Curriculum Change in Basic Education

and Teacher Professional Development

Regional Experiences and National Cases

Merle C. Tan, PhD

Director, National Institute for Science and
Mathematics Education Development
University of the Philippines
(UP NISMED)
 Regional 
Experiences

Basis for Education Programs and

Curricular Reforms in the Region
Emerging Trends and Directions
Striking Differences
Commonalities
Basis for Curricular Improvements:
Brief Background
o  Education for All (EFA,1990) sought to ensure universal 
basic education by diversifying the curriculum in order to 
meet the basic learning needs of all children, youth and 
adults. 

o  The Delors Report (1996) advocate the reorientation of 
education systems based on the principle of “learning 
throughout life” and building on the “four pillars of learning” 
­ learning to know, to do, to be, and to live together. 

o  Project 2000+ drew attention to the increasing role of 
scientific literacy and technological skills in today’s evolving 
knowledge society and information­technology age, as well 
as to the importance of curricular elements that renew 
cultural traditions and promote social cohesion and unity.
Emerging Trends and Directions
in Basic Education*
1. A shift in educational goals and objectives towards 
using educational systems to prepare learners as 
functioning citizens of the twenty­first century. 
Increasing emphases placed on enabling learners to 
q  adjust and adapt to the accelerated and complex social 
changes; 
q  become competent workers and intelligent and 
independent thinkers; 
q  become socially responsible and morally upright 
individuals; and 
q  develop  physical, aesthetic, emotional and spiritual 
lives to ensure their balanced growth and 
development, and promote caring and nurturing values 
and attitudes
* From the Report on “Building Capacities of Curriculum Specialists in East 
and Southeast Asia" held in Bangkok, Thailand, on 12–16 December 2000 
Emerging Trends…

2. A move towards decentralizing various 
aspects/processes of curriculum development, 
implementation and administration. 

q Wider consultations on the curriculum are taking place; 

q Increasing participation of various stakeholders and the 
larger public in educational policy and decision 
making; and 

q Allowing local schools and communities greater 
autonomy in implementing the national curriculum
Emerging Trends…
3. In line with EFA objectives, the national curriculum 
for basic education is being diversified precisely to 
meet the basic learning needs of different groups in 
the population. 

q  Experimentation with various methods of instruction 
and increasing adoption of a “differentiated 
curriculum.” 

q  Providing students at basic level, and particularly so in 
high school, with different educational tracks, or 
options (e.g., academic or college­bound, vocational, 
skills­oriented) to learn tasks and subject­matter 
contents that  suit their own level of ability, aptitude, 
inclinations, life plans and career choices.
Emerging Trends…
4. Emphasis on education programs that enhance 
science and technology literacy and are introducing 
as much ICT in schools as they can support. 

q  To ensure that students acquire the skills and learn 
the competencies demanded by an information age 
and a globalizing world, and by this century’s evolving 
knowledge societies or economies. 

.
Emerging Trends…
5. Emphasis on independent study or self­learning, and 
of inculcating in students the love and desire to 
learn and the basic skills for learning (literacy and 
numeracy). 

q  Self­learning allows students to pursue knowledge of 
every kind and especially knowledge that they are 
interested in. 

q  Self­learning also breaks the stereotypical view that 
learning is necessarily confined to classrooms and 
schools, and reinforces the principle that one can go 
on “learning throughout life.”
Emerging Trends…
6. Pedagogically, shifts have also been occurring away 
from traditional approaches where teachers are the 
major authority in knowledge construction and 
transmission. 

q  Focus on learner­centered education to enhance 
student’s ability to think critically and creatively and 
to decide on issues and solve problems. 

q  Learner­centered education helps students arrive at 
their own truths, thereby, contributing to knowledge 
generation and construction.
Emerging Trends…
7. Experimentation on various teaching­learning 
methods and approaches to attain a better 
integration of the contents of the curriculum both 
within and across subject offerings. 

q  Use of thematic approaches and inter­ and 
multidisciplinary perspectives in learning materials. 

q  Reducing of overloaded curriculum content through 
the integration of different learning areas arising form 
the continuous explosion of information and 
knowledge.
Emerging Trends…
8. There is an increasing awareness of the need to 
reorient teaching­learning processes and outcomes 
away from earlier notions that education is primarily 
a means for preparing students to take and pass 
school tests and national standard examinations. 

q  Education based on examinations tends to encourage 
memorization rather than understanding and analysis. 
This also measures ability and achievement narrowly, 
or only in terms of given test results while promoting 
unnecessary or unhealthy competition among students. 
q  An overemphasis on test scores, achievement and 
competition may undermine the attainment of those 
values; e.g., humanism, a sense of community, peace, 
tolerance, and respect
Summary of Emerging Trends…

q  Curriculum renewal today requires educators 
and curriculum specialists to go beyond the 
framework of a content­ and competency­ based 
curriculum. 

v  To ensure that the national curriculum for basic 
education remains relevant and responsive to 
current­day problems and needs, curriculum 
developers must exhibit an appreciation of those 
contextual forces—both global and local—which 
impinge on the education and learning process and 
take these into account in revising and updating the 
national curriculum for basic education.
Summary of Emerging Trends…
q  Educators and curriculum developers, too, must 
work to ensure the effective implementation of new 
curricular reforms and innovations. 

v Need for continuing support for teacher­training 
programs on new pedagogies and teaching­learning 
strategies and information­dissemination campaigns or 
activities to inform parents, local communities, the 
student body and the larger public of the nature, 
directions and rationale of ongoing curricular reforms. 

v Need for increasing public support and other 
stakeholders to enhance the chances of successfully 
carrying out planned curricular reforms.
Striking Curricular Differences
Across Countries**

o  Striking educational/curricular differences have been 
noted across countries, especially 

Ø  between the newly independent nation­states in the 
region on the one hand,  notably Laos and 
Cambodia and to a certain extent, Vietnam, and 

Ø  the more mature and developed economies of 
South Korea, Japan and Malaysia, on the other. 

** From the Report on “Building Capacities of Curriculum Specialists in East 
and Southeast Asia" held in Bangkok, Thailand, on 12–16 December 2000
 Striking Curricular Differences
Across Countries
In Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam,

o  education programs and curricular designs are directed 
primarily at supporting national development plans and 
the countries’ aspirations of becoming modern and 
industrial states. 
o  efforts are being exerted to universalize the provision of 
education at elementary grades and at lower secondary 
level. 
o  curricular goals and content at basic education are 
oriented towards producing workers and citizens needed 
for reconstructing their economies and inculcating 
national pride and identity. 
o  updating of their curriculum by taking into account 
emerging social and global issues and concerns, new 
international trends in curriculum planning and design, 
and other pedagogical developments.
Striking Curricular Differences
Across Countries

In South Korea, Japan and Malaysia,

o  education programmes reveal a clearer articulation of 
the global context and influences on their countries. 

o  educational plans and goals are similarly aligned with 
their respective national development plans; all are 
concerned with gaining and maintaining a competitive 
edge economically in the world market, and socially and 
otherwise in a global village. 

o  more stress is on updating student­learners with the 
advances in science and technology and their uses and 
with the equally rapid developments in information­ 
communication technologies.
Striking Curricular Differences
Across Countries

In the Philippines, educational programmes and 
curricular designs 

o support national development plans and the countries’ 
aspiration of becoming a modern and industrial country 
o are oriented towards producing independent workers and 
citizens needed for inculcating national pride and identity 
o take into account emerging social and global issues and 
concerns, new international trends in curriculum planning 
and design, and other pedagogical developments 
o are concerned with gaining and maintaining a competitive 
edge economically in the world market, and socially and 
otherwise in a global village 
o update student­learners with the advances in science and 
technology and their uses and with the equally rapid 
developments in information­communication technologies.
Characteristics of S and M curricula,,,
v  A review of the S and M curricula of some countries*** 
(e.g., Japan, Singapore, Australia) shows that the content 
and strategies are directed towards development of thinking 
skills. 
v  The S and M curricula reviewed reflect the characteristics of 
a ‘thinking. curriculum e.g., 
Ø  scope promotes in­depth learning 
Ø  content and process objectives are situated in real­world 
tasks 
Ø  tasks are sequenced to situate holistic performances in 
increasingly challenging environments. 
Ø  actively connects content and processes to learners' 
backgrounds. 

***UP  NISMED Curriculum Framework Project, on going
 In the Philippines (UP NISMED practice)..
o  curriculum development in S and M… 
Ø  follows the backward process of planning the 
curriculum 
Ø  adapted from the model of Ralph Tyler which was 
promoted in 1959 but  revived in many countries in 
the 90’s. 
Ø  used in the development of portfolios under the INTEL 
Teach to the Future Program. 

o  The backward process of curriculum designing has three 
stages 

Stage 1: Identifying desired results 
Stage 2: Determining acceptable evidence 
Stage 3: Planning learning experiences and instruction
Curricular Reforms:
Their Implications for
Teacher Professional
Development
New Trends in
Teacher Professional Development
o Use of transactional approach rather than
transmission approach
o Transmission approaches focus on training &
reproduction; emphasis is on INFORMATION
o Transactional approaches focus on capacity
building, empowerment and transformation;
emphasis is on INTERACTION and use of a set of
resources which participants can adapt and apply
o In the transmission approach, experts share
information to participants, provide inputs in terms
of a new resource and focus on development of skills
but training is usually a one­shot deal
o In the transactional approach, some stimulus
materials are made available; expert does not deliver
but facilitates more interaction, critiquing,
reconstruction. It is an on­going interactive activity
based on a whole range of practices: theorizing ideas
for further development; linking theoretical ideas
with practice; reflecting, reviewing & reconstructing
as work goes on
Transactional Approaches

o  View teacher development as professional, 
social, and personal development (Bell, 1998) 
o  These three aspects are intertwined, 
interactive and interdependent. 
o  For change to occur, programs and activities 
must support all three aspects of teacher 
development.
What does professional development
include?

o use of different teaching activities

o development of beliefs & conceptions underlying the
activities
o development of subject matter knowledge and skills
o updating scientific/mathematical knowledge
What does social development entail?
o the renegotiation and reconstruction of what it
means to be a teacher of science/mathematics
o working with other teachers to reconstruct what it
means to be a teacher through sharing experiences
and beliefs
What does personal development involve?
o being aware and accepting of the need for
professional growth
o changing their ideas about what it means to be a
teacher of science or mathematics
o teachers taking more control of their own learning
and being reflective
The Challenge is…
q how to design PD programs for teachers that foster
collaboration, capacity building and reflective
practice
o how to design PD for learning, empowerment, and
transformation
o how to move from a conception of PD which is
static, top­down, and policy­oriented to one which
is teacher­centered, dynamic and oriented to the
active construction of professional knowledge
within contextual realities
Best Practices in
Professional Learning of Teachers***

o  Conceptual development 
o  ICT as a tool for learning 
o  Creativity and practical work 
o  Assessment and evaluation 
o  Research 
o  Networks and partnerships 

*** Synthesized from the NIER/UNESCO APEID  Final Report on the Seminar on 
Best Practices in Professional Learning of Teachers, 14 ­18, 2005
Best practices on
conceptual development ….
o  Identifying and addressing alternative conceptions as well 
as least learned concepts and topics 
o  Using real­life problem solving situations 
o  Using inquiry­based approaches 
o  Emphasizing the process not just the product 
o  Motivating and engaging students in science and math 
by using STS approach, integrating science and culture; 
acknowledging indigenous knowledge, among others) 
o  Facilitating open discussion about, and critiquing of of 
approaches towards teaching and learning of concepts
Best practices in using ICT as tools for
teaching and learning..,.

o  Making teachers aware that there is a variety of 
technologies that can be used for teaching and learning 
(e.g., computers, radio, videotapes) 
o  Transforming curriculum development centers into 
efficient agencies in developing teaching and learning 
materials using indigenous materials and resources 
o  Promoting balance between ICT and real­life hands­on 
experiences
Best practices in developing creativity
using practical work approach (PWA)

o  Teachers experiencing ‘students role’ so that they are 
able to identify key factors about ‘teaching role’ 
o  PWA as engaging activity: hands­on, minds­on, and 
hearts­on; not limited to classroom activities but using 
the natural environment for teaching and learning and 
employing varied ICT resources 
o  Sharing of PWA experiences through reflection and 
journal writing 
o  Using lesson study approach in lesson planning (e.g., 
Japan)
Best practices on
assessment and evaluation… 
o  Using varied forms of assessment, including 
performance­based 
o  Improving questioning skills of teachers 
o  Using assessment results to improve the 
teaching/learning process 
o  Developing standards that reflect levels of 
quality teaching including different facets of 
teachers’ day­to­day work.
Best practices on improving teaching and
learning through action research

o Teachers as action researchers (e.g., Malaysia’s

Program for Innovation Excellence and Research
(PIER) supported by the Ministry of Education
o Bridging the gap between basic and tertiary
education (e.g., attached elementary schools to
universities in Japan)
o Research dissemination
 National 
Cases

• The Philippines’ basic education

curriculum
• Malaysia’s Professional Development on
Action Research
• Japans Professional Development on
Lesson Study
The Philippines
Basic Education Curriculum
o Functional literacy, equipped with life skills and
appreciation for the arts
o Five learning areas: Science, Mathematics, English
Filipino, and Makabayan
o National curriculum in place but with school­based
adaptation
o Community support
o Enabling policies from DepEd Central
Malaysia’s Teacher Action Research as
Professional Development
Action research is a process in which individuals or several
teachers collect evidence and make decisions about their own
knowledge, performance, beliefs, and effects in order to
understand and improve them”
(Gay and Airasian, 2000).

By doing action research, teachers

n are empowered to inquire into their daily practices and
take responsibility for improving classroom teaching and
to focus, reflect on and address problems of practice
n resolve teaching/learning problems
n sustain and improve their good teaching practices
n develop new theories/expand existing theories
n disseminate theories and solutions
 Action Research Model*

Training Networking/
Collaboration
OUTCOME

• Research culture
Action Research
• Good practice
• Quality teaching &
learning

Funding Dialogue/
Dissemination
*Malaysia Report, Best practices Seminar, 2005
Japan’s Lesson Study*
o An approach to instructional improvement,
now generating interest in other parts of the
world

o A cycle in which teachers work together to

consider their long term goals for students
bring those goal to life in research lessons,
and collaboratively observe, discuss and
refine the lessons.

*Lewis, C.C (2002)
 2. Research Lesson 
One planning team 
member teaches 
classroom lesson 
while other team 
members collect data 
1. Goal setting and  on student thinking,  3. Lesson 
planning  learning engagement  Discussion 
Identify goals for  behavior., etc. Share and analyze 
student learning and  collected data from 
long term  research lesson 
The Lesson Study Cycle 
development 
Identify evidence 
Collaboratively plan  that goals for 
instruction designed  4. Consolidation of  student learning 
to bring life to these  Ideas  and development 
goals including a  were fostered 
If desired, refine and 
research lesson that 
re teach the lesson 
will be observed. 
and study it again. 
Write report that 
includes lesson plan , 
student data and 
reflections on what 
was learned. 
Why Lesson Study
o  Brings educational goals and standards to life 
in the classroom; 
o  Promotes data­based improvement; 
o  Targets many student qualities that improve 
learning; 
o  Creates grassroots demand for instructional 
improvement; and 
o  Values teachers’ inputs
Contrasting Views of
Professional Development
Traditional Lesson study 

Begins with answer  Begins with question 

Driven by outside  Driven by participants 
expert 
Communication flow:  Communication flow: 
trainer to teachers  among teachers 
Hierarchical relations  Reciprocal relations 
between trainers and  among learners 
teachers 
Research informs  Practice is research 
practice 
 Curricular reforms are
directed towards
development of students’ thinking skills.

Curricular reforms implementation

requires quality
teacher professional development
programs
 “ …. professional development
that does not provide opportunities
for teacher­initiation and direction,
and which does not lead to meaningful professional
learning outcomes
cannot be considered
as quality professional development
from the perspectives of both
individual growth and
institutional accountability.”

(Macpherson et. al., 1998)
References

Bell, B (1998). Teacher development in science education. In B.J. Frazer

and K.G. Tobias (Eds), International handbook of science education,
Part II (pp 681­693).
Delors Report (1996) Learning: The Treasure from Within
International Bureau of Education­UNESCO (2002). Building the capacity
of curriculum specialists in East and Southeast Asia, in CD ROM.
Lewis, C.C (2002). Lesson Study: A Handbook of teacher­led Instructional
Change
Macpherson, I., et al (1998). Putting professional learning upfront. Journal
of In service Education, 24 (1), 73­86
Malaysia Report (2006) in NIER/ UNESCO Best Practices Seminar Report
NIER/UNESCO (2006). Final Report on the Seminar on Best Practices in
Professional Learning of Teachers, in CD ROM.
NIER/UNESCO (2005. Final Report on the Regional Workshop on
Management of Curriculum Change in Asia and the Pacific, in CD ROM
Tan, M. C. (2006). Curricular Reforms: Implications for Teacher Professional 
Development.  Paper presented in the seminar on Curriculum Change.
Philippine Social Science Center, Manila Philippines,June 06, 2006.