children learn to be independent, patient and decisive where the children are taught to reach their goals by dividing difficult tasks into several smaller steps.
Competence
The curriculum transaction include opportunities for students to develop their competency skills by creating student centered learning environment. Students learn to take on responsibilities through opportunities to explore the society – by holding field trips, journaling, preparing group and independent projects and dramas. Integrated sports and physical education enables the children to self-regulate their emotions and de-stress. Students acquire the skills to learn about personal rights, honoring their own perceptions and increasing positive self-talk, goal setting and responsibilities. 6 key competency profiles have been identified and students are guided to develop these profiles as they steadily move from dependency to independent decision making and taking initiative.
Content
Knowledge gained without implementation has no standing. Hence the content in the 3C Curriculum not only provides what is to be taught but also specifies guidelines on how it is to be taught. The content is aligned with the CBSE scheme of study along with some additions incorporating International Education. The rich inquiry based curriculum is a significant and relevant subject matter acquired for the real life skills and taught through the following subjects, Languages, Mathematics, Science and Technology, Social Science, Visual Arts, Music and Drama, Environmental Education & Physical, Social and Personal Education.
3C curriculum is an integrated study of the above mentioned subjects where the child participates in real life experiences. The focus is on application of knowledge through inquiry, experimentation, research and discovery. In this process they become knowledgeable and understand the significance of the gained knowledge.
Profiles in 3C
Profiles of Character
These are some basic traits imbibed by the learners through a value system continuously evolving for a harmonious co-existence in the world at large.
1. Empathetic
One who identifies and understands the feelings and difficulties of others and is always willing to support them.
2. Caring
One who shows concern and compassion for others and takes steps to help them in their needs.
3. Principled
One who acts with integrity and honesty and possesses a strong sense of fairness, justice and respect for the dignity of individuals, groups and communities.
4. Reflective
One who gives thoughtful consideration to one’s own learning and experience.
5. Inquiring
One who shows natural curiosity and is keen to acquire skills necessary to conduct inquiry and research independently.
6. Integrity
One who adheres to moral and ethical principles diligently so as to act with honesty.
Profiles of Competence
Some of the skills developed by learners effectively and continuously for a progressive continual growth.
1. Balanced
One who understands the importance of intellectual, physical and emotional balance to achieve personal well-being.
2. Communicative
One who is able to communicate ideas and perspectives clearly and precisely.
3. Decisive
One who is able to make logical and clear decisions while working through issues and problems.
4. Creative
One who is able to create and display novel ideas resulting from originality of thought.
5. Problem Solver
One who is able to understand problems and provide effective solutions, thus displaying critical thinking and analytical skills.
6. Entrepreneurial
One who initiates new and smart strategies for events and implements them successfully.
Themes in 3C
1.Our Identity:
Learning about the nature of ourselves – our responsibilities, rights and duties, cultural values, and so on | Becoming aware of our relationship with friends, family, communities and also what it means to be human.
2.Our Responsibilities:
Knowing about the relationship within and between people, other living things and communities | The approach to equal opportunities and conflict resolution | Understanding why human beings should share the natural resources with other living things.
3.Our Expression:
How to express our ideas, values, beliefs and culture in multiple forms through different languages and art forms such as dramatics, martial art, dance, paintings, etc.
4.Place and Time:
Learning about oneself in relation to surrounding, place and time | Understanding about homes, journeys, discoveries and about inter-connection of individuals and different civilizations.
5.World Laws:
Gaining knowledge about the natural world and its laws | The interconnection between the physical, biological and human society | the impact of science and technology on the society and the environment.
6.Our Systems:
Gaining knowledge on the interconnection between human made systems and communities – knowing the systems | Understanding the structure and function of various organizations and their impact on society and environment
Assessment in 3C
Assessment
Assessments at Edify address both learning and teaching practices. Following the 3C curriculum, facilitators use a variety of assessment strategies, tools and techniques to build a detailed understanding of each learner’s development. Our facilitators assess students before, during and at the culmination of units of study, as well as at intervals throughout the year.
The innovative 3C curriculum is designed in such a way that the facilitators begin each unit of study by first understanding and acknowledging what each student brings into the classroom in terms of existing knowledge. Recording, Documenting and Reporting assessment data is done meticulously, transparently and with great attention to detail and to the individual needs of the students. Assessment data supports teachers in designing learning experiences tailored according to the needs each individual student. Specialists in the field of individual needs also track student progress and share their understanding with teachers of every subject and parents as well.
Evidence of student learning documented through portfolios, projects, tasks, assignments as well as that of progress reports, are shared with parents at regular intervals through unique programs of the 3C curriculum such as coffee mornings, parent-teacher conferences, meetings and open-house days besides student-led conferences and exhibitions. Edify strongly believes that assessments are an integral and enjoyable part of learning and is not distinct from the learning process itself.
Assessment is the process where information on each student’s performance is gathered and analyzed to identify what students know, understand, can do and feel at different stages in the learning process.
Assessment is integral to all teaching and learning and the 3C curriculum uses thoughtful and effective assessment processes by guiding students through the SIX essential elements of learning:
- The displaying of Character
- The mastering of Competence
- The development of Content
- The understanding of Concepts
- The acquisition of Knowledge and
- The decision to take responsible Action.
Everyone concerned with assessment – students, teachers, parents, administrators, and board members – must have a clear understanding of the reasons for the assessment, what is being assessed, the criteria for success, and the method by which the assessment is made.
The 3C describes the taught curriculum as the written curriculum in action. Using the written curriculum in collaboration with colleagues and students, the teacher generates questions which guide structured inquiry and instruction.
These questions address the eight key concepts which help lead to productive lines of inquiry.
Assessment focuses on the quality of student learning during the process of inquiry as well as instruction and on the quality of the products of that learning.
Assessment is, therefore, integral to the taught curriculum. It is the means by which we analyze student learning and the effectiveness of our teaching and acts as a foundation on which we can base our future planning and practice. It is central to our goal of guiding the student through the learning process, from a novice to becoming an expert. The assessment component in the school’s curriculum can itself be subdivided into three closely related areas:
- Assessing – What to assess and how we discover what the students know and have learned?
- Recording – How we choose to collect and analyze data?
- Reporting – How we choose to communicate the assessment?
What do we Assess
Through this innovative curriculum, teachers strive to provide the opportunity for students to construct meaning primarily through structured inquiry. This is accomplished by emphasizing the connections between subjects and specific knowledge, and it provides a focus for inquiry, while literacy and numeracy provide the tools.
Feedback is given on student progress and performance in each of these areas.
Additionally, feedback is provided on the attributes listed in the 3C Profile.
This profile serves to increase the student’s awareness and sensitivity to the experiences of others beyond the local or national community, thus promoting an understanding that there is a commonality of human experience. Assessments continue to inculcate student attitudes and attributes to everyday learning.
Assessing - How do we discover what the students have learned?
Assessment is something that occurs every day in some fashion to become aware of the ‘how much of what’ is actually understood by the student. The use of a variety of assessment tools demonstrates our belief that students learn in different ways, at different rates, and at different times. The result of assessment is considered a critical element that influences teacher decision-making and guides student learning.
Summative Assessments aims to give teachers and students a clear insight into what the student has understood. Summative assessment is the culmination of the teaching and learning process, and gives the students opportunities to demonstrate what has been learned. It is assessment of learning.
Formative Assessment provides information that is used in order to plan the next stage in learning. It is interwoven with learning, and helps teachers and students to find out what the students already know and can do. Formative assessment aims to promote learning by giving regular and frequent feedback. This helps learners to improve knowledge and understanding, to foster enthusiasm for learning, to engage in thoughtful reflection, to develop the capacity for self-assessment, and to recognize the criteria for success. It is assessment for learning.
Assessment in the classroom will include
- Using representative examples of students’ work or performance to provide information about student learning.
- Collecting evidence of students’ understanding and thinking.
- Documenting learning processes of groups and individuals.
- Engaging students in reflecting on their learning.
- Students assessing work produced by themselves and by others.
- Developing clear rubrics.
- Identifying exemplar student work.
- Keeping records of task results.
Effective assessments allow students to
- Share their learning and understanding with others.
- Demonstrate a range of abilities based on knowledge, conceptual understanding and skills.
- Use a variety of learning styles, multiple intelligences and abilities to express their understanding.
- Know and understand in advance the criteria for producing a quality product or performance.
- Participate in reflection: self and peer assessment.
- Base their learning on real-life experiences that can lead to further inquiries and understanding of the real world.
- Express different points of views, interpretations and perceptions.
- Analyze their learning and understand what needs to be improved.
Effective assessments allow teachers to
- Be informed and aware during every stage of the teaching and learning process.
- Plan in response to student and teacher inquiries to help students understand better.
- Develop criteria for producing a quality product or performance.
- Gather evidence from which sound conclusions can be drawn.
- Provide evidence that can be effectively reported and understood by the whole school community to make improvements in the quality of education.
- Collaboratively review and reflect on student performance and progress.
- Take into account a variety of learning styles, multiple intelligences and abilities including different cultural contexts.
Recording - How do we collect and analyze the data ?
Assessment Strategies
Performance Assessments: Students are presented with a task that represents the kind of challenges that adults face in the world beyond the classroom. It requires using a repertoire of knowledge and skills to accomplish a goal or solve an open-ended problem. In addition, it entails the thoughtful application of knowledge rather than just recalling facts.
Open-Ended Assessments: Students are presented with a challenging task and are asked to provide an original response which strengthens their problem solving ability.
Selected Response Assessments (Tests/Quizzes): These single-occasion assessments provide a snapshot of students’ specific knowledge.
Portfolios: An ongoing, purposeful collection is composed of selected student work and is designed to demonstrate growth, creativity, and reflection.