CURICULUM REFORM
** Curriculum reforms are typically top-down reforms Reform a massive system-wide effort is required that engages parents, communities as well as policy-makers
** Reform is typically used to refer to change instituted from above (Bourke, 1994) Government decision-making can reform education Curriculum reform is really about change to content and organization of what is taught, within the constraints of social, economic and political contexts (Kennedy, 1995)
** Reform of schooling over past decades (Lingard et al, 1993). Some examples of reform: devolution of responsibilities to school principals and school councils school-based curriculum development within national frameworks downgrading external support service for school increased school governance auditing of schools centrally defined policy guidelines
* Some examples of reform in Malaysia ??
CURRICULUM KBSR KBSM Smart Schools PPSMI Transformasi kurikulum (KSSM/KSSR)
** Governments Teacher Unions Media Academics Industry
** OECD sponsored an International School Improvement Projects (ISIP, 1982) involved 14 countries, and examined:the role of school leaders External support school-based review research and evaluation policy development and implementation
** Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA) Teacher Education and Development Study in Mathematics (TEDS-M)
** In UK The National Curriculum introduced in 1988 was based on the Right ideology of a market economy and a consumer-oriented emphasis. In New Zealand based on neo-liberal principles of individualism, deregulation, corporatism, and privatization. In USA strong interest in national standards and the need to develop a core knowledge and skills that all students should be taught. In Malaysia Standard Guru Malaysia (SGM)
** Four main categories (Plank, 1988)
Additive reformsExternal reformsRegulatory reformsStructural reforms
**Additive reforms Involve additional resources and do not affect the organizational character of schools.
Examples:
Fully-funded computer literacy programme pre-school initiativesIncreased salaries
**External reforms Concentrate upon teachers entering the system or students leaving the system. Examples:
Higher test for pre-service teachers Certification changes New high school graduation requirement
**Regulatory reforms Seek changes in schools but not necessarily affecting the basic structure. The emphasis is upon more time and effort to achieve higher students achievements.
Examples:
Longer school day Longer school year more basic skills
**Structural reforms Require alterations to the structure and operation of school.
Examples:
Smaller class Competency tests for teachers
** a) Give examples of reforms that have been proposed over the decades to solve a particular curriculum problem (Plank, 1988). b) Have any proposals been more successful than others? Give reasons.