Professional Documents
Culture Documents
HBEM1303
Curriculum Management
Copyright Open
Copyright Open University
University Malaysia
Malaysia (OUM)
(OUM)
Table of Contents
Course Guide xv - xviii
INTRODUCTION
HBEM1303 Curriculum Management is one of the courses offered by the Faculty
of Education and Languages at Open University Malaysia (OUM). This course is
worth three credit hours and should be covered over 8 to 15 weeks.
COURSE AUDIENCE
This course is offered to all students taking the Bachelor of Education (Education
Administration) with Honours programme. This module aims to impart
knowledge about curriculum management to enable the smooth development
and running of the Malaysian curriculum system. In the process, you will learn
valuable lessons like thinking skills which will enable you to manage the
curriculum in a critical and effective manner.
STUDY SCHEDULE
It is standard OUM practice that learners accumulate 40 study hours for every
credit hour. As such, for a three-credit hour course, you are expected to spend
120 study hours. Table 1 gives an estimation of how the 120 study hours could be
accumulated.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
By the end of this course, you should be able to:
1. Discuss the concept of curriculum and its significance to the Malaysian
education system;
2. Manage curriculum effectively in terms of resources and curriculum
development;
3. Employ thinking skills and the concept of paradigm shift within the context
of curriculum interpretation; and
4. Describe the Malaysian curriculum system in detail.
COURSE SYNOPSIS
This course is divided into 10 topics. The synopsis for each topic can be listed as
follows:
Topic 1 introduces the concept of curriculum and its underlying philosophy and
aims.
Topic 6 describes the Malaysian curriculum with special reference to KBSR and
KBSM.
Learning Outcomes: This section refers to what you should achieve after you
have completely gone through a topic. As you go through each topic, you should
frequently refer to these learning outcomes. By doing this, you can continuously
gauge your progress of digesting the topic.
evaluation on a given scenario. When you come across an Activity, you should
try to widen what you have gathered from the module and introduce it to real
situations. You should engage yourself in higher order thinking where you might
be required to analyse, synthesise and evaluate instead of just having to recall
and define.
Summary: You can find this component at the end of each topic. This component
helps you to recap the whole topic. By going through the summary, you should
be able to gauge your knowledge retention level. Should you find points inside
the summary that you do not fully understand, it would be a good idea for you
to revisit the details from the module.
Key Terms: This component can be found at the end of each topic. You should go
through this component to remind yourself of important terms or jargons used
throughout the module. Should you find terms here that you are not able to
explain, you should look for the terms from the module.
PRIOR KNOWLEDGE
No prior knowledge required.
ASSESSMENT METHOD
Please refer to myINSPIRE.
REFERENCES
Hussein Hj. Ahmad. (1993). Pendidikan dan masyarakat. Kuala Lumpur: DBP.
Edited 3rdAugust,2010
Copyright Open
Copyright Open University
University Malaysia
Malaysia (OUM)
(OUM)
Topic X Concepts,
Philosophy and
1 Objectives of
Curriculum in
Education
LEARNING OUTCOMES
By the end of this topic, you should be able to:
1. Define curriculum;
2. Provide a concise definition of the national curriculum;
3. State the factors which influence curriculum;
4. Discuss the focus or thrust of curriculum;
5 State the philosophical foundations for curriculum development; and
6. Describe the objectives of curriculum.
X INTRODUCTION
Are you aware that in general, there are two perspectives of education in
Malaysia? The first is that education is the process by which the nations labour
force is trained in various skills and intellectual disciplines to facilitate its
progress. The second perspective views education as a means of producing
individuals who are physically, emotionally, spiritually and intellectually
balanced.
ACTIVITY 1.1
Before you continue reading, state what you understand by the term
curriculum.
Bell (1971)
Inlow (1966)
Stenhouse (1975)
Johnson (1967)
Beauchamp (1968)
mentally. It should also include the inculcation and enhancement of the desired
moral values and the intended educational goals of a student.
1.1.4 Assessment
A curriculum should be assessed based on tests for achievement, performance,
situation and observations, and an evaluation of coursework:
(a) Achievement Tests
These tests measure what a student has gleaned in knowledge and
understanding of subjects such as Islamic Studies, Moral Education, English
Language, and Mathematics.
(b) Performance Tests
These tests assess the student s ability in oral work, reading skills, physical
education and co-curriculum activities.
(c) Observation
Observing and recording of a student s development in subjects such as
Islamic Studies, Moral Education and co-curriculum activities.
(d) Situational Tests
Recognise the attitudes and values of students in subjects such as Islamic
Studies and Moral Education.
ACTIVITY 1.2
Based on what you know, provide a definition for curriculum as well as
the elements that should be present when developing any curriculum.
(e) Multilingualism
Globalisation trends and the information explosion necessitate a fluency in
several languages. Malaysian must be fluent in languages other than the
Malay language, in order to take advantage of the vast amount of
information available in various other languages.
The primary school curriculum must be reevaluated in order that the education
received by students will fulfill its purpose in fostering the overall development
of the individual to include basic educational skills (reading, writing and
arithmetic) and nurture their natural talents.
ACTIVITY 1.3
1. State in writing what should be the thrust or focus of a curriculum.
2. What are the direct and indirect factors which influence a
curriculum?
Mok Soon Seng (1996) suggests that when designing the curriculum, several
factors which have a bearing on the shape of the curriculum must be taken into
account. These factors include the following:
(a) The students wants and needs: The students needs are for food, growth,
safety, love, society, and the desire to improve. The curriculum should be
designed to cater for these needs.
(b) National needs and wants: The curriculum should be designed to realise
the national philosophy for education. It should train the individual to
function responsibly in society, as well as contribute to the nation.
(c) Global needs: The ideal school curriculum would provide an education and
training which would equip a student to succeed anywhere in the world. It
would provide him with an insight and understanding in international
relations, and build a respect for the rights of the individual and the
sovereignty of a nation.
In her book, Curriculum Development, Hilda Taba (1962), states that curriculum
development must be based on deductive approaches (please refer to Figure 1.5).
She feels that teachers are the ones who should be responsible for designing
curriculum, not other authorities. Taba reasoned that teachers alone were in a
position to understand the particular educational needs of their students. Tabas
model for curriculum development may be summarised as follows:
Diagnosis of needs;
Formulation of objectives;
Selection of content;
Organisation of content;
Selection of learning experiences;
Organisation of learning experiences; and
Determination of what to evaluate and the ways and means of doing it.
Abd. Rahim Abd. Rashid. (1993). Pendidikan nilai merentasi kurikulum. Kuala
Lumpur: Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka.
Mohd. Daud Hamzah. (n.d.). Penerokaan teori kurikulum. Dewan Bahasa dan
Pustaka.
Mok Soon Sang. (1996). Pedagogi 1: Kurikulum dan pengurusan bilik darjah.
Kuala Lumpur: Kumpulan Budiman Sdn.Bhd.
Saedah Siraj. (1998). Dari Pendidikan di Malaysia, Utusan Publication Sdn. Bhd.
X INTRODUCTION
Congratulations on your successful completion of Topic 1!
It is expected that by year 2020, Malaysia will be in great need of highly skilled
labour. This need can only be met by developing an education system which
strives towards academic excellence. Indeed, an improved system of education
and the pursuit of academic excellence are keys to ensuring the continued
prosperity of the nation and its citizens. The leadership of school principals and
administrators will necessarily be a focal point of study if the goal of educational
excellence is to be attained. In this topic, you will discover the foundations of
teaching and learning methods, teaching and learning from the perspective of the
2.1.1 Head/Principal
The Head or the Principal is responsible for:
Managing the curriculum and co-curriculum.
Managing the finances, facilities and resources.
Managing the teaching staff and other personnel.
Managing students welfare.
Managing internal and external communication.
Student-centred
(a) The student is actively involved in lessons.
(b) The teacher acts as a facilitator.
(c) Students have the opportunity of learning through experience.
(d) Encourages students to give their own views and contribute to class
discussions.
(e) Encourages students to share objectives.
(f) Encourages students to think about the activities they are engaged in.
(g) Gives students the opportunity to explore ideas.
(h) Encourages students to gather information through various methods, to
process it and make formulations.
Teacher-centred
(a) The teacher is more involved.
(b) The teacher uses various teaching aids.
(c) Students interest is engaged when the teacher is able to deliver a lesson
well.
Material-centred
(a) Helps students to understand abstract concepts.
(b) Enables students to easily acquire new skills.
(c) Lessons and activities can be varied as well as easily delivered.
(d) Lessons and activities are more interesting and stimulating.
ACTIVITY 2.1
Based on what you know, build an organisational chart for your school
and summarise the functions and roles of each member on the chart.
Based on these facts, the teacher must provide students with learning skills to
enable them to enjoy their lessons. The following guidelines will help the teacher
to meet with the students needs, as shown in Figure 2.1:
2.3.4 Punctuality
Students must constantly be reminded about the importance of being punctual.
They must be trained to be at school early and be prepared to arrive for activities
before the appointed time. They must complete their homework on schedule and
prepare for tests and examinations in advance. A student who has learned the
value of being punctual would be one of excellent calibre and also someone who
is well-prepared for working life.
Our discussion will focus on the role of the headmaster as a curriculum and
instructional leader, and particularly on the role of the instructional leader in
administering instructions and managing the school curriculum. Previously,
based on traditional understanding and practise, the headmasters role was
limited to supervision and assessments. Now however, his scope has increased
so that he requires close contact with the teachers in two other related aspects.
These aspects are managing the curriculum and monitoring the progress of
students. The headmaster, acting as the instructional leader, must ensure that
students receive the education planned for them by the Ministry of Education,
guided by his knowledge and skills in curriculum management and learning
processes. The headmaster has an active role in supervising the content and
activities in the curriculum, including the task of implementing the curriculum in
the classrooms. To this end, he must make certain that teachers are empowered
with flexibility to contribute their best. It is also the headmasters duty to
frequently observe lessons in the classrooms in order to track the progress of
students. Table 2.1 shows the instructional leadership model:
Table 2.2: The Teachers Role in Formulating, Implementing and Assessing the
Curriculum
ACTIVITY 2.2
Time-table.
Scope of subjects.
Form and organisation of the curriculum.
Figure 2.4: Implementation Focus and Strategy in Raising the Professionalism of Teachers
(b) Preparing the mechanism for the supply of teachers. This includes:
Fostering cooperation with IPT's for teachers training.
Establishing the mechanism for stretching the supply of teachers
Improving the system of teachers information.
Compulsory period of service in the interiors for all new teachers.
Mok Soon Sang. (1996). Pedagogi 1: Kurikulum dan pengurusan bilik darjah.
Kuala Lumpur: Kumpulan Budiman Sdn.Bhd.
X INTRODUCTION
Teachers and educators must be equipped with a compass to guide them in their
efforts to educate their students. Such a compass will ensure that they are not
diverted from their primary objectives. A curriculum is in fact the guidepost that
teachers and educators require to discharge their responsibilities. It contains all
the information related to the implementation of the teaching and learning
process. An educator, therefore, should not stray from the curriculum chosen for
implementation in the school.
In addition, one must ascertain the objectives of the curriculum when developing
the said curriculum. The efforts of the panel of experts involved in curriculum
development will certainly have a bearing on the teaching and learning process,
and what is more significant, on the outcome of the curriculum they formulate,
regardless if they succeed or otherwise.
Criteria Explanation
Arrangement This refers to the progression of old learning experiences into new
or Progression experiences. For example, arrangements made for reading skills
should include providing reading materials that range from a simple
to complex level.
Integration This refers to the horizontal link between experiences within the
curriculum. The organisation of a students learning experiences
should enable him or her to gain a progressively integrated view of
his whole education. It should result in behaviours that reflect what
has been imparted to the student through the curriculum. For
example, the experience gained from learning about ritual washing
should be integrated with the practise of cleanliness and good
hygiene to promote health.
The Primary School Assessment is a part of the ongoing process (please refer to
Figure 3.1). Assessment outcomes trigger follow-up actions to improve the
quality of teaching and to increase the students learning. These assessments are
formative as they prioritise a students progress from one level to the next. The
teacher is able to track a students development from time to time, giving him the
opportunity to correct mistakes and weaknesses in the students immediately and
thus, preventing the accumulation of errors and weaknesses, which if unchecked,
will eventually prove difficult to deal with.
ACTIVITY 3.1
Considering what you have learnt thus far, state what affects the quality
of a curriculum.
Introduction
The curriculum for History has been embedded with elements within the
learning process that impart knowledge or subject content, skills (historical
thinking skills), and positive values such as patriotism (please refer to
Figure 3.2). The integration of these elements refreshes the intellect, spirit,
emotions and physical wellbeing of the students.
(e) The Element of Patriotism and its Behavioural Outcome: This column
outlines the values and examples of patriotism which must be impressed on
students through their history lessons.
The Summary of Levels in the Syllabus outlines the level of learning which will
coincide with the ability and maturity of the students in a class. Teachers are
encouraged to cover all the three levels as far as possible in order to train their
students to be able to think critically and creatively. Blooms Taxonomy has been
utilised as a guide to simplify the division of levels (please refer to Table 3.2):
Level Knowledge and skills which can be grasped by all students. These are basic
1 skills and knowledge according to Blooms Taxonomy. They include
thinking about history in easily digestible terms.
Level Knowledge and skills which are within the scope of the majority of students.
2 In Blooms Taxonomy, this stage of learning encompasses application and
analysis and a higher level of critical thinking about history. Students will be
able to apply and analyse how man engages in time, space, change and
continuity in all aspects of his life.
Level Knowledge and skills which are within the grasp of some students. In
3 Blooms Taxonomy, these are skills and knowledge at a level requiring
synthesis and evaluation. This is the highest level of thinking critically about
history. Students will be able to grasp a critical and creative understanding
of aspects of human life in history until the present.
ACTIVITY 3.2
Apart from what has been listed above, teachers will find that classroom
interaction enables students to grasp the meaning of the curriculum. Teachers
must then make every effort to create through such interactions, an environment
in which learning is promoted. Teachers may also carry out the following
suggestions as shown in Table 3.3:
(b) Field
(i) Cognitive
(ii) Affective
(iii) Psychomotor
(c) Level
(i) Level 1
(ii) Level 2
(iii) Level 3 (higher)
Teachers can create lessons which are interesting and fun by using teaching aids
and various media. Technological advances provide teachers with the
opportunity to use various ways of delivering a lesson and improving the
content of a lesson. Man first began communicating orally, then by writing on
papyrus until the development of paper and the printing press. Subsequently,
with the discovery and advances in photography, pictures could be produced for
viewing. Eventually, advances in electronics gave rise to information transfer
through media such as radio, television, film, video, VCD, and DVD. The more
recent advances are teleconferencing, computers and multimedia.
Dwyers research shows that our senses of sight and hearing are the most
important for absorbing information.
ACTIVITY 3.3
State the steps that a teacher must take when they are observed by a
school inspector. The steps you list must be based on the role of the
School Inspectorate.
Teaching medium
Abd. Ghaffar Md. Din. (2003). Prinsip dan Amalan Pengajaran (Teaching
Principles and Practices). Utusan Publication & Distributors Sdn. Bhd.
Jamalludin Harun & Zaidatun Tasir. (2003). Asas multimedia dan aplikasinya
dalam pendidikan (multimedia foundations and their application in
education). Bentong: PTS Publications.
Siti Fatimah Nor Bt Abd Wahab. Sistem Analisis Prestasi Akademik Murid
Sekolah Keb Selayang Baru, Tesis Sarjana Fakulti Pendidikan, Universiti
Teknologi Malaysia. (A System for Analysing Academic Performance in
Students of Selayang Baru National School) Masters Thesis Faculty of
Education, University Technology Malaysia.
LEARNING OUTCOMES
By the end of this topic, you should be able to:
1. State the various types of thinking skills;
2. Analyse the various types of thinking skills;
3. Explain the method of imparting thinking skills in teaching;
4. Explain how to stimulate students to raise questions;
5. Analyse how to improve on the quality of questioning; and
6. State the ways in which to apply information obtained from the
Internet.
INTRODUCTION
The ability to think effectively is extremely important in a world that is
increasingly complex and advanced. Facing lifes daily challenges not only
requires adequate knowledge but also the skills for applying that knowledge in
various situations. Rapid developments in mass media and an information
explosion can burden an individual with many forms of information. As such, it
is difficult to imagine any situation where the ability to think is not required. This
shows that meaningful learning should be able to stimulate ones thinking
prowess in order to enhance a students potential for able and capable thinking.
Due to this reality, teachers need to provide encouragement in order for students
to employ techniques in thinking. Students love to think and enjoy using their
minds to produce a diversity of ideas. The teachers can spur them on by creating
an exciting study time for their students. They can create an environment which
mimics a play situation, such that the students are naturally encouraged to think
while enjoying a fun and exciting activity.
Logical Style This style of thinking is used to identify right or wrong; either right
in real truism or right from a standpoint of logic.
Critical Style This style is used to identify errors, weaknesses, deficiencies and
mistakes in the way of thinking that was adopted or in the proposal
that was presented.
Emotive Style This style of thinking is used to view an idea from an individuals
feelings and tastes. For example, feelings of delight, fear, anger, or
joy in a certain matter.
Value-based This style of thinking is used based on the values held by a person.
Style
Systematic Style Thinking in this style allows us to view a matter without confusion.
Major issues will take precedence or priority in comparison to
minor issues.
Intuitive Style This style of thinking is based on inspiration and is used in the
complete absence or limited availability of information for
consideration.
(b) Mayer (1977) viewed thinking as involving the exercise of certain mental
operations that occur in the mind or cognitive system of a person whose
purpose is to solve problems.
(c) According to Fraenkel (1980), thinking is the formation of ideas, the
reforming of experiences and the rearrangement of information in a certain
form.
(d) Chaffee (1988) characterised thinking as an extraordinary process that is
used in decision making and problem solving.
(e) Nickerson, Perkins and Smith (1985) viewed thinking as a collection of
expertise or mental operations employed by a person.
Students are not to solely receive knowledge in and of itself but should also
be able to express ideas, thoughts and opinions with clarity, objectivity,
creativity and rationality in all situations. In order to achieve this goal,
opportunities to develop intellectual process must be created such that critical
and analytical thinking become an important aspect in every learning activity.
(i) Dimension I
This refers to the subjects being taught in schools. All subjects can be
adapted to develop thinking skills. This is based on the assumption
that active thinking starts with the subject content. In other words,
activities involving thinking skills that are developed while grasping
the facts of a subject, will indirectly aid achievement in the subject
being taught.
(ii) Dimension II
This dimension involves the student and refers to the types of
thinking and learning skills that are targeted for development, as well
as the attitude that we wish to be inculcated in the students. The
students developed thinking prowess will lead to specific attitudes
such as:
A desire to know;
Respect for the opinions of others;
An awareness of ones own thinking process;
A sensitivity to any information that is read or heard; and
An open mind that is not easily manipulated.
ACTIVITY 4.1
In the PADI model, there are three dimensions which involve the
teacher, student and subject. Explain the three dimensions mentioned.
4.3.1 Separation
SCCT are taught in isolation , without any connection to the subject matter.
4.3.2 Integration
SCCT are taught by planned inclusion of the subject matter, integrated with the
content using the skills and tools of thinking.
4.3.3 Combination
Combination refers to the teaching of thinking implicitly by using methods that
stimulate thinking in the context of the curriculum, as shown in Figure 4.3:
According to Mook Son Sang (2001), strategies that are often used to teach
thinking skills are:
(a) Strategy of the teacher as a facilitator
As a facilitator, the teacher must assist in the students preparedness to
study, give clear and concise directions, provide sufficient teaching aids
that are appropriate for use, and guide students to use their thinking skills
to engage in learning activities.
Thinking skills that need to be mastered by students can be divided into two
main categories:
Critical thinking skills; and
Creative thinking skills.
The goal of learning critical and creative thinking skills is to pave the way
towards the process of making decisions and solving problems with intelligence.
Figure 4.4 shows thinking domain maps that correlate two thinking skills with
two thinking processes:
The guide to creative and critical thinking are shown in Table 4.2 and Table 4.3:
ACTIVITY 4.2
Find out how one describes or applies the other remaining approaches
to creative thinking: correlating, predicting, creating hypothesis,
synthesizing, theorizing, making analogies, creating mental images and
inventing.
Apart from this theory, there are other matters that can be acted on by
teachers to stimulate students. Among them are:
(i) Student Involvement
Students should be reminded that their involvement in learning
sessions is vital. Teachers need to stimulate involvement by
conducting Question and Answer sessions, holding discussions,
telling stories or conversing. This will provide students with an
opportunity to express their views and opinions while allowing them
to enjoy their lessons.
(ii) Awakening a Desire to Know
Teachers must wisely stimulate the students until a desire to know is
awakened in them. Teachers can create a learning environment that
might puzzle, terrify, astound, or explain phenomena that the
students have never before experienced, and so forth. All these will
provide stimulus.
(iii) Drawing Attention
Teachers must attempt to capture the attention of students by
presenting new and unusual subjects. In the process of teaching and
learning, the attention of students can be drawn by altering their
channel of ideas. These methods can spur enjoyment and eliminate
boredom in the classroom.
(iv) Using Reinforcements
The usual purpose of reinforcement is to attract and sustain the
students attention in any learning session. Praise is among the more
common reinforcements used by teachers. In addition, teachers can
use positive responsive actions. It is essential for teachers to know
when and where to use them.
Studies have also found that the use of multimedia technology has received a
positive response from students from all disciplines at all age levels. According
to OConnor and Brie (1994), its use also affords the support of education that
features problem solving, forming and testing hypotheses, evaluations based on
potential, in addition to increasing students creativity.
Using multimedia in the teaching and learning environment can also encourage
students to become able critical thinkers, to solve problems, to be more skilled in
the process of seeking and arranging information, as well as to be motivated in
their studies and so forth.
Therefore, information skills are the skills required for obtaining and deriving
information efficiently and effectively.
ACTIVITY 4.3
(a) Determining
Determining involves the following:
Visualising the scope of a topic.
Recalling important points regarding the relevant subject.
(b) Finding
Finding involves the following:
Understanding how resources are stored and organised for use as
magazines, books, videos, cassettes, maps and slides.
Appreciating electronic materials as complementary materials to books.
Selecting appropriate resources and knowing the advantages and
shortcomings of such resources.
(c) Utilising
Utilising involves the following:
Using learning skills and reading widely, while being flexible and
focused.
Selecting and using the appropriate methods and technologies to obtain
the requisite information.
Using learning techniques to process information by predicting, making
hypotheses, comparisons and analysis.
(d) Recording
Recording involves the following:
Selecting ways to take notes according to the needs of the research by
identifying the important points in ones own words.
Collating and organising information for a presentation.
Using skills such as writing, drawing to produce systematic and
effective notes.
(e) Reporting
Reporting involves the following:
Communicating accurately by considering the media, message and
audience.
Developing self awareness as a researcher who is able to evaluate
strategies and skills at every stage of the research with capability and
complete confidence.
Copyright Open University Malaysia (OUM)
TOPIC 4 THINKING SKILLS WITHIN THE CURRICULUM 81
(f) Evaluating
Evaluating involves the following:
Identifying the required skills and discussing them with the teacher.
Reviewing the research process again and stating the satisfaction and
experience gained from conducting the research.
SELF-CHECK 4.1
1. Multi-cultural education is complex and complicated to be
implemented. Discuss this statement.
2. State at least two advantages of Banks five cultural diversity
educational dimensions along with illustrations.
3. State at least two importances of every multi-cultural educational
programmes.
Teachers need to provide encouragement for students to want to use the thinking
techniques.
Thinking skills can actually be learnt by students.
Students can be motivated to raise questions because questioning is an
important element in learning.
Teachers need to follow guidelines when asking questions in order to improve
the quality of questioning.
Students need to be exposed to the Internet to know how to use information that
they obtained.
Ainon Ahmad & Abdullah Husein. (1996). Pemikiran rekacipta. Kuala Lumpur:
Utusan Publication & Distributors Sdn. Bhd.
Ishak Ramly. (2005). Inilah kurikulum sekolah. PTS Professional Publishing Sdn.
Bhd.
Kamarudin Hj. Husin. (1997). Psikologi bilik darjah. Utusan Publication &
Distributors Sdn. Bhd.
Mok Soon Sang. (2001). Psikologi pendidikan. Subang Jaya: Kumpulan Budiman.
X INTRODUCTION
Education is a branch of learning that rests upon theories derived from the
various disciplines of intellectual studies. In comparison, a curriculum is a
branch of learning that has been kneaded and processed before it is translated
into education. Changes and developments in the field of education have led to
changes and developments in curricula. It stands to reason that curriculum
development depends on the interpretation of each and every change that occurs
in the field of education. Various discoveries and new explorations by
curriculum specialists make the field of education more dominant and
pragmatic.
Paradigm shifts are the patterns through which an individual views his world.
We comprehend the world through the paradigms that are in our minds. When
we view something, we will match the pattern we see with patterns that are
stored in our minds. According to Thomas Kuhn, our paradigms are formed
from a set of assumptions. Assumptions are what we believe to be true but are
yet to be proven so. Kuhn used the visual illusion of a duck and rabbit image, as
shown in Figure 5.1, to illustrate this situation. Individuals will see the same
image but each will describe it differently.
According to Ali Yeon (2004), Six Thinking Hats which is the model created by
Edward de Bono, is an important and effective technique or instrument within an
organisation. This model is employed in decision-making where the chosen
decision is viewed from different perspectives. This technique is proven from the
added and improved capabilities and thinking skills.
Have you heard of the Thinking Hats? Thinking Hats is a model developed by
Edward de Bono that has been adopted for world-wide use, specifically among
educational organisations and management in general (please refer to Table 5.1).
Unstructured thinking can result in irrational decisions; is emotion-driven,
confused and sometimes does not assist in making decisions. Making a decision
is very difficult without a proper framework and creative thinking. This model
can be employed to make your choice from all the alternatives.
We use this hat at the start of every discussion to define what our
views or opinions are regarding a problem or issue at hand, and the
objective on the ensuing discussion is to arrive at a decision. This hat
also refers to control. It is employed by every chairperson at
meetings whenever any confusion or difficulty arises in producing
ideas and opinions. The Blue Hat brings us to a review of the
thought process by asking ourselves the following questions:
Blue Hat What is the next step?
What have we achieved so far?
ACTIVITY 5.1
Explain how the Six Thinking Hats can be employed in building or
planning a curriculum.
ACTIVITY 5.2
According to Hassan Jantan (2005), the concept of lifelong learning in the context
of education, refers to the democratisation of education that encompasses the
programme of enhancing knowledge, skills and competence, whether formally at
schools, vocational training centres or informally through workplace-based
experience and training. On the other hand, from the context of the organisation,
this concept refers to the process in which the worker obtains knowledge through
experience to improve his skills. Lifelong learning requires workers to
understand the entire work system, including interactions between their work,
the work of their unit as well as the organisation. The worker is expected to
acquire new skills, to employ these skills at work and share information with
other workers.
one team, excellence and uniqueness, as well as capable and authoritative. In this
subsection, we will focus only on professionalism.
The Rt.Hon. Tun Ahmad Sarji bin Abdul Hamid, the former Chief Secretary to
the Government, while giving a speech at the Seminar on The Re-interpretation
of the Role of Muslim Professionals in the 21st Century, outlined five main
characteristics that are vital for professionals:
(a) He needs to be competent and well-informed, to be able to assimilate
information and knowledge of copious quantity with sharp analytical
prowess, and have the capacity for conceptual and integrated thinking. This
will enable him to respond quickly to the fast pace of change surrounding
him. In a competitive world, this characteristic is necessary.
(b) He needs to practise life-long learning; to continuously seek knowledge
with the aim of acclimatising himself to a world that is constantly
experiencing dynamic changes.
(c) He needs to have the capacity to predict changes that are about to occur
and personify creative innovation in handling fresh challenges. Creativity
must be coupled with the courage to undertake responsibility, a willingness
to make decisions as well as accept its risks. In addition, there must be
sensitivity to social justice, national unity and the common solidarity of
mankind.
(d) He needs to possess self-respect and belief in himself based on a sterling
core of faith. This will empower him to strive hard and compete while
motivating cooperation with others. His hold of faith and religion will
ensure that every step he takes or proposes will include the dimensions of
religion, morality and ethics.
Ali Yeon Md. Shakaff, Six Thinking Hats: Bagaimana ia dapat membantu
kecemerlangan pengurusan organisasi, Diskusi Pagi, 2004.
Ainon Ahmad & Abdullah Hussein. (1996). Pemikiran rekacipta. Kuala Lumpur:
Utusan Publication & Distributors Sdn. Bhd.
Hasan Jantan. Konsep pembelajaran sepanjang hayat. Public Services
Department Malaysia.
Ishak Ramly. (2005). Inilah kurikulum sekolah. Malaysia: PTS Profesional
Publishing Sdn. Bhd.
Stephen R. Covey. (1989). Seven habits of highly effective people. Free Press.
Thomas Kuhn. (1962). The structure of scientific revolution. USA: University of
Chicago press.
X INTRODUCTION
The present education system is the product of the nations development since
Independence. Nevertheless, current changes in the education system began
since the Education Committee 1956 Report which is known as the Razak Report.
Without a doubt, the most important thing about a nation is its identity. With
regard to that, the Razak Report had emphasised on an education policy that was
acceptable to all and which could fulfill their aspiration, and at the same time
capable of nurturing national development.
Copyright Open University Malaysia (OUM)
96 X TOPIC 6 CURRICULUM IN MALAYSIA WITH FOCUS ON KBSR/KBSM
According to Omar Hashim (1991), all these schools had characteristics which
greatly differed from each other in many aspects. The characteristics are as
follows:
(a) These schools were established with the aim of catering to the need of the
respective ethnic groups. As such, there was no opportunity for the Malay,
Chinese and Indian students to interact with each other. Without social
interaction among them, racial unity was difficult to achieve. The
opportunity for students of various ethnic groups to interact occurred in the
English Schools but such schools existed only in the urban areas.
(b) There was no policy on the medium of instruction of the schools. The
Malay, Chinese and Tamil schools used their mother tongues as the
medium of instruction respectively. On the other hand, the English and
Religious schools used English and Arabic Language as their medium of
instruction.
(c) The schools (except the English Schools) were established to cater for the
education of children of certain ethnic groups and they were separated
from each other according to geographical location and population
distribution. Most of the Malay schools were found in villages, which was
the result of the Britishs policy to encourage the Malays to remain in their
villages. As for the Chinese schools, they were located mainly in tin mining
areas and urban centres where most of the Chinese were living. The Tamil
schools were built in rubber estates where the majority of the workers were
Indians.
(d) All five types of schools had their own curriculum. The syllabus and text
books used in the English schools were based on those used by
schoolchildren in England. The Malay schools placed emphasis on 3R skills
(Reading, Writing and Arithmetic) as well as traditional carpentry. The
Chinese and Tamil schools followed curriculum that was used in China and
India respectively. The Religious schools used reading materials, text books
and syllabus adapted from the Middle East schools and the teachers were
trained in the Middle East.
The schooling system during the Japanese Occupation was totally different from
the system during the British administration. The Japanese regarded school as an
important tool to change the thinking of the local people. The English schools
were converted to Japanese schools. In these schools, children were taught to
honour the Japanese Emperor and at the same time, sentiment of hatred against
the British was sown.
Although the Japanese language was made the sole medium of instruction, the
Japanese government made no effort to unite the people of various ethnic
groups. As a result, the existing segregation among various ethnic groups before
the Japanese Occupation remained. In addition to that, the difference of
treatment given by the Japanese government to the different ethnic groups
worsened the situation.
One of the important matters which needed immediate attention was the
education system. The situation during the pre-independent period had
obviously hindered unity among the people of various ethnic groups. The
Copyright Open University Malaysia (OUM)
98 X TOPIC 6 CURRICULUM IN MALAYSIA WITH FOCUS ON KBSR/KBSM
In the early stage, two major reports, namely the Barnes Report and the Fenn-Wu
Report, had submitted recommendations for a single national education system.
The Barnes Report was regarded as the most comprehensive, revolutionary and
influential report that was ever published. Among the recommendations were:
(a) The establishment of a single type of primary school known as the National
School. The School would be opened to the children of all races and the
teachers would also be from various races. The medium of instruction
would be Malay and English only.
(b) Chinese and Tamil schools were to be abolished.
(c) The medium of instruction for secondary schools and institutions of higher
learning would be English.
Even though The Barnes Report took national goals into consideration, obviously
it could not satisfy the aspirations of the various communities in the country. The
Malays were not happy as the position of Malay language was not given
sufficient attention. On the other hand, the Chinese and the Indians were
strongly against the Barnes Report as they regarded the recommendations
detrimental to their cultures.
The government in 1951 then appointed a committee to look into the Chinese
education in Malaya, to meet the demand of the Chinese community. The
committee known as the Fenn-Wu Committee, came up with a report which
basically upheld the idea of using three languages (Malay, Chinese and Tamil) as
the medium of instruction.
An in-depth study on the report was carried out and the government finally
approved the Education Ordinance 1952. The idea of National schools using
Malay and English Language as the medium of instruction was accepted. The
Chinese and Tamil schools were not accepted as national schools. However, the
resources for the teaching and learning of Chinese and Tamil Languages would
be provided. The recommendation was radical and brave but was not
implemented at that time due to financial and political constraints.
To achieve the goal of a united nation through the education system, the Razak
and Abdul Rahman Talib Report recommended three basic principles:
(a) A common school system for all;
(b) The National Language as the main medium of instruction for all levels of
schooling; and
(c) A common content for curriculum and examinations at all levels of
education and the curriculum content should reflect the local cultures of the
nation.
ACTIVITY 6.1
The Committee for General Syllabus and Time Table 1956 designed a common
syllabi for all subjects in all schools. The syllabi and rules for all courses were
determined and enforced in Peninsular Malaysia since 1957, and was later
extended to Sabah and Sarawak.
In 1960, the Abdul Rahman Talib Committee which was entrusted to review the
Razak Report 1956, stressed that the school curriculum should consider the needs
of the nation. The governments plan for a common curriculum in schools was
strengthened with the introduction of a common system of public examination.
The system of public examination which was unified is shown in Table 6.1:
ACTIVITY 6.2
Elaborate the characteristics of the Razak Report 1956 which made the
basis of the National Education Policy.
Teachers depended heavily on text books. Consequently, there was very little
use of other teaching methods, teaching and learning materials which were
more useful.
According to Ramly (2005), among the dissatisfactions towards the old primary
school curriculum were:
The teaching and learning focused more on mastery of knowledge.
The teaching and learning emphasised more on passing exams with flying
colours. Education was regarded as an investment that brought profit in the
long term.
Teaching was mainly focused on drilling and memorisation, while thinking
and reasoning were not emphasised.
Mastery of skills and the inculcation of values were not given appropriate
attention during teaching.
Many students were incapable of writing, reading and doing arithmetic (3R)
even after six years of primary education.
Content of the primary school curriculum was too packed for children aged
between 6-12 years old.
The subjects were not integrated and instead were taught separately.
The weaknesses listed above had prevented many pupils from enjoying a quality
education. According to Kamaruddin (1986), only 30% of the primary school
pupils were able to enjoy the benefit of schooling. Another 70% were abandoned
and not given any effective remedial education.
Recommendation 55
According to Kamaruddin (1989), the KBSR does not only train the students to
acquire the basic 3R skills, but also develop them psychologically so as to be able
to adapt to the ever changing needs of the society.
ACTIVITY 6.3
To acquire basic language skills, i.e. to speak, read and write using the
medium of instruction in the respective school type.
To acquire basic skill of counting.
To master other learning skills based on the basic skills.
To enable students to understand, read, write, and speak English in
accordance to its status as the second language of the country.
To enable students to form desirable attitude and good behaviour, to be
accepted and appreciated by the society, and practise the Five National
Principles (Rukun Negara).
To acquire knowledge and information as well as to cultivate a keen interest
towards other people and the environment.
To be friendly and respect the rights of others, possess the spirit of working
together and being tolerant.
To enable students to develop their intelligence, leadership quality, and self-
confidence, and to acquire sufficient knowledge as well as to enhance their
abilities through the application of the basic skills which they have mastered
earlier.
To provide opportunity for students to participate actively in activities
related to art and recreation that suit our national culture.
Briefly, the characteristics of the New Primary School Curriculum (KBSR) are as
follows:
Basic education;
Emphasis on the basic skills of 3R (reading, writing and arithmetic);
Employ student-based activities which encourage students involvement;
Resources, teaching and learning are planned based on the students age,
interests, abilities and the environment;
Focus on the individual differences (abilities);
Provide remedial programmes for the weak students and enrichment
programmes to further develop the students abilities;
The use of the integration approach, whereby several skills are integrated in a
particular subject;
Content knowledge from various related subjects are integrated into each
lesson content;
Emphasis on both group and individual-based learning and teaching; and
The use of various learning materials and teaching aids, and a lesser use of
textbooks.
ACTIVITY 6.4
The old Primary School Curriculum was incapable of producing
balanced students . Analyse the statement by referring to the
weaknesses in the old Primary School Curriculum.
The new curriculum is divided into two levels Level 1 and Level 2:
Level 1 is mainly concentrated on mastering of the basic skills; and
Level 2 focuses on reinforcement and application of those skills to acquire
knowledge in various fields.
The fields, components and subjects of KBSR are clearly stated in Table 6.2
below:
Co-curriculum
Assembly Assembly
Figure 6.5: Level 1 - Percentage of Time Allocation for Subjects Per Week
Figure 6.6: Level 2 - Percentage of Time Allocation for Subjects Per Week
According to Abu Bakar (1991), among the weaknesses in the old curriculum
were:
Over emphasis on content which hindered the development of character,
personality, and talent among the students.
Though the previous curriculum focused on problem solving skills, it was
lacking in terms of application of these skill in social settings.
Specialisation was done too early, especially in certain subjects such as
science and mathematics.
Ishak Ramly (2005) also listed several weaknesses of the old curriculum. Among
them were:
Lack of emphasis in value and skills, especially in noble values. Reasoning-
based knowledge was given importance, while revealed knowledge was
neglected. Hence, students lacked moral values and nationalism.
The curriculum was too examination-oriented. It focused on preparing
students for higher learning but neglected character and personality building
among them.
Lacking in nurturing the students noble values and patriotism.
Lack of focus in acquiring of skills and the use of thinking as learning is
focused on rote learning.
The Cabinet Committee Report suggested that there was a need to overcome the
problems faced by the old curriculum. A new curriculum was needed to suit the
latest development and. must have the following characteristics:
The secondary education curriculum must be based on general education,
whereby it emphasises the students holistic and balanced development. To
achieve that, the elements of spiritual, value, attitude, knowledge and talents
of the students should be given equal consideration in all aspects of learning.
Focus is given to infuse a universal value of the Malaysian society, and to
produce a responsible, rational and humanitarian citizen. The Islamic and
Moral education subjects are to act as a guide to the Malaysian society.
(b) Provide opportunities for students to understand the social and physical
environment in order for them to enjoy life and appreciate life values, and
essentially becoming good and effective members of the society.
(c) Emphasis on learning towards understanding oneself, develop talents, and
also personal characters.
(d) Take into consideration the basic knowledge, skills, values, attitude ,
behaviours, and culture that are needed by the students.
(e) Emphasis on problem solving skills in all aspects of life.
(f) To create a balance between knowledge and values, practice and recreation.
(g) To balance between formal lessons in the classroom and informal learning
outside the classroom.
Please refer to Figure 6.7 to understand the relationship between the KBSM
objectives, the National Education Philosophy, and goals:
ACTIVITY 6.5
Ishak Ramly. (2005). Inilah kurikulum sekolah. PTS Professional Publishing Sdn.
Bhd.
Mok Soon Sang. (1996). Pedagogi 1: Kurikulum dan pengurusan bilik darjah.
Subang Jaya: Kumpulan Budiman Sdn. Bhd.
Omar Hashim. (1991). Pengisian misi pendidikan. Kuala Lumpur: Dewan Bahasa
dan Pustaka.
7 Curriculum
Management
LEARNING OUTCOMES
By the end of this topic, you should be able to:
1. State the effective management techniques;
2. List down the roles of a good and effective teacher;
3. Explain the procedures of evaluation and supervision of teachers;
4. Describe a conducive learning environment; and
5. Explain the challenges in leadership and management of curriculum.
X INTRODUCTION
Other than establishing the vision and mission of their schools, the head masters
also have to share their commitment and responsibilities with their teachers. As
such, they have to communicate their opinions for the generation of ideas to help
their students achieve excellence.
These schools had effectively managed their organisation by following the four
domains line below.
(a) Planning
The process of planning is to determine the target of the organisation. In
planning, one has to consider the weaknesses and strengths of the
organisation.
(b) Organising
It is important to monitor the implementation of each activity carried out as
it must be integrated and balanced. Wisdom and patience are two vital
characteristics in the process of organising.
7.2.5 A Guide
A teacher is also a guide to the students in the process of education. He or she
identifies and enhances the students potentials by taking into consideration
their differences in abilities, backgrounds, and interests. Effective guidance is
easier to be provided by teachers as they know the strengths and weaknesses of
their students.
7.2.6 A Model
As a model, teachers have to be competent, assertive and possess self confidence
in their daily routines. A teacher has to show good character whether in or out of
the classroom.
Among the characteristics that a teacher must possess as a good role model are:
Self confidence;
Open-mindedness through a wide range of reading, socialising with others
outside of their profession, trips and active involvement in societies;
Selflessness;
Positive thinking;
A stable mind;
Dynamic;
Imaginative;
Having an interesting daily routine;
Job satisfaction; and
Healthy and active.
ACTIVITY 7.1
Teachers must also realise that the teaching profession is full of challenges,
and regardless of this, they should be able to perform their duties. They
have to persevere and be resilient in order to excel in their duties. What
matters most is that the teachers must be able to continuously improve their
practises by first accepting their own weaknesses, and then try to overcome
them.
The commitment of the teachers is vital as they are considered as the agent
of change of the society. Therefore, teachers need to fulfil this additional
role in order to help produce citizens who are an asset to the society.
Factors that influence the family will have a great impact on students . These
include:
(a) Family size;
(b) The students position in the family;
(c) Relationship of their parents; and
(d) The parents perspective on education.
Peer group pressure certainly needs to be given due attention, as it has a major
influence on th students. Their relationship in a classroom is also very important
because it can influence their learning.
As curriculum leaders, head masters must ensure that the budget is adequate for
the implementation of the curriculum and teaching. Among the actions needed
to be taken are:
Planning and preparing an expenditure estimates;
Allocation based on priorities; and
Expenditure based on proper financial procedures.
They also have to ensure that the teaching and learning materials are adequate
and updated so that the teaching and learning process goes on smoothly. In brief,
the following elements have to be considered for teaching and learning materials:
Adequateness;
Usability;
Employ the latest technology; and
User friendly.
7.8 COORDINATION
Programmes, planning and implementation need to be coordinated in parallel to
and compatible with the human resource aspect, such as the number and
qualifications of the teachers, time period, place, financial allocation, support
services and curriculum planning. Headmasters need to plan and implement
activities according to the strengths and abilities that their school possess.
Every school is different in many aspects. This calls for proper coordination
which must be done indiscriminately from one school to the other. The analysis
of strengths and weaknesses is certainly helpful for the management to draw up
an effective plan.
7.9 TROUBLE-SHOOTING
Headmasters must be the trouble-shooters who are able to solve any problems
that may arise at any time especially in ensuring high quality teaching and
learning standards. Proper and correct action is needed to solve problems as it
may lead to other problems. This is also important to satisfy the teachers. These
key situations demand that the head masters possess skills and professional
judgements. The wisdom of the head masters are vital in each key situation that
they deal with. The key situations require the employment of different ways,
methods, techniques, and approaches. They must also be far-sighted to enable
them to see the big picture in order for accurate information and immediate
action to be taken in the key situations. Briefly, the key situations are the daily
routines that the head masters have to prioritise.
Hj. Mohd. Ab. Rahman. (1999). Cermin pengurusan pendidikan. Pustaka Ilmi.
Leonard, M. S., Yong, K., & Biraimah, L. (1996). Guru yang kreatif. Kuala
Lumpur: Arena Buku Sdn. Bhd.
X INTRODUCTION
It is vital that a curriculum and its supporting materials need to be managed
well, in order for the curriculum to be developed effectively. In this topic, you
will learn about ways to manage the curriculum supporting materials, whether in
the classroom, school resource centres and the Curriculum Development Centre
(CDC). Teachers as curriculum managers, need to have a good understanding on
this topic.
Basically, classrooms are equipped with facilities such as tables and chairs which
are arranged based on the teaching and learning activities, writing board and
teaching aids under the supervision of a teacher.
(c) Whole class teaching is employed as the main teaching method in this
classroom;
(d) Students are seldom involved in the teaching and learning process; and
(e) Students are passive and merely listeners.
The arrangement of the students tables and chairs are according to groups as
teaching and learning activities are group-based. Therefore, the teaching and
learning activities in this classroom is studentcentred, whereby the they are
actively involved.
The KBSR/KBSM classroom is equipped with learning areas to provide space for
the students to carry out their learning activities. There is also a space for
exhibiting their work which makes teaching and learning more interesting.
Specimens;
Maps;
Pictures;
Instruments (apparatus);
Activity cards;
Reading cards;
Instruments for counting activities; and
Materials for commercial practices.
In KBSR classrooms, there are learning spaces for reading, mathematics and
storage of various instruments and learning materials for students to carry out
their learning activities.
(f) Preservation
With regards to preservation, we should follow these guidelines:
Use the dry method;
Suitable for specimens with less moisture and hard skin, such as insects
and seeds;
Specimens must be fully dried to prevent damage caused by fungus
growth or bacteria;
They can be dried by placing them directly under the sunlight or using
an oven, hot sand or silica gels;
Preservation using this method must be done with strict observation as
the specimens can spoil easily; and
The specimens must be dried from time to time to avoid any fungus
growth.
(g) Wet Preservation
With regards to wet preservation, we should follow these guidelines:
Suitable for all types of biological specimens especially soft body types;
Specimens must be soaked in a preservative solution, such as formalin,
to ensure their structures and textures are preserved;
A suitable preservative solution must be determined for the different
types of specimens; and
Safety procedures must be followed while handling formalin as it is a
hazardous substance.
(a) Aims
The aims of the SAC are to:
Inculcate the usage of ICT into the school culture;
Reduce the ratio of computers to students; and
Increase contact hours for computer usage among students.
(b) Objectives
The objectives of SAC are to:
Develop the students skill in finding information;
Enable students to effectively self-pace, self-direct and self-access their
learning process; and
Enhance the students usage and mastering of ICT skills for learning.
(c) Organisational Structure
Figure 8.2 shows the organisational chart for the School Access Centre
Committee:
Figure 8.2: Organisational Chart for the School Access Centre Committee
The concept of TAC is based on group services, whereby support services are
provided to teachers from nearby schools. Normally, there will be more than one
TAC in an education district.
(xii) Reference centre for the usage of education technology, media and ICT:
Guide and advise the library and media teacher (RC Coordinator Teacher)
on the usage and management of RC.
Mok Soon Sang. (1996). Pedagogi 1: Kurikulum dan pengurusan bilik darjah.
Subang Jaya: Kumpulan Budiman Sdn. Bhd.
X INTRODUCTION
Headmasters are professional managers who are actively involved in the
supervision of their organisation. As such, they are responsible in developing
and enhancing the quality of the individuals in their organisations. In relation to
this, it is also necessary for head masters as well as senior assistants to review
their roles as curriculum leaders.
In Malaysia, even though all the processes of curriculum planning is carried out
by the Curriculum Development Centre (CDC); as curriculum leaders, the
headmasters, senior assistants, heads of subject panel and teachers should also
possess information and knowledge about on curriculum planning.
Do you know that in planning and developing a curriculum, there are certain
principles which have to be taken into consideration? Ee Ah Meng (1995), listed
the following principles:
(a) Curriculum has to be student-centred
A student-centred curriculum will considers the needs and interests of the
students. In another words, various activities are planned to involve the
students in the teaching and learning process/activities. The students will
be able to inculcate noble values such as responsibility, cooperativeness,
self-confidence and consideration, through these planned activities like
responsible, cooperative, self-confident and considerate.
(b) Curriculum has to be dynamic:
Curriculum has to change with time. The frequent changes in science and
technology must have significant influence and be reflected in the
development of the curriculum.
(c) Curriculum has to deliver a relevant learning experience:
Learning experiences that are planned for the students have to be relevant
to the needs of the community and the country, either in the academic or
non academic forms. The learning experiences should be capable of
developing balanced and harmonious individuals from the intellectual,
physical, spiritual and emotional aspects.
(d) Curriculum should have a close relationship with daily life
Teaching materials in the curriculum should be related to the students
daily life so that learning is meaningful and interesting.
(e) Economic aspects should be taken into consideration
We need skilled and productive workers to develop the economy of our
contry. As such, the curriculum should also emphasise on technical and
vocational training. In view of this, Malaysia has taken initiatives to
establish the Technical and Vocational Schools, Polytechnics, Community
Colleges and others.
(f) Curriculum should deliver holistic knowledge
Holistic knowledge should be delivered to the students. The knowledge
could be delivered through subjects such as Malay or English Language,
Mathematics, Science, Local Studies, Music and Physical Education.
9.4.1 Drafting
Curriculum implementation begins when the contents related to a curriculum are
still in the prototype form. In the process of drafting the curriculum, focus is
given to the determination of objectives, learning content, materials and tools
needed, suitable methods and learning climate that have to be developed. When
all these are in place, a trial run will be conducted to detect any possible
problems. In other words, curriculum drafting at the stage of implementation is
about the preparation of several main blueprints as well as the awareness of the
parties who are essential in ensuring the success of the curriculum
implementation.
9.4.3 Training
In the system of schooling, there are several groups that should be trained. They
are the teachers, head masterss and officials at various levels of administration.
Parents and community members should also be involved, at least through
occasional meetings. The form of training is determined by several factors,
among which are:
The lack of the required knowledge, skills, attitudes and techniques among
the teachers and inspectorates. Training will also be based on the specific
fields and aspects that the groups are lacking.
The level of readiness and capability of the groups involved in learning new
knowledge and techniques, and making changes to implement new practices.
Sufficient training officers to conduct training in a certain area and time
period.
The type of model employed in training as training can be conducted in
various forms, such as technical or conceptual. It could also be a simple
presentation session.
9.4.4 Coordination
At this stage, the curriculum leaders play a role in creating the right atmosphere
for curriculum implementation. The role of the administrator is crucial in
ensuring the success of it's implementation.
9.4.5 Logistics
This stage is closely related to the readiness of the education system to practise
certain recommendations. It is not confined only to material components such as
financial allocation, transportation and provision, but also includes mental and
spiritual aspects such as cooperation, consideration and commitment towards
change.
What are the factors that determine the objectives of a lesson and how do we
determine these factors?
What are the implications of the findings from a curriculum evaluation? This
information could be used to improve the curriculum.
Upon the completion of a curriculum, a trial run will be carried out in schools.
The findings from the trial run provide feedback to the curriculum planners. If
there are any weaknesses, the curriculum content will be changed to fulfill the
students needs. Hence, curriculum evaluation is essential to ensure that the
students develop holistically. The aspects to be included are the intellectual,
spiritual, physical, emotional, talent, moral, aesthetical and social values.
ACTIVITY 9.1
Even though curriculum evaluation is a new field, there are efforts to make it a
credible education discipline. Several definitions, methodologies, forms of data,
instrument constructions and conceptual frameworks have been proposed. The
differences in opinion is a positive sign, as there is the potential for it to become a
field of study and at the same time serve important functions in education.
10 Curriculum
Development
LEARNING OUTCOMES
By the end of this topic, you should be able to:
1. Elaborate on the aim of education to be achieved by a school;
2. State the roles of a school as a socialisation agent;
3. Analyse the characteristics of an effective school;
4. Elaborate on the concept of Sustainable Schools; and
5. Elaborate on the concept and impact of Cluster Schools.
X INTRODUCTION
Generally, an education system is said to embrace two major roles. On the one
hand, education generates trained labour force in various fields of knowledge
and skills for driving and promoting the economic growth of a nation. On the
other , the same students who have gone through the formal education system
are expected to become balanced individuals encompassing the spiritual,
intellectual, emotional and physical growth aspects.
ACTIVITY 10.1
development of living skills will also take place within the school
compound. Students are experimental when trying various living skills to
enable them to live together harmoniously as a member of society.
(d) The school serves as a place for students to seek their role models and learn
to obey rules
Students usually consider their teachers as their role models. They think
highly of teachers especially when they are in primary school, although this
is not so obvious in secondary school. The behaviours of the teachers, such
as their habits, the way they talk and dress will be imitated by their
students. As such, it is very important to select the right candidates for a
teaching position. Besides that, the school acts as a formal institution for
students to learn to obey rules.
Ghazali Othman (2001), referred to the views of Mortimore (who has gone
through hundreds of studies and findings regarding school effectiveness all over
the world). Accordingly the summary of the findings should be disseminated so
that they can be utilised in the drafting of education policies and practices in
schools in Malaysia. The research findings in effective schools have a direct
implication in school improvement.
However, Ramaiah (1995) was of the opinion that in the Malaysian context,
several criteria for measurement of school effectiveness should be applied
carefully. This is because, there are factors such as private tuition and urban
or rural context which greatly influence a schools effectiveness, especially
if the achievement in public examinations is taken as the absolute
measurement.
ACTIVITY 10.2
Teachers are role models to their studentss. What is your opinion of this
statement? Are teachers aware that they are the role models to their
students? Discuss.
Cluster school is a brand name given to schools that have been identified to have
achieved excellence in the aspects of school management and students
performance. The establishment of cluster schools is aimed to accelerate the
development of excellentschools in the education system of Malaysia. In
10.5.1 Implementation
The implementation of cluster schools is based on a decentralisation process
which involves empowerment of schools through guided autonomy. The views
of stakeholders such as the PTA, alumni, school leaders and teachers are taken
into consideration in the implementation of cluster schools. They were directly
involved in the Workshop in Cluster School Autonomy, Ministry of Education
Malaysia which was held from 19-20 March 2007. The Panel of Advisers for
Cluster Schools will assist by contributing their expertise to ensure success in the
implementation of these schools.
Ishak Ramly. (2005). Inilah kurikulum sekolah. PTS Professional Publishing Sdn.
Bhd.
OR
Thank you.