Curriculum Implementation PDF

Topic 7 Curriculum Implementation By the end of this topic, you should be able to do the following: 1. Explain what curriculum implementation is. 2. Describe Lewin's change model. 3. Differentiate between the types of curriculum cha...

Topic 7 Curriculum Implementation By the end of this topic, you should be able to do the following: 1. Explain what curriculum implementation is. 2. Describe Lewin's change model. 3. Differentiate between the types of curriculum change. 4. Explain why people resist change. 5. Suggest ways of overcoming resistance to change. 6. List the roles and responsibilities of individuals involved in implementing curriculum. Hak Cipta © Open University Malaysia (OUM)  TOPIC 7 CURRICULUM IMPLEMENTATION 185 In Topic 5, we discussed what was involved in curriculum planning. In Topic 6, we looked at different curriculum design techniques, focusing on some curriculum design models. According to Tyler, Taba, and Saylor, Alexander, and Lewis, the next stage in the curriculum development process is implementing the curriculum plan. Implementing the curriculum is the most crucial but sometimes the most difficult phase of the curriculum development process. The final destination of any curriculum (whether a school, college, university or training organisation) is the classroom involving students, teachers, administrators and the community. Those responsible for implementing a curriculum often hear comments and concerns such as: Teachers are already overloaded with work – how will they implement new ideas? Parents and education officers are only interested in a high pass rate in examinations – how are schools to incorporate these suggested changes? These concerns are made worse when people implementing the curriculum are unclear about what is expected of them. How often have people heard the saying, „the plan was good, but the implementation was poor?‰ On the other hand, if a curriculum plan is not implemented and remains on the shelf, all planning efforts will be a waste. A curriculum must be delivered, which means it must be implemented in the classroom to impact student learning. Good plans for reaching the classroom are not properly implemented because of a lack of planning and preparation. In some curriculum development projects, implementation has not been given due consideration, not realising that innovations need careful planning and monitoring. We hear of teachers not being properly trained but were required to implement classroom changes quickly. Hak Cipta © Open University Malaysia (OUM) 186 TOPIC 7 CURRICULUM IMPLEMENTATION ACTIVITY 7.1 Read the newspaper report and answer the following questions. ÂHomework Must Be More Fun and MeaningfulÊ The Education Ministry is to Homework that is interesting to regulate homework assignment of pupils would not only make their school pupils to make it more learning more meaningful and interesting. Homework is clearly productive, but also facilitate one key area in which things can teaching. When school children are and should improve in the interest better motivated in their studies, of all concerned. Homework teachers also find their task easier. should have more quality than Students learn better and faster quantity. It needs a finer focus when their innate inquisitiveness with less bulk, and in the process is fired with more participatory become more interesting to give observation and enquiry of the students an added incentive to world about them. Good teachers studying harder. Young people can make this vital difference. have energy, imagination and a natural curiosity that can help Pupils must constantly be them to learn if properly encouraged to do more than chanelled. Otherwise homework answer set questions, as it is can become a hindrance to the essential to think their way to learning process. unrehearsed answers. True learning is more than Âspotting Teachers should be guided to exam questionsÊ. It is more learning rather than be fountains important for pupils to experience of infinite knowledge. They a sense of achievement in all should present material in aspects of study, which would give intellectually stimulating ways, them a feel of their own without spoon-feeding. Pupils development and growth. A more need to know that learning is part enlightened approach to learning of their own life experience, not such as this may also apply to something separate and removed regular class work besides from it. Teachers should therefore homework. avoid dishing out homework mechanically as routine chores, which would make studies boring and brain-deadening. Source: Adapted from The Sunday Star, 13 February, 2005 Hak Cipta © Open University Malaysia (OUM)  TOPIC 7 CURRICULUM IMPLEMENTATION 187 (a) What are some proposed suggestions for making homework fun and meaningful? (b) Do you agree with the statement that teachers should not „spoon-feed‰ but rather guide students to learning? Why? (c) Give other suggestions for making homework meaningful and fun. Share your answers with your coursemates in the myINSPIRE online forum. 7.1 WHAT IS CURRICULUM IMPLEMENTATION? Implementation is an interaction between those who have created the programme and those who are in charge to deliver it. According to Ornstein and Hunkins (1998) implementation: Requires educators to shift from the current programme they are familiar with to the new or modified programme. Involves changes in the knowledge, actions, and attitudes of people. Can be seen as a professional development and growth process involving ongoing interactions, feedback, and assistance. Is a process of clarification whereby individuals and groups come to understand and practice a change in attitudes and behaviours, often involving using new resources. Involves change that requires effort and produces a certain amount of anxiety. Organising implementation into manageable events and setting achievable goals to minimise these are useful. Requires a supportive atmosphere in which there is trust and open communication between administrators, teachers educators and where risk-taking is encouraged. Hak Cipta © Open University Malaysia (OUM) 188 TOPIC 7 CURRICULUM IMPLEMENTATION Even though large sums of money are spent on implementing new curriculum, several of these efforts have failed. According to Sarason (1990), the main reason for the failure is the lack of understanding of the schoolÊs cultural experts outside the school system and educators in the system. Successful curriculum implementation requires understanding the power relationships, traditions, roles and responsibilities of individuals in the school system. Implementors (teachers, principals, and district education officers) should be well-versed in the contents of the curriculum. They must be clear about the innovationÊs purpose, nature, and the real and potential benefits of the innovation. As stated by Fullan and Pomfret (1977), „effective implementation of innovations requires time, personal interaction and contacts, in-service training and other forms of people-based support‰ (p. 391). Curriculum implementation requires winning people over, and it takes time. Teachers need to feel appreciated and their efforts recognised. Some may argue that they should even be given financial rewards. Still, there is evidence to suggest that external motivation contributes minimally to the venture. Individuals contribute their best talents when they are internally motivated and derive a good feeling from being involved. CURRICULUM IMPLEMENTATION AS A 7.2 CHANGE PROCESS Implementation is the carrying out of something or the practical application of a method, procedure or desired purpose. Loucks and Lieberman (1983) define curriculum implementation as the trying out of a new practice and what it looks like when used in a school system. For example, a curriculum plan for enhancing technology integration across the curriculum is introduced. You probably would want to know whether what was intended in the plan is being done in the classroom. Your aim for developing a curriculum is to make a difference to learners. Curriculum implementation is bringing about change and, hopefully, improvement. How do you bring about change? In other words, how do you ensure that the curriculum brings about the desired changes? Before you can bring about change, you need to know what change is. You may ask what is the big deal because we all know what change is! You know how your job has changed. You know how government policy changes. But what is a change to the curriculum? Hak Cipta © Open University Malaysia (OUM)  TOPIC 7 CURRICULUM IMPLEMENTATION 189 Change is doing something differently. Change results from new knowledge. However, the presence of new knowledge is not enough for change to happen. People generally are reluctant to change because they are comfortable with what they are currently doing. So, to change, they must recognise the need for change. People are more likely to recognise the need for change if they understand change and how it works. DonÊt you agree? Kurt Lewin (1951), considered the father of social psychology, suggested a model explaining change (refer to Figure 7.1). Figure 7.1: Force Field Model Source: Lewin (1951) According to Lewin, all people are faced with two competing forces (refer to Table 7.1): Table 7.1: Types of Forces Driving Forces Restraining Forces These forces drive or push you to do These are forces restraining or preventing something and change in a particular you from doing something and changing. direction. They tend to initiate a change In the workplace, apathy, hostility, and and keep it going. In the workplace, obsolete equipment may be examples pressure from your boss, financial of restraining forces. incentives and competition for promotion may be examples of driving forces. Hak Cipta © Open University Malaysia (OUM) 190 TOPIC 7 CURRICULUM IMPLEMENTATION Equilibrium The status quo is maintained when these two forces (driving and restraining) are equal. In other words, there is no effort towards change, so will you do the same things you did before. For example: In the school setting, the principal is autocratic and constantly pressures the staff, which may bring about change in the short run. The methods used by the principal may lead to increased hostility and antagonism and manifest themselves in teachers refusing to cooperate and being reluctant to do more than is required. In other words, the driving forces have overpowered the restraining forces, and change is initiated when this happens. The change will continue as long as the driving forces are more powerful than the restraining forces. In other words, the restraining forces have increased, and change has slowed down. Lewin emphasised that it is better to reduce the power of the restraining forces to introduce change rather than increase the driving forces. This force has been termed unfreezing, whereby the powers of the restraining forces are decreased to stimulate the driving forces. For example, the principal could instead encourage more discussion and group problem-solving to eliminate hostility and apathy. If teachers fear they will not have the know-how to implement change, they should be trained before implementing the new ideas. SELF-CHECK 7.1 1. What does curriculum implementation involve? 2. How does Kurt LewinÊs model explain curriculum change? Hak Cipta © Open University Malaysia (OUM)  TOPIC 7 CURRICULUM IMPLEMENTATION 191 7.3 TYPES OF CURRICULUM CHANGE Curriculum change is a complex and difficult process. It requires careful planning, adequate time, funding, support and opportunities for teacher involvement. If you are responsible for implementing a curriculum, you must understand the nature of change. Understanding the change process can be a challenging and exciting process. Suppose you do not comprehend the complexities of the change, yet you proceed to implement it. In that case, you are likely to introduce ideas and actions that may result in confusion and tension within the school or district. McNeil (2014) categorised curriculum change as follows (refer to Table 7.2): Table 7.2: Aspects in Curriculum Changes Aspect Description Substitution One element may be substituted for another already present – for example, the substituting of a new textbook for an old one. Alteration This change occurs when it is introduced into existing material, hoping that it will appear minor and thus be readily adopted. For example, introducing new content such as road safety in the primary school curriculum; or the use new materials such as the graphing calculator in the teaching of mathematics. Perturbations These are disruptive changes, but teachers adjust to them fairly quickly. For example, the assistant principal changes the timetable or schedule to allow for longer teaching time. Restructuring These are changes that lead to a modification of the whole school system. For example, introducing an integrated curriculum requires team teaching or involving the local community in deciding what to teach. Value These are shifts in the fundamental value orientations of school orientation personnel. Suppose the new teachers who join the school emphasise studentsÊ personal growth. Then the academic performance, schoolÊs value orientations or fundamental philosophies will change. Hak Cipta © Open University Malaysia (OUM) 192 TOPIC 7 CURRICULUM IMPLEMENTATION It should be realised that a particular curriculum change may not fit according to the five categories. But, the categories are general enough to help you plan to change and arrange the resources to bring about the change. However, you should know that change is not synonymous with improvement, and you might decide that the change should not be undertaken. ACTIVITY 7.2 1. What are the five types of curriculum change listed by McNeil (2014)? Give examples of each category other than those given in the text. 2. Identify other types of curriculum change which you have come across but do not fit into those given. Share your answers with your coursemates in the myINSPIRE online forum. 7.4 RESISTANCE TO CHANGE As mentioned earlier, bringing about change is not an easy task. There are many barriers to the successful implementation of a curriculum. Suppose you are given the job of implementing a curriculum. In that case, you will encounter people resisting change in the school system, college, university or training centre. Many people think that it is easier to keep things as they are. People often say, „If it is not broken, why fix it?‰. People are happy with the current situation in their institution and feel that the change suggested will not meet the objectives of the school, college or training centre. The status quo tends to be maintained when the people introducing change are themselves unclear about the new programmeÊs intent and what is required. In addition, the implementation of the programme may be poorly planned. Teachers who are to implement the curriculum frequently view change as meaning more work. In addition to their already overloaded schedule, there is no extra financial reward for the extra work they have to put in. Also, they view new curriculum programmes will require them to learn new teaching skills and competencies, which will mean attending courses and seminars. Hak Cipta © Open University Malaysia (OUM)  TOPIC 7 CURRICULUM IMPLEMENTATION 193 It has also been found that teachers or practitioners tend to reject pedagogical strategies or teaching methods that are different from what they are currently using. They are reluctant to change or modify their current instructional strategies and understandings of classroom practice. LetÊs examine in more detail why people resist change. People charged with curriculum implementation must understand how people react to change and how to encourage them to be receptive to change. By knowing why people resist change, it may be possible to plan more effective strategies to overcome resistance and improve receptivity to change. Table 7.3 explains the main reasons people resist change (Harvey, 2010; Woldring, 1999; Lippitt, 1966). Table 7.3: Main Reasons People Resist Change Reason Explanation Outcome People do not They do not follow what is The key is „communication‰. understand being introduced. They do You have to explain „Why.‰ not understand where they You have to answer the are going. They are not clear questions of the Why, as to what is required of What, When, How, and them. Where. Remember, the effectiveness of communication is not the „message sent‰ but the „message received.‰ Lack of ownership Individuals will not accept Involve teachers in exploring change if they consider it is the relevance of the new coming from the outside or curriculum and give them imposed on them. the freedom to explore the Unfortunately, most new skills needed for curriculum reform efforts utilising or implementing are initiated from the the curriculum. You have to outside, whether at the convince teachers that even national, state or district though it comes from the level. outside, their views and opinions have been considered regardless of curriculum developmentÊs planning and design stages. This stage will make them feel important to the curriculum implementation process. Hak Cipta © Open University Malaysia (OUM) 194 TOPIC 7 CURRICULUM IMPLEMENTATION People do not have People naturally resist if Adequate time and resources the competencies to they do not have the must be set aside to train cope with the knowledge and skills to teachers in implementing changes cope with the changes. the new curriculum. Nobody wants to be told that they are incompetent. There is the likelihood that the implementation of the new curriculum has been rushed or it had been done due to budgetary constraints. The training period has been greatly reduced, and teachers are not adequately equipped to implement the new curriculum. Lack of incentives Suppose teachers are Make sure that teachers or benefits unconvinced that the new who are actively involved programme will improve in curriculum change are things for students (in terms rewarded. The reward need of learning) or themselves not necessarily be financial, (such as gaining greater but their efforts must be recognition, respect or recognised. reward). In that case, they are likely to resist the suggested change. People do not have Teachers find it difficult to Lighten their workload so the time to engage juggle between bringing they can participate in the with the change about change and handling change. Re-prioritise their their current responsibilities. work. Do not expect people Focusing their energy on to have the energy to change change activities may run the when this means failing on risk of neglecting their the tasks for which they are current responsibilities. held responsible. Adapted from: Harvey (2010), Woldring (1999) and Lippitt (1966) SELF-CHECK 7.2 Why do people resist change? Hak Cipta © Open University Malaysia (OUM)  TOPIC 7 CURRICULUM IMPLEMENTATION 195 ACTIVITY 7.3 Suggest other reasons why people resist change. Discuss your answer with your coursemates in the myINSPIRE online forum. CASE STUDY: CURRICULUM REFORM AND 7.5 IMPLEMENTATION IN INDONESIA In 1994, the Indonesian government introduced curriculum reform which consisted of a national curriculum of 80% and flexibility given to the provinces in adjusting the curriculum to local needs. The local content curriculum (LCC) was aimed at the local situation and context. In contrast, the national curriculum focused on national development. The Curriculum Development Centre (CDC) transferred 20% of its authority to each provincial level. Both the reformed national curriculum and LCC are shown in Figure 7.2. Figure 7.2: Curriculum Reform in Indonesia Hak Cipta © Open University Malaysia (OUM) 196 TOPIC 7 CURRICULUM IMPLEMENTATION According to LCC policy, schools are supposed to reorganise the curriculum into a new set of subjects. Teachers, principals, and supervisors were given autonomy to closely redesign the curriculum to match the studentsÊ needs and interests. However, in reality, not all teachers took advantage of this opportunity. Teachers have not responded by modifying the curriculum or experimenting with new instructional techniques. Moreover, local parents and interest groups have not been invited to participate in the planning or management of the LCC programme. In some cases, teachers have made connections between the subject matter they disseminate to the world outside. Still, the basic curricular foundations in junior secondary school have remained essentially the same as the previous curriculum. According to Yeom et al. (2002), there are some limitations and obstacles found in the LCC implementation (refer to Table 7.4). Table 7.4: Limitations and Obstacles in the LCC Implementation Limitation Explanation Lack of communication In curriculum decentralisation, some decisions made at between the provincial the provincial level tend not to meet each districtÊs needs and local levels and conditions. Lack of resources/ Teachers taught most local content subjects with no specific training skills and experience, such as teaching specific traditional cultures and local languages in Jambi, Lampung, Maluku Island, South Sulawesi and East Java. TeachersÊ attitudes Teachers did not respond to the innovation because they towards the LCC did not have enough background knowledge or skills for its implementation. They did not have the necessary support from the government and provincial levels to develop their knowledge and skills. While it is easy for the government to establish policies, conditions at the school level are completely different. Most teachers tended to concentrate on the national curriculum. Lack of funding There was a lack of funds to develop the LCC, which allocation required regular meetings at the school or district level for LCC subject development. This matter caused a lack of participation in LCC implementation. Hak Cipta © Open University Malaysia (OUM)  TOPIC 7 CURRICULUM IMPLEMENTATION 197 SELF-CHECK 7.3 Refer to the case study in Subtopic 7.5 and answer the following questions: (a) What are some reasons for poor implementation of the local content curriculum (LCC) in Indonesia? (b) To what extent is such flexibility given to teachers in your country? INDIVIDUALS INVOLVED IN CURRICULUM 7.6 IMPLEMENTATION Implementing a curriculum requires the involvement of many different people. Each is a „key player‰ in the change process. Without the coordinated involvement of these individuals, implementing the curriculum programme will encounter many problems. Among the key players identified are: teachers, students, principals or headteachers, assistant principals, district education officers, state education officers, curriculum developers, academics, parents, interested political officials, and lay citizens. In a centralised system, the national curriculum is developed at the national level. It is then passed on to the individual districts and schools to be implemented. 7.6.1 Teachers Without a doubt, the most important person in the curriculum implementation process is the teacher. TeachersÊ knowledge, experience and competencies are central to any curriculum improvement effort. Regardless of which philosophical belief the education system is based on, there is no denying that teachers influence studentsÊ learning. Better teachers foster better learning. Teachers are most knowledgeable about teaching practice and are responsible for introducing the curriculum in the classroom. Hak Cipta © Open University Malaysia (OUM) 198 TOPIC 7 CURRICULUM IMPLEMENTATION The key to getting teachers committed to innovation is to enhance their knowledge of the programme. This commitment means teachers must be trained, and workshops must be organised for professional development. Unfortunately, in any curriculum implementation process, not all teachers will benefit from such exposure. There are just too many teachers and insufficient funds to go around. The most common approach is to have one-day workshops given by experts, with the lecture method being the dominant pedagogical strategy. Among the many extrinsic factors identified that may impede curriculum change are adequacy of resources, time, school ethos and professional support. The intrinsic factors are as follows (refer to Table 7.5): Table 7.5: Factors Influencing the Implementation of a Curriculum in Schools Factor Description Adequacy of Appropriate equipment, facilities, and available resources resources are required for implementing a new curriculum. Time Available time for preparing and delivering the requirements of the new curriculum; e.g. teachers need enough time to develop their understanding of the subject they are required to teach. School ethos Overall, it refers to the school beliefs towards the new curriculum. Status of the curriculum as viewed by staff, administrators and community; e.g. school administration recognises the importance of the subject in the overall school curriculum. Professional support Support for teachers from both within the school and outside, e.g. opportunities to receive ongoing curriculum professional support. Professional adequacy TeachersÊ ability and competence to teach the curriculum include confidence in teaching. Professional Teachers are knowledgeable and understand the new knowledge curriculum, e.g. different teaching methods to foster student learning. Professional attitude TeachersÊ attitudes and interests towards the new curriculum, and interest e.g. keenness to teach the subject. Source: Adapted from the Science Curriculum Implementation Questionnaire (SCIQ). Available at http://home.cc.umanitoba.ca/~lewthwai/introSCIQ.html Hak Cipta © Open University Malaysia (OUM)  TOPIC 7 CURRICULUM IMPLEMENTATION 199 To what extent have teacher education programmes required prospective teachers to study curriculum development? Some view teachers as technicians and do not include curriculum development in their teacher education programmes. However, a good teacher education programme should include curriculum development (both the theory and the work of curriculum development) if teaching is a profession and learning is to be improved. Hence, teachersÊ professional development is an important factor contributing to the success of curriculum implementation. The following are some topics to be addressed in designing professional development opportunities for teachers implementing a new programme (refer to Table 7.6). Table 7.6: Topics in Designing Professional Development Opportunities Topic Description Programme Both the philosophy behind the programme and how the new philosophy programme may impact students, parents, administrators, and other stakeholders. Content Teachers may find the curriculum introduces content with which they are unfamiliar, which they have not taught in a while, or is familiar but presented in an unfamiliar way. For example, they use a problem-solving rather than a topical approach. Pedagogy Teachers need opportunities to become familiar with the new programmeÊs pedagogical approach. They may need to work on particular teaching skills emphasised in the new programme, such as teaching values, or perhaps to become familiar with a tool such as the Internet. Components Teachers will need opportunities to learn about the components of of the the new programme early in the implementation phase. For example, programme the new programme might place greater emphasis on school-based assessment. At the same time, teachers are more accustomed to national or centralised assessment. Hak Cipta © Open University Malaysia (OUM) 200 TOPIC 7 CURRICULUM IMPLEMENTATION ACTIVITY 7.4 According to Friendenberg (1965), people who go into teaching tend to be conformist and reluctant to innovate. These people have succeeded in the school system as it has existed. They have learned to play it safe and keep a low profile in a bureaucratic system run by administrators who dislike creating waves. They have found success and fulfilment as students, and now as teachers in this system, so many see no reason to change it. (a) To what extent do you agree with FriedenbergÊs views about teachers and curriculum change? (b) Is this the characteristic of other professions? Discuss your answers with your coursemates in the myINSPIRE online forum. 7.6.2 Students There is a tendency among curriculum implementers to ignore the role of students as agents of change. Increasingly, there is the realisation that even primary school children can contribute to meaningful change. Students must be willing to participate in the programme. Suppose the students do not see the relevance of the programme; then, there is the likelihood that they will not be motivated to participate or learn. However, it is still unclear how students should be involved in the curriculum implementation phase, even though they are the main recipients of the programme. Students may be so entrenched in their thinking and behaviour that changes proposed in the curriculum may not be enthusiastically received. For example, students may be used to being given notes by their teachers, and the new programme requires them to make notes. Some students may not know how to make notes and must be taught how to do it. Even getting students to participate in discussions may not be well received if they have been accustomed to being passive recipients of the information. Hak Cipta © Open University Malaysia (OUM)  TOPIC 7 CURRICULUM IMPLEMENTATION 201 7.6.3 Principals or Headmasters Principals or headteachers are important players in the curriculum implementation process in a school. They should understand the need for change and the steps that must be taken along the way. They should have in-depth knowledge of the planned change and the implementation process. They should be familiar with the curriculumÊs goals and components. Moreover, they should see a shift in teachersÊ roles in the classroom and how teachers interact with students. Establishing a two-way information flow will give principals or headteachers a chance to stay on top of issues that must be addressed. It will also allow attending to critical problems or concerns before they lead to frustration or even anger among teachers. They should be accessible and willing to communicate with others involved in the process. Lines of communication are best set early to get information to people and provide a platform to voice their concerns. Information gathered from listening and talking to people will also help principals or headteachers decide where to focus and what needs attention. For example, they may need to speak to parents and the community about the new curriculum. They should be able to convince parents of the merits of the new curriculum and how the new pedagogical strategies can become more meaningful for their children. They must give the message that they have thought carefully about the need for change, anticipated the issues that will arise and have a plan for addressing them. They should remember that even the best-laid plans can meet unexpected challenges. Among these challenges include a drop in the number of teachers in a particular subject area due to resignation, the unexpected introduction of programmes by the government, and a sudden change of government policy. For this reason, a flexible implementation plan may be necessary, adapted and revisited along the way. They must be committed to the change and be able to employ many leadership strategies to meet the needs of teachers. The change includes building on the strengths of their staff, being willing to take risks, being positive about the planned change, and using this optimism to motivate others. Hak Cipta © Open University Malaysia (OUM) 202 TOPIC 7 CURRICULUM IMPLEMENTATION 7.6.4 Parents Besides teachers, students, and school administrators, parents play an important role in the implementation process. For example, when parents see a subject being taught in an unfamiliar way, they naturally have questions about what is going on. When children bring homework from school that parents feel unable to help with, they feel confused and lost. In any new programme, parents need to embrace it as well, so that the implementation becomes a success. One way to reach out to parents is to organise workshops focusing on the new curriculum. The workshops should be designed to help parents better understand the content and philosophy of the new programme. Parents need an opportunity to share their concerns and voice their support in an open forum. These workshops should be conducted by teachers so that they may explain what is going on in the classroom. Another approach to reaching out to parents is to provide information on curriculum change on the Internet for parents containing information on subjects offered, programmes and courses available in all schools. Similarly, print-based newsletters can be made available to parents, informing them of the changes that are taking place with the introduction of the new curriculum. SELF-CHECK 7.4 1. What should principals or headteachers do to ensure the successful implementation of any curriculum? 2. How should parents be involved in the curriculum implementation process? Hak Cipta © Open University Malaysia (OUM)  TOPIC 7 CURRICULUM IMPLEMENTATION 203 7.7 CASE STUDY: ENGLAND’S NATIONAL CURRICULUM FOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS The law requires all schools in England to provide pupils with a balanced and broad curriculum. The curriculum provides pupils to learn and achieve; promotes spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development; and prepares students for adult lifeÊs opportunities, responsibilities and experiences. The following subjects must be taught: English Mathematics Science Design and technology Information and communication technology History The core subjects: English, mathematics and science, will be prioritised to ensure they are secure. Other statutory requirements are religious education, sex and relationship education, and careers education (from Year 9). Each school can decide which subject to give more time to and, within a subject, which aspects or skills to emphasise. The priority or emphasis might apply across subjects, to particular year groups, to groups of pupils or individuals. For example: A school with particular strengths in its ICT and language departments offers Spanish as a second foreign language using ICT facilities for weekly video conference sessions with students in a partner school in Spain. A school with substantial low-achieving students emphasises literacy across the curriculum. Teachers plan in their schemes of work where and how they will teach literacy objectives in their subject. Hak Cipta © Open University Malaysia (OUM) 204 TOPIC 7 CURRICULUM IMPLEMENTATION The school prioritises mathematics and science to help its students make the most of local job opportunities in high-technology industries such as computing and pharmaceuticals. Year 9 students undertake project work to achieve Creativity in Research, Engineering, Science and Technology (CREST) awards. Scientists from local companies visit the school as part of the Science and Engineering Ambassadors scheme. Source: The National Curriculum. Key Stage 3 and 4. https://www.gov.uk/national-curriculum/key-stage-3-and-4 ACTIVITY 7.5 1. What flexibility is given to teachers in EnglandÊs secondary school curriculum? 2. Do you agree with the flexibility given to schools in meeting local needs? Give reasons. 3. Do you think such flexibility should be given to schools in your country? Why? Explain your answers to your coursemates in the myINSPIRE online forum. IMPLEMENTING CURRICULUM IN THE 7.8 CLASSROOM The final destination of any curriculum is the classroom. As we enter the classroom, decision-making becomes the responsibility of the teacher. Up to this point, curriculum implementation was discussed at the programme level, and decision-making was programmatic (though we briefly discussed the teacherÊs role). Now classroom teachers will take over and make decisions of a methodological nature. They will be answering questions like: What objectives do I hope to accomplish as a result of instruction? What topics or content will I have to cover? Hak Cipta © Open University Malaysia (OUM)  TOPIC 7 CURRICULUM IMPLEMENTATION 205 What teaching methods or strategies should I use to direct learning and achieve the objectives? How do I evaluate instruction to determine whether I have successfully achieved the objective? Where and how does the teacher begin to plan for instruction? In instruction implementation, the process include formulating learning goals, content, learning experiences, and assessment (refer to Figure 7.3). Figure 7.3: Instruction Implementation LetÊs look at three examples of planning for instruction. Teacher X takes the textbook and divides the topics by the number of weeks in the school year. He or she may prepare some notes for students, ask some questions during class (which may come from the textbook) and give group assignments to clarify points in the topic or topics. For example, one topic may be taught over two or three lessons. The sequence and subheadings of the respective topic guide the presentation of content. A problem-solving approach is adopted where students look through various sources of information to solve a problem. Teacher Y selects a topic for study for the week or over several lessons using all kinds of resources related to the topic. The resources may include textbooks, reference books, websites, magazines, etc. Hak Cipta © Open University Malaysia (OUM) 206 TOPIC 7 CURRICULUM IMPLEMENTATION Teacher Z comes to class without knowing what they will cover. A theme or issue is written on the blackboard. Students must contribute their understanding and interpretation of the theme or issue. While some may argue that this is spontaneity, others, less kind students, might term it as non-planning. These three approaches may be extreme, but many teachers fall into one of these categories. These teachers may follow the curriculum or follow the plan in general terms. All three approaches may not specify the instructional objectives or learning outcomes students are expected to accomplish. In most cases, teachers adopt an eclectic approach, i.e., combining one or more methods. Instructional objectives or learning outcomes indicate what you want students to know, do and value after completing a lesson. Why instructional objectives? The issue of instructional objectives has been discussed in Topics 1 and 5. There are several instructional objectives as follows (refer to Figure 7.4): Figure 7.4: Instructional Objectives Hak Cipta © Open University Malaysia (OUM)  TOPIC 7 CURRICULUM IMPLEMENTATION 207 In planning for instruction, lesson plans are used. A lesson plan is „simply an outline prepared in advance of teaching, so that time and materials will be used efficiently‰ (Nodirovna & Temirovna, 2022). Ideally, different lessons require different lesson plans and different students require different lesson plans as well. The following is a generic outline for a lesson plan which consists of (refer to Figure 7.5): Figure 7.5: Elements in Lesson Plan The teacher with less experience will include more details in the lesson plan. However, experienced and inexperienced teachers should prepare complete lesson plans to communicate their ideas fully. It is common practice for experienced teachers to simplify or shorten their lesson plans (refer to Figure 7.6). As teachers gain experience, less detail in planning is possible. Once the lesson plan is complete, the teachers can begin to demonstrate their style and skills of teaching. Hak Cipta © Open University Malaysia (OUM) 208 TOPIC 7 CURRICULUM IMPLEMENTATION Figure 7.6: Generic Components of a Lesson Plan Hak Cipta © Open University Malaysia (OUM)  TOPIC 7 CURRICULUM IMPLEMENTATION 209 ACTIVITY 7.6 1. Identify some problems in implementing the Primary School Integrated Curriculum (KSSR) and the Secondary School Integrated Curriculum (KSSM). 2. Describe how the teaching of science and mathematics in English was implemented in your school. 3. „New curriculum often fail to become established in schools because the importance and complexity of the implementation phase are not understood.‰ Do you agree with this statement? Explain your answers to your coursemates in the myINSPIRE online forum. Curriculum implementation is an interaction between the programme creator and those who deliver it. Implementation is the carrying out of something or the practical application of a method, procedure or desired purpose. According to Lewin, change is determined both by the driving forces and restraining forces. In the change process, it is better to reduce the power of the restraining forces rather than increase the driving forces. People resist change because they lack understanding, competencies, ownership, incentives, and time. Curriculum change can take the following forms: substitution, alteration, perturbations, restructuring, and value orientation. The factors influencing school curriculum implementation are adequacy of resources, time, school ethos, professional support, professional knowledge, professional attitude and interest. Hak Cipta © Open University Malaysia (OUM) 210 TOPIC 7 CURRICULUM IMPLEMENTATION An instructional model consists of four components: learning objectives, content, learning experiences, and assessment tasks. Principals and headteachers play an important role in successfully implementing the curriculum. Curriculum change Local curriculum Curriculum implementation National curriculum Curriculum in the classroom Restraining forces Driving forces Roles of students Force field model Roles of teachers Lesson plan Friedenberg, E. Z. (1965). Coming of the age in America. Random House. Fullan, M., & Pomfret, A. (1977). Research on curriculum and instruction implementation. Review of Educational Research, 47(2), 335–397. Harvey, T. R., & Broyles, E. A. (2010). Resistance to change: A guide to harnessing its positive power. R&L Education. Lewin, K. (1951). Theory of social science. Harper and Row. Lippitt, G. L. (1966). Managing change: 6 ways to turn resistance into acceptance. Supervisory Management, 21–24. Loucks, S. F., & Lieberman, A. (1983). Curriculum implementation. Fundamental Curriculum Decisions, 126–141. McNeil, J. D. (2014). Contemporary curriculum: In thought and action. John Wiley & Sons. Hak Cipta © Open University Malaysia (OUM)  TOPIC 7 CURRICULUM IMPLEMENTATION 211 Nodirovna, N. N., & Temirovna, P. M. (2022). Principles of designing lesson plans for teaching ESL or EFL. Eurasian Journal of Learning and Academic Teaching, 5, 10–12. Ornstein, A. C., & Hunkins, F. P. (1998). Curriculum: Foundations, principles, and issues (3rd ed.), 237–240. Woldring, H. (1999). On the purpose of the state: Continuity and change in political theories. The Failure of Modernism: The Cartesian Legacy and Contemporary Pluralism, 155–170. Yeom, M., Acedo, C., & Utomo, E. (2002). The reform of secondary education in Indonesia during the 1990s: Basic education expansion and quality improvement through curriculum decentralisation. Asia Pacific Education Review, 3(1), 56–68. Hak Cipta © Open University Malaysia (OUM)