School based curriculum development (SCBD) in its various guises of decentralization and school focused is exhorted by politicians in many countries. Currently it is vogue priority in a number of Asian countries such as Singapore, China, Taiwan, and Indonesia.
Some would argue that SCBD is a slogan, while others prefer to conceptualize it as a method or technique. A literal definition of school based might imply that all educational decisions are made at the school level. The term curriculum development has wide connotations and is used to describe the various curriculum processes of planning, designing, and producing associated with the completion of particular set of materials, it can also include teaching activities associated with the implementation and evaluation of a set of materials. SCBD can involve creating new produce or process or that can also involve selecting from commercial materials and making various adaptions. It put together such term as Teacher and Learner working together to produce a curriculum, freedom for both teacher and pupil and the school responsibilities to its environment to produce a theoretical position about SCBD.
Conceptual Analysis of SCBD :
Some would argue that SCBD is a slogan, while others prefer to conceptualize it as a method or technique. A literal definition of school based might imply that all educational decisions are made at the school level. The term curriculum development has wide connotations and is used to describe the various curriculum processes of planning, designing, and producing associated with the completion of particular set of materials, it can also include teaching activities associated with the implementation and evaluation of a set of materials. SCBD can involve creating new produce or process or that can also involve selecting from commercial materials and making various adaptions. It put together such term as Teacher and Learner working together to produce a curriculum, freedom for both teacher and pupil and the school responsibilities to its environment to produce a theoretical position about SCBD.
Conceptual Analysis of SCBD :
It is simplified analysis base upon a three dimensional model. Three variables are considered, namely type of activities (from investigation, selection, adaption, until creation of curriculum materials), on one axis, people involved (individual teacher, small group of teachers, whole staff, including parents and students), another axis is time commitment (one-off activity, short term, midterm, long term)
Taking an example from the matrix, a typical SCBD activity might be the adoption of primary Science workbook by small group of teachers as part of short term plan to upgrade their teaching of science in the upper primary grades, Or more ambitious one it might be the creation of new material, for local community unit by a team of teachers, parents, and students as a long term plan to be completed over a period of one calendar year.
A more detailed conceptual model is provided in table below based upon four major factors which are progressively linked across processes in a school to support SCBD; and innovative outcomes ad practices of SCBD in a school
Taking an example from the matrix, a typical SCBD activity might be the adoption of primary Science workbook by small group of teachers as part of short term plan to upgrade their teaching of science in the upper primary grades, Or more ambitious one it might be the creation of new material, for local community unit by a team of teachers, parents, and students as a long term plan to be completed over a period of one calendar year.
A more detailed conceptual model is provided in table below based upon four major factors which are progressively linked across processes in a school to support SCBD; and innovative outcomes ad practices of SCBD in a school
Major factors --------------------------- Levels of dissatisfaction with central controls Empowerment Knowledge and skills of curriculum planning Resources | Process in a Scholl to support SCBD ----------------------------------------------- Exploring alternatives, distributed leadership, personalized learning, action research, collecting data Team projects Developing individual strengths Sharing beliefs and skills Professional development Teacher communicate and share skills External experts used Group planning and action research Study visits and sharing Expanding human resources Obtaining additional resources | Innovative outcomes and practices of SCBD in a school ------------------------------------ Plans for continuity Collaboration by most teachers Improved student results Attracting more resources to the school Rewards for individual teachers On-going comprehensive evaluation |
Factor one : levels of dissatisfaction with central controls : Teacher may deeply dissatisfied with how the curriculum is controlled centrally or they might cherish a desire to experiment with others in designing a curriculum more suitable for their responsive schools, and teachers will be more satisfied with what their students are achieving.
Factor two empowerment : In term of educational settings, it is more useful to consider power as doing for acting, opportunities for teachers to try out new approaches, to problem solved, to enquire, can assist them in becoming empowered.
Factor three: Knowledge and skills of curriculum planning: All teachers have particular beliefs and values about teaching, they are likely to be different beliefs about how content should be taught, how student learn, how learning should be evaluated. As a consequence open dialogue is necessary to ascertain what will be consensual directions.
Factor four: Resources: SCBD relies heavily upon human resources, a common essential to undertake SCBD is to have extra staff allocations with a strong core.
Source: Marsh (2009) Key Concepts for Understanding Curriculum
Factor two empowerment : In term of educational settings, it is more useful to consider power as doing for acting, opportunities for teachers to try out new approaches, to problem solved, to enquire, can assist them in becoming empowered.
Factor three: Knowledge and skills of curriculum planning: All teachers have particular beliefs and values about teaching, they are likely to be different beliefs about how content should be taught, how student learn, how learning should be evaluated. As a consequence open dialogue is necessary to ascertain what will be consensual directions.
Factor four: Resources: SCBD relies heavily upon human resources, a common essential to undertake SCBD is to have extra staff allocations with a strong core.
Source: Marsh (2009) Key Concepts for Understanding Curriculum