Importance of Teachers in Curriculum Development

This article discusses the importance of teachers in curriculum development and highlights key areas for facilitating individualized strategies. It also explores the role of teachers in shaping positive attitudes and values among students.

Running head: CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT
CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT
Name of the student
Name of the university
Author’s name

1CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT
Introduction
For a successful educational program, an effective curriculum must be developed in order
to meet the requirements and contemporary demands of the society and culture and also to meet
the hope and expectations of the population who are being served. Therefore, curriculum
development for a successful outcome involves a process that is continuously reviewed, revised
and again modified by accommodating the necessary changes (National Research Council,
2002). Curriculum development is a lengthy process and involves a complex mechanism,
therefore, engagement of all the stakeholders those who are directly associated with the student
training plays a vital role in carrying out a successful curriculum development. Therefore, it can
be stated that for an effective curriculum development, teachers must be made involved in the
process and they must possess the appropriate skill set and expertise in order to achieve the
above goal (Alsubaie, 2016). An effective curriculum development, thus, reflects goals,
objectives, philosophy, instructional resources, learning experiences and assessments that are
building blocks of a successful educational programs and guides teachers for developing
strategies aiming at providing individualized support and employ various methods to bring the
above stated goals into reality. Therefore, the paper highlights the importance of teachers or
instructors in the curriculum development, discussing on the specific key areas that are needed to
be considered for facilitating individualized strategies in order to get an improved outcome.
Discussion
There has been a significant change noticed in the school improvement strategies over the
last decade. Efforts were made by the schools and the stakeholders to make the current education

2CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT
system more effective and efficient and initiatives were taken to improve schooling and
educational system like redesigning schools, changing the approaches of studying ad teaching
and also the goals of schooling.
The most important person contributing in the curriculum development process is a
teacher or an instructor. Teachers must possess competencies, skills, expertise and knowledge
and are able to support better learning, therefore, with their knowledge about teaching practice,
they can bring about the change in the education system by implementing strategies for
curriculum development. In a study by Alsubaie, 2016, since teachers are directly involved in the
curriculum development process, their ideas and opinions must be incorporated in the strategies.
According to Alsubaie, 2016, the team responsible for the plan and implementation of the
curriculum development must consider ad recognize teachers as an important part of the
environment affecting curriculum. Therefore, teacher’s involvement is considered to be a
fundamental and primary step to an effective curriculum development as they are identified as
one of the main contributors in the implementation of these strategies (Alsubaie, 2016).
The role of teachers in the curriculum development
Teachers are responsible for providing students with appropriate knowledge, skills and
shaping positive attitude, beliefs and values among the children. Therefore, they must work
within the framework of the proposed curriculum. After carrying out many researches and
reviews, the significant role of teaches were identified in framing curriculum development and
the whole curriculum development process was decentralized. An effective curriculum involves
a proper planning of the syllabus, teaching strategies and learning outcomes. It should describe
and guide the teachers in imparting knowledge among the students. Curriculum involves

3CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT
complexity mechanism involving a local, regional, state or provisional level process that student
might have difficulty in comprehending. Therefore, a proper skill set and an appropriate
knowledge regarding every aspect of child learning outcomes are expected out of teachers in
order to facilitate an effective curriculum development (Alsubaie, 2016).
According to Nicholls & Nicholls, 2018, the leaning opportunities aims at bringing certain
changes in the students and carry out assessments according to the extent and effect of these
changes. The study has described four stages of developing a curriculum that includes
 A careful examination by providing the available sources of knowledge and judgment on
the teaching objectives on a particular subject or curriculum.
 Developing and using trials in schools incorporating materials and methods for achieving
the objectives.
 An assessment conducted on the extent of the development of curriculum that brings
about new ideas and innovations about the achieving the objectives.
 The next element is recognized as feedback of the experiences suggesting the curriculum
developing as a cyclical process.

4CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT
Figure: Curriculum process
Source: (Nicholls & Nicholls, 2018)
The figure suggests that the process of curriculum development has no starting or ending
point. It is a never ending cyclic process.
Factors that influence Curriculum Development are identified as external and internal
factors including application of technology, cultural background of the students and socio
economic status and also classroom managements. The above factors contribute to designing of
the curriculum.
Australian curriculum provides schools, teachers, parents and the community with an
understanding of the students learning outcomes irrespective of where they live and in what
schooling system are belongs to.
The Foundation to Year 10 o the Curriculum of Australia provides a content on the
curriculum, a standard of the achievement in the subject areas that all students should be
equipped with and a flexibility for the teachers or instructors for an individualized learning
process of the students by responding to their requirements and interests
(Australiancurriculum.edu.au, 2019).
The state, territories and non-government authorities of education have the responsibility
of delivering the Australian curriculum that includes the decision on implementing timeframes,
resources, classroom practices that complements and supports the education system in Australia.
The Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) delivers information
and resources required for supporting teaching of the Australian Curriculum
(Australiancurriculum.edu.au, 2019).

5CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT
The stakeholders identified are:
Government
Oversees and governs the schools that contributes to the
guidelines and standards required for the above goal
including equity, inclusion and sustainability.
Educational institutes and schools
Looks after the students who are well prepared for the post
school study.
Communities
Ensures that the students are aware of their social and
cultural responsibilities to participate actively in the
community.
Teachers and instructors or leaders
They are recognized as experts in this field and work as a
planner, designer and developer in the field to meet the
students learning outcome.
Student and their families
The curriculum not only aims at providing adequate
knowledge and meeting the learning outcomes as per their
core academic syllabus, but also must provide the
opportunities to prepare them for their life.

6CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT
To facilitate an effective delivery of the curriculum development, some survey prompts are
as follows:
For teachers:
o Do you feel that you are eligible for teaching the students?
o Will you be able to cope up with the pressure from the workload?
o What are your views about the strategies adopted by the school to bring about
curriculum development?
o Does the school plan and implement strategies by taking professional opinions of the
staffs seriously?
o Does the school encourage you to take a leadership action?
o Do the strategies planned facilitate an effective student learning outcome?
For parents:
o Is my child making a good progress at school?
o Do the teachers motivate them to do their work?
o Does the school curriculum offer the students with activities?
o Does my child is given opportunity to do interesting things and activities?
o Does the school encourage me to take an active role in my child’s education?
o Does this school foster a strong sense of community?

7CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT
o Does the school looks for ways to improve?
For students:
o Do I enjoy being at school?
o How my teacher helps me to learn and do things?
o Does my school give me opportunity for learning new things?
o Does my school encourage me to be a good community member?
o Do my teachers provide me with personalized and individualized learning opportunities?
o Am I getting a good education at my school?

8CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT
Questionnaire Responses
Teachers were asked to think and answer the following questions and their responses were
recorded:
Questionnaires No. of
Participants
Strongl
y
Agree
(%)
Agree
(%)
Disag
ree
(%)
Strongly
Disagree
(%)
Total
Agreement
(%)
Teachers are well supported
in the school.
20 62.3 35.6 2.1 0.0 97.9
The school encourages
coaching and mentoring
activities.
20 9.2 12.3 78.5 0.0 21.5
The school works as a team
to develop performance of
the students.
20 5.8 12.5 81.7 2.2 18.3
You will be able to cope up
with the pressure from the
workload.
20 70.2 29.8 0.0 0.0 100
This school foster a strong
sense of community.
20 25.4 50.6 13.6 10.4 76.0
The school curriculum offer
the students with activities.
20 27.9 49.6 22.5 0.0 77.5

9CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT

10CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT
Parents were asked to think and answer the following questions and their responses were
recorded:
Questionnaires No. of
Participants
Strongly
Agree
(%)
Agree
(%)
Disagree
(%)
Strongly
disagree
(%)
Total
agreement
(%)
My child making a good
progress at school.
65 32.2 65.8 2 0.0 100
The teachers motivate
them to do their work.
65 40.6 29.8 28.4 1.2 70.4
The school curriculum
offer the students with
activities.
65 35.6 49.4 9.5 5.5 85
The school looks for ways
to improve.
65 61.8 29.2 24.5 8.1 91
The teachers motivate
them to do their work.
65 56.8 32.8 8.8 1.6 89.6

11CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT
Students were asked to think and answer the following questions and their responses were
recorded:
Questionnaire No. of
participan
ts
Strongl
y Agree
(%)
Agree
(%)
Disagre
e (%)
Strongl
y
disagree
(%)
Total
agreemen
t (%)
I enjoy being at school. 98 49.3 42.8 6.8 1.1 92.1
My teacher helps me to learn
and do things.
98 47.6 43.2 5.4 3.8 90.8
My school gives me opportunity
for learning new things.
98 28.6 58.6 7.5 5.3 87.2
I am getting a good education
at my school.
98 27.2 71.6 0.8 0.4 98.8
My school encourage me to be a
good community member.
98 35.9 43.5 14.8 5.8 79.4

12CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT
Analysis of the Data
By analyzing the data collected from the above survey, it is clearly understood that a
significant number of participants have shown a higher percentage of satisfaction, especially
among the students. Most of the responses of the teachers from the survey prompt demonstrates a
high percentage of agreement when the questions like “Teachers are well supported in the
school” and “You will be able to cope up with the pressure from the workload” were asked,
indicating the education system and culture adopted in the school for facilitating the effective
delivery of an enhanced student learning outcome by ensuring and holding the integrity of
teacher’s eligibility towards building a better learning activity for students through curriculum
development. When the parents were asked about their child’s performance and expectation from
schools, high percentage of agreement was received that demonstrates their trust and relationship
with the school and the expectation they have regarding their child’s performance at school.
Therefore, the key areas identified with greater opportunities for carrying out curriculum
development process are:
 Encourage coaching and mentoring activities.
 Working as a team to develop performance of the students.
 Consultation with the parental community.
 Facilitating and encouraging the involvement of high skilled teachers by aligning
with National curriculum for implementing curriculum development strategies.

13CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT
Conclusion
The process of curriculum development is a complex and intellectual process and
requires the skillful programmers to plan, develop, design, implement, evaluate and improve
educational system. Teachers are expected to understand the needs of all the stakeholders
involved in the education system by understanding the psychology of the learner. The creation of
school curriculum empowers educators to be responsible as shift agencies and to conduct
themselves as curriculum leaders. Teachers and staff all perform various functions in developing
school curriculum. Schools need to give educators the opportunity to convey and share views, to
foster a culture of cooperation in order to enhance the efficiency of curriculum growth.