The Study Of Development Module For High School Curriculum Benchmarks In American Diploma Project

With the further educational reform in the United States and the establishment ofeducational objectives, three American non-profit organizations cooperated to developthe―American Diploma Project‖in2004to meet the requirements of bothemployment and further study and rebuild the public confidence in the value of highschool diploma. This project aims to develop benchmarks for high school curriculumas a reference for all high schools in America. Studying the development module ofcurriculum in―American Diploma Project‖which is oriented to further study andemployment, including the concept, procedures, methods, and features, will definitelydevelop the methods of high school curriculum development as well as provide avaluable reference for the design of high school curriculum in our country.Based on the theory of comparative education and combining the documentationmethod, case study, and comparison method, the thesis studies the background,objectives, principles, and content of benchmarks for high school curriculum in―American Diploma Project‖.―Three Links‖and―Seven Steps‖in the developmentprocess are generalized. Among the seven steps, three typical ones are thoroughlyelaborated. Based on these findings, the attributes of development module for highschool curriculum benchmarks in American Diploma Project are concluded.This research shows that the "American diploma project", oriented in furtherstudy and employment, considers the students‘pursuit for further study and theirdemands for future career, meanwhile taking their professional development intoaccount. This development module embodies future application orientation ofcurriculum development. Moreover, the research is conducted by empirical approach.The benchmarks have been revised many times and can be traced to the same originwith F.Bobbitt‘s curriculum design. In addition, group discussion and publicannouncement, which play a significant role in the development process, will makethe benchmarks scientific, meticulous, and publicly accepted.Currently, It is common that the high school education in our country placesmuch attention on―preparation for college‖, which ignors the preparation foremployment. We should draw lessons from the development module of curriculumbenchmarks in―American Diploma Project‖to provide a reference for high schoolcurriculum design in our country.