A school, as defined by the S.C.C.E. in the document Catholic School (1977) “is a privileged place of integral formation by means of systematic and critical assimilation of culture”. Accordingly, the task of a Catholic school “is fundamentally a synthesis of culture and faith and a synthesis of faith and life: the firs is reached by integrating all the different aspects of human knowledge through the subjects taught, in the light of the Gospel; the second in the growth of the virtues characteristic of the Christian.” Therefore, the educational program in a Catholic school should be envisioned as a process aiming at students' transformation and learning. This principle seems to match the outcomes-centered curriculum model of Lorrain A. Oznar in Creating a Curriculum that Works. Essentially, the strength of the model may be in the outstanding opportunity of connecting educational outcomes and objectives with the educational philosophy and mission of a values-based and learning-centered Catholic school. As a result, the connection of these factors may provide suited conditions for the synthesis suggested by the educational document of the Church.
As Oznar suggests it, the outcomes-centered curriculum model works when change occurs in the mindset (output mindset) of individuals, and similarly when administrators, teachers, parents, students, and community collaborate by focusing on significant learning. As a result, it is expected that a shift will occur from isolated responsibility for learning toward the responsibility of the whole school community. The interdependence may prevent professional isolation of teachers, but at the same time well-defined outcomes and objectives focused on significant and measurable learning may transform the attitude of students so as to enhance their awareness of being responsible for their own learning. These are some of the very significant benefits of outcomes-centered curriculum design and implementation.
Further benefits of this model may be identified as increasing teacher creativity. Not only do we have to work collaboratively, but also we have to select rich content knowledge and to use a variety of teaching strategies in order to improve students’ learning. Subsequently, thanks to the outcomes-centered curriculum model, in our decision-making, at whatever stage of our work, we may focus on relevant content as well as choose adequate pedagogical strategies from a large pool of opportunities. Inherently, thinking from the significant learning perspective, teachers may see more clearly or objectively the needs of students, and as a result, adopt better teaching and learning strategies. In addition, higher objectivity will make possible for a teacher to predict more exactly the quality of learning and also to improve the process.
When fallowing the process of outcomes-centered curriculum, there are, however, to be considered some challenges as well. One of them may be, as a matter of fact, the quickly changing world, and also the increasing divergence in the needs of students. It seems to be a difficult process, when keeping the pace of change and adapting to as fast as demanded by the new circumstances. Concretely, in such a world may be a hard challenge to reach a working agreement among the many collaborators involved in the process of creating a relevant curriculum. The goals, and therefore the suited outcomes may differ in many ways.
As regards challenges that teachers may encounter, their role ought to undergo, in many aspects, a radical change. The way of working, planning, and taking decisions indicated by the outcomes-centered curriculum model demands a great ability of continual adaptation as well as to increase the value of pedagogical knowledge and skills. But, the task is even more complex when pedagogy is very much a changing knowledge. In addition, pedagogical creativity also means use of more complex strategies, which may demand more resources, and most importantly the scarcest resource, time. Furthermore, to change the professional isolation of teachers in order to adopt the more complex collaborative way of working could also be a hard challenge for many. I would be very pleased to read about teachers’ experiences of implementing outcomes-centered curriculum model. Which have the concrete advantages been and what kind of troubles may occur on the process?
Finally, it seems that the outcomes-centered curriculum model may not only change the way of thinking and relating in education, but also indicate the need of important systemic changes at organizational level. However, as regards significant learning, this model may hopefully help us to serve better and also to fulfill the purpose of Catholic school as “a place of integral formation”.