Curriculum mapping, but based on version control systems.

Curriculum mapping, but based on version control systems.

The market is crowded with curriculum mapping software. But most of it seems to have followed the same evolutionary process as the web: first, you just publish static content that is revised manually and languishes due to how cumbersome it is to maintain. Eventually, you move to a database-driven application that is managed by a few people, but still accepts no input from users. It's more manageable, but not dynamic. Next, the "web 2.0" idea takes hold- allow users to generate content and modify.

But how is it managed? What is the approval process? Who has authority to choose between competing edits?

I got thinking about Subversion and Git, and realized that although the interdependencies between curricula are not as vital nor as complex as code, there is a growing clamor among educational researchers, gurus, and practitioners for curricula that is seamlessly aligned both horizontally (with other content areas), vertically (to the preceding and subsequent courses), and aligned to standards (state, fed, core content, local outcomes, NETS, etc.)

What if we designed a curriculum mapping system that approached curriculum as code? Teachers could tweak the existing content and submit for review and approval. Dependencies would be tracked.

Maybe somebody has already done this (I haven't researched this yet) but it seems like instead of following the evolutionary approach, we could start building a software platform using open source tools that would leapfrog most others in the industry.