Have you embarked on the processes of documenting and analyzing your academic program curricular data? These slides provide basic definitions of the processes of curriculum mapping (data gathering) and curriculum alignment (data analysis).

1. Curriculum Mapping & Analysis:
Basic Definitions
Dr. Suad Alazzam
suad [at] portlandstate.org
© 2011 All Rights Reserved

2. Terminology Introduced:
- Curriculum Mapping
- Curriculum Alignment
- Vertical Curriculum Alignment
- Horizontal Curriculum Alignment

3. Curriculum Mapping
An ongoing process of documenting curricular data
through a unit of study planner* that consists of
categories such as content, skills, assessments,
learning activities/instructional strategies, resources,
etc. Documentation of curricular data could be done
collaboratively or by individual teachers for all taught
courses in a given curricular program for the purpose
of capturing the full picture of the curriculum.

4. *A Sample Unit of Study Planner

5. Curriculum Alignment
A process of analyzing curricular data such as
content, skills, assessments, etc. to determine the
degree of congruence between the different
curricular elements and to discover gaps and
repetitions for the purpose of ensuring a high quality,
comprehensive, and integrated school or program
curriculum. Curriculum alignment could be
conducted vertically (analyzing curricular data for
one subject across grade levels) or horizontally
(analyzing curricular data for different subjects at the
same grade level).

6. Vertical Curriculum Alignment
A process of analyzing curricular data
for one subject across consequent Grade 3
grade or stage levels to insure that the
intended learning outcomes such as
content and skills are concise, gap-free, Grade 2
well-sequenced, and develop spirally.
Grade 1
Science

7. Horizontal Curriculum Alignment
A process of analyzing curricular data for different
subjects at the same grade or stage level for the
purpose of discovering and/or creating curricular
integration opportunities to help students reach
enduring understandings of studied concepts and
issues by viewing them through different disciplinary
lenses.
Grade Science Math Technology
6

8. Thank You!
Dr. Suad Alazzam
suad [at] portlandstate.org
© 2011 All Rights Reserved