MANAGEMENT OF CURRICULUM CHANGE: IMPLICATIONS FOR QUALITY

ASSURANCE AND STANDARDS IN EFFECTIVE TEACHING / LEARNING

Paper presented at the 1st National Conference of the Faculty of Education, Nasarawa

State University, held at the 1000 seat Auditorium, Nasarawa State University, Keffi,

BY

OZOEMENA PATRICIA OYIBO

patfroz@yahoo.com

11th – 14th, June 2012

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MANAGEMENT OF CURRICULUM CHANGE: IMPLICATIONS FOR QUALITY

ASSURANCE AND STANDARDS IN EFFECTIVE TEACHING / LEARNING

Abstract:The paper describes the general guidelines for fostering and managing curriculum change in

Nigeria. It focuses on the process of curriculum change and its management even at the

school level. It also emphasizes the relevance of managing curriculum change in

maximizing the effectiveness of teaching/learning through change in planned content,

activities and arrangement for educational process. It also emphasizes the desirability of

teachers’ competency development and participation in the planning and managing

curriculum change. It recommends that management of curriculum change must involve

careful data gathering, planning, experimenting, monitoring, consulting and evaluation; and

evaluation which take place at every stage of curriculum development process.

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MANAGEMENT OF CURRICULUM CHANGE: IMPLICATIONS FOR QUALITY

ASSURANCE AND STANDARDS IN EFFECTIVE TEACHING / LEARNING

Introduction:

One effective way of looking at change is to determine whether it is imposed on an

organization or initiated by the organization. In either case, the pressure for change may

have originated as a sound process; for example, peoples’ value may change, and this forces

an organization to respond in one way or the other. If people begin to demand for more

meaningful and intrinsically rewarding work, an organization may respond by enriching

jobs through extensive redesign of the tasks performed; thus, a change is forced upon the

organization. At the other extreme, the management of an organization may not be satisfied

with the collective performance on the ground; it therefore initiates a programme to redesign

jobs in order to improve performance. In this case, the organization is not responding to

change but rather initiating change. There are numerous ways to classify change; change

takes place whether or not one plans or initiates it. When one simply allows change to

happen and makes no attempt to plan it or to influence its direction, it is said to be random

or haphazard. The idea is that no human effort has been invested to direct it. Planned change

by contrast is a conscious and deliberate attempt on the part of some agents (individual or

group) to bring about alleviations in a system. Planned change therefore is goal oriented. It

is initiated for the purpose of obtaining a specific outcome. Change in society can lead to

major changes in school curricula for instance, as the space age began, real and imagined

deficiencies in the scene and mathematics preparation of American citizens led to major

changes in curricular emphasis and methods of teaching. Similarly, the introduction of 6-3-

3-4 Education System in Nigeria led to change in curricula and methods. Concerns for

equality of educational opportunity also led to both locally initiated curricular changes and

changes that have been governmentally mandated.

Education like other organizations introduces or is forced to introduce changes as new ideas

and information about man and his environment emerged; beliefs and situation changed, and

the new practices, approaches and materials are developed. Innovations are important in

education and in curriculum; it is man’s means of survival in a rapidly changing

environment.

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In the context of education, some changes have evolved and more innovations will continue

to be evolved since education and curriculum are dynamic and always in a state of change.

Curriculum change

Curriculum could be defined as the planned and or unplanned learning experiences or

activities which a child is exposed to at the course of his development.

According to Doll 1982, curriculum is the formal and informal content and process by

which learners gain knowledge and understanding, develop skills and alter attitudes,

appreciations and values under the auspices of the School. To John 1967, it is seen as a

structured series of intended learning outcomes; the activities engaged by the students

nowadays are quite different from the activities that engaged students 20 years ago

A worthwhile curriculum is never static, it is supposed to be dynamic; when analyzed the

intended objectives, the learning experience, the content, and the methods of evaluation are

parts or steps in curriculum development and have continued to change. What should be

borne in mind is that curriculum innovation entails the introduction of new ideas and

practices in anyone part of the curriculum; it means to renew an existing curriculum or add

something new to the curriculum so as to make it more relevant to the varying needs and

aspiration of the learners, and to the ever changing needs of the society.

Curriculum Change refers to a replacement that supersedes the previously planned

curriculum. The discussion for change takes place in a National Conference where

University Professors, Faculty Deans, Senior Lecturers, Secondary and Primary School

Teachers, Parents, Business executives, Educationalist, Ministry of Education Personnel,

Farmers, etc, all meet to discuss what is good for Nigeria in terms of education. They argue

whether the existing curriculum should be dropped and an entirely new one developed to

replace it or whether new programmes should be added, or to drop some old programmes or

mostly certain aspects of the curriculum e.g., unwanted teaching methods and classroom

management procedure or doing away with colonial aspects of the curriculum. The action of

adding, dropping or modifying aspects of the curriculum is referred to as curriculum

revision or change. This means that to renew a curriculum implies revision of it or

modification with the hope that it will provide a better programme for the benefit of

education and society to meet the needs and aspirations of Nigeria.

Okeke (1981) gave five factors that influence curriculum change as follows.

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1. Change in objectives of education arising from change in social values, social

beliefs, traditions and culture.

2. Change in the nature of knowledge

3. Change in learning process

4. Change in the system of education

5. Change from curriculum evaluation

Agencies for the process of curriculum changes or development

There are various government agencies and subject association that have been involved in

curriculum development and innovations in Nigeria. They are set up for the purpose of

monitoring the educative enterprise as it is, with a view to improving it, they are charged

with the responsibility to ensure that Nigeria keeps abreast of contemporary practices in

education and also initiate innovations and take the responsibility for the revision of

curriculum. The Agencies include:

i. Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC)

ii. Comparative Education study and adoption centre (CESAC)

iii. National teachers Institute (NTI)

iv. National Universities Commission (NUC)

v. National Board for Technical Education (NBTE)

vi. National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE)

vii. West African Examination Council (WAEC)

Other subject Associations in Nigeria are numerous and they include:

Science Teachers Association (STAN)

Mathematical Association of Nigeria (MAN)

Social Studies Association of Nigeria (SOSAN), even in the field of education as a

discipline some other associations exist.

In summary, at each level of planning, certain agencies or bodies are involved and they

produce particular curriculum products at the national level, the agencies or establishments

like the NERDC, WAEC, NTI, NUC, NBTI, NCCE, and other professional bodies produce

national guidelines and policy statements, minimum standards, uniform curriculum guides,

requirement for certification and syllabus for external examinations. Whatever comes out of

the national level is translated from the State level down to the Classroom level where the

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focus is on implementation of the curriculum through different teaching/learning process. At

the State and Local Government levels, the various Ministries of Education, School Boards,

Curriculum development Centres and some Professional bodies translate Federal guidelines

into specific subject syllabus, produce text materials, resource materials, supply teachers,

plan and execute seminars and workshops.

At School level, the School heads, with some support Staff develope schemes of work, unit

plan, curriculum materials for teaching and learning

Whichever, agency is responsible for the periodic evaluation for the curriculum for

necessary modification; it must get the blessing of the Ministry of Education before the final

adoption.

Managing curriculum change

A major innovation in a curriculum is a complex process that requires a meticulous planning

and sustained efforts. If developing a curriculum is important, its implementation and

evaluation are equally as significant. Care should be taken throughout all stages of the

process to ensure that the differences associated with managing change are not under

estimated; strategic planning is essential. It is crucial to foresee mechanism for regulating

the implementation of any innovative programme.

i. An objective, detailed assessment of the situation must be carried out: analyze the

strength and weakness of the current programme; analyze the context in which the

programme evolves; analyze internal and external forces acting on the programme,

opportunities, and challenges in the context.

ii. What the organization agency intends to do in following up the results of the

analysis must be expressed in a mission statement that means clarifying what you

want to do by formulating objectives in terms of measurable results. The mission

statement is extremely important; it must reflect a broad consensus that is shared and

supported by all stake holders, the various decision-making authorities in the

education systems, the students, teachers, employers from all walks of life

iii. An action plan must be established to determine and prioritize the mission’s

development strategies. The resources required for the project’s success must be

sought out and located. This plan must follow a schedule that is slack enough to take

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into account the resources and the specific development context, but tight enough to

sustain, maintain mobilization for the mission and project for change.

iv. The fourth phase is the curriculum – detailed design and its implementation.

Although not necessarily the longest phase, it surely mobilizes the school system

most. It is at this juncture that the learning and conceptual frameworks discussed

above are selected and developed. This is a complex task requiring constant

teamwork from the whole school.

Often, an innovative curriculum project comes along with important changes to educational

practices, such as tutorials, design studies, cooperative learning, in many cases before the

new programme can be implemented, school members and teaching assistants must be given

special training organized by University Educational Support Service, seminars, workshops,

training and retraining are also organized for building the capacity of teachers and all the

participant in this new practices.

The issue remaining to be settled at the end of this phase is how to make the transition from

the old curriculum to the new smooth. Should the change begin with fresh learning? Should

a pilot group of learners or the whole class or the whole school system be involved? The

answers depend on the extent of reform, its nature, and the local context.

v. Monitoring tools must be designed and implemented. These tools need to be

conceived with a dual objectives:

(a). Measuring Programme quality programme; at first locally (does each activity

contribute to meeting programme objectives) and then globally (does every learner

have all the attributes targeted by the programme, and;

(b). providing for immediate feedback to identify and correct student learning difficulties

or any deviation from the programme’s educational principles.

These mechanisms are essential to improve the new programme through formative

evaluation and feedback process during implementation. If the new programme calls for

new learning methods, such as self-learning, teamwork, tutorial, counseling, field trips et

cetera, support resources and special training, retraining, workshops and seminars must be

put in place to guarantee their success use.

Implementing the plan does not guarantee success or level the obstacles arising from

resistance to change.

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To ensure success in implementation of a curriculum:

Teachers’ (at all levels) participation in all curriculum decisions is imperative:

Teachers are to make inputs to decision making on curriculum matters because they

will eventually implement curriculum decision in class rooms.

Teachers’ capabilities: to have the will and potential to carry out change in

curriculum successfully, teachers must possess the new knowledge, techniques and

skills. Majority of teachers may not possess these attributes; this means they will be

found deficient in their effort to implement the revised curriculum. The inability of

teachers to teach the new programme arising from professional deficiency may cause

a delay in implementation. This delay may demand a crash programme of training of

existing teachers on the new ways and method of the new curriculum, if this is not

done due to heavy cost involved, it may lead to abandoning the new curriculum; no

wonder Adenipekin (2010), viewed that the new senior secondary school curriculum

(SSCE) that contains civic education and whose implementation was to commence

from September 2011 threw up a big challenge to teachers education in the nation’s

Colleges of Education, Polytechnics and Universities, to review their teacher

preparatory programmes in the context of the knowledge of the subject matter

teaching skills and competencies.

Heavy expenditure: Curriculum change is a costly affair therefore; it calls for sizable

chunks of the year’s budget to get through it. The old curriculum materials should be

abandoned, old methods of teaching would be dropped; training of teacher educators

for the new programmes is imperative; the building of new workshops to suit new

curriculum is necessary. All these cost a great deal of money to enable the changed

curriculum take off. If there are no materials, facilities and teachers to back up the

new change, the curriculum will not take off.

Conservatism among Teachers at all level. Educators look at change with suspect

and fear of the new technique. This can stampede the proposed change. The

objectives and goals of the proposed change should be specified on time, and then

plan a change in phases (1 have discussed these earlier) so that all the teachers will

be used and be intimated; this will reduce the tempo and dimension of suspicion.

Model demonstration Centres can also be introduced to carry out experiments and

evaluate curriculum change and give feedback.

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Congenial Relationship and conducive climate in the school system: The school

system must maintain a congenial tune to enable it carry out activities that relates to

teachers, the administrators must be in harmony with the teaching staff; the new

curriculum must be practiced by the teachers through various means to get used to

the new system. Therefore it calls for proper incentive packages and payment of

teachers’ salary to induce motivation because the teacher sets goal for the students

and encourages them to work on their own, et cetera.

Dissemination of curriculum change material to those concerned. There must be

adequate curriculum materials, all the agencies that are mandated for this service

should work hardizously for their production, e.g., CESAC, and the materials should

be disseminated to all persons who are in the process of implementation.

Evaluation of the effect of management of curriculum change on educational reform

and innovation: Evaluation is a systematic process of determining the extent to

which objectives are achieved in relation to change; it is also the process of

determining the extent to which actual experiences conform to objectives. It is a

process of delineation, obtaining and providing useful information for judging

among decision alternatives. Indeed, a major reform to be done in education sector

must not underscore the issue of evaluation before, during and after such reforms.

The main purpose of evaluation is to assist decision makers at various stages, taking

appropriate action to ensure programme efficiency.

FIGURE 1. STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT OF CURRICULUN CHANGE PROCESS

IN SCHOOL

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Participation, leadership

Environmental analysis:Monitor the environment (external and internal)that can influence the school

Planning:Reflect on the results of an environmental analysisPredetermine a course of school actions1. Establish school direction2. Develop school policies3. Establish programmes4. Budget5. Set procedures

Structuring (organizing):Arrange work for accomplishmentof programme/school objectives1. Establish organizational structure2. Delineate relationships3. Create position descriptions4. Establish position qualifications

Staffing:Develop competence people for positions1. Select2. Orient3. Train4. Develop

Directing:Bring about purposeful action towards objectives1. Delegate2. Motivate3. Co-ordinate4. Manage differences5. Manage change

Controlling:Ensure progress towards objectives1. Establish reporting systems2. Develop performance standards3. Measure results4. Take corrective action5. Reward

SOURCE: International Journal of Education Management, 8(3). 1994

Strategic management of curriculum change process in school is also very crucial and it is

illustrated as shown in figure 1 above

These sequential components are followed in the process of management of curriculum

change in the school to ensure school performance, achieve school objectives and school

mission,

1. Environmental analysis; the internal and external environment which can influence

the school is monitored and information is procured and processed for planning.

2. Systematic planning and Structuring; based on the reflection on the information of

an environmental analysis, a course of individual/programmes/school actions is

predetermined and all the necessary jobs, relationships and resources are arranged

for accomplishment of programmed school objectives.

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3. Appropriate staffing and directing; competent people are developed for positions and

helped to bring about purposeful actions towards individual/programme/school

objectives according to plans.

4. Constructive Evaluation and controlling; by establishing reporting system and

performance standards, implementation of plans at the individual/programme/school

levels is monitored and performance at all these levels is evaluated in order to ensure

progress towards planned objectives.

Teaching and learning in Schools are expected to be in line with the demands of curriculum

innovations. Team buildings, teacher empowerment, delegation of authority, garnering

support for schools programmes, use of Information Technology and increased community

participation in provision of curriculum resources are parts of management and

implementation of curriculum change process Obanye, (2003).

The need to bring about efficient and effective management of curriculum change becomes

necessary in view of the fact that it is extremely difficult to discuss educational

development in isolation without mentioning curriculum change and reform.

Approaches to maximizing teaching/learning effectiveness through management of

curriculum change

Management of change in curriculum is a prerequisite for educational improvement, and the

planned curriculum change is likely to be more effective in teaching and learning than

unplanned change. Three approaches are plausible as follows:

i. Simplicity curriculum change approach;

Curriculum should be developed or changed at individual level, at the programme

level or at the school level to fit in with teacher competency and student

characteristics.

ii. Teacher competency development approach; teachers’ competency should be

developed to meet the demand of curriculum.

iii. Dynamic curriculum change approach:

Both the curriculum and teacher competences should be developed and changed in

order to maximize curriculum effectiveness which ensures quality and standard and

as well facilitates teaching/learning.

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This implies that effective management of curriculum change should involve not only

administrators or external experts but also teachers in curriculum planning and decision

making Mortimore (1993).

The implications of management of curriculum change at all levels:

Provides the important human resources in terms of participants’ time, experience.

Knowledge and skills for better planning and implementation of curriculum change.

Produces high quality decisions and plans of change by involving different perspectives

and expertise;

Promotes greater responsibility, commitment and support to implementation and results

of curriculum changes;

Builds culture which contributes to team spirit and organizational integration in school;

Provides opportunity for individuals and groups to enrich their professional

development;

Provides more information and greater opportunities to overcome technical and

psychological resistance and change ineffective practices at different levels;

Helps to ensure congruency between curriculum change and teacher development and

across levels, which is critical to effective change management Cheng, (1994).

Participation of those concerned can enhance quality assurance and standard in their

competence.

provides a basic mechanism for continuous curriculum and teaching competency Cheng

(1989), this involves inevitably, transformation of teachers’ behavior, skills, motivation

conceptions and beliefs about curriculum change, teaching and learning development;

It also involves changes occurring in the process of production, the personnel,

equipment/ machinery, hours of work, and procedures of work.

New operations bowing to new institutional objectives which will have to replace the

previous objectives, the new operation will depend on whether there is adequacy of

resources or not, whether there is readiness on the part of the workers or not and whether

employee’s attitude to change is positive or negative.

Newly mounted programmes conforming with the skills ability and competences of the

employees; this means that before programmes are mounted a crash programme of

training or workshop lasting several weeks will be arranged to enable employees

become familiar with operational processes of the new programmes; this again calls for

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adequacy of resources, readiness and employees’ attitude to change; their willingness to

adapt to change must all be considered.

Assurance of availability of resources and facilities to be used and to fit the new change

before the change is launched. The old equipment and facilities may not fit and may not

be useful for the change programmes. This new equipment and necessary materials will

be procured to match the changed process.

Study programmes changing as a result of change; this implies that the new students

have to be admitted based on the new programmes while phasing out gradually the

already admitted students on existing programmes; the newly admitted students will

form the nucleus of the new programme (learners) and they will be pioneers of the

change. For instance, the establishment of Cross River University of Technology is an

example of change which replaces the Polytechnics Mgbekem (2004). If the existing

staffs are not suitable to bring about effective teaching/ learning for the new programme,

new staff who have the quality and standard to teach the new programmes will have to

be employed, while the existing staff may be laid off or be retained, if they accept to

remain, they have to be retained to fit the requirements of the new change.

Increase in enrolment which brings about increase in students population. A new

organizational structure will be compelling to replace the existing one.

It also involves invitation of a new system of funding.

Conclusion:

Management of curriculum change is a tool for the provision of adequate means with which

educational practices can meet up their inherent diverse roles at any point in a time;

Careful planning and management of curriculum change are key to the operation’s It aims at

having dynamic educational practices that are not at variance with the changing values and

aspirations of the society in which the school exists; it is directed towards improving

performance and standards of the school system so as to guarantee quality assurance and

standard in effective teaching/learning so as to be result oriented. Curriculum is defined as a

set of activities and content planned at the individual level, the programme level or whole

school level to foster teachers’ teaching/students learning. Furthermore, it assumes that

management of curriculum change aims to maximize the effectiveness of teaching/learning

through change in planned context, activities and arrangements for educational process.

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Recommendation:

Management of curriculum change must involve careful data gathering, planning,

experimenting, monitoring, consultation and evaluation. Evaluation should take

place even at every stage of curriculum development process.

It must not be top-down in nature but must be open to questions by the teachers that

the innovation/change affects directly.

These must be evaluation elements to verify achievement or otherwise of the stated

curriculum goals. If indeed any such goal is specified, this will provide continual

feedback process by which modifications can be made to keep the process on target.

There must be good reason for making the change not just for the sake of it.

Involve the appropriate people in the planning of change.

A change process should be manned by effective leadership

A transitional Management Team should be created. E.g., Committee that cut across

the staff; such team will have the responsibility to plan, to anticipate trouble shout,

coordinate and direct efforts towards the change.

Provide training in new values, that is to some preliminary orientation on any

change; counsel people about the new values

Establish symbols of change e.g., slogans, inauguration, seminars to educated

people about the change.

Acknowledge and reward those who make the change work, and enable society see

the gain of change.

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References:

Adenipeki O. 2010. Government Drives Tertiary Educations to Develop New Teaching

Education Programmes,Vanguard, April 29th. In Implementation of Civic

Education Curriculum in Nigeria, Challenges for Social Studies Teacher, 45.

Eds.:Jekinda, Akinlade A. ILORIN: University of Ilorin Press

Cheng, Y.C 1989. Organisational Culture: Development of a theoretical Framework for Organisational Research, Educational Journal 17(2), 29-41.

Cheng Y. C.1994. Effectiveness of Curriculum Change in School,An Organisational Perspective, International Journal of Education Management MCB University Press, 8(3), 30-36.

Doll, R.C. 1982. Curriculum Improvement: Decision Making and Process. 5th ed.: BOSTON: Allyn and Bacon.

Johnson, M. 1964. Professional Handbook for teachers. OWERRI: NUT Imo State Wing

Mgbekem, S.J.A. 2004. Management of University Education in Nigeria. CALABAR: University of Calabar Press.

Mortimore. P. 1993. School/Effectiveness and the management of effective learning and teaching, paper presented at the International Congress for school effectiveness and improvement. SWEDEN: Norrkoping.

Obange P. 2003. Functional Education for liberating Africa; Journal of the Nigerian Academy in Education (1). In Roles and Actions of School principal in managing curricular Reforms in Nigeria, International Journal of Educational Research and Technology, 1 (1) 85-90. Olibie E.I.

Okeke, E.A.1981. The Dynamics of Curriculum Revision. In Curriculum Developments for Africa. Ed.: Onwuka, U. ONITSHA: African Publishers Ltd.

Ughamadu K. A. 2006. Curriculum: Concept, Development and Implementation. LINCEL Publishers.

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