Implementing a Co-Created Curriculum in the College Classroom: Preparing to Walk in Unprepared

N

102

College Curriculum; Curriculum Development; Curriculum Implementation; Curriculum Design; College Instruction; Ethnography; College Students; Student Attitudes; Teaching Models; Sense of Community

Colleges face growing pressures to maintain or enhance the quality of what they offer while being challenged to meet the needs of an increasingly diverse range of students. Staff in higher education face the challenge of supporting students to feel they belong and are valued. The co-creation of teaching and learning is one model in which we may be able to meet these challenges. The purpose of this study was to describe the process, benefits, and challenges of co-creating teaching and learning experiences in one college classroom from the perspectives of both teachers and students. A qualitative research methodology was used to explore and describe the implementation of a co-created curriculum model in a college classroom. Ethnographic field notes of the researcher's reflections on implementing a co-created curriculum were collected in narrative form, and data from students' perspectives were collected using open-ended survey questions. This study found that co-creating teaching and learning experiences in a college classroom included the process and preparation of implementing the model. Similar to previous research, this study's results show the benefits of autonomy, gaining experience and skills, motivation and engagement, and challenges that fall under the categories of resistance and institutional norms and practices. Implications for practice from this study include implications for both students and faculty. Implementing a co-created teaching and learning model allows for greater collaboration and engagement for students and faculty and develops a stronger sense of community in the classroom.

As Provided

2024

ED649934