Abstract
Investigation into the non- implementation of new curriculum reforms has enjoyed considerable attention in the literature. Recent work has highlighted socio-cultural, political and economic issues as critical factors in teachers' beliefs, the learning and understanding of their work, and the complex process of change. This paper casts further light on these issues by exploring how the relationships between district officials and teachers can shape the outcomes of curriculum implementation. This will be done by examining the assumptions held by district officials about teacher learning and change in a district in South Africa. This paper argues that district officials’ assumptions influence the nature of the support they give teachers, for they become the lenses for viewing and engaging with teachers. These assumptions, the paper shows, also contribute to shaping the curriculum reform implementation or non-implementation process. This paper intends to shed light on the issue of non-implementation of new curriculum reforms by exploring how district officials’ understandings of teacher learning and change process can shape the outcomes of the curriculum implementation. This will be done by examining the officials’ assumptions about teacher learning and change, their source and impact in the reform implementation process in a district in South Africa. The paper argues t hat district officials’ assumptions influence the nature of the support they give teachers, for they become the lenses for viewing and engaging with teachers. These assumptions, the paper shows, also contribute to shaping the reform implementation or non-implementation process. In conclusion, it is recommended that officials enhance their communication channels and work rapport with teachers as these will facilitate their understanding of the various issues confronting teaching and impacting reform implementation.
Highlights
In recent years, exploration of the unsuccessful implementation of new curriculum reforms has enjoyed considerable attention
Evident from the conversations was that their opinions were crucial to planning the professional development of teachers
Teachers’ resistance to learning and change was perceived as a major issue in the challenges the district officials were experiencing with teachers when it came to Curriculum 2005 and the Revised National Curriculum Statement
Summary
Exploration of the unsuccessful implementation of new curriculum reforms has enjoyed considerable attention. The literature draws attention to a range of issues related to the importance of teachers' beliefs, the learning and understanding of their work, and the resultant change process. Recent work on development contexts highlights external and internal cultural, political, economic and social issues (Chisholm and Leyendecker, 2008; Mohammed & Harlech-Jones, 2008; Tabulawa, 2003; Jansen, 2002). Whereas Jansen (2002) argues that the non-implementation of reforms results from policy-making and planning that does not accommodate and clearly delineate the policy implementation plan, Tabulawa (2003) looks at cultural clashes, and Chisholm and Leyendecker (2008) examine the national and local relationships in explaining non-change. This paper aims to expand on this work by examining the contextual interactions and understandings that give rise to the non-implementation of curriculum reforms
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