IICAs Strategy for Curriculum Modernization

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IICAs Strategy for Curriculum Modernization
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I. RationaleThe new international context of
opening and free trade poses fresh challenges for
agricultural education. A complex new scenario
has been taking shape in which educational
systems are required to train human talents for
competitive and sustainable agriculture.
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To correct this situation, the efforts required
are twofold
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II. Background Over the last five years, the
DECAP has received requests from a number of
public and private education centers that offer
courses in agriculture, for assistance in
updating their curricula. In response, DECAP
implemented the followed strategy 1.Organization
of a series of meetings to support the
modernization of higher education institutions
offering specializations in agriculture and
related sciences. 2.Development of a methodology
for curriculum modernization. 3.Development of
an institutional evaluation model.
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• Meetings to Support Curriculum Modernization
• In order to discuss the main problems, trends and
  challenges faced by higher agricultural
  education, learn of curriculum modernization
  experiences and encourage chancellors and deans
  to form national and regional organizations to
  better meet the challenges faced by education of
  this kind, IICA held a series of regional
  meetings to support the modernization of schools
  of agronomy
• Algarrobo, Chile, 1996
• San Jose, Costa Rica, 1996
• Maracay, Venezuela, 1996
• Recife, Brazil, 1997
• Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago 1997
• These regional meetings sparked interest in the
  subject and processes got under way aimed at
  creating national and regional organizations to
  meet the challenges faced by this education at
  this level.

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• Development of a methodology for curriculum
  modernization
• Based on the thematic areas in which the
  institutions are being asked to provide courses,
  and on the opinions of chancellors and deans
  expressed at the meetings on curriculum
  modernization, the DECAP team began to summarize
  and systematize the areas in which assistance was
  needed under the following lines of action
• Organizational Strengthening for Change
• The Strategic Planning of Education
• The Development of a Medium Term Plan and
  Organizational Strategies
• Improvement, review and/or development of new
  courses
• Development of a curriculum evaluation model (as
  part of an institutional evaluation plan)
• Development of human resources for higher
  agricultural education

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• Improvement, review and/or development of new
  courses, including
• Development of professional profiles
• Curriculum design based on the professional
  skills required
• Identification of requirements (logistics) for
  achieving the curriculum proposed
• Review and fine-tuning of lines of research and
• Review and fine-tuning of extension projects

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• Development of human resources for higher
  agricultural education, which includes
• Strengthening of university teaching and updating
  training for professors on emerging issues
• Enhancing the expertise of administrators
  vis-à-vis the development of institutional plans

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Once the lines of action were established,
seminars, courses and workshops have become a
tool for supporting the curriculum modernization
processes that IICA, via DECAP, has been
implementing with the institutions as a valid,
reliable way of undertaking curriculum change.
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Negotiating Phase This phase consists of
negotiations between the institution requesting
the assistance in modernizing its curriculum, the
IICA technical cooperation agency in the country
in question, the corresponding IICA regional
center and the Directorate of Education and
Training (DECAP). The main objective of this
stage is to establish the terms of reference for
the implementation of the modernization process.
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Implementation Phase This is divided into
three stages. The first involves an activity
to motivate the participants regarding the need
for change, targeted at the teams of professors,
administrative and management personnel. It is
designed to prepare them to accept and manage the
process of change and curriculum modernization
properly. The second stage entails applying the
elements of the strategic planning exercise to
the educational program and to the development of
a medium term development plan. During the
third stage the participants review the
curriculum, taking into account all the elements
obtained in the previous phase and following the
plan suggested for this phase. An important part
of this phase is the development of human
resources in the universities.
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Development of an institutional evaluation
model Finally, the elements are established for
an evaluation model that will make it possible to
monitor the continuous development of all the
dimensions of the institutional plan curriculum,
professors, students, recourses, infrastructure,
etc. An important part of this phase is the
training of teams to conduct institutional
self-evaluation processes and the teams (in
pairs) for the accreditation of courses.
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III. Accreditation of Programs The ultimate
objective of the curriculum modernization
processes is to enable the respective faculties
-once they have developed a clear vision and
mission and a strategic plan, a curriculum
designed to achieve the professional profile
required and a system for the continuous
evaluation of the inputs, processes and outcomes
under the institutional plan- to participate in
systems for the accreditation of their systems.
Initially, this is at the national level
then, in a second stage, at the regional level
and, finally, as part of a hemispheric system of
accreditation