Kajian Tindakan

PENINGKATAN PENCAPAIAN PELAJAR TINGKATAN 3  BAGI TOPIK PECAHAN

ABSTRAK

Kajian ini adalah untuk  mengenal pasti pencapaian pelajar Tingkatan 3 berhubung dengan mata pelajaran Matematik di Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Engkelili, Sri Aman, Sarawak. Kajian ini akan melibatkan 30 orang pelajar Tingkatan 3 dalam satu kelas yang diajar oleh guru. Dalam kajian ini para pelajar diberi aktiviti yang berkaitan dan berulang-ulang dalam tempoh masa 2 bulan  bagi mengenal pasti dan usaha meningkatkan pencapaian mereka dalam mata pelajaran matematik. Instrumen yang digunakan adalah Borang Pemerhatian  dan Borang Tinjauan  yang mengandungi item-item berkaitan dengan profil pelajar dan kemahiran Matematik yang berkaitan dengan topik pecahan  yang dijalankan sepanjang tempoh masa tesebut. Data-data akan diproses secara kuantitaif  dan kualititatif berdasarkan perbandingan.  Rawatan juga dijalankan oleh pengkaji bagi membantu mereka ke arah suasana pembelajaran yang berkesan dan penambahan peningkatan pelajar. Di samping itu juga, kajian ini a mengenal pasti masalah-masalah yang dihadapi oleh pelajar yang terlibat berhubung dengan topik pecahan. Pelajar  didedahkan dengan strategi dan teknik pengajaran dan pembelajaran yang sesuai bagi meningkatkan pencapaian dalam kalangan mereka.

1.0       Pendahuluan

            Sistem pendidikan di Malaysia berkembang sejajar dengan perubahan masa dan keperluan masyarakat serta negara. Dasar Pendidikan Kebangsaan adalah garis panduan yang digubal dan perlu diikuti oleh semua warganegara dalam merealisasikan usaha kerajaan bagi meningkatkan kualiti pendidikan dan taraf hidup rakyat (Yahya Don, 2005). Sejajar dengan usaha berterusan ke arah memperkembangkan potensi individu secara menyeluruh dan bersepadu, Kurikulum Matematik bertujuan membentuk keperibadian generasi Malaysia yang celik  dan pintar matematik.

            Dalam konteks Matematik sekolah menengah menyarankan strategi pembelajaran bersepadu dalam mata pelajaran ini dan antara mata pelajaran lain. Murid-murid perlu kreatif dalam pembelajaran mereka. Menurut Kementerian  Pendidikan Malaysia (2000), pengajaran dan pembelajaran  akan lebih berkesan  dengan aktiviti kemahiran berfikir secara kritis dan kreatif (KBKK). Fokus kajian ini akan tertumpu kepada usaha meningkatkan pencapaian pelajar dalam mata pelajaran Matematik.

”Creatiity is a matter of talent – there is nothing you can do about it except get creative people” (de Bono, 1996)

            Kreativiti merupakan suatu konsep yang bersifat  multi dimensi dan inter disiplin bagi semua bidang yang berkaitan dengan ilmu. Perkembangan bidang kreativiti dalam kalangan manusia [pelajar] kian menyerlah dewasa kini hasil penemuan dan penyelidikan yang berterusan  oleh pakar yang terlibat. Dalam konteks seseorang individu seperti pelajar di sekolah menengah, kreativiti disifatkan sebagai organisasi memahami, mengetahui dan mampu mengaplikasikan daya kreativiti bagi menghasilkan sesuatu pembelajaran. Menurut Mohd. Azhar, 2003 literasi kreatif menekankan kefahaman individu terhadap persoalan ’know-what’ ; ’know-why’ ; dan ’know-how’ dalam konteks pengetahuan dan pengaplikasiannya. Atau paling tidak, pada tahap sederhana individu mengetahui dan faham akan konsep kreativiti serta tahu bagaimana untuk berkreativiti dalam pelbagai keadaan dan suasana. Di samping itu, Amabile (1992) menyifatkan institusi sekolah merupakan tempat paling sesuai untuk mempuk alam kreativiti di dalam kalangan pelajar. Dengan perkataan lain, usia awal kana-kanak sangat mudah menerima pelbagai bentuk pembelajaran yang berkaitan  dengan mereka.

            Kajian ini bertujuan  membantu pelajar  mencari dan menjana kreativiti mereka dalam  meningkatan pencapaian akademik mereka. Aktiviti-aktiviti yang dijalankan dapat menjana idea pelajar. Secara keseluruhannya ini dapat membantu pelajar ketika di dalam kelas dan mengikuti gerakerja mata pelajaran matematik.  

2.0       Latar Belakang Kajian

Bagi menjalankan kajian meningkatkan pencapaian pelajar, kesediaan sekolah dan guru dalam melengkapkan sekolah dengan kemudahan yang baik dan sesuai serta komitmen guru yang berterusan dalam membantu pelajar mereka. Pelajar-pelajar ibarat sehelai kain putih yang perlu dicorakkan oleh para gurunya. Kebolehan mereka perlu digilap supaya menjadi lebih bermakna dan membantu di dalam perkembangan diri pelajar itu sendiri. Sebagai seorang guru Matematik, objektif utama adalah untuk melihat  pengajaran dan pembelajaran mencapai hasil seperti yang diharapkan.

 Kebanyakan pelajar sekolah menengah rendah masih ramai menguasai matematik. Pelajar yang lemah dan sederhana masih belum dapat menyelesaikan latihan matematik. Menurut Hassan Haris (1993) teknik pengajaran yang sesuai untuk pelajar-pelajar yang masih kemah adalah  bergantung kepada  bantuan guru. Dalam keadaan ini mereka lebih mudah dikawal dan dibimbing oleh guru mereka.  Persoalannya, keputusan matematik pelajar-pelajar menengah rendah masih rendah. Refleksi  kepada pengajaran dan pembelajaran lalu didapati ramai pelajar masih tidak tahu menyelesaikan masalah matematik pecahan. Pelajar masih tidak tahu cara dan langkah-langkah menyelesaikannya. Strategi untuk melahirkan pelajar pandai topik pecahan perlu dipertingkatkan. Dalam hal ini, pengetahuan pelajar masih rendah.  Para guru seharusnya memainkan peranan penting dalam membantu pelajar  dalam mata pelajaran ini.

3.0       Objektif Kajian

Tujuan kajian ini dijalankan adalah untuk melihat dan menentukan sejauh mana peningkatan pencapaian pelajar dalam matematik di sekolah rendah yang dipilih.

Secara spesifik, kajian ini bertujuan untuk:

i.              Tahap penguasaan murid-murid dalam topik pecahan dalam mata pelajaran Matematik. ii.             Mengenal pasti usaha guru membantu murid meningkatkan penguasaan mereka.

4.0       Persoalan Kajian

Berdasarkan permasalahan kajian dikemukakan, beberapa soalan kajian yang berikut akan cuba dijawab melalui kajian ini.

(i)            Adakah penguasaan pelajar-pelajar Tingkatan 3 dipengaruhi strategi dan teknik pengajaran guru ?

(ii)           Adakah  pengajaran guru mempengaruhi  minat serta penguasaan murid  Tingkatan 3 ?

5.0       Kepentingan  Kajian

Guru merupakan orang yang paling penting di sistem pendidikan dalam menyalurkan pembelajaran kepada para pelajar di sekolah. Kepimpinan dan tugas mereka mempunyai peranan yang besar dalam membawa sekolah ke era kejayaan. Dalam konteks kejayaan seseorang pelajar, guru merupakan agen perubahan. Bagi meningkatkan pencapaian mereka, seseorang guru perlu memiliki kemahiran yang tinggi dalam kaedah pengajaran, menguasai kandungan ilmu dalam mata pelajaran yang diajar, mahir mengaplikasikan teori pertumbuhan dan perkembangan manusia dan berupaya menjadi kaunselor yang baik kepada pelajar (Yahya Don, 2005).

            Selaras dengan kepentingan usaha pelajar dalam bidang pembelajaran, maka kajian meneliti pencapaian mereka dalam mata pelajaran Matematik. Usaha dalam kalangan murid Tingkatan 3 adalah perlu bagi membentuk kualiti pelajar yang unggul. Kajian ini diharapkan dapat menjadi panduan kepada ramai pihak, khususnya para pendidik dalam memimpin serta melaksanakan proses pengajaran mereka di sekolah.

            Antara lain kajian ini dapat memperkayakan ilmu pengetahuan dalam bidang Matematik, terutama sebagai rujukan dan panduan di masa akan datang. Fenomena pencapaian pelajar merupakan aspek yang sangat penting masa kini selaras dengan penekanan unsur kemahiran berfikir secara kristis dan kreatif (KBKK) dalam kalangan pelajar. Malah dapatan kajian ini kelak akan dapat membantu mewujudkan persekitaran sekolah yang lebih baik dan meningkatan tahap profesionalisme para guru Matematik.

6.0        Kaedah Kajian

Kajian kuantitatif akan digunakan dalam kajian ini bagi melihat serta mengukur tahap penguasaan pelajar di dalam mata pelajaran Matematik berdasarkan maklumat serta perubahan di aktiviti  pembelajaran yang diberikan secara berulang-ulang selama dua bulan. Perubahan sosial serta penguasaan mereka akan dicatat dan dianalisa selaras dengan faktor-faktor yang mempengaruhinya.

7.0        Populasi dan Sampel Kajian

7.1       Sampel Kajian

Sampel kajian  adalah dari sekolah SMK Engkelili, Sri Aman, Sarawak yang melibatkan 30 orang pelajar Tingkatan 3.

7.2       Populasi Kajian

Populasi kajian adalah terdiri daripada pelajar-pelajar Tingkatan 3 sekolah menengah rendah.

7.3      Instrumen Kajian

Kajian ini  menggunakan Borang pemerhatian dan soalan-soalan bagi mengumpul data  berdasarkan Matematik yang berkaitan dengan pecahan yang dijalankan selama 2 bulan. Data-data yang diperolehi akan direkod melalui pra-ujian dan pasca-ujian  aktiviti Matematik. Hasil pemerhatian akan direkod dan dibuat perbandingan bagi mengukur tahap penguasaan murid berdasarkan kemahiran dan aktiviti yang dijalankan oleh guru.

8.0       Langkah Tindakan

Tindakan pertama ialah penyediaan ujian pra dan ujian pasca. Setelah dikaji tentang keputusan ujian pra, saya dapat memahami kelemahan murid dalam penguasaan Matematik, khususnya pecahan. Saya telah menjalankan beberapa tindakan untuk mengatasi kelemahan matematik pelajar. Permainan matematik telah dipilih sebagai alat yang penting dalam mengatasi penguasaan pelajar. Antara permainan matematik yang dipilih seperti kuiz, mencantumkan kad, dan latih tubi.

            Bagi aktiviti kuiz, saya telah menyediakan soalan yang meliputi soalan pecahan matematik. Setiap kumpulan diberikan masa 1 minit untuk menjawab soalan yang dikemukakan. Markah bagi kumpulan yang tepat adalah sebanyak 3 markah. Manakala, bagi kumpulan yang kedua menjawab soalan dengan betul ialah 1 markah. Kuiz ini dijalankan selama 2 bulan dan setiap soalan kuiz adalah berbeza bagi membentuk kepelbagaian soalan.

            Manakala, aktiviti mencantum kad merupakan aktiviti yang menyeronokan. Dalam kad tersebut akan ditulis soalan-soalan matematik yang berkaitan dengan pecahan dan jawapannya diasingkan pada kad yang lain. Pelajar-pelajar dikehendaki membaca soalan dan mencari jawapan pada rakan mereka. Seterusnya mereka akan mencantum kad-kad tersebut mengikut jawapan yang tepat dan sekaligus melekatkannya di hadapan kelas sebagai tatapan pelajar-pelajar lain.

            Sebagai kemuncak kepada kedua-dua aktiviti tersebut, pelajar-pelajar juga diberi latih tubi soalan-soalan matematik yang berkaitan dengan pecahan dalam tempoh masa tertentu. Aktiviti latih tubi dilakukan secara berulang-ulang dalam masa 2 bulan bagi melihat perkembangan dan penguasaan murid-murid tersebut.

9.0       Analisis Data

            Berdasarkan ujian pra yang telah dijalankan didapati 9 orang pelajar sahaja yang lulus (menguasai) manakala 21 orang lagi gagal. Keadaan menunjukkan bahawa pada peringkat awal aktiviti pengajaran guru hanya 30.0% murid sahaja yang menguasai aspek tatabahasa yang berkaitan kata adjektif dengan baik. Setelah rawatan diberikan, melalui keputusan ujian pasca dua bulan berikutnya; keputusan pelajar yang lulus seramai 26 orang, yakni 86.7% berjaya. Pengkaji mendapati kaedah, strategi serta aktiviti yang telah dijalankan amat berkesan meningkatkan penguasaan pelajar terlibat dalam topik pecahan yang berkaitan dengan mata pelajaran Matematik. Usaha untuk memperbaiki keputusan pelajar ini boleh dipergiatkan lagi dengan penambahan aktiviti yang dijalankan bagi tempoh masa yang lama lagi.

10.       Refleksi Tindakan 

Kajian Tindakan ini dapat memberikan kesedaran kepada saya tentang masalah pelajar yang lemah dalam sesuatu aspek pembelajaran. Hakikatnya, ada usaha dan cara tertentu bagi guru menyelesaikan setiap masalah pengajaran dan pembelajaran yang berkaitan. Dengan ini, saya dapat mengesan dan mengatasi kelemahan pelajar saya secara bijak dan profesional melalui kajian tindakan ini. Walaupun banyak kerja lain dan kekangan masa, namun usaha untuk meningkatkan kualiti pengajaran dan pembelajaran boleh dilakukan melalui kajian tindakan seumpama ini. Akhirnya, saya sebagai guru dan pengkaji sangat berbanggga  dengan usaha ini kerana berjaya meningkatkan penguasaan pelajar Tingkatan 3 yang diajar oleh saya di sekolah yang dikaji. Adalah menjadi harapan saya agar guru-guru (pengkaji) lain boleh menggunakan rekabentuk kajian yang sama di tempat lain bagi responden yang berbeza agar masalah pembelajaran dalam kalangan pelajar dapat diatasi secara akademik.

RUMUSAN

Kajian tindakan ini adalah satu kajian yang baik dijalankan di peringkat sekolah. Kajian ini bukan sahaja dapat meningkatkan penguasaan pelajar tetapi juga dapat memperbaiki teknik pengajaran guru dan pembelajaran pelajar di sekolah. Diharap kajian ini bakal dijadikan paduan dan rujukan para guru serta penyelidikan lain dalam usaha mempertingkatan proses pengajaran dan pembelajaran di sekolah.

BIBLIOGRAFI:

Abd. Rahim Abd. Rahsid. (1999). Kemahiran Befikir Merentasi Kurikulum. Kuala Lumpur : Penerbit Fajar Bakti Sdn. Bhd.

Kamus Dewan. (2000). Edisi 3. Kuala Lompur : Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka.

Kementerian Pendidikan Malaysia.(2000). Laporan Tahunan. Kuala Lumpur :

Educational Planning and Research Division.

Kementerian Pendidikan Malaysia.(2001). Education in Malaysia- a journey to

 excellence. Kuala Lumpur : Educational Planning and Research Division.

Yahya Don. (2005). Kepimpinan Pendidikan di Malaysia. Kuala Lumpur : PTS Professional Publishing Sdn. Bhd.

CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT

Introduction

Curriculum design is deciding about the ‘shape’ of a curriculum plan. It involves selection of content in line with the goals and objectives of the curriculum. The selected content will have to be arranged in a form that will help teacher in choosing and organising appropriate learning experiences for the classroom. Sometimes, curriculum design is also referred to as ‘curriculum organisation’. In short, designing the curriculum involves the task of organising or arranging the four components; namely, objectives, subject matter, teaching-learning experiences and evaluations. Giles (1942), these four components are intertwined and interactive.

            In this case, the focus of curriculum design based on selection and organisation of content (or subject matter) for learners and learning experiences (activities).  Obviously, the selection of content and learning experiences will be based on sound theoretical framework. According to Ornstein & Hunkins (1998) there are five criteria to guide the selection of content; (i) significance, (ii) utility, (iii) validity, (iv) learn ability, and (v) feasibility. The content selected should be significant. For example, curriculum developers who favour subject matter designs think of significance in terms of the concept and principles of each subject area. That means, the needs and interest of learners was very important parts. Taba (1962) further urges that we should not just select content based on the cognitive aspects of learners but also on their affective dimensions.

            Secondly, utility refers to the usefulness of the content. This again depend on the subject-centred design will be useful in the workplace. The students can apply directly what they have learned to their daily lives and the world of work. Next, validity refers to weather the information passed on the students is authentic and obtained from credible sources. This is especially significant today with the deluge of information that is easily accessible which may not necessarily be credible or reliable. Fourth, learn ability it may seem strange that anyone would select content that is not learnable. Unfortunately, it does happen. For example, the content selected for a particular age group might be too difficult to others and teachers need more time to teach them. Lastly, feasibility refers to consideration of time, expertise of staff, funding and other educational recourse that school might face. Content selection has to be considered within the context of reality of economic and the role of teachers, parents, and the government.

Principles of Content Organisation

After having decided on the content, the next step is organising the content in a form that will facilitate learning. In this case, curriculum is what to be taught while instruction is how it is taught. The relationship between curriculum and instruction is a partnership. The content to be taught along with the learning experiences and instruction may be taught of as methodology, teaching and accessing of achievement. Olivia (1982) described curriculum and instructions as two entities. In his model, ‘curriculum and instructions relationship’ (1982), showed that process is continues, repeated and never-ending.

            The following principles have been proposed when deciding on content organisation; scope, sequence, continuity, integration, articulation and balance (Sowell, 2000; Ornstein & Hunkins, 1998). Based on these coursework, I have to choose three aspects of this curriculum design dimensions.

(i)            Scope

Scope refers to both the breadth and depth of content and includes all topics, learning experiences and organizing threads found in the curriculum plan. Scope not only to cognitive learning but also affective learning and some would argue spiritual learning (Goodland & Zhixin Su, 1992). Sometime the scope of a curriculum is narrow, consisting of just a simple listing of key topics and activities. For examples, ‘the mathematics syllabus is overloaded’, and ‘scientific literacy of secondary school students is low’.

When we talk of scope, we are concerned with such questions like ‘How much science should students in primary school know? Another one, ‘What is the level of mathematics required of students before they graduate from secondary school? In this case, when curriculum developers are engaged in deciding how much content should be included, they are determining the scope of the curriculum. According to Ornstein & Hunkins (1998), when deciding about the scope of curriculum, the following guidelines may be useful; the usefulness of the content selected, students abilities, amount of content, and balance in the content selected between cognitive, psychomotor and affective or spiritual outcomes.

(ii)          Sequence

Sequence refers to the organization of content and the extent to which it fosters cumulative and continuous learning. Curriculum developers should know, ‘Do student have opportunity to make connections and enrich their understanding of content?’ it is important that the sequencing of content lead to cumulative development of intellectual and affective processes.

The sequence of content and experiences should be based on the logic of the subject matter and the way in which individuals learn. It should be based on psychological principal and understanding of human development and learning. The following are some principles indentified as a guidelines in sequencing the curriculum: (Ornstein & Hunkins,1998, Taba, 1962, Bruner, 1960).

a)    Simple to complex – content is organized going from simple components to complex components depicting interrelationships among components. Optimal learning occurs when students are presented with easy, often concrete and to more difficult and abstract content.

b)    Spiral – in ‘spiral curriculum’ concepts may be introduced on a simple level in early grades, and then revisited with more and more complexity and applications later on (Bruner, 1960).

c)    Prerequisites – It works on the assumption that bits of information or learning must be grasped before other bits of information can be understood.

d)    Whole to part – content is better understood if an overview (whole) is first presented to show the connections between the parts.

e)    Chronology – This is a useful organizer for sequencing content especially in subjects such as history, political science and world events.

f)     Vertical organization – This simply means that content and skills are arranged so that they build on one another; that they align with the general sequence of cognitive development. They indicate what students have learned and what they will learn later.

g)    Horizontal organization – It involves how skill and content that are taught during one level or one period of time relate to another. For example, in a social science course, we might consider particular issues from a historical, sociological, political and economic point of view. 

(iii)         Integration

Integration is the bringing together of the concepts, skills and values of different subject areas to reinforce each other. Information from different subject areas are brought together in such a way to present the learner with a unified picture of knowledge. Much curriculum planners try to integrate information; it is the learners who integrate what they are learning in their minds. It’s something that happens within the individual learner.

The idea of integration was popularized in the 60s by Halida Taba because of concern that school curriculum was too disjointed, fragmented and detached. In this case, I saw that the need to examine phenomena drawing from various disciplines has intensified interest in the integrated curriculum. Examples of the integrated curriculum include science-technology-society and reading across the curriculum. In the science-technology-society curriculum, science is combined with social sciences in attempting to solve practical, everyday problems. The integrated approach takes the student outside the laboratory and away from the textbook into the local community.

The integrated curriculum is receiving much attention in Malaysia even though it is not necessarily a new way of looking at teaching and learning. The expanding body of knowledge, concerns about curriculum relevancy, lack of connection among subjects and the need for future workers to have the ability to draw from many fields in solving problems has been cited as reasons for a moving towards an integrated curriculum. 

The integrated curriculum is organized in such a way that cuts across subject matter, bringing together various aspects of content to focus upon broad areas of study. It views teaching and learning in a holistic way that reflects the real world. For example, the major curriculum reform in the Malaysia education system is the introduction of the Integrated Primary School Curriculum in 1983 and the Integrated Secondary School Curriculum in 1989. The curriculum was reformed because of demand from society that the existing curriculum was overloaded and the relatively disturbing number of students who could not read and write at the desired level. The revamp of the curriculum was based on the National Philosophy of Education (Ministry of Education Malaysia).

The role of the curriculum is a produce a Malaysian citizen who is well-rounded, skillful and cherishes the goal of achieving national unity. The underlying principle of the curriculum is the integrated approach. The integrated approach calls for infusion of moral values, patriotism, science and technology, proper use of language, environmental education, study skill, creative and critical thinking. Infusion of these ideas is to occur subject areas. For example, patriotism is infused in subject such as geography, science and biology.

Individuals Involved in Curriculum Development

Developing a curriculum requires the involvement of many different people. Each is a ‘key player’ in the change process. Without the coordinated involvement of these individuals the development of curriculum programme will encounter many problems. Among the key players indentified are teachers, students, principal (headmasters), assistant principals, district education officers, state education officers, curriculum developers, academics, parents, interested political officials and lay citizen. In a centralized system, the national curriculum is developed at the national level and passed on to the individual districts and schools to be implemented.

            In this coursework, I would like to discuss three people who should be involved in the curriculum development processes. There are teachers, principals (headmasters) and parents.

a)    Teachers

Without doubt, the most important person in the curriculum development (implementation) process is the teacher. With their knowledge, experience and competencies, teachers are central to any curriculum development effort. Regardless of which philosophical beliefs the education system is based on, there is no denying that teachers influences students’ learning. Better teachers foster better learning. Teachers are most knowledgeable about the practice of teaching and responsible for introducing the curriculum in the classroom.

            The key to getting teachers committed to an innovation is to enhance their knowledge of the programme. This means teachers need be trained and workshops have to be organised for professional development. Unfortunately, in any curriculum implementation process not all teachers will have the benefit of such exposure. There are just too many teachers and insufficient funds to go around. The most common approach is to have one-day workshops given experts with the lecture method being the dominant pedagogical strategy. Among the many extrinsic factors indentified that may impede curriculum change are adequacy of recourse, time, school ethos and professional support. The intrinsic factors are professional knowledge, professional adequacy and professional interest and motivation. (see Table 1.0)

            Hence, professional development of teachers is as an important factor contributing to the success of curriculum development and implementation. To what extent have teacher education programmes required prospective teacher to study curriculum development?  Some view teachers as technicians and as such do not include curriculum development in their teacher education programmes. Certainly and adequate teacher education programme should include curriculum development, both theory and the work of curriculum development to ensure that teaching is to be a profession and if educational opportunities for learners are really to be improved. There are some topics to be addressed in designing professional development opportunities for teacher who are developing and implementing a new programme. There are programmes philosophy, content, pedagogy, components of the programme and so forth (Ornstein & Hunkins,1998).

Factors	Description
Resource Adequacy	Adequacy of equipment, facilities and general resources required for developing a new curriculum
Time	Time available for preparing and delivering the requirements of the new curriculum.
School Ethos	Overall school beliefs towards the new curriculum. Status of the curriculum as viewed by staff, administrators and community.
Professional Support	Support for teachers from both within the school and outside.
Professional Adequacy	Teacher perceptions of their own ability and competence to teach the curriculum.
Professional Knowledge	Teacher perceptions of the knowledge and understandings teachers possess towards a curriculum area.
Professional Attitude and Interest	Teacher perceptions of the attitudes and interest held towards the new curriculum.

Table 1.0 Factors influencing the developing of a curriculum in schools

Source: adapted from the science Curriculum Implementation Questionnaire (SCIQ). http://home.cc.umanitoba.ca/~lewthwai/introSCIQ.html

b)   Principals or Headmasters

Principals or headmasters are important players the curriculum development and implementation process in a school. They should understand the need for change as well the steps that have to be taken along the way. Principal or headmasters also should have in-depth knowledge about the planned change and of the development process. They should be familiar with the goals and components of the curriculum and be able to see a shift in teachers’ role in the classroom and the way in which teachers interact with students.

            Apart from that, they should be accessible and willing to communicate with others involved in the process. Establishing a two-way information flow give principals or headmasters a change to stay on top of issues that need to be addressed. It will also allow attending to critical problems or concerns before they lead to frustration or even anger among teachers. Lines of communication are best set early to get out information to people as well to provide a platform in which they can voice their concern. Information gathered from listening and talking to people will also help principals or headmasters decide where to focus and need attention.

            Beside that, they should be able to convince parent on the merits of the new curriculum and how the new pedagogical strategies can become more meaningful for their children. For example, they may need to speak to parents and the community on the new curriculum. It is important that they give the message that they have thought carefully about the need for change, that they have anticipated the issues that will arise and have a plan for addressing the issues.

            The effective principals or headmaster must have their best-laid plans can meet unexpected challenges. For example, insufficient teacher in a particular subject area due to resignation, unexpected introduction of programmes by the government, sudden change of government policy. For this reason, a flexible implementation plan may be necessary which is adapted and revisited along the way.

            Lastly, they must be committed to the change and be able to employ a variety of leadership strategies to meet the needs of teachers such as building on the strengths of their staff, being willing to take risks, being positive about the planned change and to use this optimism to motivate others, especially their staffs and students.

c)    Parents

Besides teachers and principals (headmasters), parents also play an important role in the development and implementation curriculum process. For example, when parents see a subject being taught in way that is unfamiliar to them, they naturally have questions about what is going on. They must be proactive. When children being homework from school that parent feel unable to help with, they feel confused and lost. To be successful, any new programmes needs to be embarrassed by parents. The best forum among teachers and parents is like ‘Hari Permufakatan Ibubapa dan Guru’ such PIBG programme in school.

            On way of researching out to parents is to organise workshops for them focusing on the new curriculum. The workshops should be designed to help parents better understand the content and philosophy of the new programme. Parents need an opportunity to share their concerns and voice their support in an open forum. These workshops should be conducted by teachers so that they may explain what is really going on in the classroom.

            Another approach in reaching out to parents is to make available information on curriculum change on the internet. For example, the school has its website a curriculum handbook for parents containing information on subjects offered, programmes and courses available in their school. The information is updated each year as changes are made to the curriculum. Similarly, print-based newsletters can be made available to parents informing them of the changes that are taking place with the introduction of the new curriculum.

Conclusion

The world is changing rapidly and each day the pace quickens. Many nations are striving to achieve the status of a modern and prosperous state. The rate at which such status is achieved varies, with some countries getting there earlier than others. Toward this goal, nations are pushing towards greater industrialisation, automation, computerization and modernisation of agriculture. Based on the education programmes, the development and implementation curriculum were very important. In education, they refer to the invisible assumptions or beliefs educators have about their student’s ability to learn.

            Based on curriculum development, its important understands the nature of change. Understanding the change process can be a challenging and exciting process. Of course, curriculum design involves making decisions about the selection and organisation of content and learning experiences in line with the goals and objectives of the curriculum. The principles guiding content organisation such scope, sequence, continuity, integration, articulation and balance can be subject matter, bringing together various aspects of content to focus upon broad areas of study.

Bibliography:

Bruner, J. (1960). The process of education. Cambridge, MA : Harvard University Press.

Giles, H. McCutchen, S. & Zechiel, A. (1942). Exploring the curriculum. New York : Harper.

Goodland & Su. Z. (1992). Organisation and the curriculum. In P. Jackson (Ed). Handbook of Research on Curriculum. New York : Macmillan Co.

Olivia, P. (1982). Development of curriculum. Boston : Little Brown & Co.

Ornstein, A. & Hunkins, F. (1998). Curriculum foundations, principles and issues. Boston : Allyn and Bacon.

Sowell, E. (2000). Curriculum : An integrative introduction. Upper Saddle River , New Jersey : Prentice-Hall.

Taba, H. (1962). Curriculum development : Theory and practice. New York : Harcourt Brace and World.

Internet Resources:

Factors influencing the developing of a curriculum in schools. Source: adapted from the science Curriculum Implementation Questionnaire (SCIQ). http://home.cc.umanitoba.ca/~lewthwai/introSCIQ.html

EDU5353 Values and Curriculum

Article 1: Significant Curriculum Issue

By: Hollis I. Caswell, Dean, Teacher College, Columbia University, New York

1.      Overview of the article:

Current Factors contributing		Questions
1.The purposes of education 2. Nature of learning of learners 3. Role of school in community	Curriculum Worker	(i).How shall the Values that guide development of the curriculum be determined? (ii). How shall the curriculum be related to the problems and condition in American Life? (iii). How shall curriculum be planned? (iv). How emphasis on process resulted in too little attention to objectives? (v). How can the high level of achievement and leadership needed by a society as complex as outs be developed democratically?

This article acknowledges few issues in dire need of attention and solution in today’s school. According to Caswell, the existence of basic theories triggers the existence of curriculum issue which indicate the sharper the differences the more critical the issues become.

2.      Justification based on questions:

(i)                 How shall the Values that guide development of the curriculum be determined?

-          Extremely broad in scope but involves issues of the most critical significance.

-          Competing value systems.

-       The emphasis by some individual or group - the value that school is fostering is consistent with their beliefs.

-          Education must be concerned with values.

-         The values complication comes by hard questions. The process of change affect social values most drastically – both in interpretation and application.

-        Problems for Curriculum Worker; [1] choices on the role of school participation to determine the process of value clarification, [2] major differences in the value accepted by sub groups within the society, [3] close relationship of value and religious beliefs, and [4] degree of clarity in which values operate; complication - putting it into operation effectively a reasoned and accepted point of view concerning values. Held by individual teachers, administrator, pupil, parents and by group within the community.

-          The determination of values to guide the development of the curriculum is of major importance.

(ii)               How shall the curriculum be related to the problems and condition in American Life?

-         Education should make a direct contribution to the solution of persistent social problems. For example, unemployment, use of leisure time, conservation housing and health.

-          A considerable extent by the needs and conditions of the society that maintain the school.

-     Effort to relate curriculum to social problems and condition have taken variety of form - to organize the curriculum as to deal directly with social problems.

-    Emphasis has been given to the shortage and weak points in the social structure and processes.

-    Existence of a movement in which the direction of organizing the curriculum with directs reference to the functioning of the society.

-        Planning of scope and sequence based on areas of living, social function and social processes were designed to make the curriculum relate directly to problems and conditions of social life.

-          Present situation - the relationship of the school curriculum to the problems and conditions of the society present issues of vital significance and intensified by the numerous conflicts in our culture.

(iii)             How shall curriculum be planned?

-          Determining the part various individual shall play in planning.

-          The respective roles of the expert and the classroom teacher in curriculum planning.

-          Some responsibilities for all phases in curriculum planning on the pupil (in a given group) and teachers.

-      Give school staff major responsibility to plan the framework and teacher full authority over detailed planning.

-    Deciding how the various elements entering the curriculum; such as characteristic of the learner, subjects and social ideals, problem and condition shall operate in planning.

-          The point has usually been raised by questioning the appropriateness of subject as basis of organizing the curriculum, (1) children interest and needs, and (2) some type of social analysis such as areas of living or social functions.

-          Modification on the basis of the organization is a must in making major changes for the curriculum.

-        Understanding the nature and function of subjects, the significance of developmental facts and the relationship of social ideals, problems and condition of the educative process.

(iv)             How emphasis on process resulted in too little attention to objectives?

-         Focus on the “process” whereby the curriculum is developed.

-       Employed in curriculum programs to improve the curriculum and the way teachers works wit pupil as the curriculum emerges in the classroom.

-        Increase concern with “process” marks a desirable step forward in curriculum work.

-       Better understanding of the more fundamental aspect of this broader problem would assist the educational worker to achieve a proper emphasis in curriculum procedures on goals to be achieved.

(v)               How can the high level of achievement and leadership needed by a society as complex as outs be developed democratically?

-          Important in providing education for the large mass of children and youth.

-      Curriculum workers should face the issue of how to design a curriculum to prepare such a group and at the same time preserve democratic traditions.

Conclusion

-          Curriculum worker should expect must of the work related to the nature of learning and the role of education which has become much more operational as well as active involvement in the resolution of differences of opinion and development of practices suitable to where the difference exist.

-          The important of understanding value in the development of curriculum.

-      Curriculum worker should consider; (1) the effect of values from different stakeholder and point of view in the development of curriculum, (2) the contribution of problems and conditions, (3) determining the parts of various individual in the development of curriculum, (4) to focus more on the objectives of education and lastly (5) to develop curriculum that cater not just to the masses but as well to the gifted population.