Dear Educator:

Welcome to the challenges of developing skill standard-based curriculum in information technology (IT). The information in this website is provided to introduce you to tools you need to develop competency-based curriculum that will help prepare your students for careers in the expanding field of information technology.

Benefits of Using Skill Standards as the Foundation for Curriculum

Provides Educators with:

• A broad-based, endorsed expectation of what learners must know and be able to do to be successful in the workplace

• A flexible, modular approach to developing curriculum

• An increased opportunity to integrate technical knowledge and skills with foundation skills such as critical thinking, teamwork, project management

• Benchmarks for assessing learner progress

Provides Learners with:

• A clear expectation of what they must know and be able to do to meet employer requirements

• Opportunities to take more responsibility for their learning

• Experiences that allow them to see greater relevance for what they are learning

• Skills and values for life-long learning

Provides Employers with a Workforce:

• With knowledge, skills and abilities more closely aligned with workplace expectations

• That has learned technical and foundation skills in the context of solving real problems

• With easily documented, portable skills

 

Many of the curriculum tools are based on the information technology skill standards and tools in Building a Foundation for Tomorrow: Skill Standards for Information Technology. However, we believe the processes described can be applied to any industry skill standards. Representative examples of the curriculum development model are described in this website. The complete development model and sample curriculum are available in Building a Foundation for Tomorrow: A Development Kit for Skill Standard-Based Information Technology Curriculum.

These and other publications can be obtained through the Order Form provided. Viewing this form may require downloading the Adobe Acrobat Reader. The complete CDK contains:

1. A model process for developing new or revising existing curriculum

2. An overview of performance-based assessment informed by skill standards

3. Sample curriculum in Technical Support including:

1. Learner program outcomes

2. Key competencies and performance indicators

3. Sample activities and assessments

4. Sample modules in science and writing for IT

 

Sincerely,

 

Sandra J. Anderson Curriculum Project Manager

Mich�le Royer Curriculum Development Specialist

Peter Saflund Director of Educational Projects and Products