Reporter I: April Jay Dapat

Introduction

Its time to change, is a popular statement among people who believe that stagnation has no
place in education. Humans being and other living things for that matter undergo the process of growth
and development, both of which carry with it the change/s as a result of the two processes. Growth results
to change which is quantitative in nature, while development yields changes which are qualitative in
nature. The major thrust of education is anchored on human development, which implies that the very
purpose of any educational program is to produce individuals strongly equipped with desirable
knowledge, skills and attitudes, thus, making them responsible, efficient, effective, productive and
transformative citizens, always ready to contribute themselves on the development efforts of their
respective community the country and the world.

A countrys framework for development recognizes education as an important vehicle in achieving

tis developmental goals and objectives, hence, it is imperative that education is delivered to the clients
through a curriculum that strongly adheres to the principles of human development. It should be a
curriculum that is abreast with the changing needs and interests of people and society. It is within this
understanding that a curriculum must undergo change in response to the changing landscape of the
countrys development that will require people to possess educational experiences that are congruent
and parallel with current educational reforms.

UNDERSTANDING CURRICULUM CHANGE AND INNOVATION

Change may be defined as the process of embracing the concepts of innovation, development, renewal,
and improvement of a curriculum (Hoyle, 1995). In the context of curriculum, change comes as a result of
changes in the economic social and technological aspects of a society that occur within a definite time
frame (University of Zimbabwe, 1995).

Innovation is the introduction of something new and as new idea, method or device (Merriam
Websters Dictionary, 1995). Harris et.al (University of Zimbabwe, 1995) describes innovation as an
intentional and deliberate process to bring out desired effects and change. Often, it is used to describe
solutions to problems which represent a change or departure from current practice as opposed to
progressive improvements within an existing framework (Klaus, 1969). The Annual Review of Applied
Linguistics (1998) defines curriculum innovation as deliberate actions aimed at improving learning
through a method of presenting materials to students that involves human interaction, hands-on activities
an student feedback. This clearly implies that innovation may be a strategy involved in the changes,
curriculum innovation in this particular case may present different ideas or practices compares with those
that are found in formal prescribed curriculum.

Seemingly, it appears that any improvement that is made deliberate, measurable, long lasting in impact
and is not likely to exist frequently may be associated with curriculum innovation which may involve the
creation, selection, organization, utilization of human, material and technological resources in a manner
that produces higher achievement in curriculum goals and objectives (University of Zimbabwe, 1995). Just
like any educational program, it is imperative that any curriculum innovation be well planned and
organized and thus result to a meaningful and effective change.