The Teacher as Curriculum Implementor and Manager

Curriculum Implementation Defined

• Following the curriculum models of Tyler, Taba, Saylor and Alexander of Lewis, is the
next step to curriculum designing which is curriculum implementing.
• This is the phase where teacher action takes place. It is one of the most crucial process
in curriculum development although many education planners would say: “A good plan is
work half done.” If this is so, then the other half of the success of curriculum
development rests in the hands of the implementor who is the teacher.
4.1 Implementing the Designed Curriculum as a Change Process
• Following the curriculum models of Tyler, Taba, Saylor and Alexander of Lewis, is the
next step to curriculum designing which is curriculum implementing.
• This is the phase where teacher action takes place. It is one of the most crucial process
in curriculum development although many education planners would say: “A good plan is
work half done.” If this is so, then the other half of the success of curriculum
development rests in the hands of the implementor who is the teacher.
• Curriculum implementation means putting into practice the written curriculum that has
been designed in syllabi, course of study, curricular guides, and subjects. It is a process
wherein the learners acquire the planned or intended knowledge, skills, and attitudes
that are aimed at enabling the same learners to function effectively in society. (SADC
MoE Africa, 2000).
• Ornstein and Hunkins in (1998) defined curriculum implementation as the interaction
between the curriculum that has been written and planned and the persons (teachers)
who are in charge to deliver it. To them, curriculum implementation implies the following:
• Shift from what is current to a new or enhanced curriculum;
• Change in knowledge, actions, attitudes of the persons involved;
• Change in behavior using new strategies and resources; and
• Change which requires efforts hence goals should be achievable
• In the classroom context, curriculum implementation means “teaching” what has been
written in the lesson plan. Implementing means using the plan as a guide to engage with
the learners in the teaching-learning process with the end in view that learning has
occurred and learning outcomes have been achieved. It involves the different strategies
of teaching with the support instructional materials to go with the strategy.
• In a larger scale, curriculum implementation means putting the curriculum into operation
with the different implementing agents. Curriculum implementation takes place in class,
a school, a district, a division, or the whole educational system. In higher education,
curriculum implementations happens for the course, a degree program, the institution, or
the whole higher education system. It require time, money, personal interaction,
personal contacts, and support.
Curriculum Implementation as a Change Process
• Kurt Lewin (1951), the father of social psychology explains the process of change. The
model can be used to explain curriculum change and implementation.
• In the education landscape, there are always two forces that oppose each other. These
are the driving force and the restraining force. When these two forces are equal, the
state is equilibrium, or balance. There will be a status quo, hence there will be no
change. The situation or condition will stay the same. However, when the driving force
overpowers the restraining force, then change will occur. If the opposite happens that is
when the restraining force is stronger than the driving force, change is prevented. This is
the idea of Kurt Lewin in his Force Field Theory.
Categories of Curriculum Change
Substitution. The current curriculum will be replaced or substituted by a new one. Sometimes,
we call this a complete overhaul. Example, changing an old book to entirely new one, not
merely a revision.
Alteration. In alteration, there is a minor change to the current or existing curriculum. For
example, instead of using a graphing paper for mathematics teaching, this can be altered by
using a graphing calculator.
Restructuring: Building a new structure would mean major change or modification in the school
system, degree program or educational system. Using an integrated curriculum for the whole
school for K to 12 requires the primary and secondary levels to work as a team. Another
example is a curriculum that will be restructured when there is a significant involvement of
parents in the child’s instead of leaving everything to the teacher. Using the “In-school Off-
school” or a blended curriculum is an example of restructuring.
Perturbation. These are changes that are disrupted, but teachers have to adjust to them within
a fairly short time. For example, if the principal changes the time schedule because there is a
need to catch up with the national testing time or the dean, the teacher has to shorten schedule
to accommodate unplanned extra curricular activities.
Value orientation. To McNeil, this is a type of curriculum change. Perhaps this classification
will respond to shift in the emphasis that the teacher provides which are not within the mission
or vision of the school or vice versa. For example, when new teachers who are recruited in
religious schools give emphasis on academics and forget the formation of values or faith, they
need a curriculum value orientation. Likewise, all teachers in the public schools, undergo
teacher induction program which is a special curriculum for newly hired teachers.
4.2 Implementing a Curriculum Daily in the Classrooms
• A teaching activity is like implementing a miniscule curriculum. A daily lesson is based
on a planned or written curriculum, which will be put action by the teacher in the
classroom. Before the lesson ends the teacher must find out if the students have truly
learned. Let us see how this process will be shown.
So, as prospective teachers, you should prepare lesson plans that will comply with the
necessary components asked by the Department of Education. Those who will be employed in
the private schools, may have different lesson plan format, but the fundamental parts will be the
same.
• Starting the Class Right: Laying Down the Curriculum Plan.
Before the class begins everyday, a teacher must have written a lesson plan. The main parts of
a lesson plan are (1) Objective or Intended learning Outcomes (ILO), (2) Subject Matter (SM),
(3) Procedure or strategies of Teaching. (4) Assessment of learning outcomes (ALO) and (5)
Assignment of Agreement.
Revised Bloom’s Taxonomy: A Quick Look
• There are three major changes in the revised taxonomy These are:
• Changing the names in the six categories from nouns to verbs.
• Rearranging these categories
• Establishing the levels of the knowledge level in the original version.

• In writing objectives or intended learning outcomes, it is always recommended that more

of the higher-order thinking skills (HOTS) should be developed and less of the low level
thinking skills (LOTS) for learners. The low level categories will develop LOTS and
thinking skills progress as the categories move higher.
Another revision is the expansion of the concept of Knowledge which was not emphasis or
discussed thoroughly before.
• Factual knowledge- ideas, specific data or information
• Conceptual knowledge- words or ideas known by common name, common features,
multiple specific examples which may either be concrete or abstract. Concepts are facts
that interrelate with each other to function together.
• Procedural knowledge- how things work, step-be-step actions, method of inquiry.
 • Metacognitive knowledge- knowledge of cognition in general awareness of knowledge
of one’s own cognition, thinking about thinking.
Intended learning outcomes (ILO) should be written in a SMART way. Specific, Measurable,
Attainable, Result Oriented (Outcomes) an Time-Bound.
• Subject Matter or Content. (SM) comes from a body knowledge (facts, concepts,
procedure and metacognition will be learned through the guidance of the teacher.
Subject matter is the WHAT in teaching. In plan, this is followed by the references.
• Procedure or Method and Strategies. This is the crux of curriculum implementation.
How a teacher will put life to the intended outcomes and the subject matter to be used
depends on this component.
Let’s take a closer view. How will you as a teacher arrange a teaching-learning situation which
will engage students to learn? Here are some points to remember.
Teachers have to take into consideration the different strategies should match with the
learning styles of the students.

Teaching and learning must be supported by instructional materials (IMs)

• Considering the teaching methodologies and the learning styles, the different support
materials should be varied. This will ensure that the individual differences will be
considered.
• Instructional materials should complement Visual, Auditory and Tactile or combination of
the three. However, following Dale’s Cone of learning which is visual device, can help
teachers to make decision on what resources and materials will maximize learning.
 • So what instructional support materials will be the teachers use; according to the
learning styles and the outcomes to be achieved? Here are some guidance.
• Use the direct purposeful experience through learning by doing retains almost all of the
learning outcome. Ninety percent of learning is retained. Examples are field trip, field
study, community immersion, practice teaching.
• Participation in class activities, discussion, reporting and similar activities where learners
have the opportunity to talk and write. Seventy percent of learning is remembered.
Examples are small group discussion, buzz session, individual reporting, role play,
panel.
• Passive participation is an watching a movie, viewing exhibit, watching demonstration
will retain around 50% of what has been communicated.
• By just looking at still pictures, paintings, illustrations and drawings, will allow the
retention of around 30% of the material content.
• By hearing as in lecture, sermon, monologues, only 20% is remembered.
• Reading will ensure 10% remembering of the material.

Regardless of the amount of remembering from the concrete to abstract, each layer contributes
to learning and requires instruction support materials.
Visual: Concrete (flat, 3-dimensional, realias, models, etc.) or abstract (verbal symbols, word)
Audio: recordings of sounds natural or artificial
Audio-Visual: Combination of what can be seen and heard
Kinesthetic: Manipulative materials like modelling clay, rings, dumb bells, equipment,
others
Experiential: Utilize all modalities
4.3: The Role of Technology in Delivering the Curriculum
The role of technology in the curriculum springs from the very vision of the e-Philippine plan (e
stands for electronic).
Thus it is stated: “an electronically enabled society where all citizens live in an environment that
provides quality education, efficient government services, greater sources of livelihood and
ultimately a better way of life through enhanced access to appropriate technologies.”
(International workshop on emerging technologies, Thailand, December 14-16, 2005).
This points to the need for an e-curriculum, or a curriculum which delivers learning consonant
with the Information Technology and Communications Technology (ICT) revolution. This
framework presupposes that curriculum delivery adopts ICT as an important tool in education
while users implement teaching-learning strategies that conform to the digital environment.
Instructional media may also be referred to as media technology or learning technology, or
simply technology. Technology plays a crucial role in delivering instruction to learners.
Technology offers various tools of learning and these range from non-projected and projected
media from which the teacher can choose depending on what he/she sees fit with the intended
instructional setting. For example, will a chalkboard presentation be sufficient in illustrating a
mathematical procedure; will a video clip be needed for motivating learners?

Factors in Teaching Selection

In deciding on which technology to use from a wide range of media available, the factors on
which to base selection are:
• Practicality. Is The equipment (hardware) or already prepared lesson material (software)
available? If not, what would be the cost in acquiring the equipment or producing the
lesson in audial or visual form?
• Appropriateness in relation to the learners. Is the medium suitable to the learners’ ability
to comprehend? Will the medium be a source of plain amusement or entertainment, but
not learning]?
• Activity/suitability. Will the chosen media fit the set instructional event, resulting in either
information, motivation, or psychomotor display?
• Objective-matching. Overall, does the medium help in achieving the learning objective
(s)?
The Role of technology in Curriculum Delivery
For now, the primary roles of educational technology in delivering the school curriculum’s
instructional program have been identified:
• Upgrading the quality of teaching-and-learning in schools;
• Increasing the capability of the teacher to effectively inculcate learning, and for students
to gain mastery of lessons and courses;
• Broadening the delivery of education outside schools through non-traditional approaches
to formal and informal learning, such as Open Universities and lifelong learning to adult
learners and 
 • Revolutionizing the use of technology to boost educational paradigm shifts that give
importance to student-centered and holistic learning.

Criteria for the Use of Visual Aids

Learners say, we learn 83% through the use of sight, compared with less effective ways to learn
hearing (10%) smell (4%), touch (2%) and taste (1%). In the use of visuals for a wide range of
materials (visual boards, charts, overhead transparencies, slides, computer-generate
presentations), there are basic principles of basic design.
Assess a visual material or representation (a transparency or slide) using the following criteria:
• Lettering style or front- consistency and harmony
Number of lettering style-no more than 2 in a static display (chart, bulletin board)
• Use of capitals-short titles or headlines should be no more than 6 words
• Lettering colors- easy to see and read. Use of contrast is good for emphasis
• Lettering size-Good visibility even for students at the back of the classroom
• Spacing between letters- equal and even spacing
• Spacing between line- not too close as to blur at a distance
• Number of lines – No more than 8 lines of text in each transparency/slide
• Appeal- unusual/catchy, two-dimensional, interactive (use of overlays or movable flaps)
• Use of directional- devices (arrows, bold letters, bullets, contrasting color and size,
special placement of an item.
4.4 Stakeholders in Curriculum Implementation
Learners are the core of the curriculum.
• To what extent are the students involved in curriculum development? The old view that
students are mere recipients of the curriculum, is now changing. Learners have more
dynamic participation from the planning, designing, implementing and evaluating.
However, the degree of their involvement is dependent on their maturity. The older they
are in high school or college, the more they participate. From another angle, whether
learners are in the elementary or college level, they can make or break curriculum
implementation by their active or non-involvement. After all, learners together with the
teachers, put action to the curriculum.
Teachers are curricularists
• Teachers are stakeholders who plan, design, teach, implement, and evaluate the
curriculum. No doubt, the most important person is curriculum implementation is the
teacher. Teachers’ influence upon learners cannot be measured. Better teachers foster
better learning. But teachers need to continue with their implementation. Teachers
 should have full knowledge of the program philosophy, content and components of
curriculum and ways of teaching.
School leaders are curriculum managers.
• Principles and school heads, too, have important roles in curriculum implementation
process in schools. They should understand fully the need for change and the
implementation process. They should be ready to assist the teachers and the students in
the implementation. Communication line should be open to all concerned should the
school leaders lead in curriculum teamwork.
Parents
• Parents are significant school partners. Besides the students, teachers and school
administrators, play an important role in curriculum implementation. When children bring
home a homework from school, some parents are unable to help. Schools need to listen
to parents’ concerns about school curriculum like textbooks, school activities, grading
systems and others. Schools have one way of engaging parents’ cooperation through
Brigada Eskwela. In this event, parents will be able to know the situation in the school.
Community as Curriculum Resources and Learning Environment
“It takes the whole village to educate the child.”
(African proverb as mentioned by former U.S first lady Hillary Clinton.)
What do you understand about this statement?
Other Stakeholders in Curriculum Implementation and Development
• Some stakeholders may not have direct influence on the school curriculum. These are
agencies and organizations that are involved in the planning, design, implementation
and evaluation of the school curriculum. To name a few, the list follows.
Government Agencies
• DepEd TESDA, CHED- Trifocalized agencies that have regulatory and mandatory
authorities over the implementation of the curricula.
-Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) and Civil Service Commission
(CSC)- the agency that certifies and issues teacher licenses to quality one to teach and
affirms and confirms the appointment of teachers in the public schools.
• Local Government Units (LGU) include the municipal government officials and the
barangay officials. Some of the teachers are paid through the budget of the LGU’s. They
also contruct school buildings, provide equipment, support the professional development
teachers and provide school supplies and books. They are the big supporters in the
implementation of a school curriculum.
Non-Government Agencies and Professional Organizations
• Non-Government agencies are organizations and foundations that have the main
function to support education. To name a few, this includes the following:
• Gawad Kalinga (GK) – to build communities means to include education. The full
support of GK in early childhood education is very significant. In each village, a school
for pre-school children and out-of-school youth have been established.
• Synergia- an organization/foundation that supports basic education to elevate education
through Reading, Science, Mathematics and English.
• Metro bank Foundation – supports continuing teacher development programs.
• Professional Organizations like Philippine Association For Teachers and Educators
(PAFTE), State Universities and Colleges Teacher Educators Association (SUCTEA),
National Organization of Science Teachers and Educators (NOSTE), Mathematics
Teachers Association of the Philippines (MTAP) and many more.