INTRODUCTION

The term curriculum has been defined in different ways. Some authors have viewed it as a ‘list
of subjects’ while others have considered it as ‘an entire course content’ and some perceive the
curriculum ‘as a set of planned learning experiences offered by teachers (print,1988:3).
However the definition which is most common among the various authors is that of viewing the
curriculum as a set of planned and guided learning experiences and intended learning outcomes
offered to learners by the educational institution (Tyler, 1949; Wheeler, 1967; Eisner, 1979;
Skillbeck, 1984; Tanner and Tanner, 1985; Print, 1988; Gatawa, 1990; Osanyin, Olumide and
Ayotunde, 2006).

A curriculum is a fundamental part of the education system. It embraces what is to be learnt,

how it is to be learnt, when it is to be learnt and how it will be assessed and evaluated.

1.0. The factors that influence the emergence of the curriculum

As Print (1988:4) argued the learning experiences designed for the learners is represented in the
form of a written document and when this is being implemented, interaction takes place
between the document, learners and instructors such that adjustment occurs and the
‘curriculum’ emerges. A curriculum, therefore, does not emerge in a vacuum. When this
interaction is taking place and leading to the emergence of the curriculum, different factors,
both internal and external to the school environment, will influence the curriculum
development process (Bixler, 2012 and Print, 1988).

Of the many factors available, only those factors that have an impact on my subject areas,
namely Business Studies, Economics and Commercial Studies will be briefly discussed here.
The factors are depicted in Figure 1.

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 Perrennialism

Essentialism

INTERNAL FACTORS
Philosophy Progressivism

Existentialism
or Humanism

Reconstructionism

Cognitivism
Factors
Influencing Psychology Behaviourism
the
emergence
Constructivism
of
curriculum

EXTERNAL FACTORS
Politics

Society &
Sociology culture

Technology Economy

Environment

Figure 1: Factors influencing the emergence of curriculum (Print, 1988;Ornstein & Hunkins, 2009;
Chikumbu and Makamure, 2000)

1.1. INTERNAL FACTORS

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1.1.1. Philosophical Factors
Goodlad (1984:34) (cited in Ornstein and Hunkins,2009:32) points out that philosophy is the
beginning point in curriculum decision making and the basis for all subsequent decisions. It
helps curriculum developers determine what schools are for, what subjects have value, how
students learn, and what methods and materials to use.

The impacts of five major educational philosophies, as shown in the following table, on the
process of curriculum development are briefly examined below.
Educational Implications on NCF: Focusing on the Commercial Studies, Economics
Curriculum Focus
Philosophy and Business Studies curricula
Perennialism 1. Rational thinking 1. The study of economics is itself based on positive (rational) statements
and not value judgements. Nevertheless, questions related to value
judgements are often found in examinations papers though it is not supposed
to be the case..
2.  Moral and 2. Ethical consideration is very important in business studies, for example,
Spiritual when I teach students marketing and market research I need to explain the
development
ethical implications of the promotional activities and primary research.
3.  Learner-centred 3. Fieldtrips and inquiring methods are used in business studies to encourage
strategy and inquiry students discover the concepts by themselves and develop their critical mind.
learning method.
In my school, however, it is not possible to use the learner-centred pedagogy
as the Director is very authoritarian. Students are not supposed to make any
noise not to disturb other classes. Also if I want to organise a fieldtrip, I will
have to write many reports before obtaining his permission. There is no
management support, not even on financial side. All these discourage the
educators to perform such activities.

Essentialism 1. Science subjects 1. In the NCF, business subjects have not been included. Nothing has been
and scientific mentioned why it is the case. Instead the MOE & HR has introduced the
method of learning. st
2. Teacher-centred subject 21 Century Science in some Schools. Also the Minister of MOE &
strategy. HR has announced that a new subject, General Science, will become
3. Evaluation is compulsory till Form V for students not opting for pure subjects in view of
product-orientated. the increasingly important role of science (GIS Newsletter, 2010). However, I
believe that Business subjects are also very important for Mauritius given that
the country rely heavily on the secondary and tertiary sector for its
development.

2. Evaluation of curriculum is product-orientated in Mauritius. Emphasis is on

SC and HSC examinations. Recently the national examination at Form 3 has
also been introduced. This approach hinders the holistic development of our
learners.

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 Educational Implications on NCF: Focusing on the Commercial Studies, Economics
Curriculum Focus
Philosophy and Business Studies curricula
Progressivism 1.      Encourage The progressive philosophy reflects the objective of the Minister of MOE &
motivation and HR, Dr Vasant Bunwaree. He has redesigned the secondary NCF to bring
interest of learners
about the all-round development of the learner. He also put emphasis on the
towards higher
learner-centred approach to teaching (GIS Newsletter, 2010). Indeed the
order thinking.
PGCE curriculum focuses on this approach to ensure that we apply same in
2.  Learner-centred our class. Yet, as far as implementation is concerned, various factors act as
pedagogy. constraints. In my case, the class setting is not appropriate, ICT cannot be
used to reinforce pedagogy, I teach students of low ability level, with poor
family backgrounds and who have little or no interests in their studies and
there is no management support. This philosophy is mainly on paper but not
really in practice.

Existentialism or 1. Development of a Some aspects of this philosophy is considered in the curriculum of Business
Humanism responsible and studies. In the chapter Human Resources, I need to develop the affective
independent learner.
skills of students through role play (in the absence of the director) for them to
2. Affective
appreciate the topic on motivational theories.
development instead
of cognitive
development
Reconstructionism 1. Active learning One the objective of the NCF is to allow the learners to acquire the relevant
concerns with knowledge, skills and values to allow them to value national unity and equity
contemporary and
and contribute to social cohesion (GIS Newsletter, 2010:2). The subject like
future social,
Education for Life helps to achieve this objective but it does not have a
economic and
political problems. planned syllabus and is not examinable. This also applies to lower secondary
2. Society-centred level only. In the Economics syllabus, topics like national income,
pedagogy international trade, population and unemployment do emphasise on social
problems and how these can be solved economically.
Table 1: Curriculum Focus of Educational
Philosophies (Ornstein and Hunkins,
2009; Cohen, 1999; Print, 1986)

The development of the NCF is therefore influenced by some of the beliefs of the different
educational philosophies discussed above.

1.1.2. Psychological Factors

To Print (1988:62), the contribution of psychological sources to the emergence of curriculum is
significant and growing. He considered that the curriculum can draw upon educational
psychology for at least five areas of information:

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 Motivation
strategies

Learners'
Personality
differences

Learning
Theories 1. Educational
- Beha viourism objectives
- Cognitivism Cognitive &
2. Student affective
- Constructivism characteristics development
3. Learning processes
4. Teaching Methods
5. Evaluation
procedures

Learning Teaching
styles styles

Teaching
methodology Group
dynamics

Figure 2: Psychological factors influencing elements of curriculum (Print: 1988:63-64)

Print (1988:63) argued that the greatest contribution that psychology makes to curriculum is an
understanding of how people learn. Understanding learning theories is essential to the effective
selection of appropriate learning/teaching activities.

The curriculum of business subjects involves a combination of different learning theories

principles. For example, the business studies and economics curricula include the three
categories of learning objectives, namely the cognitive (ranging from lower-order to higher-
order thinking), psychomotor and affective domain. To achieve these, the learning/teaching
activities include:
1. Behaviourist principles – Teach simple concepts first and proceeding to more difficult and
abstract concepts (Example- teach microeconomics before macroeconomics) and use
reward system (Example- good marks will be obtained if concrete examples are provided).
2. Cognitivist principles – Categorise related information or compare and contrast different
concepts (Example – explain the similarities and differences of the different business
organisations) ; use mental imagery techniques such as keyword method [Example -SWOT
(Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) analysis].

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3. Constructivism principles – Involves students in real-world situations like fieldtrips or role
play; ask open-ended questions to develop skills on application, analysis and evaluation.
The subsequent teaching strategies used will be mainly learner-centred to ensure holistic
development of the students. However as said earlier, not all schools can really apply this
strategy. It depends on the ownership, culture and environment of the schools.

1.2. EXTERNAL FACTORS

1.2.1. The Sociological Factors: Political Forces
Chikumbu and Makamure (2000: 22-23) states that education can be viewed as a political
activity since the national ideology and philosophy have a great influence on the education
system. They suggested the different ways, as shown in the following Table , by which politics
can influence the national curriculum of a country.

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 Political influences on Applications to the NCF - Focusing on Business Studies, Economics and Commercial
curriculum Studies
Politics determine The NCF is itself prepared by the policy makers in the MOE & HR in
and define the goals, collaboration with the MIE (Hollup, 2004:28 & MIE & MOEHR, 2011: 1). As
content, learning mentioned earlier, the NCF 2011 does not include the subject Commercial
experiences and Studies. Does this mean that the government intents to eliminate this subject
evaluation strategies later? No information is available on it yet. The subject is however taught in my
in education. school but it is evaluated at national level. In fact Commercial studies include
the basic concepts on Commerce, Accounts and Economics. Though
Business Studies has been introduced since 1998 in Mauritius, the government
has not included it at Form III level yet. This would have facilitated the
implementation of its curriculum at upper secondary, particularly for the low
ability learners.
Curriculum materials The prescribed book for Commercial studies, Commercial Studies Form 3 ,
and their is a product of the MOE & HR and MIE. The book provides many examples
interpretation are in the local context, this facilitate the learning of the students. Also the part on
usually heavily Economics is very extensive, including a basic of the subject for the upper
influenced by syllabus. Nevertheless, its unfortunate that the book has not been revised since
political 1998. Many examples are outdated, for instance, emphasis is on Post Office
considerations. services instead of ICT in the topic of communication (MOE & HR,1998:41-
42).

With regards to Economics Form IV and V, the Economics book that I am

using (Economics IGCE and O Level by Susan Grant) meet the content of
the syllabus, unlike others on the market, but the language is too high for the
low-ability learners. I have to give handouts for all topics. Some parents often
complaints that they have wasted their money given that it is expensive and
useless for the children.
Political In the PRB Report 2008, it was stipulated that as from 1 July 2010, the
considerations may possession of an Educator’s Licence, awarded by the MIE, shall be a
play a part in the requirement for appointment of Educators to the State Secondary Schools
hiring of personnel. (www.gov.mu). It is in the interest of the learners as higher quality educators
will be recruited.
Funding of The budget include expenditure on education every year. According to some
education is greatly critics on government policies and expenditure on education , there is no equal
influenced by opportunity in the educational system at present. Expenditure is limited to
politics. infrastructural improvement in secondary education and concerned with
quantity rather than changing the
quality of education. Also, the private schools are often marginalised (Hollup,
2004:28). I work in a school which is very poor in infrastructure - not all
classes are made of concrete, the yard is very limited in space, the library and
computer lab are small and the furniture and fans are all of poor quality. All
these usually reduce the motivation and interests of my students, particularly in
summer and in the last two periods.

Table 2: The influences of political factors on the development process of the curriculum

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I think that many of the above problems could have been prevented if the government had
allowed educators to participate in the development of the curriculum development. They are
the centre of the school and know better the different constraints that hinder the effective
implementation of the curriculum. As Fullan (1991) pointed out, the implementation of
curriculum innovations is bound to be unsuccessful if teachers are not involved in the entire
process of curriculum development.

1.2.2. The Sociological Factors: Socio-cultural Forces

Schools, through their teaching of the curriculum, can shape and mould society and society in
turn can impact the curriculum. To understand what is taught, how it is taught and why it is
taught, the policy makers need to look at the social forces that shape the curriculum (Chikumbu
and Makumure, 2000 and Print, 1988).

Various topics in Economics and Business studies are related to the socio-cultural issues. For
example, the social implications of the topics population and unemployment are included in the
curriculum. In Business studies, for instance, religious and cultural factors are important
considerations when doing market segmentation.

My students come from different backgrounds, mainly from - the low social class, broken
family and Christianity. Often I heard students saying that am doing favouritism whenever am
praising a student of different religions. Those students are in fact frustrated, bringing with
them their problems and prejudices at school. They are slow learners and have little or no
interests in their studies. Given all these problems, the implementation of the curriculum cannot
be done easily. I think that it is high time that the government considers a different strategy for
those special learners. Again if teachers were involved in the decision making process of
curriculum development, effective solutions could have been found.

1.2.3. The Sociological Factors: Economic Forces

The government finances education because this helps to develop the quantity and quality of
human resources that are required for economic development. The knowledge base, skills and
attitudes needed by industries should be translated into content and learning experiences in the
curriculum (Bixler, 2011 and Chikumbu and Makamure, 2000). For example, to improve the
knowledge of the potential employees in the business field, the topic strategic management has
been included in the Business Studies syllabus (CIE, 2009:2). Also, the Minister of MOE and
HR has recently announced that the subject Entrepreneurship will be introduced at higher
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secondary level in the months to come (Hérisson, 2012:1). With regards to this economic
factor, I believe that among the recommended books on Business Studies and Economics, some
local books should have been available to help students link theories to practice more easily.
The economic conditions of a country also influence the curriculum in terms of the quantity and
quality of resources that can be allocated to the education sector of the country (Bixler, 2011:2).
As compared to many African countries, Mauritius can spend heavily on education. Our
students have free transport and needy students can also have accessed to free books. It should
be noted however that my students often obtain their books in the middle or by the end of the
second term. Who is to be blamed in this situation?

1.3. Technological Factors

The computer technology of the 21st century influences curriculum development at every level
of learning (Bixler, 2012:2). ICT can greatly facilitate the implementation of the Business
Studies and Economics curricula. For instance, special software can be used to construct
sophisticated mind-maps on any topic; recordings produced by the MCA can be viewed/
listened in classrooms; students can use the internet to make their research work and so on.
Overheard projectors, video conferencing and electronic whiteboards are also effective teaching
aids that reinforce pedagogy. Unfortunately, due to lack of funding, many of the private
secondary schools are deprived of these facilities. In my school, the business studies students
can hardly get access to the internet for research work. The internet is available to students
doing Computer studies mainly.

1.4. Environmental Factors

Industrialisation has brought tremendous destruction to our environment. Today, all countries
are environmentally conscious to ensure a better future for the other generations. In Business
Studies and Economics subjects, the environment represents an important factor in the topic of
cost/benefit analysis. Environmental issues are also considered in the topic of Marketing (for
example, packaging of products should be environment-friendly) or in the topic of social costs
or negative externalities in Economics. The development of NCF therefore is greatly influenced
by this factor as our students need to value the importance of the environment and ensure
sustainable development of the different industries and the national economy (MOE & HR,
2009:32).

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As a conclude note, referring to Print (1993) statement regarding the emergence of the
curriculum, it can be said that there is little or no interaction between the document, learners
and instructors as far as the NCF is concerned in Mauritius. Educators implement the
curriculum but do not participate in its development. Has educators’ ideas and suggestions been
considered, great improvement could have been made in the NCF.

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2.0. Models of Curriculum Development
Numerous models of curriculum development exist. Two important models, namely the
Rational/Objectives models and the Interaction/Dynamic models will be compared and
contrasted.

The rational models are sequential, rather rigid approaches to viewing the curriculum process.
Objectives serve as a basis for devising subsequent elements, with evaluation indicating the
degree of achievement of those objectives. By contrast, the dynamic models are flexible,
interactive and modifiable seen. Curriculum development can commence with any curriculum
element and proceed in any order. Also, the needs of learners are seen as more important in
determining curriculum planning than some predetermined set of information to be acquired
(Print,1988:21). The following figures show the main contributors to the two models.

Figure 3: The Rational Models of curriculum process (Source: Ornstein and Hunkins, 2009 and Print:
1988)

The two rational models are linear in approach and objective-based. Taba has modified Tyler’s
basic model by putting more emphasis on information input at each stage of the curriculum as
shown above (Steps 1, 3 and 4). However even if these steps are not shown in Tyler’s model,
yet he clearly explains the sources of objectives and selection of content in his book (Orntein
and Hunkins, 2009 and Print, 1988)

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 Dynamic Model
by D. Walker (1972) and M. Skillberg (1976)

(beliefts theories conceptions points of view aims, objectives)

Situa tional Ana lysis

Platform

Goa l Formula tion

Deliberations
Program Building

(applying them to practical situations, arguing

Interpretation and Implementation
about,accpeting, refusing, changing, adapting)

Curriculum Design Monitoring, Feedback,

Assessment, Reconstruction
(making decisions about the various process
components)

Walker model of the curriculum process Skillberg model of the curriculum process

Figure 4: The Dynamic Models of curriculum process (Source: Ornstein and Hunkins, 2009 and Print:
1988)

Though shown differently, the two models consider similar elements, except that Skillberg is
more explicit in his model. He gave much value to a situational analysis before the formulation
of goals. He also considered evaluation as an important step in the curriculum process (Orntein
and Hunkins, 2009 and Print, 1988).

2.1. Application of the two models in practice.

To show the application of the two models in my subject area, I have chosen the topic Sole
Trader Business as an example.

2.2.1. Rational Models

The first step using these models is to identify objectives based on the needs of the learners.
The learners’ needs are determined by the various internal and external factors influencing
curriculum development as discussed in question 1. An example of lower-order thinking
objective for this concept is: Define the term sole trader business; while a higher-order thinking
objective is: Evaluate the sole trader business. It is to be noted that a list of general objectives
are already identified by the curriculum designers. Yet Taba believed that a curriculum should
be designed by its users to ensure its effective implementation (Ornstein and Hunkins, 2009).
Once the objectives have been identified, the content needs to be selected and organised. For
instance, referring to the two objectives above, the content will include the meaning,

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advantages and drawbacks of sole traders. I will organise the content as per the level of
readiness and interests of the learners.

I will then select and organise the learning activities that will help to achieve the objectives.
The rational model is more teacher-centred, that is learners are passive receivers of information
(Ornstein and Hunkins, 2009 and Print, 1988). Thus I can use lectures and demonstrations to
teach this topic. Last I will evaluate the students to know whether the objectives have been
achieved using summative assessments. A copy of my lesson plan based on the rational model
is shown in Appendix A.

The advantages of the rational model are that it is a simple and easy to understand and follow
as it shows a clear sequence of objectives until evaluation. It therefore saves time of educators
in the implementation process. Also emphasis is laid on a set of clear objectives, facilitating me
to plan my task and work towards achieving specified outcomes.

However, given that different teaching strategies cannot be applied as the model is rigid, it is
difficult for me to adapt my lesson to deal with mixed ability students. The same information is
communicated to everybody in the same way. Evaluation is also the same for everybody and is
done when lesson is completed only. Besides, if I explain definition of sole trader first and then
its characteristics but students have not understood the latter, the next time I will not be able to
start my lesson with the characteristics of sole traders. I will have to stick to the same sequence
and same teaching strategies as well. Besides the model is objective-based, it takes time to
formulate objectives. This activity may hinder motivation and creativity. It may also be time
consuming to write objectives due to time constraints. Ultimately, the rational models do not
state what to do after evaluation. For instance, I usually conduct extension classes as the
learners are slow learners and are not interested in their studies. The rational models do not
account for all these (Print,1988:22).

2.1.2. The Dynamic Models

The dynamic models are more realistic, feasible procedures for curriculum development
particularly for educators. With the dynamic model, all factors influencing curriculum
development and implementation are identified, considered and evaluated. Improvements are
continuously made accordingly. For instance, my students usually get difficulty to understand
the concept of limited liabilities. Given that this model is flexible and I can start at any point in

13
the curriculum process, I can start with this concept and use different strategies to explain it,
taking into consideration the different level of abilities and interests of my students. For
example, I can scaffold the slow learners using closed-ended questions like True or False
statements, fill in the blanks and matching tasks. An example is given in my lesson plan based
on the dynamic model (Refer to Appendix B).

Here, time is not wasted in writing objectives. Instead the models allow us to be independent
and creative. Different goals can be set for different classes or varied objectives for one class of
mixed ability students. Furthermore evaluation is more effective because if one strategy is
proven to be ineffective, it can be changed to fit in the class.

Nevertheless, the dynamic models have some drawbacks. They are characterized by confusion
and lacking in direction which could result to increase misunderstandings and demotivation
among students. For instance, I need to be careful if I use different strategies to explain the
same concept to mixed-abilities students. It may create misunderstandings. Besides, without
clear objectives and a sequential order, implementation of the curriculum becomes complex and
time consuming (Print, 1988:36-37).

Given the weaknesses of the rational and dynamic models, I believe that a mixture of both, as
proposed by the classical models, is more effective as the strengths of each model will cancel
out their individual weaknesses.

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3.0. Definition of Curriculum Evaluation

According to McNeil (1977:134), curriculum evaluation is an attempt to throw light on two

questions: Do planned learning opportunities, programmes, courses and activities as developed
and organised actually produce desired results? and How can the curriculum offerings best be
improved?

Evaluation can occur at various levels. At a macro-level, national and state programmes can be
evaluated, probably focusing on administration and carrying out largely by personnel with
evaluation expertise. Micro-evaluation is conducted at the classroom level and involves teachers
and learners (Nunan, 1996:116).

The curriculum is evaluated to answer questions and concerns of the different stakeholders in the
education system. Curriculum evaluation determined whether all the effort in terms of finance
and human resources has been worthwhile. Various stakeholders want to know the extent to
which the curriculum has been successfully implemented.

3.1. The Purpose of Curriculum Evaluation

Curriculum evaluation is necessary not only at the end of a program or school year but also at
various points throughout the program’s development and implementation (Sowell, 1996:275).

The purposes of curriculum evaluation are to:

o select appropriate content based on the aims and objectives of the curriculum;
o select appropriate methods to address the content and purpose;
o check the effectiveness of methods and learning experiences used;
o check on the suitability and the appropriateness of the curriculum in answering social
needs;
o give feedback to the planners, learners, teachers, industry and society; and
o provide a rationale for making changes. (Chikumbu and Makamure, 2000 and Wolf, 2006).

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3.2. Types of Evaluation

The different types of evaluation are examined in the table below. Reference is made to the
subject business studies. It is to be noted that both the O-level and A-level business studies
examinations are carried out by the University of Cambridge through the Cambridge International
Examinations (CIE), which devices the syllabus, prepares the examination paper and carry out the
markings.

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 Types of How evaluation is carried
Meaning Purpose Application to Business Studies
evaluation out

It means that data is To obtain information to This can be done by evaluating The prescribed text book for O level Business Studies
gathered during the improve a programme. the match between instructional (Business Studies Now! For GCSE by K. Borrington
formation or strategies and materials used, and P. Stimpson) does not match all the learning
development of the and the learning outcomes or outcomes as the revision questions available in the book
Formative curriculum. what it aims to achieve. are not based on all criteria for assessment set by the
Evaluation CIE, such as reasoned judgements. The book contains
mainly short-answer questions whereas the examination
paper 2 is fully based on a case study. Thus this book
does not prepare the students fully to meet all learning
outcomes of the subject.
It is about the To know if learners Through quantitative data and For instance, in April 2009 the University of Cambridge
collection of data at achieved the objectives or qualitative data such as (represented by the Chief Examiner in O Level Business
Macro the end of the whether the programme qualitative interviews, direct Studies, Karen Borrington) in association with the MOE
Level implementation of produced the desired observations and document & HR had conducted a Professional Development
the curriculum outcomes. analyses. course in O level Business Studies with all Business
programme. Studies educators in Mauritius. This was performed
because of the past unsatisfactory performance level of
Summative the Mauritian candidates. Karen Borrington emphasised
evaluation on the fact that our students do not know how to answer
questions appropriately. She also wanted to know the
reasons behind the poor performance of the students by
conducting a brainstorming session with us.
Consequently, a slight change was made in the O level
Business Studies examination paper whereby structured
questions which required longer written answers were
broken down into shorter questions.
It is designed to It helps to test prior This can be done by examining Before introducing the topic sole trader business to the
ascertain the starting knowledge of the learners student performances in the Form IV students, I test students' prior knowledge on the
point for teaching. on a topic. It is also used subject, or administering a pre- topic though a brainstorming activity. The students are
Diagnostic to identify learning test to test prior knowledge. ask to identify the different factors that distinguish the
evaluation difficulties as a basis for different types of businesses that they know in Mauritius.
follow-up teaching.

Formative/process 1. For students - Through observation, For instance, I usually observe students' facial
evaluation is used to feedback obtained gives questioning, conferencing, expressions to know their interests for the topic or if they
during teaching. It is the students an indication marking and collection of work seem to understand it. I question the students thoughout
concerned with of how learning is going - samples. the lessons as well.
giving feedback to what they are doing well
Micro the student and the and which areas of
Level teacher about the learning are in need of
Formative
Evaluation progress of learning. improvement.
2. For educators- it
provides information from
which the learning task
can, if necessary, be
modified to meet student
needs.
Summative/product It helps to judge marks, Techniques that can be used Once a topic is covered, i conduct a class test with the
evaluation is achievement of objectives are testing, student students. The test will help to know if students have
Summative concerned with and overall student and presentations and understood the concept.
evaluation evaluation at the end teacher performance. demonstrations, and making of
of the learning assignments.
experience.
Table 3: Types of Evaluation [Barry and King,2000 and Sowell, 1996)

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3.3. Implications of Curriculum Evaluation for the different stakeholders in the Secondary
Education System

The implications of curriculum evaluation for different stakeholders are examined:

 Learners

Learners will obtain feedback about their progress and thereby helping guide their future
learning. It also helps to stimulate motivation, particularly through confirming learning and
goal-setting. It also helps to build self-confidence and self-esteem. Indeed my students usually
feel proud when I praise them for their good results.

 Educators

Evaluation allows educators to diagnose strengths and shortcomings of students to ascertain a

starting (or follow-up) point for planning and teaching. For example, I reinforce learning on
the concept of limited liabilities when formative and summative evaluations on the topic are
not satisfactory. Evaluation also helps to identify students’ abilities, needs and interests.
Accordingly, this will help to select the best strategies to deal with mixed-abilities students.
Unfortunately because of time constraints it is not always possible to cater for the different
needs of the students. The lack of management support in my school also acts as another
barrier. Moreover, evaluation demonstrates that teaching profession is accountable to parents,
school systems, government and the community for its work (Barry and King, 2000:330). In
my school, at the end of the examinations, the mark lists, breakdowns and performance
appraisal reports must be submitted to the Director for him to evaluate the students’
performance and teachers’ work as well. The subject business studies requires a good
command of English language as it is based on structured questions and case studies. Most of
my students are however poor in English and poor results are therefore obtained. The
Director, however, does not appreciate when we associate the poor performance of the
students to the language problem, low cognitive abilities and low interests of our learners. He
believes that teachers should achieve good results whatever the situations.

 Schools

Curriculum evaluation provides valid information to evaluate the learning of an individual

student, the class, and the whole school, the achievement of learning outcomes, the
appropriateness of curriculum, and the use of resources. It also helps to compare student

18
 achievement levels with the national performance (Barry and King, 2000:330). My school is
among the low performance schools in Mauritius.

 Parents

Parents will want to know the children’s development, learning and efforts at school. It also
allows them to assist their children at home.

 Policy Makers

Curriculum evaluation is very important to policy makers as it establishes clear purposes for
classroom and accountability assessment. It also creates specific content standards for
students, teachers, administrators, and schools. It provides relevant information that can be
used to make proper decisions. However, evaluation quite often involves long-term
monitoring and tracking. Moreover, it is so costly that many governments are reluctant to
do it, not to mention the challenges and problems of the methodological design (Owen and
Rogers, 1999; Kreber & Brook, 2001).

 Businesses

Better performance in business subjects would mean that there will be a better supply of labour
(in the business field) in the future. New blood in the organisations can encourage creativity. This
would ensure higher profitability for those businesses. Businesses will also benefit in terms of
higher demand for their products when the students will join employment and earn income.

Conclusion

There are many factors that affect the emergence of a curriculum. These factors can be both
internal and external and have both positive and negative influences on the curriculum. There
are also different models of curriculum. The preferred model to be used depends greatly upon
the strengths and weaknesses of each model and the context in which learning is taking place.
Curriculum evaluation is also very important to monitor the effectiveness of whole process of
designing the curriculum to its implementation phase. However there is a need that educators
have a clear understanding of curriculum terms, concepts and models and participate in the
development process of curriculum development to improve its effectiveness.

19
Bibliography

1. Barry,K. and King, L. (2000) Beginning and Beyond, 3rd Edition. Sydney:Social Science
Press.
2. Bixler, C. (2010) Factors that affect the curriculum design process [online]. Available
from: http://www.ehow.com/list [Accessed 03 March 2012]
3. Cambridge International Examination (2012) Business Studies Syllabus [online].
Cambridge: University of Cambridge. Available from: http://teachers.cie.org.uk/
[Accessed 01 February 2012]
4. Chikumbu, T.J. and Makamure, R. (2000) Curriculum Theory, Design and Assessment.
Vancouver: Grant MacEwan College.
5. Gatawa, B. S. M. (1990). The Politics of the School Curriculum: An Introduction.
Harare: Jongwe Press.
6. GIS Newsletter (2010) Education Reform Innovation : Curriculum to respond to national
and global politics. Available from:
www.gov.mu/portal/goc/gis/file/docs/newsjan2010.pdf. [Accessed 03 March 2012]
7. Haralambos M. (1991). Sociology: Themes and Perspectives. London: Harper Collins
8. Hérisson, P. (2012) Le Ministre Bunwaree annonce l’introduction des cours
d’entrepreneuriat dans le seondaire. Le Mauricien, Port Louis, Monday 7 May, p.5.
9. Hollup,O. (2004) Educational policies, reforms and the role of teachers unions in
Mauritius. Norway: Telemark University College
10. Ministry of Education, Culture & Human Resources (2009). The National Curriculum
framework 2009.
11. Ministry of Education, Culture and Human Resources (1998) Commercial Studies Form
3. Port Louis: Editions de L’Ocean Indien
12. Ornstein, A and Hunkins, F.(2009) Curriculum Foundations Principles and
Issues.London: Prentice-Hall
13. Print, M. (1988) Curriculum Development. 1st Edition. London: Unwin Hyman Limited
14. Ralph, W. (1950) Basic Principles and Instruction: Chicago: University of Chicago
15. Sowell,J. (1996) Curriculum: An Integrative Introduction. London: Prentice-Hall
16. Tanner, D., and Tanner, L. (1995). Curriculum Development: Theory into Practice.3rd
Edition. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Merrill.

20
Appendix A: Lesson Plan under the Rational Models
LESSON PLAN
Date: 15. 03. 2012
Class : Form IV
Lesson: 6
Topic: Business Organisation- Sole Trader
Learning Area: Business Studies
Number of Students: 35
Time: 10:00 - 11:00

Aim: To develop the concept of sole trading business; its characteristics, advantages and
disadvantages.

Objectives: At the end of the lesson, students should be able to:-

1. Define a sole trader business
2. Give examples of sole trader business found in Mauritius
3. Describe the different features of a sole trader business
4. Evaluate the sole trader business
5. Distinguish between limited and unlimited liability.'
6. Work in groups

Teaching Aids: Prepared notes, Whiteboard, Book.

Teaching strategy: Lecture mode
Students should know that there are different types of business units in an economy
Students' prior and that they are mainly classified according to ownership, control and size.
knowledge:
Procedures
Time
1. Capture the learners attention and interest
2. Reviewing students'prior knowledge by questioning them. Praise the students for
8 mins Introduction their efforts and participation.
3. Providing an overview of the lesson to the students. Briefly outline the different
aspects of the topic that will be covered.
4. The teacher will explain the defintion of sole trader
Main part of the

5. Various examples of sole traders business in Mauritius will be identified.

6. The teacher will then explain the different characteristics, advantages and
30 mins
lesson

disadvantages of the sole trader business.

7. Afterwards, students will be asked to write the different aspects of the topic in
their words.
8. The teacher will walk around to monitor the work of the students.
9. Handouts are then distributed for the students to compare their ideas.
10 mins Conclusion 10. Teacher will then summarise the main points covered.
Classwork: Answer questions in the case study.
Work exercises Homework: Nov 2006 P2 Q7 (a)
Formative - Students will be assessed formatively throughout the lesson and while
the students are working.
Evaluation
Summative - Assign home work on the topic

21
Appendix B: Lesson Plan under the Dynamic Models
LESSON PLAN
Date: 15. 03. 2012
Class : Form IV
Lesson: 6
Topic: Business Organisation- Sole Trader
Learning Area: Business Studies
Number of Students: 35
Time: 10:00 - 11:00

Situational analysis: Sole trader businesses are becoming more important for the development of our
economy. The government is promoting entrepreneurship in the country.
Aim: To develop the concept of sole trading business; its characteristics, advantages and
disadvantages.

Objectives: At the end of the lesson, students should be able to:-

1. Define a sole trader business
2. Give examples of sole trader business found in Mauritius
3. Describe the different features of a sole trader business
4. Evaluate the sole trader business
5. Distinguish between limited and unlimited liability.'
6. Work in groups

Teaching Aids: Prepared notes, Whiteboard, Book.

Teaching strategies: Explanation, Questioning, Brainstorming, Groupwork, Mindmapping and Case study
Students' prior Students know that there are different types of business units in an economy and
knowledge: that they are mainly classified according to ownership, control and size.
Procedures
Time
1. Capture the learners attention and interest
2. Reviewing students'prior knowledge by questioning them. Praise the students for
8 mins Introduction their efforts and participation.
3. Providing an overview of the lesson to the students. Briefly outline the different
aspects of the topic that will be covered.
4. Divide the class into 7 groups of 5 students. A leader will be selected for each
group.
Main part of the lesson

5. Distribute a short case study on sole trader business to each students

12 mins
6. Allow 15 mins for reading and group discussion.
7. Using the brainstorming technique, each group will be asked to jot down their
observations and comments with regards to the learning objectives.

8. Afterwards the teacher will ask each group leaders to give their observations to
be put on board.
25 mins 9. The teacher will then explain the different aspects of the topic, emphasizing on the
concept of limited liabilities, while commenting on the different observations given by
the students.
10 mins Conclusion 10. Encourage a brief summing up of the topic by using mind-mapping technique.
Classwork: Answer questions in the case study.
Work exercises Homework: Nov 2006 P2 Q7 (a)
Formative - Students will be assessed formatively through questioning, discussion
and observation related to the learning objectives.
Evaluation
Summative - Assign homework on the topic.
Self-evaluation

22