Community of Practice in Curriculum Development

© UNESCO-IBE 2005

The COP is a national as well as an intra- and inter-regional platform where the issues of curriculum change can be jointly discussed and implemented within the framework of a holistic approach for determining and implementing the goals of Education for All (EFA). It was created in July 2005 by the IBE in conjunction with curriculum specialists from different regions of the world.

 

As an open and plural space, the COP facilitates opportunities to share visions, approaches, experiences, innovative practices, research results and analytical studies. It also offers concrete possibilities for jointly undertaking programmes and projects for institutional capacity building around curricular themes. These joint undertakings are based on the requirements and needs identified in the field by educators themselves. Through this approach, horizontal co-operation, South-South and South-North, is promoted by the COP on a permanent basis.

 

Since its inception in June 2005, the COP has co-organised and/or participated in a total of 98 workshops, seminars, conferences and symposiums covering all regions of the world. COP Focal Point Coordinators are located in: Africa (4), Asia (2), Europe (3), Latin America (3), Arab states (2). 

 

During 2007-08 – through the COP and in close coordination with UNESCO Offices, Ministries of Education and international organisations – the IBE has co-organised nine regional workshops and four conferences on Inclusive Education. These were held in preparation for the 48th session of the International Conference on Education (ICE, 25-28 November 2008, Geneva) entitled “Inclusive Education: the way of the future”. These workshops and conferences have contributed to deepening the understanding of the content and scope of Inclusive Education from an inter-regional perspective, and to identifying common educational policy and curriculum concerns.

 

The IBE is now in the process of following up on the ICE. In the first semester of 2009, it has participated in nine workshops and conferences, where it disseminated the Conclusions and Recommendations of the ICE to further strengthen the message of inclusive education. Videos prepared for the ICE have also been used successfully as learning tools during capacity building workshops (see COP Activities for more information).

 

The COP is also engaged in other activities such as the piloting of our new Worldwide Resource Pack for capacity building on curriculum change and management, and the set up of a database of experiences of different learning situations to support competency-based reforms in Basic and Youth Education. The COP has also worked on comparative curricular research and the development of comprehensive capacity building approaches (from policy dialogue to changes in classroom practices, for example in Central America).

 

 

 

COP Documents: