Curriculum Implementation

1
Chapter 10 Curriculum Implementation

• What is the nature of curricular change?
• high level of curriculum implementation depends
  on (Fullan Park, 1981)
• --teachers perceive the need
• --changes not unduly complex and clearly
  explained
• --quality materials available
• --previous attempts to change curricula have
  been successful
• --principals take responsibility for
  implementation and receive training

2
--teachers have substantial input and staff
development --strong school-board and community
support --careful developed implementation
plan --administrators prevent and respond to
overload of teachers --principals advocate
and support new curriculum --teachers have
opportunity to share ideas and problems and
receive support from supervisors and
administrators
3

• eight local factors affecting implementation
  (Corbett Dawson, 1981)
• --district priorities
• --availability of incentives
• --availability of resources
• --organizational characteristics
• --the political coalitions present
• --the success of prior projects
• --the local environment
• --the complexity of the change itself

4

• What is the role of a curriculum leader as a
  change agent?
• change agent-educational program changed to meet
  the needs of students to a greater degree
• role of change agent
• --developing a shared vision
• --formulating a need assessment
• --developing or selecting an innovation
• --targeting group(s) for the proposed change
• --anticipating problems and resistance to change
• --formulating a plan

5

• --evaluating the implementation plan and making
  needed changes
• success of a curriculum leader as change agent
  depends on
• --extent of formulating a shared vision
• --developing a strategic plan of implementation

6

• What is the importance of curriculum leadership
  and planning?
• four basic questions to be answered for
  successful integration of curriculum
• --what resources are required?
• --are motives for change focused on student
  learning?
• --who is the best person to lead initiative?
• --who will be best suited to assess and maintain
  curricular programs after implementation?
• planning by leadership
• --opens the project to participant view

7

• --should address the who, what, when, where,
  why and how aspects of the program
• important factors to be considered
• --keep students and teachers needs at
  forefront
• --provide appropriate support structures for
  students and
• staff
• --review school programs for classroom
  adjustments
• --locate relevant research
• --consider possible modifications of practices
  and regulations
• --examine needed changes in schools philosophy
  and mission statement

8

• --if necessary, survey stakeholders for their
  viewpoints
• --envision what completed project will look like
• components of curricula guidelines and standards
• --leadership and vision
• --educational leaders
• --learning and teaching
• --productivity and professional practice
• --support, management, and operations

9

• What are learning communities and how do they
  affect curriculum change?
• major concept of learning communities-teachers
  need to teach other teachers
• more professional autonomy and development of
  specific goals for student learning
• learning communities-core teaching teams engaging
  in ongoing discussions related to best practices

10

• benefits of teachers teaching teachers (Little,
  1990)
• --higher quality solutions to instructional
  problems
• --increased confidence among faculty
• --increased ability to support one anothers
  strengths and to accommodate weaknesses
• --systematic assistance to beginning teachers
• --ability to examine and expand a pool of ideas,
  methods and materials

11

• What are the effective components in the
  planning, implementation, and institutional
  stages of curriculum development?
• develop an overall district plan for curriculum
  development and improvement
• --aligned with NCLB and governmental mandates
• --incorporate a strategy of systematic
  incrementalism
• --develop a constituency for the planned
  curriculum change
• --appoint the task force

12

• --determine the pace and scope of change
• --secure the needed resources
• --make specific provisions in securing continued
  input from teachers
• --anticipate and make the necessary
  organizational changes
• --develop strategies to incorporate and
  implement technology
• effective actions in the initiation stage
• --required materials and equipment should be
  available and readily accessible
• --secure active support of district
  administrators, supervisors and school
  principals

13

• --secure active support of parents and community
• --monitor teachers use of new curriculum
• effective actions during implementation stage
• --continue providing staff development for
  teachers
• --increase administrative pressure on teachers
  to use the
• the new curriculum
• --make provisions for systematic evaluation
• --solve emerging problems
• institutionalization the final stage in the
  change process- variables affecting success
• --strong and continued administrative commitment

14
--mandated for all teachers --strong
administrative pressure on users to implement
the solution --necessary organizational
changes made --consistent administrative support
for users --continuing assistance by
administrators --increased user effort due to
administrative pressure --increased user effort
increased user commitment