Students of curriculum design programs learn how to maximize leading edge teaching styles and students’ learning abilities to create effective training and instruction methods. These professionals may design curricula for K-12 school districts, help with college curriculum standards, or design training programs for businesses. Students wanting to find open courseware classes that help them with curriculum design will find resources that provide theory, concrete examples of teaching various age groups, different ways to understand the nature and role of curriculum, and how students react to different teaching styles. The courses found below are offered by the Connexions consortium and The Open University, giving students access to a range of topics included in the field of curriculum design. From Curriculum Theories to The Role of Play in Children’s Learning to Experiences of Learning Mathematics, teachers, administrators, and other educational professionals can find resources that help them relate to and engage very young children, K-12 students, and even adult students. Science teachers can also take a course specifically designed to help them accommodate for the constantly changing nature of their field.

There are many resources available for students and professionals interested in the education field. Teachers at all levels can access free classes to help them design their own curriculum, and professionals curriculum designers will also find reference material to help them remain competitive in the growing industry. This list is just a sampling of courses designed to give an overview of curriculum-oriented education classes that can be taken in a way that is convenient for most types of students.

• Curriculum Theories [Connexions] – Teachers are taught to view curriculum as a product to be “sold” to their students in this course.
• The Role of Play in Children’s Learning [The Open University] – Teachers of young children get tips on designing effective curricula in this course.
• Experiences of Learning Mathematics [The Open University] – Math instructors learn new teaching strategies in this class.
• Changes in Science Education [The Open University] – Science teachers discover new methods of adapting to the ever changing nature of their field.
• Teaching Citizenship: Work and the Economy [The Open University] – Teachers learn how to incorporate the significance and history of citizenship to students in this UK-centric course.