Highlight the basic principles and practices of curriculum

evaluation with the shortcomings of curriculum evaluation.

Identify an existing curriculum project that is on-going that
you can quietly evaluate using any of the existing models to
do a very neat job bearing in mind the program in objectives
of the school system. Remember that the use of valid and
reliable instrument is a necessary way of arriving at an
acceptable conclusion

Ph.d PROGRAMME

IGNATIUS AJURU UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION

RUMUOLUMENE. P.M.B 5047
PORT HARCOURT

BY

SILVERLINE WICHENDU

FACULTY: EDUCATION

DEPARTMENT: GUIDANCE AND COUNSELLING

COURSE TITLE: CURRICULUM AND PROGRAMME

EVALUATION

COURSE CODE: EDE 911

OPTION: MEASURMENT AND EVALUATION

COURSE LECTURER: PROFESSOR M. O. N. OBAGAH

APRIL, 2019
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 Table of Contents

What is Curriculum Evaluation? ..... 1

Basic Principle and Practices of Curriculum Evaluation ..... 1

Shortcomings of curriculum Evaluation ..... 3

Chapter One

Introduction ..... 5

1.1 Background to the Problem ..... 6

1.2 Objectives of the Programme ..... 6

1.3 Purpose of the Present Evaluation ..... 7

1.4 Objectives of the Present Evaluation ..... 8

Chapter Two

2.1 Review of Literature ..... 9

Chapter Three

3.0 Evaluation Methodology ..... 10

3.1 Evaluation Model ..... 10

3.2 Evaluation Instrument ..... 10

3.3 Evaluation Technique ..... 11

3.4 Steps in Curriculum Evaluation ..... 11

Chapter Four

4.1 Evaluation Result and Discussion ..... 12

Chapter Five

5.1 Summary of Results ..... 13

i
 5.2 Alternative ..... 14

5.3 Problems encountered ..... 14

5.4 Suggestions for further Evaluation/Recommendations

To government ..... 15

References ..... 16

ii
What is Curriculum Evaluation?

1. Curriculum Evaluation is a process done in order to gather data that

enables one to decide whether to accept, change, eliminate the whole
curriculum of a text book, Ornstein, & Hunkins (1998) in (Rasheed,
2012).

2. Olivia defined it as a process of delineating, obtaining and providing

useful information for purpose of modifying or eliminating the
curriculum (1988) in (Rasheed, 2012)

3. Curriculum Evaluation refers to the collection of information on which

judgement might be made about the worth and effectiveness of a
particular programme (Rasheed, 2012).

All these definitions points to one thing, that it is a part of curriculum

development and it responds to public accountability, reforms and innovations
in the classroom, the school, district, division or it may involve a whole
educational system as well. It looks into the advantage and worth of a
curriculum.

It is a measurement step that directs observation and recording of a student’s

performance in specific curriculum to gather information. It involves collection
and provision of evidence on the premises of which decisions can be taken
about the feasibility, effectiveness and the education value of a curriculum.

It is a very essential phase of curriculum development because it tends to

discover whether a curriculum is fulfilling its purpose. It provides information
for facilitators decision making at various steps of curriculum development
which may involve the whole programme or part of its components.

It should be noted here that it is a continuous activity and not a tail end process.
It is meant to improve and not to prove.

Basic Principles and Practices of Curriculum Evaluation

Doll, R. (1978) discussed seven basic principles and practices of curriculum

evaluation as follows;

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1. Firstly, is the preference and valuing.

The evaluator consciously recognises that there are certain values that are
held dearly and these ones are included in the curriculum. After
evaluation, they make a conclusion whether what they valued was worth
it.

2. Orientation to goals

It is only when goals are set, then you will know the direction of your
achievement. Goals assists in ways in which the achievement will be
directed. Achievements are designed in line with the goals so that it will
be easily evaluated. Consistency is very crucial.

3. Comprehensiveness

This is not easy to achieve, but it is good for evaluation to cover wide
areas. Attitude and appreciation are very difficult to evaluate.

4. Continuity

For evaluation to achieve results, it must be continuous and in fact at

every stage of an establishment. In most cases it is kept at the end which
is not very appropriate. It should be noted that high level of imagination
is needed.

5. Diagnostic Worth, Validity and Reliability.

It is necessary that specific aspects of education be diagnosed separately.

Instrument used must be appropriate to do what it is expected of it.
Education factors when measured on repeated bases are expected to give
the same result.

6. Integration of findings

It is expected that all the findings in evaluation are put together to make
meaning and not scattered about without any conclusion. This is called
integration.

7. Progress towards goal attainment

It is important in evaluation to know the direction of progress and should

be done in the following directions

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i. Here perceptibility of movement is important and the question here
is really to ascertain whether there is actual movement towards the
goal that is set.

ii. Time and space: The question is, are we actually moving? And are
we actually utilising the available space or we are choked?

iii. Rate: The question asked here is that are we actually moving fast
or slow?

iv. The question here is that what direction are we moving? Is it the
right path or are we moving away from the norm

v. Relevance with the whole movement.

In all, are all the movements so far related to other movements and
geared towards improvement?

All these questions have serious implications for programmes and

projects.

It indicates that the programmes or projects should move far within

the stipulated time.

It should be noted that movements are not usually in a straight line.

Sometimes new outlets may be created that needs to be studied all
over.

Shortcomings of Curriculum Evaluation

However, curriculum evaluation has some shortcomings;

1. Evaluating material

An instructor is judged based on the material he/she chooses.

Evaluation does not examine the teaching style of the instructor. The
material might seem dry and without examining the teacher in the
classroom, one might not be able to judge accurately. The skills a
teacher brings into the class is the ability to sell what he teaches and
makes it appealing to the pupils/students. The curriculum cannot
reveal this.

3
2. Students background

Every student do not possess the same background and this makes the
teacher choose a standardized curriculum for everyone in the class.
The teacher cannot customize the curriculum for a particular group
within the class. The teacher will be forced to teach at the same level
for every child in the class. This tends to judging on theory and not
on the purported result that is needed because the teacher knows that
not all the students are created equally.

3. Limitation of Creativity

It is difficult to showcase creativity in this stereotype situation. The

teacher most times create a curriculum that is easy for the evaluator to
understand. The teacher teaches straight away. All the lessons and
projects outside the classroom or that require creativity cannot be
captured or visioned by the evaluator.

4. Lack of flexibility

If the teacher discovers that his/her class is not meeting up in a

particular subject, he/she may not want to improvise for fear because
this will mean moving out of the curriculum. With this, the instructor
may not be educating his class but teaching towards the curriculum.

4
 CHAPTER ONE

Introduction

The curriculum project that is on going that is of my choice is Social

Studies curriculum.

The evaluation model that will be employed in this programme is the

CIPP model ( but part of it). This acronym stands for Context, Input ,
Process, and Product.

Stuffle beam, D. L in late 1960s created the innovative CIPP model. It

seeks to improve accountability. It was originally developed to provide
timely information in a systematic way for decision making which is a
proactive application of evaluation (Chikwe, 2017).

The core value of the components are as follows;

1. Context - Goal
2. Input - Plans
3. Process - Action
4. Product - Outcomes (Asuru, 2015)

Evaluation of any of the component can be done individually,

sequentially or parallel.

The CIPP model seeks to improve and achieve accountability through a

learning – by doing approach. It has the intention not to prove but rather
to improve the programme itself (Stufflebeam, 2003).

It has other names such as Decision and Accountability Oriented Studies.

Also earlier before now it is called Educational Evaluation and Decision
making model. Its strengths are versatility, individualism and a long
history of applicability.

In this evaluation of Social Studies, it is the JSS 1 curriculum that will be

evaluated. Also, it is an aspect of this model that will be employed. This
is the Context Evaluation stage of the model.

5
1.1Background To The Problem

NERDE responded to the national and global reforms between 2004 and
2007 in social and economic sector. There was the development of 9 year
Basic Education Curriculum that will assist to achieve NEEDS (National
Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy) objectives for Junior
Secondary Schools in 2008. There has been suggestions of curricula
overload at the J.S.S. levels and this was discussed in 2010 in the state
Education summit.

The revision involved the reduction of subjects to between 6 to 13 subjects.

Related disciplines were joined together to serve as themes. For Junior
Secondary, 10 subjects were adopted (Omosewo & Akanmu, 2013). The
Social Studies fell into Religion and National values (RVE) made up of
Islamic Studies, Christian Religious Studies, Social Studies , Civic
Education and Security Education.

The latest revision of the curriculum was in 2014. It was the 2004 curriculum
that gave birth to it.

The curriculum is important and if when it is well designed, it helps to

initiate fundamental reforms, revolutionize classroom practices and this will
raise the quality of J.S.S education in Nigeria. A good curriculum is bound
to usher in a new classroom environment, because it breaks the syllabi into
basics, the objectives then is broken down into learner-performance terms
and reduce both content and objective to classroom learning experiences for
students.

It will make the objectives of J.S.S. in the national policy on education

through a series of classroom activities realizable. It will enable the teacher
to order instructions and work towards the realization of clearly stated
performance objectives.

Based on the above importance, the curriculum that will be examined in this
study is the J.S.S. 1 social studies curriculum. The content will be checked
critically for any lapses.

1.2 Objectives of the Programme

Social Studies is an environmental subject. It studies the activities of

man in the physical and social environment. It is purely an environment

6
 issue. This subject is important because it is the pattern of life known as
culture and influence man’s ways of life. Man himself influences the
physical environment by effecting changes on the natural landscape.
There are societal changes through the initiation.

The subject is interested in investigating what man does in his physical

and social environments. The lesson involves outing. There is also the
study of the cultures of other lands far away from the students’ immediate
environment.

Generally, the objectives of the programme and the effects on the

students will be very good if the curriculum content is well planned, and
all the topics in content relevant.

1.3 Purpose of the present Evaluation

The present evaluation is expected to find out the objectives of the

programme. The study is set out to know whether or not the content is
relevant, adequate and worth it. From here, the study will suggest whether
to modify the content, delete or add certain aspects of the content. So, the
content will be studied critically.

7
1.4 Objectives of the present evaluation:

1. It is set out to know whether the content is relevant

2. To make a critical appraisal of the content

3. To make recommendation to the government

8
 CHAPTER TWO

2.1 Review of Literature

Much have been done in evaluation of programmes and also in the

evaluation of the curriculum of social studies in Rivers State. However,
United States Agency for International Development in their evaluation
handbook 1974, suggested that it is important for curriculum to be
evaluated because it provides the objective content and activities upon
which evaluation is done.

They noted that learning is usually a change from initial level to final
form. In the school setting, it is supposed to be a good change in
behaviour which will enable the learner to excel well in his chosen field.

The educational objectives of a curriculum can only be observed in

students learning outcome.

It was suggested that for content to be useful, it must be broken down into
teachable units or modules.

i. Learnable units
ii. Form behaviour objectives or performance objectives.

It is concluded that when appropriate instruction is provided, it is capable

of affecting the learner optimally.

9
 CHAPTER THREE

3.0 Evaluation Methodology

The context evaluation stage creates a big picture of where both the
programme and evaluation fit. This stage assist in decision-making,
related to planning, and enables the evaluator to identify the needs, assets,
and resources of a community in order to provide programmes that will
be beneficial (Mazur, 2013).

Context evaluation also identifies the political climate that could

influence the success of the programme.

It helps programmes work better for the people and improves curriculum.
It provides useful information to guide decision (Frye & Hemmer, 2012).

Context model provides;

1. The rationale for determination of objectives.

2. Defines relevant environment
3. Describes desired and actual conditions of environment
4. Identifies unmet needs
5. Identifies unused opportunities (Brandt, 1978).

The model has the ability to fit any situation.

3.1 Evaluation Model

The model involved is the context aspect of the C.I.P.P. model. This
aspect concerns itself to the content of any programme.

In using this model, there is a critical appraisal of the adequacy or

otherwise of the content of this programmes. Here it is the J.S.S. 1
Social Studies.

3.2 Evaluation Instruments

The Data is collected from the Ministry of Education, Port Harcourt. It is

the primary data.

The curriculum collected is the Universal Basic Education (UBE) and the
new Basic Education Curriculum. It is developed by the Nigerian
Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC). The FCT

10
 Education Resource Centre (ERC) organised a workshop for its
development.

A tool that could also be employed here is rating scale which could be
used to rate the content since it is content evaluation.

3.3 Evaluation Techniques

This is merely a descriptive study which does not involve any data
analysis.

3.4 Steps in Curriculum Evaluation

1. The problem at hand is to evaluate the J.S.S. 1 Social Studies

curriculum using the context component of the C.I.P.P. model.

2. The beliefs and values relating to the programme is that the subject
is very important as it has to do with the environment of the child.

3. The criteria and rational for this study is to use this model to
ascertain whether, the students are studying the relevant materials
and whether they are adequate.

4. Expression and qualification in terms of the expected behaviour of

the students. This has to do with the students learning outcome.
This is beyond the scope of the present study.

5. The pupils behaviour will be evaluated when the application of the

environmental study is exhibited by the students.

6. The instrument for gathering the behaviour detail with respect to

this study is purely descriptive. The primary data is already
available for the researcher to work with.

7. The critical appraisal will come at the end with various

recommendations to the government.

11
 CHAPTER FOUR

4.1 Evaluation Result and Discussion

It is observed that

i. There is content element or subject matter.

ii. There is content element i.e. (break down of content into

separate units).

iii. There should have been objectives i.e. (stated in terms of what
every student should be able to do at the end of the curriculum.
It is supposed to be in measurable terms i.e., list, state, describe,
name, give, enumerate, say, identify, show etc.

iv. The students activities listed were very narrow and will not lead
to the achievement of the objectives which will incorporate find
out, discuss findings, dramatize, etc.

v. Also there is the absence of teachings and teaching hints, like

film strips, pictures, diagrams, ask questions, resource person,
charts, books, story telling, paper cuttings, guiding discussions,
reference books, text books, magazines, aid students, inquiry
maps, political symbols, jingles, songs, posters, placards.

vi. There is complete absence of suggested techniques, and there

are no suggestions for the following.

a. Homework, inquiry, recall, group discussion, class

discussion, written work, enumeration, oral narration,
explanation, dramatize, written test, suggestion, practical
work, and oral test.

12
 CHAPTER FIVE

Discussion

5.1 Summary of Results

In this 21st century, many of our school subjects are being revisited so
as to make changes because of the changes globally. A lot of learning
packages are being changed and redefined. In line with this, Social
Studies also benefited.

History, Economics, Government, Geography which were taught

separately in the junior secondary were merged into the Social
Studies. This was as a result of 6-3-3-4 structure of Education
(Onibokun, 1999).

Learning was directed to utilization of facts and no longer for

cramming by students. Students are now meant to think and make
enquiries.

Inductive teachings are now the order of the day, making teaching
goals clearer. Even soft skills are now popular.

Social scientists have taught of structuring the discipline. In its

content, I have socialization which is an aspect of Sociology that talks
of human behaviour which are learnt through group interaction.

There is also Economics that discusses unlimited wants of scarce

resources.

There is history that informs us about the changes in the society. We

also have Anthropology and this talks about culture in which man has
been able to do things to satisfy his desires. We have geography
both physical and regional. It discusses about how regions differ and
how man has imposed himself in the physical environment. There is
also Political Science in which power is discussed, that indicates that
there is continuous struggle for power by individuals in the society.

So in the Junior Secondary School, these merged subjects are

supposed to be reflected in the Syllabus from J.S.S. 1 to J.S.S. 3 in
bits. What we now have do not portray this.

13
 Currently, in the J.S.S. 1 curriculum, the topics in the First term is
divided into 3; The History : 1st Week, The Family : 2 – 8 weeks, The
Culture: 9 – 12 weeks

To these topics, there are no other subjects added.

In the Second term, the topics are divided into two; 1 st week to 2nd
week is culture and week 3 to week 10 is allocated to Socialization.

In this second term, subjects like Economics and Political Science

would have been included. Topics like Attitude to work, Conflict,
Cooperation should have been added in bits.

The Third term again is divided into two; 1st week to 9th week is
allocated to Social problems and weeks 10 and 11 left for Safety.

The third term should have been Geography; e.g the Physical
Environment – Rural and Urban settlement patterns, and Natural
Resources.

Social problems would have been completed in the second term.

Also, Safety has no business in Social Studies. It brings in a kind of
confusion here.

I suggest that everything Social should be in First term. The other

aspects should be in Second and Third terms. This same pattern
should also be followed for J.S.S. 2 and J.S.S. 3. Therefore, with
this arrangement, by the end of J.S.S. 3, the students must have gotten
in touch or exposed to all the subjects that make up Social Studies.

The integration that is needed in all the topics were no longer

available. The students needed to learn skills which should be useful
in real life situations long after formal education. The course content
therefore should be revisited again.

5.2 Alternative

The entire curriculum should be rearranged.

5.3 Problems Encountered

There was not enough time for the work and there was difficulty in
getting the curriculum because most schools did not have it.

14
 However, the effects of the financial aspect should not be ignored.
5.4 Suggestion for Further Evaluation/Recommendations to the
Government
Revision is desirable in the following areas:-

1. There should be performance objectives for every bit of learning to

guide teaching and learning and lots of learning activities designed
to lead to the achievement of the objectives as to involve students
in their educational endeavours.

2. This will make the student’s performance to be assessed, relative to

each of the objectives. Students must master the objectives of one
before moving to the next.

3. There should be insurance that the curriculum should include

inquiry, research, practical work or even experiment.

4. This will help to facilitate educational measurement for prescribing

the mastery responses in the performance objectives.

5. There should be suggested assessment techniques. This helps the

teacher to assess students in the cognitive affective and
psychomotor domains. The students can be gotten to demonstrate
their skill rather than write answers to questions. This will further
facilitate the discovery and development of the individual student’s
talents and capabilities.

6. A good curriculum should be insured because it assists students to

search for knowledge, use the library and cultivate extensive
habits.

7. There should be a good evaluation techniques.

8. It has been observed from the names of those that compiles the
curriculum, that, there is no evaluator involved, that could be why
the work is in a shabby condition.

15
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Asuru, V.A. (2015): Measurement and Evaluation in Education &

Psychology. Pearl Publishers International Ltd.

Brandt, R (1978), On Evaluation: An interview with Danl Stul. Association for

supervision & Curriculum Development , 249 – 254.

Chikwe, K.C. (2017): Fundamentals of Test, measurement and Evaluation.

Emmanest Ventures.

Doll R. C. (1978): Curriculum Improvement in Decision Making and Process

4th ed. Allyn and Bacon. Inc.

FCT Junior Secondary School Teaching Scheme (2014): Education Resource

Centre, F.C.T. Abuja. ERC Mini Press.

Frye, A. W. & Hemmer, P.A. (2012) Programme Evaluation Models and

Related Theories. AMEC Guide No. 67. Medical Teachers, 34(5).

Mazur, A. (2013): The CIPP Evaluation Model: A Summary:

http://bit.ly/1YowemP

Ministry of Education, P.H (1991) scheme of work for Junior Secondary

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