Curriculum Change

Learning Outcome
Outline the curriculum change and innovation
in ELT education in Malaysia
Evaluate the factors that influence the
diffusion and dissemination of change and
innovation in the curriculum
Learning Criteria
You can:
define curriculum change and curriculum
innovation
discuss the political and ideological influences on
curriculum innovation
evaluate the models that explains how changes
take place
explain factors that influence the diffusion and
dissemination of change and innovation in the
curriculum.


Curriculum

Definition
Plan of action
Written document
Experiences of the learner planned
experiences in and out of school
Subject matter



Change
Definition
the act or fact of changing; fact of being changed.
a transformation or modification; alteration:
They noticed the change in his facial expression.
a variation or deviation: a change in the daily routine.
the substitution of one thing for another:
We finally made the change to an oil-burning furnace.
variety or novelty:
Let's try a new restaurant for a change.
the passing from one place, state, form, or phase to an
other: a change of seasons; social change.



Innovation

Definition
something new or different introduced:
numerous innovations in the high-
school curriculum.
the act of innovating; introduction of new
things or methods.

Definition

Curriculum Change
Curriculum Innovation
Contexts of Curriculum Change


Political and Ideological Influences
Rukun Negara (English)

Our nation, Malaysia, being dedicated:
to achieving a greater unity of all her peoples;
to maintaining a democratic way of life;
to creating a just society in which the wealth of the nation shall be
equitably shared;
to ensuring a liberal approach to her rich and diverse cultural
traditions;
to building a progressive society which shall be oriented to modern
science and technology;
We, her peoples, pledge our united efforts to attain these ends
guided by these principles:

Believe in God
Loyalty To King and Country
Upholding The Constitution
Rule of Law
Good Behaviour and Morality

Bedrock of the Malaysian Curriculum

The National Education Philosophy for Malaysia, written in 1988 and
revised in 1996, enshrines the Ministrys and Governments vision of
education as a means for the holistic development of all children:
intellectually, spiritually, emotionally, and physically.

Education in Malaysia is an ongoing effort towards further developing the
potential of individuals in a holistic and integrated manner, so as to
produce individuals who are intellectually, spiritually, emotionally, and
physically balanced and harmonious, based on a firm belief in and
devotion to God. Such an effort is designed to produce Malaysian citizens
who are knowledgeable and competent, who possess high moral
standards, and who are responsible and capable of achieving high levels of
personal wellbeing as well as being able to contribute to the harmony and
betterment of the family, the society, and the nation at large.
Education Act 1996 - Objectives
Production of quality education
Production of educated and skilled students
Production of a unified community
Social community development
Production of quality workforce
Economic production, especially in rural areas
Formation of responsible and committed citizens in a
democratic country
Restructuring of the socio-economic structure of the
population as stated in the New Economic Policy (NEP)
Eradication of poverty
Contexts of Curriculum Change
In October 2011, the Ministry of Education launched a
comprehensive review of the education system in
Malaysia in order to develop a new National Education
Blueprint. This decision was made in the context of rising
international education standards, the Governments
Aspiration of better preparing Malaysias children for
the needs of the 21
st
century, and increased public and
parental expectations of education policy.
Three Trends That Will Shape the
Future of Curriculum
1. Digital delivery
Online sites
Open-source sites
learners and educators in the actual content-creating
process
2. Interest driven
individualized learning technology
education being tailored to students own interests
3. Skills 2.0
collaboration, innovation, critical thinking, and
communication

21
st
Century Skills
Learning and Innovation Skills
Critical thinking and problem solving
Creativity and innovation
Communication and collaboration
Visual literacy
Scientific and numerical literacy
Cross-disciplinary thinking
Basic literacy

Information, Media and Technology Skills
Information literacy
Media literacy
Ict (information, communications and technology) literacy



21
st
Century Skills
21st Century Themes
Global awareness
Financial, economic, business, and entrepreneurial literacy
Civic literacy
Health literacy
Environmental literacy

Life and Career Skills
Flexibility and adaptability
Initiative and self-direction
Social and cross-cultural skills
Productivity and accountability
Leadership and responsibility

http://www.imls.gov/about/21st_century_skills_list.aspx

What These Trends Mean
Collaborating and customizing.
Educators are learning to work together, with their students, and with
other experts in creating content, and are able to tailor it to exactly what
they need.
Critical thinking.
Students are learning how to effectively find content and to discern
reliable sources.
Democratizing education.
With Internet access becoming more ubiquitous, the children of the
poorest people are able to get access to the same quality education as the
wealthiest.
Changing the textbook industry.
Textbook publishers are finding ways to make themselves relevant to their
digital audience.
Emphasizing skills over facts.
Curriculum incorporates skill-building.

Changed Forever
One thing is certain, writes Will Richardson in the
comprehensive tome 21st Century Skills: Rethinking How
Students Learn: although schools may continue to
fundamentally look and act as they have for more than
one hundred years, the way individuals learn has already
been forever changed. Instead of learning from others
who have the credentials to teach in this new networked
world, we learn with others whom we seek (and who
seek us) on our own and with whom we often share
nothing more than a passion for knowing.
Models of Curriculum Change
Lovell and Wiles Theory of Change
Kurt Lewins Force Field Model
Kowalski and Reitzugs Model of Educational
Change
Lovell and Wiles
Lovell and Wiles present a Theory of Change
incorporating internal processes and external forces:
5 internal factors or processes:
1. leadership
2. communication
3. release of human potential
4. problem solving
5. evaluation
These processes lead to:
system (school) tension and conflict or
cooperation and cohesion.







Lovell and Wiles
Both internal and external forces at play need to
be considered in the planning process so that
curriculum implementation can be more
sensitive to community attitudes and
expectations.
Implementing curriculum change can result in
disequilibrium.
Considering both internal and external factors
help set in motion an attempt by curriculum
players to achieve a new state of equilibration.
Lovell and Wiles
The 5 internal processes are also affected by
external forces, e.g. demographics of the
community and its sociocultural, politicolegal
and economic aspects.

Thinking Question
Based on Lovell and Wiles theory, think of how the
consideration of internal or external factors
can lead to a positive outcome or success.


Kurt Lewin
Kurt Lewins Force Field Theory advances the
idea of two competing forces:
driving force
restraining force
When these two forces are equal, a balance of
equilibrium exists enabling a steady state or
status quo.
Kurt Lewin
Thinking Questions
Based on Kurt Lewins idea, think of how
disequilibrium can inhibit change? Give
examples of how change can be stimulated.

Kurt Lewin believed that to stimulate change,
it is better to reduce the power of restraining
forces than to increase driving forces.

Kowsalski and V. Reitzugs
Kowsalski and V. Reitzugs Model of
Educational Change depicted educational
change as either coming from external forces
or internal forces. In their model, they
showed the type of resultant change and the
time required for the change to take effect.
Change from outside QUICK and UNEXPECTED
Change from inside SLOW and CAREFULLY
THOUGHT OUT
Task
Discuss:

What happens when people find themselves
in a situation of change?

How do they tend to think?
What are their likely feelings?

Things That Happen When People Find
Themselves In A Situation Of Change
Feel awkward, ill-at-ease, self-conscious

Think of what have to give up, rather than what have to gain

Feel alone

Frequent changes are overwhelming

Differing levels of readiness for change

Concern re resources

If the pressure is off people will revert to old ways

(Fullan 1998)
Antagonists of Change
What do you understand by the word
antagonist?
Can you describe at least 5 different types of
antagonists to change?
What do excuses that antagonists of change
give?


Antagonists of change

Futilitarians
Faint-hearts
The old regime
Bureaucrats
Nostalgics
Dimensions of Change
Vision Skills Incentives Resources Action Plans
Vision Skills Incentives Action Plans Frustration
Vision Skills Incentives Resources
False Starts
Vision Skills Resources Action Plans Slow Change
Skills Incentives Resources Action Plans Confusion
Vision Incentives Resources Action Plans Anxiety
Success
Jacqueline S. Thousand & Richard A. Villa
Managing Complex Change; 2001
Task
List 5 factors that influence the diffusion and
dissemination of change.
Task


Why does change fail?
List 10 or more underlying reasons


Resistance to Change
Edgar Friendberg teachers are generally
conformist not innovators. Teachers have
succeeded in the school system as it has
existed. They have learned to play it safe and
to keep a low profile in a bureaucratic system
run by administrators who do not like to
create waves
Rapidity of change teachers unwilling to
support changes perceived as short-lived
Resistance to Change
Lack of knowledge do not know about the
innovation at all or have very little information
about it
Teachers do not know about the latest research
or refuse to use it in guiding their actions
[mindguarding teachers reject data that
challenge current understanding]
Teachers lack opportunities to discuss the latest
research with colleagues
No financial or time support given

Obstacles to Change
Thomas Harvey provides 12 obstacles to getting
people involved in change:
Lack of ownership
Lack of benefits
Increasing burdens
Lack of administrative support
Loneliness
Insecurity
Obstacles to Change
Norm incongruence
Boredom
Chaos
Differential knowledge
Sudden wholesale change
Unique points of resistance
Roles of Key Players
Key players of curriculum implementation:
students, teachers, administrators, consultants,
state employee, university professors, parents, lay
citizens and political officials.

Thinking Question
What roles can the different key players play at
different times in the change process?
Learning Criteria
You can:
define curriculum change and curriculum
innovation
discuss the political and ideological influences on
curriculum innovation
evaluate the models that explains how changes
take place
explain factors that influence the diffusion and
dissemination of change and innovation in the
curriculum.
Tutorial
In line with the current curriculum change in
Malaysia, discuss possible innovative strategies/
content that can be included in the Malaysian
curriculum to achieve world class education.

(Refer to the Malaysia Education Blueprint)

Think about:
The use of thinking maps in pedagogy, HOTS,
School
Based Assessment, etc.