The GASERC-ABEGS and IBE-UNESCO projects
At the International Conference of Education in 2001 their Excellencies, the Ministers of Education of the ABEGS-member states, asked the IBE-UNESCO to engage in joint curriculum projects.
The ABEGS-GASERC and IBE-UNESCO projects explored several important education issues in the light of the directions for improving teaching and learning in the ABEGS-member states stated in the Joint Plan for Developing the Curricula in the GCC Countries (1999):
- How to improve time allocation and increase the efficiency of education systems based on a better usage of time? What are the relationships between time and other factors that are important in education and learning processes?
- How to support and promote integrated learning based on curriculum integration? How to best balance tradition and innovation?
- What could be the role of the modern technology in improving the methodologies for capacity building and experience sharing for curriculum specialists?
- How can networking and cooperation between curriculum specialists be improved?
During the period 2002-2005 four GASERC-ABEGS and IBE-UNESCO projects were carried out:
CAPACITY BUILDING AND EXPERIENCE SHARING ACTIVITIES:
Bahrain (10-14 May 2003) and Dubai/U.A.E. (28-31 March 2004)
 60 specialists from the ABEGS-member states (seven national teams) participated in the Bahrain (2003) and Dubai (2004) seminar. After each seminar, comprehensive seminar Reports were issued (see the Seminar Reports).
Academic gains of the joint curriculum projects:
- Comparative Studies on Time Allocation (Internationally and in the ABEGS - Member States)
- Book on ‘Developing key competencies in education: some lessons from international and national experience'
- Paper on Curriculum Integration
- Paper on Content Analysis and Evaluation
METHODOLOGIES AND MANUALS
- Manual for Content Analysis and Evaluation
- Manual for Yearly and Weekly Time Allocation
- Manual for Yearly and Weekly Subject Time Allocation
- Comprehensive Framework for Curriculum Integration
ELECTRONIC TOOLS
A. ‘Classic Ratio-Weights ’ Tool
The Classic Tool enables curriculum specialists to explore various scenarios of school time allocation, the both so-called ‘traditional’ or ‘classic’ ones (number of instructional periods per subject and week), and the ‘non-traditional’ ones (such as integrated subjects, project work, and/or using block periods of instructional time).
How does it work?
Step 1 – The existing situation of time allocation in a specific country will represent the starting point.
Step 2 – The data can be changed and new scenarios can be created (depending upon what should/could change), that the Tool can memorize (thus creating a data base of explored scenarios).
Step 3 – Consequences of changes can be discussed amongst curriculum specialists that visualize the effects graphically
B. Structural Design Tool
C. The Syllabus Decomposer Tool
Toolbox for curriculum specialists
In 2005 the IBE-UNESCO envisages to produce a Toolbox for capacity building focusing on ‘ The selection and organization of learning contents: time allocation and curriculum integration’.
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