TOPIC 6

TOPIC 6. CURRICULUM CHANGE AND INNOVATION

There is no perfect curriculum for all ages. The environment in which the curriculum operates
keeps on changing as societies embrace new needs. The curriculum therefore need to change to
address the emerging issues. Curriculum change may also mean innovation, development and
adoption.
Curriculum change may mean changing the learning courses for schools or teachers. Curriculum
innovation is change which involves creativity in order to bring about efficiency and
effectiveness in curriculum issues. Curriculum change and innovation is finding a new way of
conveying learning in a classroom. Change may be in certain aspects in the curriculum or a total
shake up of the curriculum. Curriculum change could be planned, natural or random.

Causes of curriculum change

 Research findings may impact changes on the curriculum. I.e. research on the use of
mother tongue, cognitive development, sequential hierarchies in subject matter and new
pedagogies in instruction.
 Growth and increase in knowledge and the changing conceptions of subjects. New
knowledge may be discovered and old knowledge proved wrong.
 Change out of the relationship between the education system and the needs of the society
i.e. at independence there was need to train human resource for the new dispensation.
 Ideologies such as the Tanzanian one which was education for self-reliance.
 Technological changes create pressure that necessitates changes in the curriculum.
 Population explosion may bring about changes to cope with the large numbers i.e. at
University where newer ways of curriculum delivery were devised to cope with the large
numbers.
 Emerging issues in the society that requires attention i.e. strange sickness, global
warming, moral decadence etc.
 International declarations such as education for all (EFA) Children’s rights among others.

Curriculum change process

It is also referred to as the curriculum continuum. It is related to curriculum development
process. There should be justification for curriculum change since people or institutions do not
easily and readily embrace change.
Pressure for change and incentives to try out innovative practices might arise within or outside
the education system. Change and innovation may occur over a period of few months over
several years.
 Curriculum continuum according to Marsh and Willis 2007
Pressure for change----------->preparing, planning and designing-------------------->producing
curriculum package------------->Adoption of curriculum----------
>implementation----------------->Instutionalisation

Personnel required for curriculum development

 Subject matter specialist.
 Experts in pedagogy.
 Curriculum design experts.
 Specialists in evaluation.
 Organizational and entrepreneurial skills experts.
STRATEGIES AND MODELS OF CURRICULUM CHANGE
As much as curriculum change is necessary for any progressive society many people tend to
resist change.

Causes of resistance to curriculum change.

 Fear of the unknown i.e. where there is coercion people tend to resist.
 Lack of clear understanding of what change involves. There is need therefore to create
positive attitudes in people through communication.
 Negative attitudes towards innovation and change. Need for training and communication.
 Failure to involve stakeholders at the planning stage. Lack of their input will make people
feel excluded. People cannot own what they have not contributed.
 Lack of knowledge and skills. To overcome this training should be done to impart the
required skills and knowledge.
 Lack of resources and facilities. There is need to avail funds and infrastructure to support
curriculum change.
 Poor timing. Too much change over a short period of time or introducing changes when
not required attracts resistance.
 Lack of motivation by the implementers may lead to resistance.
 Major changes or complex changes may lead to resistance.
 Lack of administrative support. Support could be in terms of incentives and provision of
resources.
 Insecurity. People fear changes that threaten their job security.
 Lack of continuous monitoring evaluation. There is need to find out what may cause
resistance and address it.
 Compatibility of the innovation to existing schools set up. Change that is against
traditions and one that increases work load attracts resistance.
Strategies of curriculum change
Curriculum change involves the dissemination of policy, knowledge and agreement on the plan
for action.
 The Rational Empirical Strategy. Under the strategy change is out of rational self-interest.
People recognize need for change and work to implement it. It’s based on research
findings where needs and interests of stakeholders are identified.
 The Normative-Re-educative strategy. This change requires adjustments in attitudes,
skills, values and relationships. Good and cooperative working relationships are
established between the change agent and the client system.
 Power-coercive strategy. This is the use of political or economic power to bring about
change. Those in power impose the change to the rest (powerless).

MODELS OF CURRICULUM CHANGE

 Problem- Solving Model/Periphery- Centre Approach. Change is made as people attempt
to solve problems which are meaningful to them with minimum outside assistance and
maximum amount of mutual support. This model has four steps;

 Analysis of needs.
 Diagnosis of problems.
 Search for solutions.
 Selection and implementation of the solution.
 Social-Interaction model/Periphery-Periphery model. This model highlights opinion
leaders, communication networks and personal contacts. The model operates on the
pattern of awareness, interest, evaluation, trial and adoption.
 The Research, Development and Diffusion model/Centre-Periphery model. The model is
useful in large scale curriculum development projects which assumes that changing the
curriculum is an orderly and planned sequence in which experts assist to identify a
problem, find a solution and diffuse that solution. It involves research, developing and
testing a prototype, mass production and packaging, planned mass dissemination and
receipt by the users. The canter could be a university, Resource Centre or KICD in the
case Kenya.
 The Linkage model. The model combines aspects of all other models in order to
overcome the weaknesses of the said models. The model uses linkage procedures
whereby agencies intermediate between the centres of curriculum change and schools are
involved. These agencies could be universities, colleges, resource centres teachers among
others

Agencies of curriculum change

 Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD).
 Teachers’ resource centres.
 Research centres.
 School Boards and Committees.
  Colleges and Universities.
 Professional Organizations and Associations.
 Private Foundations such as the Aga khan.
 Local education Boards.
 Examination Bodies i.e KNEC and KASNEB.
 Teachers Unions.
 Quality Assurance and Standards official.
Curriculum Change Implication
 Funds.
 Physical facilities.
 Equipment and material resources.
 Human resource and time.
 Change in attitudes of stakeholders.
Assignment
Discuss the roles of various curriculum agencies in curriculum development process

Curriculum changes and innovations in Kenya

o Team teaching.
o Individualized instruction.
o ICT Integration.
o Integrated English.
o Educational Technology.
o 8-4-4 System of Education.
o Integrated Social Studies.
o Environmental education.
o Life skills as a subject.
o Mobile schools for pastoralist communities.
o Digital learning programmes.
o Establishment of resource centres.