The pioneer cohort of curriculum reform: Guinea pigs or trail-blazers?

Abstract

With curriculum reform, whether we admit it or not, the first cohort of students will be 'testdriving' the new programme. Not only are they the pioneers of a new curriculum, but as they progress through their studies, they experience each year of the innovation for the first time. As curriculum designers, we learn from their experiences and their feedback to improve the programme content and delivery, invariably for subsequent cohorts. A considerable onus therefore rests with this pioneer group, and their contribution to curriculum design, evaluation and programme revision should be valued. © 2005 McLean; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.