Many educational systems are undergoing curriculum change to improve teaching and learning for 21st century students. However, the process by which these changes are enacted and the outcomes of these changes vary considerably. This article explores how educators at a building level (teacher-student) perceive the governance processes that lead to curriculum change and the impact of these perceived processes on implementing curriculum change.
Educators often view the curriculum as an abstract and highly complex structure. However, in order for a new educational concept to be successfully implemented in the classroom, educators must be provided with a clear blueprint of how the new curriculum should be delivered. When a teacher does not receive a clear plan, they may begin to implement the curriculum in their own way and this often leads to confusion and conflicting interpretations of the original goals of the new curriculum.
Teachers also have concerns about the personal impact of a curriculum change on their work life and these can be very difficult to address. The use of the Concerns-based Adoption Model (CBAM) provides a tool for assessing individual teacher responses and for evaluating the effectiveness of the curricular change process.
In the current study, participants described a governance process as a “huge pile of shit” or a “dirty plate of spaghetti”, suggesting a chaotic and ineffective implementation of a central educational concept. This was a result of the inability to clearly communicate decisions in the governance process and the lack of support and time for professional discussion. It is recommended that the governance process be re-designed to allow for continual assistance, opportunities for frequent and periodic review and to ensure that all educators have an opportunity to participate in the process of curriculum pending.