Request for Proposals - CURRICULUM DEVELOPER Applications will be reviewed beginning May 28, 2012
Project type: Creation of face to face interactive training modules that focus on the development of critical thinking strategies aimed at increasing capacity (resiliency) in youth and on adolescent brain development. Project will also include the review of current youth engagement strategies curriculum and subsequent amendments. This opportunity will remain open until a suitable candidate is found.
Brief description of the Project
The Curriculum Developer/Writer will work with the Program Manager and an established Steering Committee to develop two (2)new Interactive Training modules as well as consolidating and condensing current Interactive Training Modules for Health Promotion Intermediaries that would comprise an eight (hour) face to face Interactive Training workshop.
The Modules as currently proposed are:
Module 1:
Classroom Environment
Educators must be informed about what to do in classroom settings. This information will provide educators with answers to questions that they may have about the logistics of educating youth.
Learning Objectives
The objectives of the program will focus on participants gaining knowledge in relation to educating, engaging, and empowering youth.
1. Gain an understanding of strategies to educate youth in classrooms about drugs
2. Gain an understanding of strategies to engage youth in course content
3. Gain an understanding of strategies to empower youth through developing drug education
Module 2:
Youth Education and Engagement
• Identify principles of effective substance abuse prevention programs
• Identify approaches that create a supportive environment for students
• Support healthy youth development
• Define youth engagement
• Identify how the eight principles of youth engagement, as defined by the Social Planning Council of Winnipeg, can be applied to classrooms
• Identify the benefits of youth engagement
• Identify individual and social contexts of youth
• Examine health knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours of youth
• Identify the principles of skill development
Module 3:
Critical Thinking Strategies to promote Resiliency in Youth
A gap exists in available professional development focused on using critical thinking strategies as an approach to drug abuse prevention programming for youth. A new CCE training module focused on developing critical thinking strategies and increasing capacity (resiliency) in youth must be developed and delivered in advance of In-Class Education (ICE) program launch. This program would be mandatory for all CCE students and made available to all project end user school staff.
The purpose of developing this new CCE module is to provide a brief introduction to the definition and disposition to think critically along with active learning strategies to promote CT in youth.
The key components of this program within the project would be:
1. Understanding the ‘Ideal’ and the ‘Real’ of adult thinking vs. youth thinking
a. Critical Thinking for Elementary Students
b. Critical Thinking at the Middle School Level
c. Critical Thinking for High School Students
Lessons would include a review or examples of:
2. Socratic Questioning
3. Understanding Content as a Mode of Thinking
4. Learning to Assess Thinking Within Any Discipline
5. Fostering the Traits of the Disciplined Mind
6. Ethical Reasoning
7. Scientific Reasoning
8. Reasoning Within the Social Sciences
9. Historical Reasoning
10. How to Read Closely and Write Substantively
11. Teaching Students to Assess Their Own Reasoning
Module 4:
Adolescent Brain Development
The purpose of developing this new CCE module is to provide scientifically proven education and training techniques that will show Health Promotion Intermediaries (HPI’s) how to work through delivering curriculum to an adolescent audience that is developing skills in deductive reasoning, problem solving and generalizing. This module is a complement to the training being developed in the area of Critical Thinking detailed above.
The study of human brain development across the lifespan has now become feasible with the advent of functional neuroimaging tools. The past two decades have witnessed an explosion of work examining functional brain maps, mostly of the adult brain. This experience has brought expertise and experimental standards in the methodology and interpretation of findings, paving the way for developmental brain research. Against this backdrop of work in adults, developmental research has begun to gather a substantial body of knowledge about brain maturation. This science however, is relatively new and rarely offered in relation to youth engagement in a drug education setting. This training module will be a strong compliment to the proposed work in CT strategies.
Key timelines for completion:
1. July 15th – Draft curriculum modules, evaluation and student exam complete
2. July 31st – Final curriculum modules, evaluation and student exam complete
3. August 2012 – Primary Educator training & program evaluation complete
4. August 2012 – Evaluation review and amended curriculum (if any) complete
Criteria for Assignment of Work:
The successful candidate(s) will be selected on the basis of the following criteria:
• Masters degree in Nursing, Social Work or Counselling from a recognized academic institution. Ph. D. preferred. An equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered.
• Recent and substantial experience in prevention and treatment of substance use problems.
• Appropriate and current knowledge and experience with the development of learning resources at a university level, in addition to content expertise.
• Demonstrated ability to write in a clear and consistent style, with grammatical accuracy.
• Ability to meet deadlines.
• Demonstrated ability to work in a collaborative and consultative manner.
• Experience or training in facilitating blended learning an asset.
To submit your application:
Please submit a cover letter, CV or resume, copies of degrees and contact information for at least three references, and details of how you meet the selection criteria directly to Lesley Whyte Executive Director, Council on Drug Abuse, lesley@drugabuse.ca
Include one or two brief examples of your instructional writing with your proposal including any university courses you have written.
Include a breakdown of fees and expenses based on the workload described.
Response to this notification signifies that you are willing and able to comply with the aforementioned terms and conditions of the project work.