Curriculum mapping enables educators to assess the effectiveness of classroom instruction using computer software. Its basic premise is that by documenting and evaluating what is planned and taught in the classroom, student learning can be improved. To put it another way, a curriculum map is one way to hold schools accountable for teaching “standards,” or what students should know.
Curriculum mapping was first introduced in the 1980s. Dr. Heidi Hayes Jacobs, president of Curriculum Designers, Inc., an online organization that provides international school curriculum consultations, developed a model for curriculum mapping in 1997. An annual Curriculum Mapping Institute is also held by the company.
The majority of the time, classroom lessons are designed to meet national, regional, and school district requirements for what must be taught. Teachers typically do not have a lot of time to include information that interests them personally. Curriculum maps are one way to organize and assess whether or not various requirements are being met. Curriculum maps can also be used as a planning tool to ensure that all required topics are covered over the course of a school year or a set period of time.
When creating curriculum maps, which are typically kept online, teachers usually collaborate. Teachers and administrators will have easy access to the information if it is kept online. Data can be reported on a monthly or grading-period basis. A curriculum map, for example, might list what students were taught during a specific time period and what assessments were used to determine whether or not they learned the material. Curriculum mapping data can be compared by subject, grade level, or even a whole school system.
In other words, curriculum maps can assist educators in determining what works and what does not. Curriculum maps with care can reveal gaps or repetitions in what teachers are teaching. This information can be used to make decisions about changing or eliminating ineffective or non-compliant practices.
Data can also be used to identify effective classroom activities. Curriculum maps, like standards, are constantly changing. They are a work in progress that evolves as new courses, students, and standards are introduced.
Curriculum maps aren’t meant to determine whether or not a teacher is qualified. Rather, they are an assessment tool that can be used to improve student learning and make classroom material more relevant. Teachers who believe in the concept and are properly trained and supported in using curriculum maps have the best results.