Curriculum Leadership Research Articles

‘It was just as political as it was pragmatic’: the (in)formal roles and policy work of ‘curriculum leaders’ in a federated education context

ABSTRACT Politics and pragmatics are central and inseparable features of curriculum reform. In a federated system like Australia, many individuals and organisations are invested in reform at the national and jurisdictional level. This paper focuses on the policy work and roles of key actors positioned at the interface of national and state-based curriculum development, and at the juncture of curriculum policy and pedagogic practice. These were individuals formally identified as ‘curriculum leaders’ in the enactment of the Australian Curriculum in Health and Physical Education (ACHPE). The paper centres on data collected from eight (n = 8) curriculum leaders via semi-structured interviews. All were prospectively influential figures in shaping the path of the ACHPE. Our research explored the nature of their enactment work and how they were variously positioned and positioned themselves in relation to key ACHPE discourses. Analysis uses the policy actor/policy work framework as a starting point for deeper, Foucauldian informed analysis which provides insights into the complex nature of curriculum leadership by considering the additional (in)formal work and roles of these high-ranking policy actors. Data and discussion extends understanding of curriculum enactment as a process that spans policy networks and reveals the nuanced nature of curriculum leadership associated with curriculum reform.

Curriculum agility in higher education

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study is two-fold. First, to identify and encapsulate the enablers that can facilitate curriculum agility in higher education and second, to understand the interplay between the factors. Literature review and academic experts helped identify eight factors crucial for driving curriculum agility in higher education. The total interpretive structural modelling (TISM), a widely used method in theory building, was used to develop a hierarchical conceptual framework of the curriculum agility factors. The TISM model helped comprehend the relationship between the factors and the logical reasoning behind the relationship. The cross-impact matrix multiplication applied to classification, also known as MICMAC analysis, was applied to rank the enablers based on their driving power into independent, autonomous, linkage, and dependent zones. The participants for the study included faculty members from higher education institutions in India. A closed-ended questionnaire and scheduled interview helped in gathering data. The TISM model revealed curriculum leader, organisational governance and teacher autonomy as the most crucial factors in driving curriculum agility in higher education. The results of this study would assist the policymakers and management of higher education institutions to understand the critical factors and work around them to add value to the curriculum.

Developing a leadership and management competency framework for nurse champion: A qualitative study from Shanghai, China.

To develop a leadership and management competency framework applicable to Chinese nurse champions guided by the competency matrix for clinical nurse leader (CNL). As the clinical leaders and future nurse manager candidates in the Chinese clinical setting, nurse champions are in great need of leadership and management competency training, but it is unclear what content should be included in the training curriculum, a guiding framework applicable to Chinese nurse champions was needed to be constructed. This study used a qualitative descriptive design to explore nurse champions' competency requirements from clinical nurse managers' perspective. Semi-structure interviews guided by the CNL competency matrix were conducted with 27 clinical nurse managers from six large-scale tertiary grade A hospitals in Shanghai, China. Interview transcripts were analysed using deductive and inductive content analysis. The data analysis yielded three main categories: nursing leadership, clinical outcome management and care environment management, containing 14 subordinate themes, which represent the leadership and management competencies needed for nurse champions. A leadership and management competency framework for Chinese nurse champion was built in this study, which covering the competencies needed by Chinese nurse champions to lead care teams, improve quality of care for patient outcomes and enhance systems and equipment for the better care environment. This framework will be the direct basis for guiding the development of the nurse leadership curriculum for driving nurse champion to achieve role success. This framework provides a theoretical foundation for clarifying the role of nurse champion in clinical management. Training curriculum guided by this framework will help nurses in their clinical management role and share the burden of clinical nursing managers, as well as promote the development of a clinical nursing management reserve talents and support the future development of nursing staff in health care organisations.

Learning to Lead: 10 Leadership Lessons From Operation Bushmaster.

Medical students at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences participate in a leadership curriculum designed to develop leadership skills. Operation Bushmaster is a 5-day field practicum designed to test these skills. In this article, we describe 10 leadership lessons learned during Operation Bushmaster applicable to all leaders.

Curriculum Leadership of Rural Teachers: Status Quo, Influencing Factors and Improvement Mechanism-Based on a Large-Scale Survey of Rural Teachers in China.

Revealing the general status quo of teacher curriculum leadership has great theoretical, policy, and practical significance. However, large-scale empirical investigations in this area are rare, and there is even less attention to the current situation of rural teacher curriculum leadership. Based on the survey of 2,966 rural teachers in 20 provinces of China, this paper presented the status quo of rural teacher curriculum leadership and examined influencing factors through multiple linear regression analysis. It was found that curriculum leadership of rural teachers was at a low level with backward leadership views, lack of practical ability, and low sense of identity. Regression analysis demonstrated that individual field factors had a significant impact on teachers’ curriculum leadership. Specifically, the higher the teachers’ leadership willingness, trust in others, and self-efficacy, the higher the curriculum leadership. The school field was also an important influential aspect. In particular, the formation of a common vision and teacher community by the school and the appropriate empowerment of the principal had a significant positive impact on the curriculum leadership of rural teachers. Based on these key findings, several improvement suggestions are put forward at the end, which can be used as references for other countries to develop improvement plans on rural teacher curriculum leadership.

Students’ self-reported learning gains in higher engineering education

ABSTRACT In higher engineering education, students’ learning outcomes are typically measured via tests and examinations. In that way, so it is claimed, students have reached the learning goals intended by the teachers. However, students’ learning experiences and perceived learning gains remain unclear. To gain insights into their perceived learning gains, thirteen students from a Dutch technical university were interviewed. This university is in the process of changing its curriculum from teacher-centered to student-centered approaches. The results show that students’ reported learning gains could be grouped into five different strands: (1) the disciplinary conceptual and procedural knowledge strand; (2) the general cognitive learning strand; (3) the affect, thought and learning strand; (4) the teamwork and communication strand; and (5) the entrepreneurial learning strand. Moreover, we nuanced these five strands with the help of the student interviews and the relevant literature. The findings of this study can be valuable and helpful for teachers and curriculum leaders for their course and curriculum design.

Training Surgery Residents to be Leaders: Construction of a Resident Leadership Curriculum.

Historically, the traditional pathways into plastic surgery required board eligibility in a surgical specialty such as general surgery, orthopedics, urology, neurosurgery, otolaryngology, or ophthalmology. This requirement resulted in plastic surgery residents who had served as chief residents before plastic surgery training. Their maturity emotionally and surgically allowed them to immediately concentrate on the new language and principles of plastic surgery. They had led others and were capable of leading themselves in a new surgical discipline. Today, medical students typically match into surgical specialties directly out of medical school and need to spend their time learning basic surgical skills and patient care because of the contracted time afforded to them. Formal leadership training has historically been limited in surgical training. The authors set out to delineate the creation, implementation, and perceptions of a leadership program within a surgical residency and provide guideposts for the development of engaged, conscious, and dedicated leaders within the residencies they lead.

Pathways to equity: A pilot study implementing a health equity leadership curriculum in residency education as an antidote to systemic racism

BackgroundHealth disparities negatively impact the lives of patients and are a product of the social categorization of medicine. In dismantling the systemic racism and biases that create health disparities, health equity curricula can be implemented that improve resident physician awareness and competency in caring for patients from vulnerable populations. ObjectiveThe objective of this study is to assess the impact of a resident-led health equity curriculum on the self-efficacy of family medicine residents in caring for vulnerable populations and managing challenging patient scenarios. MethodsThe Health Equity Leadership Concentration (HELC) curriculum was implemented in the fall of 2019. Residents self-selected their participation in the concentration and completed pre- and 6-month post- implementation surveys on self-efficacy. Deidentified survey data were analyzed with α = 0.05 significance level. ResultsEight residents of 26 residents self-selected to participate (30%) with pre- and post- implementation survey response rates of 100% and 87.5% (HELC) and 66.7% and 88% (general residents). A significant increase in self-efficacy was observed in caring for the uninsured (p=0.007), LGBTQ (P=0.047), and Immigrant (p=0.04) populations and managing food insecurity (p=0.01) after 6 months in the HELC curriculum. No significant increases were seen in the general resident curriculum. HELC residents had a significant increase in self-efficacy in caring for the Medicaid population (p=0.048) in comparison with the general residents. ConclusionsThe HELC was successful in increasing self-efficacy in caring for vulnerable populations and managing challenging patient scenarios at 6-months. Further evaluation is needed for generalizability and determination of true statistical significance.

CROSS-CULTURALISM AND THE APPLICATION OF LEADERSHIP EDUCATION IN MAINLAND CHINA

The internationalization of United States higher education has been described as a “two-way street” where students arrive at knowledge transfer. That transfer occurs through a curriculum deemed “unidirectional” with no relevance to local issues or needs and results in limited application and educational colonialism perceptions. Specific to leadership education, the extant literature presents implications of neglect to cultural contexts traditionally reflected in the curriculum within a host nation. We used an explanatory mixed methods design for this study to investigate the degree to which undergraduate Western-based leadership studies courses taught in China reflect the notion of “neocolonialism” by prioritizing Western interests and values. While the study’s quantitative results reveal cultural differences in leadership education concepts, the qualitative follow-up phase finds students’ appreciation in the utility of leadership concepts and knowledge gained from the leadership curriculum. Students could cite specific situations in which they employed leadership concepts acquired from their respective leadership courses.

11 - Creating Sustainable Learning Environments for Professional Curriculum Leadership through Information and Communication Technologies

This paper documents the processes and procedures followed by a team of two researchers and five co-researchers in the creation of sustainable learning environments at a school in the Free State province of South Af- rica. For this purpose, we used one school to illustrate how diverse school community members deliberately constructed a framework for the integra- tion of ICT in the development of its professional curriculum leadership practices. A conceptual framework driven through critical emancipatory theory is applied as the lens that propels us to create opportunities for self-empowerment. Grounded on this theoretical framing we then used a participatory action research to operationalize it. We generated relevant data through the establishment of a research team, which coalesced around a common vision collectively identified in pursuance of the aim of study. Data generated were analysed using Van Dijk’s critical discourse analysis. The findings discussed are (i) performance through reflecting on professional curriculum practices, (ii) their actions, (iii) procedures involved therein, and (iv) strategies. The contribution we made was a tested framework for the integration of ICT in a professional curriculum context. This contribution has implications for the creation of a sustainable learning environment.

A Literature Review of the Feasibility of Enacting Curriculum Leadership in Chinese Schools

With the implementation of the New Curriculum Reform in China, both schools and teachers are empowered with more right and autonomy in making instructional decisions. However, previous literature related to teachers’ curriculum leadership (CL) remains sparse. The purpose of this paper is to explore the feasibility of investigating how curriculum leadership is enacted from the perspectives of teacher leaders. It employed literature review with the Chinese studies related to teachers’ engagement in CL and found the necessity of examining the issues of feasibility of enacting curriculum leadership, which focuses on teacher as the leader under Chinese scenario.

Designing a model to evaluate the effectiveness of educational and educational leadership models among principals

Background Aims: In order to improve the management and facilitate the supervision and guidance of educational and educational activities, there should be competent people as educational leaders with the goals of improving the quality of educational and educational affairs, the professional skills of teachers, increasing the academic level of learners and preventing academic failure by providing services. Consultants and guidance should be used.. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to design a model for evaluating the effectiveness of educational leadership patterns among principals of elementary schools in Masjid Suleiman. Research method: this research is based on a qualitative approach of phenomenology type, the participants include experts and in other words, key experts in the field of educational leadership, who were subjected to semi-structured interviews in a targeted manner from experts related to the subject, and the data was saturated with 15 people. received a comment Interview texts were analyzed using Maxqda software and all data were coded. Validity of data was done by re-reviewing the coding process as well as several experts familiar with coding. Also, for reliability, the agreement coefficient between the coders was used, and the result of 3 interviews was 0.82. Coding method and MAXQDA software were used for data analysis. Findings: The results indicate that based on the findings and coding of 15 interviews, 286 sub-categories were counted, and finally, the mentioned sub-categories were divided into 7 main categories: communication between parents and colleagues with the administration, use of information and communication technology, reflection Existing educational problems and efforts to solve them, paying attention to the theory of constructivism in curriculum leadership, modeling the successful teaching of teachers, gaining experience and growth, and changing and implementing curricula were classified as effective components on the effectiveness of educational leadership models. Conclusion: Based on the findings, it can be concluded that the model of the effectiveness of educational and educational leadership patterns among the principals of elementary schools has several components and indicators that the planners of the education system, especially human resources, should pay attention to these identified components and indicators.

Reflective Essays During Clerkship Following a Pre-clerkship Leadership Curriculum.

IntroductionLeadership curricula in medical student education require assessment - to determine if leadership skills can be taught to medical students and applied during clinical and medical team interactions to aid in medical student leadership development.ObjectivesTo examine whether medical students applied principles of their pre-clerkship leadership curriculum (character, competence, context, and communication elements across four levels: personal, interpersonal, team, and organizational) during an internal medicine clerkship.MethodsUsing art as a prompt, Uniformed Services University (USU) internal medicine clerkship students completed a structured reflection on a critical incident. Medical student essays written during a 10-week internal medicine clerkship at USU in 2019 were collected. 158 medical student submissions were de-identified and analyzed.ResultsSixty-four submissions (40.5%) focused on leadership or leadership and professionalism. Students identified as male (n = 34, 53%), female (21, 33%), or not reported (9, 14%). Most, 48 (75%), did not describe PITO explicitly in their essay. They instead focused on personal and interpersonal aspects (17, 27%) of leadership, the attending physicians they worked with (33, 52%), and effective leadership strategies (46, 72%). The most common themes written about were responsibility (30, 47%), teamwork (18, 28%), competence (17, 27%), and character/integrity (15, 23%).ConclusionAlthough the students’ explicit use of the PITO model was limited, student essays centered on themes that reflected leadership concepts taught in pre-clerkship years, such as character, competence, and responsibility. This study demonstrates that an internal medicine clerkship rotation can feasibly implement a leadership reflection.

Implementation of a Clinical Leadership Curriculum for Pediatric Residents.

IntroductionClinical leadership is an essential skill for physicians, empowering them to lead and coordinate teams, communicate clearly under various conditions, model positive behaviors, display emotional intelligence, and ultimately improve patient care outcomes. However, there are currently no standardized residency curricula or competency-based assessments for clinical leadership, as residents often assimilate leadership skills through trial-and-error or observation of their clinical faculty. By utilizing a comprehensive needs assessment and synthesizing evidence-based practices, we developed and implemented a longitudinal and skills-based clinical leadership curriculum for pediatric residents.MethodsWe modeled our clinical leadership curriculum after Kern's 6-step approach to curricular development and the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education competency requirements for professionalism. We identified topics based on a resident needs assessment and synthesized evidence from published practices. The curriculum was implemented through both monthly facilitated group sessions and independent learning modules.Results44 postgraduate year-2 (PGY-2) and PGY-3 pediatric residents participated in at least one monthly session of the clinical leadership curriculum. 27 (61%) completed the survey to evaluate the efficacy of the curriculum. Of the respondents, 23 (85%) residents found the leadership sessions useful, 4 (15%) were neutral, and none (0%) rated the sessions as not useful. 26 (96%) residents reported that the sessions should be continued.ConclusionThe clinical leadership curriculum has been received favorably by senior pediatric residents at our institution. Our next steps are to pilot the curriculum within residency programs of different specialties at our own institution as well as with pediatric residencies at other institutions.

Measuring the Uptake of Disclosure and Apology Content in the American Medical School Curriculum

Surveys were sent to deans and curriculum leaders of American medical schools regarding the teaching of disclosure and apology in the curriculum. One-hundred six medical schools responded (n = 106; 60% response rate) and results showed that disclosure and apology (also known as communication and resolution programs or CANDOR) is being taught in American medical schools but more work remains to develop consistent curriculum across all medical schools. The same survey (with slightly different wording) was sent to a commercial list of fourth year medical students; two hundred thirty students (n = 230, 17% response rate) representing 67 medical schools completed the survey. The students’ data – though not statistically significant – provides a glimpse into students’ feeling about this topic, including the desire to learn what happens after “sorry” and how cases can be resolved with disclosure, including the insurance, legal, and compensation aspects. Further avenues of research on this topic are suggested.

Teaching About Intergenerational Dynamics: An Exploratory Study of Perceptions and Prevalence in US Medical Schools.

PurposePrior studies suggest a role for promoting recognition of generational differences as a part of workplace ethics. To our knowledge, there is no published comprehensive analysis demonstrating how commonly or by what methods intergenerational dynamics are taught as structured coursework in medical school curricula. To address this gap, we carried out a survey of curriculum leaders of US medical schools to assess the current practices and attitudes toward content related to generational differences in medical school coursework.MethodsA survey consisting of 23 closed- and open-ended questions that aimed to assess the presence, characteristics, and attitudes of participants towards intergenerational dynamics in medical school coursework was disseminated via email. Curriculum deans at 154 allopathic medical schools were invited to complete the survey and sent one reminder email. Quantitative responses were descriptively analyzed, and qualitative responses were thematically analyzed.ResultsThe response rate was 38.3%, with the majority (58%) of responding institutions stating that their curriculum did not include coursework on intergenerational dynamics. When taught, the most frequent method of instruction was small-group activities. Most stated that the educational content for intergenerational dynamics has been part of their curriculum for fewer than five years. In total, 34% of respondents agreed that some form of education about intergenerational dynamics should be required during medical education as they felt that content could improve cultural competence. Those that were less supportive of inclusion of intergenerational material stated concerns about stereotyping and the value of generational descriptions.ConclusionOur findings show a heterogeneity of responses on the perceptions and practice of curriculum leaders regarding inclusion of content related to intergenerational differences in medical school education. In summary, we present the first work assessing current practices and attitudes toward content related to the inclusion of material on intergenerational dynamics in undergraduate medical education in US allopathic medical schools.

Eğitim Programı Liderliği Yeterlilikleri Üzerine Bir Araştırma

Bu araştırmada öğretmen ve eğitimcilerin bir eğitim programı lideri olarak bilgi, beceri ve yeterliliklerini geliştirmek amaçlanmıştır. Öncesi-sonrası araştırma deseninde gerçekleştirilen araştırmanın katılımcıları amaçlı örnekleme modelinden yararlanılarak belirlenmiştir. Farklı üniversitelerde eğitim gören veya çalışan öğretmen, eğitim yöneticisi, öğretim elemanı ve lisansüstü öğrencilerinden seçilen 20 katılımcı araştırmada gönüllü olarak yer almıştır. Araştırmada ilk olarak katılımcıların etkinlik öncesi görüşleri ve değerlendirmeleri alınmıştır. Daha sonra eğitim programı liderliği kapsamında hazırlanan 55 saatlik bilimsel eğitim etkinliği ve uygulamalar katılımcılara sunulmuştur. Son olarak katılımcıların eğitimler sonrası görüşleri ve değerlendirmeleri alınmıştır. Toplanan veriler betimsel analizden yararlanılarak tema, kategori ve kod olarak sunulmuştur. Elde edilen bulgulara dayalı olarak; eğitim etkinliği öncesinde iki temaya ulaşılmıştır. Bunlar; toplumsal duyarlılık ve sosyal sorumluluk yeterliliği ile çağın sunduğu fırsatlara yönelik farkındalık ve yararlanma yeterliliği olarak belirlenmiştir. Eğitim etkinliği sonrasında ise ortaya çıkan temalar currere yöntemi, sosyal sorumluluk, çağın sunduğu fırsatlar ve tasarıma dayalı anlamlandırma olarak belirlenmiştir.

Instructional Decision Involvement of Teaching Personnel as Basis for Strengthened School Improvement Commitment

This study aimed to determine the instructional decision-involvement of the teaching personnel of elementary school in District I. Along the course of the study, this tried to cover how respondents assessed the instructional leadership of the elementary teachers relative to sustaining the school vision, sharing leadership, and monitoring curriculum and instruction. This also looked into the level of the teachers’ instructional decision-involvement or regard to school improvement plan such as access, quality, and governance. Likewise, this also considered problems encountered by teachers in their instructional decision-involvement. A researcher-constructed questionnaire served as the main instrument to gather the needed information from the 50 teacher-respondents. Weighted mean was the statistical tool used to determine the instructional decision-involvement of the respondents. Results revealed then that majority of the teachers’ instructional leadership on regard to sustaining the school vision exceeded standards while sharing leadership and monitoring curriculum and instruction just met the standards. Also shown in the study that the level of teachers’ instructional decision -involvement on regard to access, quality, and governance were somewhat manifested while working together in the decision-making process as a problem was to some extent experienced. The proposed school-based management strategies are then recommended for further validation prior to its implementation.

Assuring quality of school-based assessment: the perspectives of heads of department in moderating tourism tasks

PurposeThe aim of quality assessment is to support the development of learners’ competencies as required in 21st century economies. This paper aims to analyse the role and understanding of heads of department (HoDs) regarding quality assessment and the moderation of school-based assessment (SBA) tasks in tourism, which is a subject in the secondary school curriculum.Design/methodology/approachTo elicit valid findings in this interpretative study, focus group discussions were conducted with 16 participants. The HoDs who participated in this study were purposively sampled based on their role as managers of tourism in their respective schools.FindingsInformed by the context, input, process and output theoretical model, this study identified various elements that impacted the enactment of HoDs’ role in the moderation of SBA tasks, with particular reference to tourism. Despite these HoDs’ understanding of the importance of moderation as a key aspect in assuring quality assessment practices, it was found that the moderation of tourism SBA tasks was generally not conducted meticulously and appropriately.Research limitations/implicationsThe qualitative case study on which this paper is based used a limited sample within a restricted timeframe and the results may thus not be generalised. However, the methodology produced trustworthy results and may thus be replicated and extended to other subjects with a practical component for enhanced insights into SBA practices.Practical implicationsThis paper highlights the necessity for schools to rely on knowledgeable and principled curriculum leaders, particularly HoDs, for the effective management of assessment and moderation strategies to ensure quality outcomes. The qualitative case study on which this paper is based used a limited sample within a restricted timeframe, and the results may thus not be generalised. However, the methodology produced trustworthy results and may thus be replicated and extended to other subjects with a practical component for enhanced insights into SBA practices.Originality/valueThis paper contributes to the discourse on quality assurance and SBA, with particular focus on how quality assessment can be enhanced in the moderation process of tourism. The insights that this paper share may contribute to improved policy decisions regarding the SBA process in tourism.

Intension, Current Implementation and Improvement Path of Instructional Leadership: A school Case of Hong Kong

This paper aims to analyze the implementation status of instructional leadership of a HK primary school that benefits in mid-ranking and mainly uses instructional leadership to develop their curriculums. Instructional leadership is the result of introducing leadership concepts into the teaching field, and it reflects the changing trend of school management to a certain extent. At present, the research on instructional leadership is limited to the principal's leadership, which limits the overall function of instructional leadership. By investigating the actuality of school and the implementation of school policies and programs, the paper deeply analyzes the existed problems in a Hong Kong school and offers optimization suggestions: strengthen the school distributive leadership construction, promote the professional development of teachers and curriculums, establish a diversified evaluation system, develop an organizational culture of democratic cooperation and improve the curriculum leadership of principals.