curriculum development

1. Change Processes
Curriculum change is a learning process for teachers and for their
schools. Good understanding of change and a clear conception of the
curriculum are necessary conditions for improved implementation of
the new curriculum into practice (Pasi Sahlberg).

2. The three overlapping phases of the change
process (Miles et al.,1987)
1. INITIATION - is the first phase of the change process. In most cases, those facilitating
and leading change pay close attention to launching the innovation because they recognize that
how well something begins affects how it ends. Yet launching an initiative is only the beginning.
While initiation deserves considerable emphasis, leaders plan for all three phases
simultaneously.
The initiation phase is about deciding to embark on innovation, and of developing
commitment towards the process. The key activities in the initiation ¬phase are the
decision to start, and a review of the school's current state as regards the particular change.
Matthew Miles (1986) made an analysis of the various stages of school improvement. This
is a list of factors that Miles believes make for successful initiation:

3. • • the innovation should be tied to a local agenda and high profile local need
• • a clear, well-structured approach to change
• • an active advocate or champion who understands the innovation and
supports it
• • active initiation to start the innovation
• • good quality innovation.

4. • 2. IMPLEMENTATION - is the second phase of the change process.
Once the vision of institutionalization is clear and consistent, leaders
concentrate on what is needed to put the innovation into practice by
planning for and supporting
• The key activities occurring during implementation are the carrying out of
action plans, the developing and sustaining of commitment, the checking of
progress and overcoming problems. The key factors making for success at
this stage, according to Miles (1986), are:

5. • • clear responsibility for orchestration/co-ordination (head, coordinator,
external consultant)
• • shared control over implementation (top-down is not OK); good cross-
hierarchical work and relations; empowerment of both individuals and
the school
• • mix of pressure, insistence on `doing it right', and support
• • adequate and sustained staff development and in-service training
• • rewards for teachers early in the process (empowerment, collegiality,
meeting needs, classroom help, load reduction, supply cover, expenses,
resources).

6. 3. INSTITUTIONALIZATION - occurs when the innovation becomes
routine practice in its frequency, consistency, accuracy, and results. Members of
the organization use the change at least at the routine level of use and have
resolved
major issues related to its implementation, such as resources, time, materials,
and so on.

7. • Institutionalization is the phase when innovation and change stop being
regarded as something new and become part of the school's usual way of
doing things. The move from implementation to institutionalization often
involves the transformation of a pilot project, to a school-wide initiative,
often without the advantage of the previously available funding. Key activities
at this stage according to Miles (1986) are:

8. McNeil in 1990 categorizes curriculum change
as follows:
• 1. Substitution – The current curriculum will be replaced or substituted by a new
one.
• Example: Changing an old book to a new one
• 2. Alteration – There is a minor change to the existing curriculum.
• Example: Use a graphing calculator to replace a graphing paper
• 3. Restructuring – It would mean major change or modification in the school
system, degree program or educational system.
• Example: Using an integrated curriculum for the school for K to 12 requires the

9. • 4. Perturbations – These are changes that are disruptive, but teachers have
to adjust to them within a short period of time.
• Example: The principal approves of the time schedule because there is a
need to catch up with the national testing time, the teacher has to shorten
schedule to accommodate unplanned extra-curricular activities.
• 5. Value Orientation – This category will respond to shift in the emphasis
that the teacher provides which are not within the mission or vision of the
school or vise versa.
• Example: When new teachers who are recruited in sectarian schools, give
emphasis only on academics and forget the formation of values or faith.
These teachers need a curriculum value orientation.

10. CURRICULUM EVALUATION
Evaluation, in the context of education, is not merely about the students’
evaluation of learning, development, and achievement but also the assessment
of different aspects of the curriculum. Curriculum evaluation aims to examine
the impact of implemented curriculum on students’ learning achievement.

11. Curriculum Evaluation: A Process and a Tool
Curriculum evaluation
is a process done to
gather data that
enables one to decide
whether to accept,
change, eliminate the
whole curriculum of a
textbook
Evaluation answers
two questions:
1. Do planned learning
opportunities,
programs, courses and
activities as developed
and organized actually
produced desired
results?
2. How can a
curriculum best
improved?
This is a method of
identifying, collecting,
and presenting
relevant information
for the evaluation of
alternatives to modify
or eliminate the
curriculum.
Evaluation is to
identify the
weaknesses and
strengths as well as
problems encountered
in the implementation,
to improve the
curriculum
development process.
It is to determine the
effectiveness of and
the returns on
allocated finance.

12. Evaluation is a process because it follows a procedure based on models and
frameworks to get to the desired results. On the other hand, it is a tool because
it will help teachers and program implementers to judge the worth or merit of
the program and innovation or curricular change. It is both a process and a tool
because the results of the evaluation will be the basis to improve the
curriculum.

13. Reasons for Evaluation
The desire to review the curriculum emerges because it is important for both
the instructors and students to assess to what degree their existing curriculum
and its implementation have generated meaningful, positive, and appropriate
outcomes for students. Let us always remember that curriculum evaluation aims
to improve on what has already been available. Enumerated below are some of
the reasons for the evaluation

15. Types of Evaluation
Placement Formative Diagnostic Summative
The entry behavior or
potential of the learner is
measured to find out if the
student possesses the
knowledge, skills, and
attitudes required to begin
the course of instruction.
used to find out to
what extend student has
already mastered the
objectives of the planned
instruction, e.g. entrance
exam
used to monitor
student’s learning progress
during instruction which
aims to provide ongoing
feedback to students and
teachers regarding success
and failure of the teaching-
learning process
strengthen or improve
the object being evaluated
is concerned with
finding out the reasons for
student’s persistent or
recurrent learning problem
that cannot be resolved by
standard corrective measures
of formative evaluation
the goal or aim is to
find out the causes of
learning problems and plan
or prepare to take remedial
actions
observational
techniques or specially
prepared designed
techniques can be used to
diagnose the problem
usually given at the end
of the course or unit of
instructions to find out
which student has mastered
the expected learning
outcomes and to what
degree
While the summative
assessment outcomes are
usually used for assigning
grades or for certifying the
mastery of instruction goals
of the learners, they can also
be used to provide feedback
on the appropriateness of
the objectives and the
effectiveness of the
instruction.

19. Activity
Conduct a Demo Teaching Maximum of 15 mins using a 4 A’s Lesson Plan.
This is 50% of your Preliminary Exam.
Upload it to your google drive and send me a link of your output on google
classroom.