Implementing the Designed Curriculum as a Change Process

Curriculum Implementation Defined

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 the curriculum that has been written and planned and the persons (teachers) who
are in charge to deliver it. To them, curriculum implementation implies the following:
Shift from what is current to a new or enhanced curriculum.
Change in knowledge, actions, attitudes of the persons involved.
Change in behavior using new strategies and resources.
Change with requires efforts hence goals should be achievable.
Loucks and Lieberman (1983) define curriculum implementation as the trying out
of a practice and what it looks like when actually used in a school system. It simply means
that implementation should bring the desired change and improvement.

Curriculum Implementation as a Change Process

Kurt Levin's Force Field Theory and Curriculum Change
Kurt Levin (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 be no change. The situation or condition will
stay the same. However, when the driving force overpowers the restraining
force, then change will occur. If the opposite happens that is when the
restraining force is stronger than the driving force, change is prevented. This
is the idea of Kurt Levin 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
 force is equal to the restraining force will change happen? Do you think,
there will be curriculum change in this situation? Why?

Driving Force E Restraining Forces

Q
Government Intervention U Fear of the Unknown
I
Society’s Values L Negative Attitude to Change
I
Technological Changes B Tradition Values
R
Knowledge Explosion I Limited Resources
U
Administrative Support M Obsolete Equipment

Based on Levin’s Force Field Model

According to Levin, 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?

Categories of Curriculum Change

McNeil in 1990 categorized curriculum change as follows:

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

one. Sometimes, we call this a complete overhaul. Example, changing an old book
to entirely new one, not merely a revision.

2. Alteration. In 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 a 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 parents in the child's
instead of leaving everything to the teacher. Using the "In-school 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 extra
curricular 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 on 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 kind of change in curriculum an 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 other stakeholders like peers, school leaders,
parents and curriculum specialists are necessary. Characteristics of teacher styles,
commitment, willingness to change, skills, and readiness are critical to
implementation. This should be coupled with organizational structure, principal style,
student 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 curriculum implementation 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 to
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 the teachers to plan, adapt, train or practice,
provide the necessary requirements and get support. Time is also needed to determine
when the implementation starts and when it will conclude, since curriculum
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.