Implementation of PCM in a Singapore school: Impact on students’ learning outcomes

Abstract

This paper reports on the evaluation results of the implementation of the Parallel Curriculum Model (PCM) in a Singapore secondary school for Grades 7-10. PCM was adopted by the school in 2016 to provide a comprehensive framework for designing the school’s curriculum around the core, connections, practice, and identity. Two years into the implementation, a systematic review was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of this model on students’ learning. A 39-item 5-point scale survey instrument was conceptualized to measure students’ self-perception around four constructs—(a) critical and conceptual thinking, (b) problem solving and communication, (c) creative thinking, and (d) learning strategies adopted in the context of PCM curriculum. Rasch analysis of 862 students’ level of agreeability to these four constructs reported positive self-views. They also reported engaging effective learning strategies in the PCM curriculum. This study contributes to the paucity of research in evaluating the efficacy of the PCM on students’ learning.