Addressing the Future: Curriculum innovations

Curriculum Issues, Concerns and Responses

Curriculum managers and educational experts are always looking for better ways to
achieve better learning through teaching. However , since curriculum innovations
seemed to be difficult for many, issues and concerns have been raised about curricular
innovations. The newness of the idea to the users raises issues which need to be
addressed. Certain aspects need to be clarified in order to overcome the attitude and
feelings that create some concerns.

Curricular Issues and Concerns

Poor academic performance of learners. How does the performance of learners

relate to the curriculum? Our basic education curriculum was prepared by
experts in the field of curriculum making and the subject specialization. The
written or intended curriculum is well crafted and all elements of the curriculum
are considered. But why are Filipinos learners lagging behind from their
counterparts in our neighboring countries of South East Asia in the international
test called TIMMS for science and Mathematics? Why cant our schools
significantly raise the level of performance of the learners vis a vis national
standards.?
Issues on the varied implementation of the curriculum among schools and
teachers seem to be one of the reasons for the prevailing low performance of
schools all over the country. There is perennial complaint about books and other
instructional materials.
Curricular innovations lack the sense of ownership from stakeholders. Most of
the curricular innovation are handed down from the top management. Those who
are going to implement simply tow the line or follow blindly. Sometimes the
implementers lack full understanding if the changes or modifications that they
are doing/ The goal is unclear, thus there are a lot of questions in the
implementation as well as evaluation from the concerned persons. Because of this
concern, there is little support to do it on their own, thus giving the classroom
teacher the burden.
Some curricular innovations are results of bandwagon but are not well supported
by managers. In the desire of some schools to be part of the global educational
scenario, changes and innovations are drastically implemented even if the school
is not ready. Some schools for example implement a curriculum that is
 technology dependent when there is not enough computers in the classroom
There are no internet connections either. But they have to show that they are also
keeping abreast of the development even if their equipment are insufficient.
Lack of regular monitoring and evaluation. After a new curriculum has been
installed, it is left unattended. Inadequate monitoring activities to find out
curricular strengths or weaknesses and problems are being encountered. Means
is provided to find out if the implementation is running smoothly or not. When
the time of implementation ends, sometimes there is no evaluation aspect thus
the innovation cannot be judged as failure or success for it to be continued or not.
Innovations results to teacher burn out.With so many new changes taking place
in the curriculum. Many teachers are getting burn out. They get tired so easily
and motivation is very low. It is so because they cannot cope with rapid changes
that take place.
Innovations are not communicated to all. Only the managers or the proponents
understand the changes. Those who are directly involved merely follow hook line
and sinker. This is called regimentation. Changes when introduced this way, may
falter along the way because the people involved are not empowered.