GUIDELINES FOR TASK -SPECIFIC CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT FOR MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH CARE TRAINING

In order to keep the content of the training course relevant to the job and in order to accomplish training within a relatively short period of time, a task-specific method was applied to define curriculum objectives and content. Effective training for comprehensive MCH care demands approaches which differ from those conventionally used for health training. Particular efforts are required to: combine curative and preventive measures; work in a team context; give services in a sympathetic way; place major emphasis on education and motivation; and provide a family and community orientation. These guidelines attempt to review briefly how the task-oriented curriculum was developed. Section I discusses tasks and shows how they can be analyzed. Other sections show how step-by-step task descriptions were used to determine curriculum objectives and how these objectives are used to elaborate the curriculum content. An illustration is given of a convenient approach to organizing the curriculum into units. An example is presented of lesson programs which arrange the curriculum for an under-five and prenatal training program into a week-long course for level I and a two-week course for level II nurses. This is an approach for elaborating a job relevant curriculum. Adaptation will be required to make sure that local approaches, needs and possibilities are taken into account in transferring them to other situations.