Topic 6: Considerations in Implementing the Curriculum 1. Needs of the Society Society has its own expectations about the aims and objectives that should be considered when designing the curriculum. It also has a perception of what the product of the school system should look like. In today's knowledge economy, curriculum development plays a vital role in improving the economy of a country. Sociology is the study of social behaviour or society, including its origins, development, organization, networks, and institutions. Educational sociology is a branch of sociology, which is confronted with the problems of relationship between society and education. It makes an effort to achieve the aims of sociology through educational process, which is nothing but an interaction between the individual and the society. Society has its own expectations about the aims and objectives that should be considered when designing the curriculum. It also has a perception of what the product of the school system should look like. It is therefore necessary for curriculum designers to take into account these societal considerations. Curriculum development is defined as planned, a purposeful, progressive, and systematic process to create positive improvements in the educational system. Every time there are changes or developments happening around the world, the school curricula are affected. There is a need to update them to address the society’s needs. Curriculum development has a broad scope because it is not only about the school, the learners, and the teachers. It is also about the development of society in general. In today’s knowledge economy, curriculum development plays a vital role in improving the economy of a country. It also provides answers or solutions to the world’s pressing conditions and problems, such as environment, politics, socio-economics, and other issues of poverty, climate change, and sustainable development. Look and study the picture below, explain how the diffeferent factors affect teaching and leaanring process. Tell in what way each influence curriculum implementation., ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________ Educational significance Education is not mere schooling or instruction imposed by the elders on the younger ones. It is equivalent to the development of character or personality by means of the social life of education institutions. The social life includes all kinds of out-of-class activities. Man acquires experience throughout his life. This acquisition of experience is education. This process of acquiring experience is a social process and it is related to and influenced by social factors. Education is thus a social process and its function is not only to preserve the social heritage but also to enrich it. Learning is the result of social interaction and social motivation. Education helps to develop this social self so that an individual may become an effective and useful member of the society. Education is a process of directed learning. Education sociology focuses upon the social forces through which the individual gains experience. Sociology and education are closely related to each other. Whenever we speak of sociology, education system and schools have been studied as social phenomena. Making the curriculum relevant to societal needs The curriculum has purposes, aims or objectives which reflect general societal aspirations. Society plays a significant role in determining what is considered worthwhile knowledge, desirable attitudes and relevant skills. However, because knowledge is dynamic as it constantly changes with the coming on board of new truths in the ever changing universe, policymakers should always be privy to any shift in expectation, so that what is considered as knowledge remains relevant to societal needs. As posited by Gatawa (1990) and Wiles, Bondi (1998) citing the educator Pestalozi (1746-1827), the curriculum is not all about shaping an individual to be an intellectual, but he or she should be able to use his/her head, heart and hands, as such it should embrace cognitive, affective and psychomotor objectives. The curriculum through its elements syllabi, courses and lessons or lectures should develop a complete individual who is able to think outside the box. Political changes in society must also be considered in order to formulate an effective curriculum. Politics is a science of governing people. David (1992:41) states that "As education and training have moved up the political agenda, we have witnessed the entry of industry and politics into 'secret garden' of education. Indeed politics does find itself influencing the effectiveness of education in a great deal. Politics of a nation does determine the curriculum to be followed and this is usually dependant on the political situation in the country at any given time. Such a political influence would affect the education system. Declarations by political parties in power influence the curriculum. Societal changes also influence the curriculum and must be considered as such. A society is an organisation of people with particular interest or purpose. The particular interest people have determines a curriculum to follow. For example, the people of North-western province value pineapple production thus the emphasis on the production of pineapples in the agriculture would be more appropriate there. Religion is yet another determinant whose change influences the effectiveness of the curriculum. Christian values are emphasized in the curriculum because of that religious change and it will continue to influence Filipino curriculum and embrace christianity . Cultural changes in society also influence the effectiveness of a curriculum. Society's values and norms determine the standard of behaviour in a given society and thus influence how effective a curriculum will be. By upholding good morals, this inevitably promotes good values and norms not only in the school but the community as a whole. All in all, a meaningful curriculum must take care of the changes in society in areas such as: ideology, culture, institution and religion. These and other determinants must be taken into consideration in relation to the society in which a curriculum is to be implemented. Curriculum planners must carefully study the changes in society so as to come up with a curriculum that is considerate of the needs of a given society for which a curriculum is intended. The Sociological Aspects of Curriculum Development Issues from society including groups and institutions in the culture and their contribution to education Refers to issues from society that have an influence on curriculum. There are many aspects of the society that need consideration in curriculum making. These include: Social change When societies are faced with enormous cultural changes, especially if these changes affect their basic behaviour, the image of society is blurred and the people saw themselves unable against natural and logical activities. Less than 20 years, the Internet, Face book, i Pad, websites, blogs and e-mail have changed our lives dramatically. Downloading music and videos, chat, computer games and mobile phones are part of our and our children daily lives. You must remember that some of the current events had no place even in the dreamed of people in hundred years ago. For example, to people in one hundred years ago, imagining a plane, subway, radio, etc., which is natural to us, seems unlikely. Nowadays, because of frequent changes we can expect more amazing changes in science, technology, lifestyle, economy, education, demographics and the politics. All education comes from some assumptions about the future. If taught of a society about the future is clearly wrong, the youth education system will be betrayed. Anyway, as we make plans for curriculum, we need to think about abilities and possibilities that may occur in the future. We will be faced with complex problems that we cannot respond to it. These include terrorism, human rights, pollution, attention to the rights of individuals and respect to the family, and control of different communities based on an authority. The problem will be solved with critical thinking that today we can hardly imagine it. We shall educate citizens that can make decisions based on science. Either now or in the future, our curriculum must be open and flexible against uncertain and intangible consequences. The curriculum planners shall have a future based approach and to predict and monitor changes in values and their implications for curriculum changes to promote more informed methods for curriculum. Changes in the curriculum focused equally on where we are going and where we are right now. Transmission of Culture Culture is a complex whole which includes knowledge, beliefs, arts, morals, customs and any other capabilities acquired by man as a member of the society. It is the sum total of a given society’s way of life moulded and shaped by prevailing circumstances and environment (Brown, 1990). This implies that culture is not static but dynamic and it responds to external influences, which bring about changes and curriculum development in schools. The fundamental aspects of culture include beliefs, values, routines and customs Beliefs Every culture has some beliefs which are accepted as true. These beliefs are sometimes called superstitious beliefs because of lack of empirical knowledge or lack of scientific proof. These beliefs are valued and so are accepted by majority of people in the community. Values Values are those aspects of cultural practices, actions or objects that are valued in high esteem in the society. The values of a society are also those aspects of the culture that society wants to preserve because their traditionally valued and they want to pass it from generation to generation. The values of the society are the aspect of the culture, which is needed in the society. These aspects of the culture that are valued should be passed from generation to generation so as to maintain a particular valid aspect of the culture. For instance, every society expects adults to get married for procreation to keep the society moving. An individual in the society may complain of inability to pay his children’s school fees but will have money for marrying another wife to have more children or would provide money for the late father’s burial. This is because the individual could place a higher premium on either having more children or spending a huge sum of money for the burial ceremony of his late father than paying the school fees of his surviving children. Values and judgments are not only important elements of culture but they are also relevant to modern society. Routines and customs Routines and customs are also very important aspects of culture. Recipes are the ideas and the understanding about how things should be done as prescribed by the culture in question. For instance, different societies have different ways prescribed by their culture in performing naming, burial, marriage ceremonies and so on. Routines and customs refer to the actual doings and the regularities of those cultural actions or elements. Customs serve as recipes and routines to which people regularly resort for recurring purposes. Economic issues Change in curriculum, needs financial support. New teaching materials are required. Teachers are needed to be provided with in-services training and equipped with new teaching materials textbooks are to be revised to fulfil the changing needs of the society. Supportive personal are required to assist the teachers for effective implementation of new curriculum designs. The family The home is still the main institution affecting the life and growth of the child. The family exerts significant influence on the social, emotional and moral development of the child. His personality and values are affected by the family. In planning any relevant curriculum for the learners, the planner should be familiar with the family and home conditions of the learner. The intellectual climate of the home and attitudes of the parents towards education affects the individual’s behaviour and accomplishment in schools. A study of the family at close range reveals much information for a more complete and sympathetic understanding of children. From the child’s earliest age, the feelings of oneness, identification with the family group, is naturally instilled. Even before he begins the first grade of school at the primary level, many of his patterns of living, of conduct, of emotions and attitudes, and of ideals are already set. In one family, swift and sure obedience is absolutely required; in another home it is understood that the occupation of the son or the daughter shall be decided by the parents; in still another, much freedom and choice may be permitted the child. Neatness and cleanliness in the home are likely to be reflected in the appearance and dress of the child; and the language habits of the parents appear in marked form in their children. Respect for and obedience to adults, respect for the property and rights of others, race prejudice, social stratification-these are but a few of the mores and attitudes that the child absorbs more frequently and fundamentally outside school walls than within them. As boys and girls grow older, friction is especially likely to arise between parents and adolescents because the training that the adolescent has received in the family begins to clash with the customs “gang” or of the community. More attention is now being devoted in the school to aspects of the home and of the family life. Courses in homemaking are found frequently on both the secondary school and the collegiate levels, and the courses in marriage and family relationships and in sex education are given on both levels. In the curriculum of the secondary schools, newer courses in social living, social problems, and child care are often cantered around family life. Political Factors It would be tempting, to argue that education should be taken out of politics. An educational will expect political parties to clarify their general educational aims and policies, which concern broad social issues. Every person coming into power brings with him his vested interests and few educational plans for the nation, in such atmosphere educationist is likely to suffer from frustration. The Church/Mosque These are public worship centres for Christians and Moslems respectively. However, apart from these two worship centres where people go to worship God in order to satisfy their spiritual needs, there are other worship centres in the society to satisfy the spiritual needs of the people. Religion itself is a social institution. Although religion is a human is a human society it is not necessarily accepted by everyone and even those who accept religion do not accept it in the same degree. The major role of the church and the mosque is in moulding the character of the child and the people in general. Similarly, the church and the mosque are also agencies of intellectual development in the society. The Sunday schools and adult literacy classes introduced in churches have helped to teach the people how to read, interpret and even write out verses in the bible and other learned works. The Islamic religion also encourages the art of reading, interpreting and writing. The church and the mosque teach the virtue of obedience to the law of God Almighty and the constitutional laws of the society. This is because both religions teach peace in the society. There are rules in these societies that could bring peace. Such rules include ‘love your neighbour as yourself’, ‘do unto others, as you would want them to do unto you’. These are two golden rules that could bring peace to the society because if you love your neighbour as yourself, you will not kill, steal, bear false witness against your neighbour, and so on. Christian and Moslem youths are known to participate in public activities like community sanitation and road construction in the communities. Technological Technology driven curriculum development is the norm of the 21st century. The computer technology of the 21st century influences curriculum development at every level of learning. Learning centers and classrooms increasingly provide computers as requisite interaction for studies among students. Technological multimedia use influences educational goals and learning experiences among students. Diversity Curriculum development affect from diversity opens learning opportunities. Social diversity including religion, culture and social groupings affects curriculum development because these characteristics influence the types of topics and methods for teaching information. Developing relevant curriculum takes into account society’s expectations, accommodating group traditions and promoting equality. Environment Environment issues affect curriculum development. World awareness and action toward reversing and ending pollution continues affecting curriculum development. Typical elementary classrooms teach recycling and healthy environmental practices. Some societal problems that affect curriculum implementation, war and greed, prejudices, threat, dissolution of family, regionalism, ecological imbalance, population, pandemic and ssues of particular groups in society. Schools exist within, not apart from, social contexts. Through their curricula, schools influence the cultures of the people that the schools serve. Likewise, the cultures affect and shape the schools and their curricula. Schools, through their teaching of the curriculum, can altar society, and society can mould the school and its curriculum. We cannot meaningfully consider the development or deliver of curriculum without reflecting on the relationship of schools and society. The sociological aspects of the curriculum affects the development of the curriculum in the sense that there are certain factors which intervene in the curriculum development process due to cultural beliefs, societal expectations, values, norms and traditions emanating from the background of stakeholders. Society is a general body of people, communities or nations constituting civilized mankind. Therefore, curriculum should be designed in light of the main trends and development of the society. Cultural and social changes and expectations can affect the implementation of the curriculum. However, this includes major changes to society such as unemployment patterns, social values, economic growth and family relationships, parental, employer and community expectations of schools. This is also affected by the educational system requirements and challenges.
