curriculum evaluation.docx

According to Kelly (2009, p. 9) curriculum is \"the overall rationale for any educational programme\". Since the learner is the key component in the whole process of curriculum then Kelly (2009, p. 13) asserted that \"curriculum is the totality of the experiences the pupil has as a result of the pro...

According to Kelly (2009, p. 9) curriculum is \"the overall rationale for any educational programme\". Since the learner is the key component in the whole process of curriculum then Kelly (2009, p. 13) asserted that \"curriculum is the totality of the experiences the pupil has as a result of the provision made\". In this context curriculum is composed of ideas as well as activities proposed by the experts and must be organized by the educational institutions to help their learners achieve desired educational aims and objectives. what is taught at school, set of subjects, programme of studies, set of materials, set of objectives, course of studies, everything happening in school, annual plan of school, or experiences of the learners within or outside the school is called curriculum. ### Curriculum Evaluation Evaluation is concerned about making judgments. Curriculum evaluation has an important place in curriculum studies (Harris & Bell 1994; Marsh & Willis, 1999; Vashist, 1993). People insist on educational accountability and the experts demand for educational reforms. A curriculum can be evaluated in a number of ways, like its internal consistency, its representation of reality, its appropriateness, its teachability and its possible intended and unintended out comes. Furthermore, curriculum evaluation included the study of teachers\' and students\' interaction with each other and with a curriculum in a particular environment. Curriculum evaluation may include examination of goals, objectives, rational, the structure of curriculum, the content, along with the analysis of the interests, reactions, motivations and achievements of the students facing that curriculum. Norris (1990) suggested paying special attention to curriculum evaluation. Glathorn et al. (2006) stated that curriculum evaluation should focus or evaluate the programme of studies, a field of study and a course of study. The programme of studies covers all the pre-planned learning experiences for many years for a group of learners, a field of study deals with the planned learning experienced for many years for a specific discipline or an area of study, whereas a course of study is concerned with all the planned learning experiences for one year or less in a given field of study. ### Purpose of Curriculum Evaluation The purpose of evaluation is to analyze the policies, motives and implementation of curriculum. The evaluation of curriculum implementation on large scale, for instance across a school, district, province or nation leads to assure the policies and motives of development for curriculum. Whereas, the evaluation at small scale, for instance with a school leads to analyze the individual purposes. According to Marsh and Willis (1999) evaluation of curriculum at school level aimed to: - Improve teaching according to the need of learners. - Examine the effects of the newly introduced curriculum. - Respond to dissatisfaction with school policies. - Resolve conflict with the school. - To maintain standards - To guide teaching - To motivate learning - To select student - To furnish instructions - To appraise teachers, teaching methods, books, content, etc. ### Types of Evaluation Harris and Bell (1994) categorized types of evaluation on a continuum. One end of a continuum may lead to different conclusions if compared to the other end of the continuum. Figure (2.18) lists a few bipolar types of evaluation: