Rethinking the how, where and what of conversation in curriculum work

Abstract

This paper focused on the school-based curriculum work of a case school seeking to equip their students with 21st century competencies. The school used an integrated curriculum approach for educational change. The teacher-teams planned a series of lessons, guided by cross-department key personnel. Six focus-group-discussions involving the teacher-participants, key personnel and school leaders were conducted to collect data on the innovations’ genesis, processes, decision-making and the curriculum outcomes. The analysis of the focus-group-discussion data reveals a recurring theme depicting a perpetual school-placed structure that encouraged passion for conversation into practice, involving staff at all levels in crafting actionable plans that would sustain continuous teaching and learning improvement. We have labeled it as Constant Curriculum Conversation. Three key features seemed to explain this continuous professional exchange that permeated the school and anchored a desire to deliver a 21st century education to their students. They are Safe Environment (how), Integrated Curriculum (what) and Long Runway (where). The findings point to the importance placed by the school on its use of the professional learning community as a long term self -renewal strategy for continuous improvement in school-based curriculum development.