How can different approaches to curriculum like these support standards
and promote deeper learning?
Like karen and Paul I see the core standards or in our case the course competencies as being a creative challenge. From my experience in the post secondary education/training sector, as teachers we do have a choice about the methodologies we use to achieve this 'standards'.
We do try and choose ways of achieving these competencies that have are flexible and responsive to the learning needs of the students. For me, it's always been about 'daring to be different' and coming up with creative options that engage both me and the students in a terrific learning process. I aways ask myself the question ' are students powering up' when they are learning with me, or 'powering down'?
Teachers have a rich pedagogical toolbox and are really professional craftsman in the art of teaching, so let's use our expertise to put deep learning back at the forefront of our work and reclaim learning back from the ' assessment and testing and number crunching maniacs'.
So, my suggestion is to be brave, daring and connect with others who are seeing core standards/ competencies and outcomes ( Australia) as an opportunity to be harnassed for change.