CURRICULUM IMPLEMENTATION

Curriculum implementation is expected to occur between Component 4 (educational plan) and

Component 5 (evaluation and revision) of Kellough and Kelloughs curriculum development model.
The curriculum will be implemented with the help of teachers in an actual school setting and find out if
the curriculum is achieving its goal. After testing the curriculum in real-life settings, revisions can be
made based on teacher feedback. Then, full-scale implementation shall take place. At a certain
point, there is a need to evaluate the curriculum to make any necessary changes.
A school curriculum develops from a plan. Careful planning and development are obviously
important, but these count for nothing unless teachers are familiar with the curriculum and have the
skills to implement it in their classes.
The term implementation refers to the actual use of the curriculum or syllabus or what it consists of in
practice. Implementation is a critical phase in the cycles of planning and teaching a curriculum. The
adoption of a curriculum refers to ones intention to use the curriculum, be it as a teacher or a school
head, but the adoption does not indicate whether the curriculum is implemented or not.
Implementing the curriculum does not only focus on the actual use but also on the attitudes of those
who implement it. These attitudinal dispositions are particularly important in educational systems
where teachers and principals have the opportunity to choose among competing curriculum
packages. For example, if teachers think that curriculum being implemented is lacking in certain
aspects, they can look for other curricula that address these gaps or problems, In most cases,
teachers implement new school curricula only if they think that something is wrong with the one they
are currently implementing. This curriculum dysfunction may be due to a gap between what it
perceived as the ideal practice and what the current curriculum offers in reference to a particular
subject.
In many instances and in almost all subject areas, a new curriculum is formulated at a higher level
(national or district) to be used by all teachers. No alternative curricular choices are given. In a way,
the teachers are tasked to test a new curriculum in actual school setting. Teachers get a chance to
provide inputs into the new curriculum at the operational tryout. They work side by side with the
curriculum developers.
Preliminaries to Curriculum Implementation
Teachers as the implementers of the curriculum would have a lot of questions on how to use a
new curriculum. As experts in hands-on application of a curriculum, teachers can tell if they feel
comfortable using a particular approach or material in teaching students. It naturally takes time
before teachers become competent and confident in using a new curriculum.
When teachers have already mastered the new curriculum and are already implementing it as
a matter of routine, the use of the curriculum becomes spontaneous and natural. This is called as
the stage of curricular institutionalization. This stage refers to the period when the new curriculum
has been effectively ingrained into the schools daily functions. All teachers are implementing the
prescribed curriculum.

How Should a Curriculum Be Implemented?

There are two extreme views about curriculum implementation. One view is the Laissez-faire
approach or the let alone approach, which gives the teachers the absolute power to determine what
they see best to implement in the classroom. At the other end of these extreme, is the Authoritarian
control. In this view, 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. School heads
exercise absolute power in directing teachers to teach certain subjects in specified ways.
Approaches to Optimize Curriculum Opportunities
A realistic view of curriculum implementation 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. To promote fidelity of use,
first you need to identify the topics or subjects that need more focus. These subjects are those that
are more technical or more difficult. A structured approach to implementation is then followed, one in
which teachers are provided clear instructions early on. Teachers should be familiar with and well
trained on the more important topic/s. They should have also developed the needed skills to translate
the curriculum into actual lessons inside the classroom and beyond.
On the other hand, some topics allow or encourage teachers to be creative and unique in
teaching these topics. Teachers can implement personalized variations of the prescribed curriculum
but still be guided by it. This is referred to as adaptation to the curriculum or process orientation.
Process orientation comes as a response to acknowledge different organizational contexts and
varying teachers needs and abilities that would require on-site modification.
Curriculum Implementation Perspectives
1. Technical Perspective. This considers the impact of planning and availability of resources in
program implementation.
2. Political Perspective. This considers the balance of power that determines the success of the
curriculum.
3. Cultural Perspective. This puts emphasis on the beliefs and ways of behaving in a society that
ultimately affect what happens inside the classroom.
Factors Affecting Curriculum Implementation
A. According to Fullan, 1982
1. Characteristics of change
a. Need and relevant to change
b. clarity
c. complexity
d. quality and practicality of the program
2. Characteristics at the school district level
a. the history of innovative attempts
b. the adoption process
c. Central administrative support and involvement

d. self-development and participation

e. timeline and information system
f. Board and community characteristics
3. Characteristics at the school level
a. the principal
b. teacher-teacher relations
c. teacher characteristics and orientations
4. Characteristics external to the local system
a. role of government
b. external assistance
B. Others
1. The teacher
2. The learners
3. Resource Materials and facilities
4. Interest groups are local companies, organizations, stakeholders who can influence
implementation by: a. provide financial aids;
b. demand inclusion of certain subjects; and
c. influence learners to reject courses they consider detrimental to the interest
group.
5. School environment
6. Culture and ideology
7. Instructional supervision
8. Assessment
Factors in Promoting Successful Curriculum Implementation
1. The need for time - to experiment for attitudes to change
2. A technology for change
3. Recognition of the school culture
4. Incentives and rewards
5. Sharing of burden in the workplace
6. Releasing of energy for innovation
7. A collaborative framework
8. Leadership
9. Recognition of the system-level culture
10. The need for political perspective
11. The need to win allies
12. Recognition of the role of individuals.
Reflective Essay: (Answer in a one whole sheet of paper)
1. Imagine that you are a teacher tasked by your principal to implement a new curriculum. What would be
your questions on the new curriculum? What would be your concerns? Write down at least 5 questions
(1point each)
2. You have read from this article that teacher is an important factor in the implementation of a prescribed
curriculum, how can this be so? (5 points)
3. From the article, what can be considered as elements in curriculum implementation? Please list them. ( 5
points)
4. We have discussed about curriculum institutionalization. How do you know if there is curricular
institutionalization is a school? List down 4 reasons (2 points each)

/E. de Peralta (1st Sem 2013-14)