Course Title: Curriculum for Diversity in Education

Course No. : Ed. CE. 522 Full marks: 50

Nature of course: Theory Pass marks: 20
Level: M. Ed. Periods per week: 3
Year: Second Time per period: 55 minutes
Total periods: 75

1. Course description
This course is concerned with the education of children and youth who differ in some
educationally relevant way and who are from diverse culture with atypical developmental
patterns. This is a theory course in which students will get knowledge on different aspects of
diversity that are commonly found in the classroom and the ways to address those diversities
through curricular management. The students will also study the practices of diversity
management in the schools of Nepal.

2. General objectives
The general objectives of this course are as follows:
• To acquaint the students with the concept, need and the dimensions of diversity in
education.
• To develop students’ ability in exploring diversity of learners in the classroom.
• To develop students’ skills in designing curriculum for multicultural context so that
equal opportunity to education for all is possible.
• To make students able in developing innovative curricula to address different types of
diverse learners.
3. Specific Objectives and Contents
Specific Objectives Contents
• Clarify the concept of diversity. Unit 1: Diversity in Education (5)
• Explain the needs and purposes of the 1.1 Concept of diversity
diversity in education. 1.2 Need for diversity in education
• Explore the dimensions of diversity in 1.3 Purpose of diversity in education
education. 1.4 Dimensions of diversity in education
• Define culture and describe the layers Unit II: Culture and Education (10)
of culture. 2.1 Concept of culture (meaning, deep
• Explain how children learn culture. and surface elements, and layers)
• List and describe the characteristics of 2.2 Children’s learning of culture
Nepalese culture. 2.3 Nepalese culture
• Explain schools as cultural institutions. 2.4 School and cultural identity
• Illustrate the possible ways for making 2.5 School as cultural institution
teachers how teachers can be culturally 2.6 Culturally responsive education
relevant.
• Illustrate misconceptions and Unit III: Multicultural Education and the
underlying beliefs of multicultural Curriculum (15)
education. 3.1 Misconceptions of multicultural
• Define multicultural and state the goals education
of multicultural education. 3.2 Defining "Multicultural Education"
• List and describe the principles of 3.3 Fundamental beliefs of multicultural
multicultural education. education
• State the problems in multicultural 3.4 Principles of multicultural education
education. 3.5 Goals of multicultural education
• Suggest ways for managing 3.6 Problems in multicultural education
multicultural curriculum. 3.7 Managing multicultural curriculum
3.7.1 Delivery of content including
• Identify the issues and problems being
11
 faced in multicultural education in instructional methods
Nepal. 3.7.2 Critical inquiry into inclusion -
• State the policies, and programs for social and civic responsibility
multicultural education in Nepal. 3.8 Policies, programmes and issues for
multicultural education in Nepal
• Analyze the multilingual context Unit IV: Education in a Bilingual /
of Nepal and its challenges for Multilingual Situation (10)
education.
• Relate language and learning. 4.1 Multilingual contexts: the challenges
• State the UNESCO guidelines on for education system
language and education. 4.2 Need for mother tongue
• Identify the programmes and issues of education
bilingual/tri-lingual, multilingual 4.3 UNESCO guidelines on
education in Nepal. language and education
• Explain the Policies, programmes of 4.4 Policies, programmes and issues of
bilingual/tri-lingual, multilingual bilingual/tri-lingual, multilingual
education in Nepal. education in Nepal
4.5 Developing framework for
• Suggest framework for developing
bilingual/multilingual education in
bilingual/multilingual education in
Nepal
Nepal.
• State the meaning of Human Unit V: Curriculum from Rights Groups
right from international and Perspectives ( 20)
national perspective. 5.1 Relation between human Right
• Explore the linkage between human and curriculum
right and curriculum. 5.2 Gender and curriculum
• Analyze the curriculum and text books 5.2.1 Universal and national
from gender, children, ethnicity, dalit declaration on gender
and disabled person’s perspectives in right
terms of objectives and content, content 5.2.2 Issues to be addressed by
and language used in textbooks, and curriculum
classroom management. 5.3 Child right and curriculum
5.3.1 Universal and national
declaration on child right
5.3.2 Issues to be addressed by
curriculum
5.4 Ethnic right and curriculum
5.4.1 Universal and national
declaration on ethnic
right
5.4.2Issues to be addressed by
curriculum
5.5 Dalit's right and curriculum
5.5.1 Declaration on dalit
right
5.5.2 Issues to be addressed by
curriculum
5.6 Differently able person and
curriculum
5.6.1 Provision of right of
differently able
person
5.6.2 Issues to be addressed.
• Explain the origin and concept Unit VI: Inclusive Education and the
of inclusive education. Curriculum (15)
12
 • Explain the rationale of inclusive
education of "Education for All".
• Illustrate the key elements for the shift
towards inclusive education
• Develop tools for assessing inclusive
status of curriculum
• Identify the existing problems and
issues for inclusive education in Nepal.
• Analyze the policies and practices
adopted for inclusive education in
Nepal.
• Suggest strategies and activities in
meeting the needs of all children in
Nepal.
6.1 Origin of inclusive education
6.2 Meaning and concept of inclusive
education
6.3 Rationale for inclusive education
6.4 Key elements for the shift towards
inclusive education
6.4.1 Key players in support of
inclusion
6.4.2 Attitudes and values
6.4.3 Accessible and flexible
curricula
6.4.4 Empowering for all
6.5 Inclusive education and education
for all
6.5.1 Tools for educational
planners and policy makers
6.5.2 Steps towards inclusive
checklist
6.5.3 Strategic planning for
inclusion
6.6 Existing policies, practices,
problems and issues in Nepal
6.7 Strategies and activities in meeting
the needs of all children in Nepal

4. Instructional Techniques
The instructional techniques for this course are divided into two groups. First group consists of
general instructional techniques applicable to most of the units. The second group consists of
specific instructional techniques applicable to specific units.

4.1 General instructional technique

In general, the teacher will use lecture, discussion, and reading assignment will be followed
by presentations by the students on the given topics. Each lecture or presentation will be
followed by class discussion. The teacher will play a supportive role in finding the materials
for their reading assignments.

4.2 Specific Instructional technique

Unit II: The students will analyze the nature of the Nepalese culture. Like wise they will try
to examine the relation between school and culture. Based on their study they will
draw implication for developing culturally responsive education for Nepal.
Unit III: Students will explore the concept and misconception of multicultural education.
Teacher will encourage the students, individually or in group, present the paper on
policies, programme and issues for multicultural education in Nepal.
Unit IV: The students will be asked to identify the lingual problems and issues in education
and develop a suitable framework to address the lingual problem in education.
Unit V: The teacher will assign students the task on identifying curriculum from varied
perspectives. The students will study the reports of the studies made from varied
perspectives and make a report and present for discussion in the classroom.
Unit VI: The students will be encouraged to explore the needs of inclusive education and
they will be given assignments to suggest strategies in meeting the needs of all
children in Nepal.

13
5. Evaluation
Students' progress will be evaluated by means of various techniques such as classroom test,
report presentation, participation in the classroom discussion. However, the result of such
evaluation will be used specifically for feedback purposes that will help for improvement in
students’ achievement. The final evaluation will be done by the Office of the Controller of
Examination, Tribhuvan University. The types and number of questions and marks allocated will
be as follows:

Number of questions
Total questions Total
Types of questions to be answered and
to be asked marks
marks allocated
Group A: Multiple choice items 8 questions 8 × 1 mark 8
Group B: Short answer 5 with 2 'or' questions 5 × 6 marks 30
questions
Group C: Long answer question 1 question 1 × 12 marks 12

6. Recommended Books and References

Recommended Books
Banks, J. A. (2006). Cultural diversity and education: Foundations, curriculum and teaching
(5th Ed.). New York: Pearson Education, Inc. (For units I-IV)
Minority Right Group (1990). Language, literacy and minorities. UK: Author (For unit IV and
V)
Pang, V. O. (2001) Multicultural education: A caring- centered reflective approach. New York:
McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. (For units II-III)
UNESCO (2003). Promoting educational inclusion: A policy colloquium. Report of a workshop
held in New Delhi (7-8 October 2003) New Delhi: Authors (For unit VI)

References
Kafle, B. D. (2002) Including the excluded: A critical evaluation of special needs education
programme in Nepal. A unpublished doctoral dissertation submitted to B.H.U. India
ESAT (2007).s “Curriculum from different perspectives”. Kathmandu Authors
Subba, C. et al (2006). Ethnicity, dalit and gender issues In Nepal: Conflict, resolution and
sustainable peace, Volume Four. Katmandu: IIDS.
UNICEF (1994). Education rights and minorities, UK: Ed. Minority Right Group.
UNESCO (2003). Education in a multilingual world France: Author.
UNESCO (2005). Guidelines for inclusion: Ensuring access to education for all. France: Author.

14