Designing a Learning Programe
TOPIC: Designing a learning programme for Natural Science in the Senior Phase (Grade 7-9)
A learning programme is defined as the structured and systematic arrangement of activities that encourage the
attainment of learning outcomes and assessment standards for the phase, to ensure that the teaching, learning
and assessment programme is coherent (Booyse C and Du Plessis E, 2010).
The above definition of a learning programme shows that the planning and implementation of a learning
programme should be a collective effort of all educators in a phase, sharing a learning area / subject. This is to
say, the educators must be clear with what to teach and assess at each grade within a phase. In so doing the
assessment standards are clearly defined and state.
Moreover, this collective effort of educators is not restricted to one learning area / subject educators, but
educators from other learning areas / subjects should be involved. This is to ensure that integration across the
curriculum is achieved and prevents repetitions of content in lesson presentations.
In spite of phase educators being involved in the planning, a whole school development plan should also be
effected. Whole school development planning is defined as a process whereby all the stakeholders in the school
consider all the activities and interests of the school and then decide on the goals for their school (Booyse C
and Du Plessis E, 2010)
So in light of the above definition, learning programme planning will include all the stakeholders (people /
organizations) that are relevant to the school function because curriculum is of prime importance to the school
well being. Actually curriculum is the core business f the school.
Through the whole school development, and curriculum as one of the facets of development, a situation analysis
(SWOT) to determine curricular Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats is then carried out. For
A learning programme is defined as the structured and systematic arrangement of activities that encourage the
attainment of learning outcomes and assessment standards for the phase, to ensure that the teaching, learning
and assessment programme is coherent (Booyse C and Du Plessis E, 2010).
The above definition of a learning programme shows that the planning and implementation of a learning
programme should be a collective effort of all educators in a phase, sharing a learning area / subject. This is to
say, the educators must be clear with what to teach and assess at each grade within a phase. In so doing the
assessment standards are clearly defined and state.
Moreover, this collective effort of educators is not restricted to one learning area / subject educators, but
educators from other learning areas / subjects should be involved. This is to ensure that integration across the
curriculum is achieved and prevents repetitions of content in lesson presentations.
In spite of phase educators being involved in the planning, a whole school development plan should also be
effected. Whole school development planning is defined as a process whereby all the stakeholders in the school
consider all the activities and interests of the school and then decide on the goals for their school (Booyse C
and Du Plessis E, 2010)
So in light of the above definition, learning programme planning will include all the stakeholders (people /
organizations) that are relevant to the school function because curriculum is of prime importance to the school
well being. Actually curriculum is the core business f the school.
Through the whole school development, and curriculum as one of the facets of development, a situation analysis
(SWOT) to determine curricular Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats is then carried out. For
References: (1) Booyse, C and Du Plessis. E. 2010. The Educator as Learning Programme Developer. Pretoria: Van Schaik Publishers. (2) Du Plessis, E. 2009. The Educator as Learning Programme Developer Study Guide. Pretoria. University of South Africa.