Curriculum Reform Research Articles

Examining Finnish teachers’ professional agency in the professional community in curriculum reform / Análisis de la agencia profesional de los docentes finlandeses en la comunidad profesional en la reforma curricular

Reforming curriculum is potentially a powerful tool for school development. Harnessing this potential calls for teacher engagement with colleagues for active professional learning, i.e., teachers’ professional agency. However, promoting teachers’ ownership and active involvement in curriculum-making provides a challenge for all levels of policy interpretation. Furthermore, variation in how teachers perceive a curriculum reform, its impact in schools and their agency within the reform are likely to occur. Yet, we still know little about this variation. We address this gap identified in prior literature by examining the individual variation and relationships within and between teachers’ sense of professional agency, perceptions of the large-scale curriculum reform impact and perceptions of overall success of the reform on a national level in the Finnish context. Teachers ( N = 1,531) from 74 schools in Finland participated in the study. Relationships between variables were examined using t-tests and ANOVAs, and latent profile analysis was used to identify professional agency profiles. The results showed that perceptions of reform impact, reform overall success and professional agency varied partly according to gender, school size, school type and teaching experience. Four profiles were identified: High sense of professional agency, Reduced collective efficacy, Active help seekers and Commitment to mutual agreement. High perceived school impact and overall reform success were linked to strong professional agency. The findings imply that development work in the context of curriculum reform can be facilitated by agentic learning in the professional community.

Speech at conference Next Steps for Curriculum Reform and Implementation in Wales, 26 April 2024

Speech at conference Next Steps for Curriculum Reform and Implementation in Wales, 26 April 2024

Model of University Entrepreneurial Education Development Strategy for Preparing the Golden Generation Toward 2045: Islamic Entrepreneurship Perspective

This study aims to develop entrepreneurial strategies based on sharia principles at Universitas Syiah Kuala to prepare students for Indonesia’s Golden Era 2045. Key concepts explored include sharia-based entrepreneurship education, curriculum reform, and business incubation. Using Soft Systems Methodology (SSM), the research identifies and implements changes through curriculum redesign, workshops, strategic partnerships, and the establishment of a sharia business incubator. Data collection involved surveys and interviews with students, faculty, and local business stakeholders over six months. The results indicate increased student engagement and business creation aligned with sharia values. These findings highlight the importance of integrating Islamic principles into entrepreneurship education, offering valuable insights for other universities seeking to develop similar programs.

Innovative Exploration of Integrating Chinese Traditional Culture into University Curriculum Systems

Chinese traditional culture is the root and soul of our nation, containing rich moral and intellectual resources. Traditional culture encompasses a wide spectrum, including technology, literature, and philosophy, and serves as an effective pathway for guiding college students to form correct outlooks on life, values, and the world. By deeply exploring the contemporary value of traditional culture and integrating it into university curriculum systems through the medium of “curriculum project packages,” we can construct a new type of curriculum system of “traditional culture + project package” in higher education. This initiative holds significant practical importance for the inheritance of traditional culture, the promotion of curriculum reform, the enhancement of teaching effectiveness, and the improvement of students' overall qualities.

Discussion of AIGC Technology in a Photography Course at a Higher Vocational College

This study explores the teaching strategies of photography courses at a higher vocational college in China, focusing on the application of Artificial Intelligence Generated Content (AIGC) technology, specifically Stable Diffusion. Utilising the AI-TPACK theory as a theoretical framework, data were collected from teachers and students through 1) observation, 2) semi-structured interviews, and 3) focus group discussions. The researcher analysed the data using a phenomenological approach to capture the following core themes: 1) practical photography skills, 2) innovation and efficiency in post-processing, and 3) exploration of personalised styles and creative thinking. The results of this study contribute to the ongoing development of photography courses in higher vocational colleges amid technological innovation, demonstrate the positive effects of AIGC technology on enhancing the quality of photography teaching and creativity, and provide both theoretical support and practical guidance for curricular reform and teaching strategies.

The Practical Exploration of The Effective Integration Path of Zigong Dinosaur Culture and Kindergarten Curriculum

Zigong dinosaur culture is a valuable natural heritage in China, which contains rich scientific information and educational value, and also carries a profound dinosaur culture. This study explores how to integrate Zigong dinosaur culture into kindergarten curriculum, and puts forward specific implementation strategies. First of all, the article introduces the scientific and historical value of Zigong dinosaur culture, emphasizing its important role in popular science education, tourism development, and cultural exchanges. Then, it elaborates the educational value of Zigong dinosaur culture in kindergarten curriculum, including stimulating children 's interest, enhancing natural science cognition, and promoting interdisciplinary learning and cultural identity. Finally, in the part of implementation strategy, the paper puts forward some suggestions on curriculum planning, teaching activity design, teacher training and home cooperation. The research shows that through reasonable curriculum planning and teaching activity design, Zigong dinosaur culture can be effectively integrated into kindergarten education, so as to improve teaching quality and enhance children 's interest in learning. At the same time, it also provides new ideas for kindergarten curriculum reform.

Is the medical curriculum failing patients with obesity? - A public health concern

Abstract Introduction Despite the global surge in obesity, it often receives insufficient attention in medical curricula, potentially impacting its management. This study aims to assess the preparedness of medical students in managing obesity. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted by disseminating a mixed-methods anonymous questionnaire to medical students studying at the University in Malta. A sample size of 117 participants was determined a-priori. Descriptive statistics and chi square testing were conducted. and coupled with thematic two-stage coding analysis of qualitative data. Results 189 participants were recruited. The majority expressed dissatisfaction with the teaching of obesity and its management during the MD course (pre-clinical = 90%; clinical = 74.4%, p = 0.006). Clinical students expressed dissatisfaction regarding the adequacy of their pre-clinical education (82.65%) and clinical attachments (70.40%), in equipping them with the theoretical knowledge and foundational skills necessary for managing patients with obesity. No significant difference between clinical and pre-clinical students’ knowledge was noted except concerning diagnostic criteria (preclinical: 63.33% versus clinical: 89.90 %; p < 0.001). Thematic analysis highlighted the importance of curricular obesity teaching, need for a holistic approach towards obesity, and hesitancy in treating patients with obesity. Conclusions The gap between medical students’ perceived readiness and the growing obesity epidemic is a public health concern. Without proper training, future doctors may struggle to manage obesity, posing risks to health outcomes and healthcare systems. Urgent curricular reforms are necessary to prioritize obesity education and ensure physicians are equipped to address obesity, to meet national needs. This requires collaboration among stakeholders, especially post-COVID-19, to align medical education with public health needs while addressing the severity of the obesity epidemic in Europe. Key messages • A gap between students’ attitudes and their understanding of obesity education was identified in this study, indicating a need for curriculum reform. • This presents a critical public health issue, as it leaves the new generation of doctors ill-equipped to address the growing obesity epidemic across European countries.

Reform Strategies for the Popular Music Public Course Based on Key Competences

This study aims to explore the application potential of international music teaching methods in the reform of public basic courses of popular music in Chinese universities. Using mixed research methods, the applicability of Dalcroze, Kodaly, and Orff teaching methods was systematically evaluated through expert interviews, teaching material development, and a quasi-experimental design. The study found that these methods have high overall applicability in the Chinese higher education environment (average rating 4.183/5), but require localization adjustments. Based on this, the innovative textbook "Fundamentals and Applications of Popular Music" (IOC value 0.920) and a 12-week teaching plan (IOC value 0.880) were developed. The results of the 16-week teaching experiment showed that the students in the experimental group were significantly better than the control group in terms of music theory knowledge, appreciation ability, creative ability and learning interest (p<0.01). This study proposes a curriculum reform strategy that integrates innovation, technology empowerment, and interdisciplinary integration, providing theoretical basis and practical guidance for improving the quality of popular music education in colleges and universities. Future research directions include expanding the sample scope, conducting long-term follow-up studies, and deepening cross-cultural comparative analysis.

Protecting jobs and lives: Teachers’ passive resistance and subtle protest to curriculum policy in Lesotho, South Africa and Zimbabwe

Most studies on teacher resistance to curriculum policy and reform implementation focus on teacher activism and visible acts of resistance. But there is growing interest in teachers’ passive resistance and covert protest in the face of intimidating state power. This paper theorises subtleties of teacher protest in three Southern African states – Lesotho, South Africa and Zimbabwe. In these countries, teacher strikes, class boycotts and sit-ins have received heavy handed reaction from the government, resulting in psychological intimidation, physical assaults and incarceration. The key question driving this paper, therefore, is: Faced with shrinking democratic space, how are teachers in Lesotho, South Africa and Zimbabwe recalibrating protest strategies? This paper argues that state repression pushes teachers to retreat from active protest and resort to subtle protest, to protect their jobs and lives. The unique contributions of this paper are that it borrows James Scott’s typology of ‘everyday invisible acts of resistance’, developed from an anthropological study of peasants struggle in a Malay village, to theorise teacher resistance in pseudo-democratic spaces. It also generates novel insights on how teachers continue to resist curriculum policy while sending false signals of compliance to repressive state power.

Job Opportunities in Various Field for Criminology Graduates: Indian Perspective

ABSTRACT The study explores the wide range of career options available to criminology graduates in India, focusing on both traditional fields and emerging ones that have developed due to technological, sociopolitical, and economic changes. Employers in areas such as public policy, corporate security, intelligence, and the criminal justice system are increasingly seeking criminology graduates. In this evolving job market, these graduates face both opportunities and challenges, as employers demand specific skills, practical experience, and real-world knowledge from new candidates. This research provides a thorough analysis of how criminology graduates can adapt to the Indian job market and offers targeted recommendations for curriculum reform, industry collaborations, and government initiatives to enhance employability. Drawing from both international and Indian studies, the paper highlights how technological advancements and contemporary security needs have shaped employment patterns in India’s private sector and its criminal justice system.

Status of 21st-Century Liberal Arts Education: Curriculum Reform in Japanese Universities and Evaluation by Society

Ever since bachelor’s competencies were introduced as a reference standard in Japan, many Japanese higher education institutions have been exploring and practicing liberal arts education for the 21st century. This study posits that incorporating new elements into university education has been a significant trend in liberal arts education for the 21st century. Building on the results of a comprehensive survey, primarily involving universities and industry, this study provides an in-depth analysis of how 21st-century liberal arts education is evaluated and expected by companies and others. A questionnaire survey was administered to universities regarding their provision of 21st-century liberal arts education and the status of reforms toward this education, and to companies and other members of society regarding their expectations and evaluation of 21st-century liberal arts education provided by universities, as well as the content they evaluate as learning outcomes for university students and the qualities and skills they consider when employing them. The findings from the survey of universities and companies indicate that the average scores for curriculum reform and establishment of new courses at universities and host companies are relatively low, as indicated by the relatively low average scores for keywords that companies place importance on. Undeniably, universities’ efforts toward reform and the reality of such efforts should be conveyed to the public. Through dialogue with the industrial sector, we can understand the necessity of sharing and realizing openness to developing human resources through collaboration and innovation.

Analysis and Research on the Effectiveness of Computer Teaching in Colleges and Universities

With the deepening of curriculum reform, computer courses are becoming more and more important in the higher education system. To improve the effectiveness of computer teaching has become a topic of particular concern to many educators. This paper aims to build an efficient computer classroom, based on the current situation of computer teaching, summarizes and puts forward many strategies and suggestions to improve the effectiveness of computer teaching in colleges and universities, to provide a new idea and perspective for the reform and innovation of computer teaching, and promote the high-quality development of the overall computer teaching in colleges and universities.

A Comparative Analysis of Structured Pedagogy Interventions in South Africa and Their Impact on Student Performance in Mathematics and Science Subjects

Purpose: The aim of the study was to analyze the comparative analysis of structured pedagogy interventions in South Africa and their impact on student performance in mathematics and science subjects. Methodology: This study adopted a desk methodology. A desk study research design is commonly known as secondary data collection. This is basically collecting data from existing resources preferably because of its low cost advantage as compared to a field research. Our current study looked into already published studies and reports as the data was easily accessed through online journals and libraries. Findings: A comparative analysis of structured pedagogy interventions in South Africa reveals that these targeted educational approaches have positively impacted student performance in mathematics and science subjects. Studies show that interventions such as curriculum-aligned teaching materials, teacher training, and standardized assessments significantly improved students' understanding and achievement in these areas. Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: Constructivist learning theory, bloom’s taxonomy of educational objectives & sociocultural theory may be used to anchor future studies on the analyzing the comparative analysis of structured pedagogy interventions in South Africa and their impact on student performance in mathematics and science subjects. Schools should integrate structured lesson plans and data-driven instruction into everyday practice to enhance teacher efficacy and student performance. Policymakers should implement nationwide curriculum reforms that standardize content delivery across all schools, ensuring consistency in teaching quality, particularly in mathematics and science.

The OECD’s construction of future imaginaries for curriculum reform

ABSTRACT Offering imaginaries of the future is a significant part of the work of documents produced by national policymakers, interest groups and international organisations. In this article, we examine thematic reports on the redesign of the curriculum published by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) as part of its Education 2030 project. Our analysis is grounded in the understanding that documents transform issues through storytelling, data and visualisations. We show how thematic reports context a complex and unpredictable future by forecasting different futures based on current issues that need solutions. The storytelling that contexts the imaginaries of futures gains authority through datafication of national curricula enabled by Curriculum Content Mapping. The Curriculum Content Mapping reveals a lack of alignment with the OECD’s Learning Compass for 2030 transforming the issue of a complex future into an issue of curriculum as an instrument to potentialise the future. Hence, datafication of curriculum content serves as an instrument of governance towards specific curriculum transformations based on the OECD’s education politics towards economic growth rather than informing about future needs.

METODOLOGIA BIM NA GRADUAÇÃO DE ARQUITETURA E URBANISMO: UMA ANÁLISE DAS MATRIZES CURRICULARES DAS INSTITUIÇÕES PRESENCIAIS DE VITÓRIA DA CONQUISTA – BA

This study addresses the importance of introducing the BIM (Building Information Modeling) methodology into the Architecture and Urbanism undergraduate curriculum, considering the continuous transformations in the construction sector. Given the growing need for adaptation to new market demands, it is essential that future architects are qualified to integrate practices that promote greater agility and efficiency in project development. The research adopts a qualitative approach, using bibliographic, to demonstrate the relevance of teaching BIM from the academic stage. The study highlights how this innovative methodology not only prepares students for professional challenges but also significantly enhances their performance in the job market. The inclusion of BIM in the educational environment is identified as a competitive advantage, allowing for a deeper understanding of the design and execution phases, as well as fostering more efficient integration between the various actors involved in the construction process. Thus, this study reinforces the need for curricular reform that incorporates BIM as an essential component of the training of architects and urban planners.

26 Culturally informed developmental paediatric care: A qualitative study

Abstract Background Paediatricians provide developmental care through developmental surveillance, identification and management of specific developmental disorders, and health advocacy. Despite being one of the most common reasons to visit a paediatrician, the provision of care in this field is challenging as it intersects with medical, mental health, and educational systems. Additionally, the rise of international migration, inequities in health systems, and unique culturally based concepts of child development require paediatricians to have unique skills for culturally informed care provision in this area. Objectives A qualitative study was conducted to describe the perceptions of paediatricians on providing culturally informed developmental paediatric care to diverse populations. Design/Methods Semi-structured interviews were completed with paediatricians who primarily provide developmental care to understand the challenges, opportunities, and potential educational enhancements to improve culturally informed care for developmental paediatrics. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the transcribed interviews using inductive and deductive approaches. Results Three major themes emerged from 18 individual semi-structured interviews. The first theme, “cultural translation,” described language differences, interpretation, and trust-building between discordant physician/family dyads. The second theme, “inequity,” described systemic barriers that diverse populations experience, power distance in healthcare relationships, and pandemic-related amplifications of inequity. The third theme, “educational opportunities,” highlighted reflective practice opportunities, immersive experiences in diverse settings, and building a community of practice for paediatricians to build their knowledge base. Paediatricians practicing developmental paediatric care highlighted unique elements to the practice which may benefit from practice changes and curricular reform. Integration of meaningful training in the use of interpretation services, multicultural health brokers, and care coordination teams is a recommended intervention which is transferable to many disciplines. Peer-mentorship from colleagues of differing cultural backgrounds may help reduce race-based stereotypes and enhance perspective taking. Conclusion Paediatricians had a variety of perspectives on the provision of developmental paediatric care to diverse populations within Canada. There were a range of perceived opportunities for improvements in care noted on individual and systems levels. The development of infrastructure to build capacity in culturally informed developmental paediatric care to reduce culturally based health gaps is a needed future direction for developmental paediatrics.

Curriculum Reform of Preschool Education: An Innovative Path based on Gamification and Project-style Integration

This paper focuses on the curriculum reform of preschool education, and expounds the importance, purpose and challenges of preschool education curriculum reform under the background of educational needs in the new era. This paper analyzes the guiding significance of multiple intelligence theory, Montessori education method, gamification and project learning to preschool education courses. It is pointed out that there are some problems of single curriculum setting, limited teaching methods and means, and the challenges of teacher staff construction and resource allocation and concept change. This paper proposes the curriculum innovation of gamification and project-style integration, demonstrates its feasibility, expounds the design principles and implementation steps of the integrated curriculum, and makes a prospect for the future.

Research on interdisciplinary project-based geography fieldwork in education for sustainable development

<p>The ability to solve real-world problems for a sustainable future has become a worldwide consensus, and interdisciplinary competencies and project-based learning (PBL) have become the focus of curriculum reform in China. This study investigates the effectiveness of interdisciplinary PBL fieldwork in geography education for sustainable development, focusing on the perceptions of students from a junior high school in Chongming, Shanghai, of the interdisciplinary effectiveness of PBL fieldwork. Over a one-month pilot program, the results suggest that the new fieldwork approach did not achieve the expected benefits. The significant gains of students can be grouped into four perspectives, namely, understanding of nature and classroom knowledge; problem-solving skills and environmental action; scientific spirit, environmental awareness, and interest in geography; and understanding of local needs and sustainable development issues, which increased their interest in learning. The students generally accepted the ability to collect information and data and the thinking ability of circular development. The influencing factors of activity effectiveness include the time and difficulty of the activity, cognitive and knowledge levels, learning habits of students, student participation, and teaching experience of teachers. The study offers valuable insights for improving fieldwork in other regions and for future research.<strong></strong></p>

Erratum: Improving the Training of Frontline Extension Workers in Tanzania: A Pilot Curriculum Reform Initiative with the Ministry of Agriculture Training Institute at Ilonga

Erratum: Improving the Training of Frontline Extension Workers in Tanzania: A Pilot Curriculum Reform Initiative with the Ministry of Agriculture Training Institute at Ilonga

Research on the Path of Further Deepening the Reform and Internationalization of English Education in the Hainan Free Trade Zone

With the establishment of the Hainan Free Trade Zone (FTZ), the internationalization of English education has become a key element of the region’s educational reform efforts. As globalization intensifies, fostering an internationalized English education system is crucial for improving the competitiveness and global positioning of the Hainan FTZ. This study explores the multiple pathways and strategies for promoting the internationalization of English education in the Hainan FTZ, focusing on aspects such as policy support, curriculum reform, teacher training, international collaboration, and the effective allocation of educational resources. By examining the current state of English education in the region, identifying key challenges, and drawing insights from successful domestic and international cases—particularly from free trade zones elsewhere—this paper offers actionable recommendations. These suggestions aim to enhance the region’s educational outcomes, thereby bolstering the Hainan FTZ’s broader objectives of economic growth and enhanced global connectivity. The proposed strategies also seek to elevate the international stature of the Hainan FTZ as a regional hub for talent development, international exchange, and soft power enhancement.