This document discusses curriculum implementation. It defines curriculum implementation as a process of professional development and growth that requires educators to shift to a new program while managing change. Curriculum implementation can take different approaches, from a laissez-faire model that gives teachers full control to an authoritarian model with strict directives. The document recommends a balanced approach between these extremes. It also examines factors that influence implementation and provides examples of implementation models like the overcoming resistance to change model. Finally, it offers best practices for implementing curriculum in the classroom through clear objectives and lesson planning.

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Curriculum Implementation
Curriculum Implementation (University of the Philippines System)
StuDocu is not sponsored or endorsed by any college or university
Curriculum Implementation
Curriculum Implementation (University of the Philippines System)
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2. CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT AND RECENT TRENDS
Curriculum Implementation
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
 Define curriculum implementation
 Familiarize oneself with the major problems involved in curriculum
implementation
 Analyze factors that influence curriculum implementation
 Examine some common models that support the process of curriculum
implementation
WHAT IS CURRICULUM IMPLEMENTATION?
Implementation is an interaction between those who have created the
programme and those who are charged to deliver it. According to Ornstein
and Hunkins, 1998.
 Implementation requires educators to shift from the current programme
which they are familiar with to the new or modified programme.
 Implementation involves changes in the knowledge, actions, and
attitudes of people.
 Implementation can be seen as a process of professional development
and growth involving ongoing interactions, feedback and assistance.
 Implementation is a process of clarification whereby individuals and
groups come to understand and practice a change in attitudes and
behaviors; often involving using new resources
 Implementation involves change which requires effort and will produce
a certain amount of anxiety and to minimize these, it is useful to
organize implementation into manageable events and to set achievable
goals.
 Implementation requires a supportive atmosphere in which there is
trust and open communication between administrators, teachers,
educators, and where risk-taking is encouraged.
Although large sums of money on implementing new curriculum, several of
these efforts have failed. According to Sarason (1990), the main reason for
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3. failure is the lack of understanding of the culture of the school by both experts
outside the school system and educators in the system.
As stated by Fullan and Pomfret (1977); “effective implementation of
innovations requires time, personal interaction and contacts, in-service
training and other forms of people-based support.”
(Curriculum implementation requires winning people over and it takes time.
Teachers need to feel appreciated and their efforts recognized. Some may
argue that they should be given financial rewards but there is evidence to
suggest that external motivation contributes minimally to the venture.
Individuals contribute their best talents when they are internally motivated and
derive a good feeling from being involved.)
APPROACHES ON CURRICULUM IMPLEMENTATION
How should curriculum be implemented?
There are two extreme views about curriculum implementation:
1. Laissez-faire or the “let-alone” approach.
 Gives teachers absolute power to determine what they see best
to implement in the classroom.
 This allows teachers to teach lessons they believe are
appropriate for their classes and in whatever way they want to
teach such lessons.
 There is no form of control or monitoring whatsoever.
2. Authoritarian control.
 Teachers are directed by authority figures through a
memorandum, to follow a curriculum.
 Teachers have no control or leeway over the subjects they are
teaching.
 The school head exercise absolute power in directing teachers
to teach certain subjects in specified ways.
 In other words, this approach is a dictatorial way of imposing
curricular implementation in the classroom.
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4. A realistic view of curriculum should be between the two extremes.
Teachers are expected to follow the prescribed syllabus exactly and make
sure that they do not miss any topic/component. When teachers diligently
follow a prescribed syllabus in teaching a lesson, then they are considered to
have fidelity of use or fidelity of implementation.
Adaptation to the curriculum or process orientation
 some topics allow or encourage teachers to be creative and unique in
teaching
 teachers implement personalized variations of the prescribed
curriculum but still guided by it
 it came as a response to the need to acknowledge different
organizational concepts of varying teachers’ needs and abilities that
would require on-site modification
IMPLEMENTATION MODELS
Ornstein and Hunkins (1988) describes several changes in models that are
worthwhile exploring. The models include among others:
1) Overcoming resistance to change model (ORC)-focuses on overcoming
staff resistance to change that is present immediately before or at the time
of the introduction of the innovation.
2) Leadership-obstacle course model (LOC)-extends the ORC model and
puts emphasis on the gathering of data to determine the extent and
nature of the resistance in order to deal with it appropriately.
3) Linkage model -involves a cycle of diagnosis, search, and retrieval,
formulation of solution, dissemination and evaluation.
4) Organizational development model (OD)-an information-processing
change strategy that enables the system to improve its operations and the
quality of interaction among its members to facilitate the introduction of
change.
5) Rand agent model-is based on the assumption that the success of the
implementation of a new program depends on: (1) the characteristics of
the proposed change; (2) the competencies of the teaching and
administrative staff; (3) the support of the local community and (4) the
school organization structure.
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5. Each strategy has certain elements which conform to the following
suggestions of Harris (1985) for the successful implementation of changes in
the school system:
1) Clarification of lines of authority
2) Involvement of affected parties in goal setting, staff selection and
evaluation;
3) Specification of roles and responsibilities of teachers
4) Training of personnel in change strategies and conflict-resolution
techniques of teachers
5) Support to affected parties
The choice of what implementation model to use depends on such factors as:
1) level of resistance
2) The type of desire change
3) The available expertise
4) Available resources
5) The urgency of the situation
FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE CURRICULUM IMPLEMENTATION
 Teachers
 Learners
 Principals or School Heads
 Parents
 Resource Materials and Facilities
 Interest Groups
 School environment
 Culture and Ideology
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6.  Assessment
IMPLEMENTING CURRICULUM IN THE CLASSROOM
Instructional objectives:
 Make it clear to teachers what changes they want students to achieve.
 Help in choosing the appropriate learning experiences to achieve the
changes or Learning desired.
 Inform students of what is expected of them.
 Indicate what will be important in assessing the lesson.
Generic outline for a lesson plan:
a. objectives
b. pre – requisite knowledge
c. instructional aids and resources
d. learning experiences (teaching methods & learning activities)
e. evaluation tasks or techniques
f. assignment
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