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LECTURE 14 - Implementing The Designed Curriculum As A Change Process

This document discusses curriculum implementation as the process of putting a designed curriculum into practice. It defines implementation as teachers engaging learners in teaching and learning to achieve planned outcomes. The document also discusses curriculum implementation as a change process, using Kurt Lewin's force field theory to explain it. According to this theory, change occurs when the driving forces for change exceed the restraining forces. The document categorizes types of curriculum change and notes that implementation should be developmental, participatory, and supportive to succeed.

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Aeleu Joverz
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272 views4 pages

LECTURE 14 - Implementing The Designed Curriculum As A Change Process

This document discusses curriculum implementation as the process of putting a designed curriculum into practice. It defines implementation as teachers engaging learners in teaching and learning to achieve planned outcomes. The document also discusses curriculum implementation as a change process, using Kurt Lewin's force field theory to explain it. According to this theory, change occurs when the driving forces for change exceed the restraining forces. The document categorizes types of curriculum change and notes that implementation should be developmental, participatory, and supportive to succeed.

Uploaded by

Aeleu Joverz
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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LECTURE 14: Implementing the Designed Curriculum as a Change Process

Curriculum Implementation Defined

Following the curriculum models of Tyler, Taba, Saylor and Alexander or Lewis, is the
next step to curriculum, designing which is curriculum implementing. This is the phase where
teacher action takes place. It is one of the most crucial Process in curriculum development
although many education planners would say: “A good plan is work half done.” If this is so, then
the other half of the success of curriculum development rests in the hands of the implementor
who is the teacher.

Curriculum implementation means putting into practice the written curriculum, that has
been designed in syllabi, course of study, curricular guides, and subjects. It is a process wherein
the learners acquire the planned or intended knowledge, skills, and attitudes that are aimed at
enabling the same learners to function effectively in society. (SADC MoE Africa, 2000)

Ornstein and Hunkins in (1998) defined curriculum implementation as the interaction


between in the curriculum that has been written and planned and the person (teachers) who are in
charge to deliver it. To them, curriculum implementation implies the following:

 Shift from what is current to a new or enhance curriculum;


 Change in knowledge, actions, attitudes of the persons involved;
 Change in behavior using new strategies and resources.
 Change which requires efforts hence goals should be achievable.

Loucks and Lieberman (1983) define curriculum implementation as the trying out of a new
practice and what it looks life when actually used in a school system. It simply means that
implementation should bring the desired change and improvement.

In the classroom context, curriculum implementation means “teaching” what has been
written in the lesson plan. Implementing means using the plan as a guide to engage with the
learners in the teaching-learning process with the end in view that learning has occurred and
learning outcomes have been achieved. It involves the different strategies of teaching with
the support instructional materials to go with the strategy.
In a larger scale, curriculum implementation means putting the curriculum into operation
with the different implementing agents. A division, or the whole educational system. In
higher education. Curriculum implementation happens for the course, a degree program,
money, personal interaction, personal contacts, and support.

Curriculum Implementation as a Change Process

Kurt Lewin’s Force Field Theory and Curriculum Change

Kurt Lewin (1951), the father of social psychology explains the process of
change. The model can be used to explain curriculum change and implementation.

In the education landscape, there are always two forces that oppose each other.
These are the driving force and the restraining force. When these two forces are equal, the
state is equilibrium, or balance. There will be a status quo, hence, there will beno change.
The situation or condition will stay the same, However, when the occur. If the opposite
happens that is when the restraining force is stronger than the driving force, change is
prevented. This is the of Kurt Lewin in his Force Field Theory.

We shall use this theory to explain curriculum change. The illustration below
shows that there are driving forces on the left and the resisting forces on the right. If you
look at the illustration there is equilibrium, If the driving forces is equal to the restraining
force, will change happen? Do you think, there will be curriculum change in the situation?
Why?

According to Lewin, change will be better if the restraining forces shall be


decreased, rather than increasing the driving force. As a curricularist, how would you do this?

Let us look first at the different changes that occur in the curriculum. It is
important
Identify these as part of our understanding or curriculum implementation.

Categories of Curriculum Change

McNeil in 200 categorized curriculum change as follows:

1. Substitution. The current curriculum will be replaced or substituted by a new one.


Sometime, we call this a complete overhaul. Example, changing an old book to entirely
new one, not merely a revision.
2. Alteration. There is a minor change to the current or existing curriculum. For example,
instead of using a graphing paper for mathematics teaching, this can be altered by using a
graphing calculator.
3. Restructuring. Building new structure would mean major change or modification in the
school system, degree program or educational system. Using an integrated curriculum for
the whole school for K to 12 requires the primary and secondary levels to work as a team.
Another example is a curriculum that will be restructured when there is a significant
involvement of parent in the child’s instead of leaving everything to the teacher. Using
the “In-school of Off-school” or a blended curriculum is an example of restructuring.
4. Perturbations. These are changes that are disruptive, but teachers have to adjust to them
within a fairly short time. For example, if the principal changes the time schedule because
there is a need to catch up with the national testing time or the dean, the teacher has to
shorten schedule to accommodate unplanned extracurricular activities.
5. Value orientation. To McNeil, this is a type of curriculum change. Perhaps this
classification will respond to shift in the emphasis that the teacher provides which are not
within the mission or vision of the school or vice versa. For example, when new teachers
who are recruited in religious schools give emphasis in academics and forget the
formation of values or faith, they need a curriculum value orientation. Likewise, all
teachers in the public schools, undergo teacher induction program which is a special
curriculum for newly hired teachers.
Regardless of the kinds of change in curriculum and implementation, the process of change
may contain three important elements. As a process, curriculum implementation should be
developmental, participatory and supportive.

It should be developmental in the sense that it should develop multiple perspectives


increase integration and make learning autonomous, create a climate of openness and trust,
and appreciate and affirm strengths of the teacher. There should be teacher support in trying
new tasks, reflection on the new experiences and challenge.

Participatory. For curriculum implementation to succeed, it should be participatory,


especially because ither stakeholders like peers, school leader, parents and curriculum
specialists are necessary. Characteristics of teacher styles, commitment, willingness to
change, skills, and readiness are critical to implementation. This should population
characteristics and other factors. Trust among key players should also be sought as this is a
positive starting point. Involvement and participation encourage sense of ownership and
accountability. Participation builds a learning community which is very necessary in
curriculum implementation.

Supportive. It is required in the process of change. Material support like supplies,


equipment and conductive learning environment like classrooms and laboratory should be
made available. Likewise, human support is very much needed. The school leader or head
should provide full school or institutional support to the implementation of the new
curriculum. They too have to train t o understand how to address curriculum change as part
of their instructional as well as management functions.

Time is an important commodity for a successful change process. For any innovation to
be fully implemented, period of three to five years to institutionalize a curriculum is
suggested, Time is needed by requirements and get support. Time is also needed to determine
when the implementation is time bound.

Support from peers, principals, external stakeholders will add to the success of
implementation. When teachers share ideas, work together, solve problems, create new
materials, and celebrate success, more likely that curriculum implementation will be
welcomed.

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