Role of teacher in curriculum development

Teachers know the needs of all stakeholders of teacher education. Teachers can understand
the psychology of the learner. Teachers are aware about the teaching methods and teaching
strategies. Teachers also play the role as evaluator for the assessment of learning outcomes.
So teachers must possess some qualities such as planner, designer, manager, evaluator,
researcher, decision maker and administrator. Teachers play the respective role for the each
step of curriculum development process. Curriculum planning involves analysis of
philosophy, social forces, needs, goals and Objectives, treatment of knowledge, human
development, learning process & instruction, and decision.1

Curriculum preparation involves systematic data, content, selection, collection, assessment,

organization. Design factors includes school (levels, types, Structures), educational
technology, systemic vocational, social reconstruction, Curriculum design, analysis of social
needs, translating the needs into Course/general/learning/terminal objectives, splitting the
objectives into specific objectives, grouping the specific objectives into subjects, deriving the
subjects from the above classification, specifying enabling objectives, unitizing each subject
matter, specification of required time, and syllabus formulation. 2

Curriculum development phases consist of Instructional development, Materials & media

development, Methods of teaching & testing Implementation of the Curriculum involves
Instructional scheme of each subject to be completed in the semester, Planning the lessons as
per the timetable, Using the transactional strategies, Using the appropriate media, Providing
the learning resources, Promoting classroom learning experiences, Progressive testing
Curriculum evaluation involves, Intra-curricular evaluation, Teacher evaluation of students,
Student evaluation of teachers, Materials evaluation, Verification of methods, Evaluation of
tests and examinations, Checking the learning outcomes while on the field, Curriculum
review/ improvement/ change/ modification, System revision. After evaluating the prepared
curriculum it is observed that the curriculum is not satisfactory then developer turns for
revising and improving phase.3

The Challenges Teachers Face in Curriculum Development

1
Parker, J. (2003). Reconceptualising the curriculum: From co modification to transformation. Teaching in
Higher Education, 8(4), 529-543
2
Bruner, J. (1996). The process of education. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. Jacobs, Buch , M.B.
(Ed.) forth survey of researches in education new Delhi :NCERT
3
Id
The teachers’ involvement in the curriculum development process is essential in meeting the
needs of society. The process of curriculum development requires teachers to act and reflect
on society's needs in each stage of the development process. 4

Nevertheless, sometimes this process which teachers are requested to follow is unclear. For
example, in South Africa most teachers are not qualified and lack the necessary skills to
participate in curriculum development. Their approach of participation in the process is not
well defined and very difficult on teachers, so they face many challenges regarding their
involvement in curriculum development .

As a result, I think that there should be major advances in teacher development in order for
teachers to actively reflect on society's needs in each stage of the curriculum development
process. On the other hand, in any curriculum implementation process not all teachers will
have the chance to be involved in these processes. Professional development of teachers is as
an important factor contributing to the success of curriculum development and
implementation . So, we should think about what extent teacher education programs are
needed for prospective teachers to study curriculum development.5

Preparation for Teacher Involvement in Curriculum Development

Because teachers have to be involved in curriculum development, the teacher should be

provided with appropriate knowledge and skills that help them to effectively contribute in
curriculum development operation. 6

As a result, teachers need training and workshops, which are geared toward professional
development to be able to contribute to curriculum development. On the other hand, there is
an important point to make efficient in involvement teacher in curriculum development that is
teachers have to be empowered in the process of curriculum development. This means
teachers should have improvement and increasing in many points of them, such as experience
and autonomy. Thus, teachers play an integral part in the process of developing the
curriculum; then students’ outcomes.

4
Handler, B. (2010). Teacher as curriculum leader: A consideration of the appropriateness of that role
assignment to classroom-based practitioners. International Journal of Teacher Leadership. Volume 3. ISSN:
1934-9726
5
Id
6
Johnson, J. A. (2001, August 28). Curriculum revision that works. In principles of effective change. Retrieved
March 10, 2014
The Teachers Role in Curriculum Development

The teacher involved in curriculum organization has many roles and responsibilities.
Teachers want to enjoy teaching and watching their students develop interests and skills in
their interest area. The teacher may need to create lesson plans and syllabi within the
framework of the given curriculum since the teacher's responsibilities are to implement the
curriculum to meet student needs . Many studies support empowerment of teachers through
participation of curriculum development. 7

For example, Fullan (1991) found that the level of teacher involvement as a center of
curriculum development leads to effective achievement of educational reform. Therefore, the
teacher is an important factor in the success of curriculum development including the steps of
implication and evaluation. Handler (2010) also found that there is a need for teacher
involvement in the development of curriculum. Teachers can contribute by collaboratively
and effectively working with curriculum development teams and specialists to arrange and
compose martial, textbooks, and content. Teacher involvement in the process of curriculum
development is important to align content of curriculum with students needs in the classroom.

Conclusion

Curriculum development is intellectual and research activity. It needs the skillful

programmers for planning, developing, designing, implementing, evaluation and improving
phase. Teachers know the needs of all stakeholders of teacher education. Teachers can
understand the psychology of the learner. Teachers are aware about the teaching methods and
teaching strategies. Teachers also play the role as evaluator for the assessment of learning
outcomes. Teacher can be worked as planner, designer, manager, programmer, implementer,
coordinator, decision maker, evaluator, researcher etc. so teachers can play important role in
the process of curriculum development for teacher education.8

In short, No curriculum will be perfect, a finished product cast in stone, or free from
criticism, but to be effective it must be accepted by teachers and must be deemed
educationally valid by parents and the community at large (“Guide to curriculum
development,” 2006). Curriculum development should be viewed as a process by which
meeting student needs leads to improvement of student learning. In addition, it cannot be
7
Parker, J. (2003). Reconceptualising the curriculum: From co modification to transformation. Teaching in
Higher Education, 8(4), 529-543
8
Edward Sallis, (2002); Total Quality Management in Education; London: Stylus Publishing Inc
stagnant. Curriculum must be a living document that is in constant flux. It must be adaptable
to changes in the educational community and in society in general. Only then will it be able
to be an effective change agent in the educational process. 9

The change journey comes in many phases, where collaboration and feedback are important.
Teachers and supervisors gather and collect data, reflect with dialogue, and make informed
decisions together. Instructional leadership is shared with teachers, in its most progressive
forms it is being cast as collegial investigation, reflection, and coaching . Problems and
conflict do happen, but “problems are our friends”.

Problems need to be embraced so that the organization can come up with a reasonable
solution or solutions. Finally, for schools to be successful with change and development, they
must believe that creating a culture of continuous improvement is the way to adapt to
changing needs and conditions. Schools need to continuously assess themselves and have the
goal toward self-actualizing. Thus, schools are never perfect or self-actualized.

Suggestions

The curriculum development process can be improved by following ways:

 Need based analysis of curriculum,

 Requirement of institutions
 Types of skills need to incorporated in the student
 Bridge the gaps between the theory and real life situation
 Taking feedback of stakeholders is one of curriculum development strategy,
 Use of technology for fulfilment of demands of stakeholders,
 Revision of curriculum is done for each five years, etc.
 The seminars, panel discussions, orientation programmes and workshops must be
arranged for involvement of teacher as curriculum developer

Curriculum developers must follow some of the principles of curriculum development such
as conservative principle, forward looking principle, creation principle, activity principle,
child centred principle, flexibility principle, leisure principle, character building principle,
and dignity of labour principle. 10
9
Barnett, R., Parry, G., & Coate, K. (2001). Conceptualising curriculum change. Teaching in Higher Education,
6(4), 435-449
10
Best J.W. & Kahn, J.V.(2003) Research in educational (9th ed.), new Delhi prentice hall of India Pvt. Ltd
Also the principles of maturity, preparation for real life, linking with life, individual
difference, loyalties, core or common subjects, all round development of body, mind and
spirit, democracy, secularism, socialism etc.

REFERENCES

 Best J.W. & Kahn, J.V.(2003) Research in educational (9th ed.), new Delhi prentice
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 Barnett, R., Parry, G., & Coate, K. (2001). Conceptualising curriculum change.
Teaching in Higher Education, 6(4), 435-449.
 Bhattacharya, S.K.(2006) Educational Technology. Chandigarh: Abhishek
Publications Bhatawadekar, S.(2008) retrieved formhttp://www.citehr.com/25619-
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 Bruner, J. (1996). The process of education. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University
Press. Jacobs, Buch , M.B.(Ed.) forth survey of researches in education new Delhi
:NCERT
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India : Neelkamal publications.
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Publishing Inc
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Council for Teacher Education
 Parker, J. (2003). Reconceptualising the curriculum: From co modification to
transformation. Teaching in Higher Education, 8(4), 529-543.
 Stenhouse, L. (1975) An introduction to Curriculum Research and Development.
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 Curriculum Development: Purposes, practices, Procedures. In Connecticut State
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 Fullan, M. (1991). The meaning of educational change. New York: Teacher College
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(2013). The basic guide to supervision and instructional leadership (3rd ed., pp. 250-
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 Handler, B. (2010). Teacher as curriculum leader: A consideration of the
appropriateness of that role assignment to classroom-based practitioners. International
Journal of Teacher Leadership. Volume 3. ISSN: 1934-9726.
 Johnson, J. A. (2001, August 28). Curriculum revision that works. In principles of
effective change. Retrieved March 10, 2014
 Ramparsed, R .(2000). A strategy for teacher involvement in curriculum development.
South African Journal of Education.