Introduction to Curriculum Systems

From the perspective of the TTD, dichotomous choices in instructional design, such as classroom instruction vs. online learning, in any educational program are not static binary selections. Instructional design elements are dynamic and represent a range of potential states, depending on the interaction of the learner with the instructor and the instructional environment. The degree to which students are present or absent in a classroom, or decide to communicate synchronously or asynchronously is determined dynamically by the needs of the learner and the requirements of the instructor in real time while an instructional session is in progress. In this chapter, we will demonstrate that the static credit hour system and the fixed academic calendar that it imposes on the management of course schedules are no longer adequate to meet the curricular needs of individual students, administrators, and faculty in the postmodern time. The static academic calendar system is an artifact of standardizing products, and services in the industrial era. This preset calendar does not allow students to proceed at their own pace, which prevents them from graduating in a timely manner, and consequently increases their cost of education. The current static curricular system clashes with the needs of students who must survive and thrive in a vibrant, and dynamic postindustrial era. In this section, recent developments in curriculum systems that have a major impact on the TTD are presented.