Factors influencing

curriculum design
{
 Introduction
 Political

 Economics

 Social

 Other influences

 Stakeholders –concerns of different

stakeholders in the Malaysian Context

Signpost
 Several factors affect all curriculum development in
meeting the needs of 21st century learners in both
organized academic settings
 Curriculum design follows a dynamic trend that is multi-

factorial in nature
 Blueprinting curriculum development requires selecting
learning goals, designing knowledge delivery models
while creating assessment methods for individual and
group progress

Introduction
 Factors affecting curriculum development include
government norms, which in turn brings other factors
into the process
 Valid curriculum development requires awareness of the

diversity of the target community socially, financially

and psychologically.
 How politics influences curriculum design and
development starts with funding
 Mitchell and Boyd (2001) “Globalization, we argue, is

fundamentally changing the parameters of political

deliberation throughout the industrialized world, raising
the stakes for education policy and changing the ground
rules for its adoption and implementation” (p.60).

Political Influence
 Both private and public educational institutions are
affected by politics :
 primarily on how the curriculum design is being funded
 rely on funding for hiring personnel, building and
maintaining facilities and equipment
 Funds fuel
 who delivers the information
 what mode of delivery will be utilized.

This would not affirm the notion though that “the greater
funding there is, the better curriculum design is at stake.”

Political Influence
 Some curriculum designs, no matter how worst due to poor
funding, are still considered as good for some - they make
the best out of it and emerge as having better products than
the earlier notion.
 Funding - an administration’s way of expressing their degree
of affiliation to improving education in their areas of
responsibility.
 As long as a curriculum design is not deprived of its
allocated funds to operate in an optimum level, it is expected
to generate something in return that is positive in nature.

Political Influence
 All aspects of curriculum depend on local, state and
national political standards
 Politics affects curriculum development:

 defining goals,

 interpreting curricular materials

 approving examination systems

Political Influence
 Economics factors influence the curriculum in the way of
economic systems
 Eg. efficiency and economics, in science teaching especially
chemistry, because of the economics factor, the practical
works in curriculum is reduced because it is expensive
 The students didn’t do the practical work and they just did it
through the e-learning.
 Through the e-learning, the students’ computer skills will be
improved and the cost of practical works will be reduced.
 The problem is the students’ skills on practical works in
chemistry become poor, because there is a disparity in their
skills when using computer simulation against actual
laboratory.

Economic Influence
 Nations financing education expect an economic return
from educated students contributing to the country's
economy with global competition abilities in respective
fields.
 Curriculum content influences learner goals, standards

for academic achievement with an underlying influence

of the nation's economy.

Economic Influence
 Society affects us and so do we affect the society
in many ways.
 Tradition, religious beliefs, laws - make us believe
of something in view of education in different
ways.
 Society is increasingly becoming diverse,

especially in urban areas. Societies are becoming

more multicultural, multiethnic and multi-
religious and it is important that curriculum
understands and reflect these changes.

Social Influence
 As stated by Ornstein and Hunkins (1998),
“the complexion of our students is changing
from one colour to various shades of colour
and this adding of colour and cultural
diversity will continue into the foreseeable
future” (p.146). As the world moves towards
becoming a global village, society will
become even more diverse with people
bringing in new values, new languages and a
new way of life.

Social Influence
 Addressing diversity in the curriculum will continue to be
a challenge for educators.
 At times - a task that will be politically sensitive.

 One concept that has interested educators is assimilation

or integration of the diverse groups.

 In the 60s and 70s the melting pot approach was adopted in
some countries in an attempt to assimilate people of
different cultural, ethnic and religious backgrounds.
 It is metaphor for the way in which diverse societies
develop, in which the ingredients in the pot (people of
different cultures, languages and religions) are combined so
as to lose their distinct identities resulting in a final product
that is quite different from the original inputs.

Social Influence
 Usually, it involved the blending of minority groups with the
majority. It was hoped that a national identity would evolve
from these varied attributes. However, in practice the culture
of the majority became dominant. This approach - less
successful in assimilating people - replaced by the salad bowl
approach.
 Salad bowl approach - people of diverse backgrounds are all
in the same salad but maintain their own unique features.
Cultural diversity of pluralism recognises that most societies
are composed of many voices and many ethnic groups. It is a
framework in which groups show respect and tolerance of
each other; coexist and interact without conflict. Power and
decision making is shared leading to more widespread
participation and greater feeling of commitment from society
members.

Social Influence
 How should curriculum address cultural diversity or
pluralism?
 The challenge confronting educators - developing

curriculum that is responsive to students’ diverse social

and cultural values and at the same time capable of
creating a national identity based on core values and
practices.
 It may be necessary to have different programmes,

different pedagogical approaches, flexible curriculum and

even varied educational environments to address the
needs of all students.

Social Influence
 No society can afford to socially or economically
marginalise any student and the curriculum must nurture
students to become active participants in a dynamic and
emerging society (Schon, 1993).
 Putting it another way, the society and the curriculum

design mirrors each other and we are in between.

 Marsh (2000) Teachers’ behaviour, especially the language
will influence students’ values and behaviour

Social Influence
 World awareness and action toward reversing and
ending pollution continues affecting curriculum
development
 The philosophy behind man as the caretaker and

consumer of nature has been given great importance

when the past and present curriculum allocated part of
its time through conservation of resources
 Typical elementary classrooms teach recycling and

healthy environmental practices

Environmental Influence
 Work in groups of 3.
 Read the articles provided and identify the
factors that influence the curriculum
 How do these factors influence the nature of the
curriculum?
 Share your findings through class presentation

Task
 Who are stakeholders?
 Who are the stakeholders in our
education context?
 What do you think are the concerns of
these stakeholders?
 Locate relevant literature to support your
discussion

Stakeholders
 Special Interest Groups and Curriculum
 Curriculum decision making is political.
 Various special interest groups continually

propose what should be included in school

curriculum.
 The topics range from substance abuse to the

rights and responsibilities of citizens.

Concerns of different shareholders

in the Malaysian context
 Environmental groups insist that students
should be taught about conservation and
preservation and the inculcation of values
to love the environment.
 Among the concerns of these groups are
caring for our rivers, industrial pollution,
saving the whales and leatherback turtles.

Concerns of different shareholders

in the Malaysian context
 Substance abuse is another concern of society.
 Substance abuse includes drugs (such as heroin,

marijuana, ecstasy pills, etc), alcohol, cigarettes,

glue sniffing and so forth.
 repeatedly emphasised the need for substance
abuse prevention programmes to be included in
school curriculum.
 Groups involved in prevention of drug addiction
are keen to see that students are taught about
drug addiction in the hope that they will be more
aware of the problem and say “no” to the habit.

Concerns of different shareholders

in the Malaysian context
 Consumer advocates are keen to see that
students are taught about their rights and
responsibilities as consumers in the hope
that they will be more prudent consumers
as students and later as adults.

Concerns of different shareholders

in the Malaysian context
 Health groups have also suggested that schools
introduce programmes about HIV Aids
awareness, nutritional information, and other
health related issues.
 As society becomes more developed, the rise in
obesity is of concern in terms of its
consequences on the health system, especially
in worker productivity and increased
expenditure on health care.

Concerns of different shareholders

in the Malaysian context
 Sex education has been a topic that has
been proposed at various points;
especially when statistics and instances of
teen pregnancy and promiscuity are
highlighted by the media and
government reports.

Concerns of different shareholders

in the Malaysian context
 Crime prevention
 Educating the community on crime
prevention techniques and by getting
citizens involved in crime prevention
activities such as neighbourhood watch to
reduce the number of crimes and increase
the quality of life of citizens.

Concerns of different shareholders

in the Malaysian context
 Governments are also determined to ensure that students
are taught about their rights and responsibilities as citizens.
 Citizenship education has been proposed in an effort to
politically socialise students with democratic ideals,
principles and practices.
 Being prepared to play a part in political institutions is

essential such as the ability to make informed decision at

the personal and societal level.
 Similarly, to be educated to take an active part in the

cultural life of society such as holding on to religious and

moral beliefs, the ability to use and interpret a wide range
of media, socialisation of children and so forth

Concerns of different shareholders

in the Malaysian context
 Do you think that the syllabuses &
textbooks used in your country
adequately reflect your national ideology
& the demands of your society?
 How?

 Provide evidence/ literature to support

 Present in the form of a graphic organiser

Discuss