Teacher Practices in the Implementation of the New Business Subjects’ Curriculum in Uganda: A Case of Selected Secondary Schools in Kabale District

Abstract

The study aimed at identifying the teacher practices that support the implementation of the new business subjects’ curriculum in selected secondary schools of Kabale district, Uganda. The study was underpinned by Ralph W. Tyler’s (1949) principles of curriculum theory. Based on the pragmatist perspective, a concurrent triangulation research design was adopted. Data were collected from 37 business subject teachers and 13 directors of studies across 13 secondary schools in Kabale district, making a total of 50 participants. Data were collected using semi-structured in-depth interview schedules, and survey questionnaires. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics while qualitative data were analyzed using thematic analysis approach by Braun and Clarke (2006). Findings revealed that ICT integration, assessment and evaluation, lesson planning, use of teaching aids, and integration of teaching methods were the major teacher practices that business subject teachers use to support implementation of the new business subjects’ curriculum. It emerged that business subject teachers had some knowledge on ICT; were fully equipped in designing assessment items; dominated class sessions with both teacher-centeredness and learner-centeredness; and prepared prior actual implementation process for consistency and timely completion of the syllabus. The quantitative findings revealed that: the majority (56%) of business subject teachers applied a combination of teacher practices in a single lesson. The findings provide insights into the teacher practices that support business subject’s teachers in the implementation of the new curriculum and could be useful in informing the development of guidelines for the implementation of the same.