Implementing Curriculum Change in Teacher Education: A top-down approach

The aim of the study focused on the implementation of curriculum change in teacher education using the top-down approach. More specifically the study wanted to find out or ascertain the extent to which the implementation of the new curriculum using the top-down approach would make a difference in junior secondary teacher colleges. The research also meant to answer the following research objectives on the implementation of curriculum change in teacher education. The first research objective was based on the impact of the new curriculum on teaching and learning in junior pre-service teacher colleges in order to ascertain curriculum effectiveness. The second research objective was based on establishing the reasons for the change in the curriculum in junior pre-service teacher education. The third research objective was based on generating views from lecturers, educational administrators and other stakeholders on the implementation of the new curriculum in junior pre-service teacher education. In this time of continuous curriculum changes, it was imperative to find out how new changes can be achieved using the top-down approach to curriculum implementation. Questionnaires and interviews were used as data collection methods using the qualitative and quantitative methods. Individuals who participated in the study were selected using purposive sampling. It is revealed in the findings that curriculum change need not be rushed as it is a complex process that requires adequate time and involvement of all stakeholders. The findings also indicated that the lack of teaching and learning materials impacted rtfeatively on the implementation of the new curriculum. According to research findings, the cbmbination of subjects such as history, geography and civics have brought more problems of larger class numbers, shallow subject content, and unclear assessment procedures. The new curriculum examination guidelines or procedures were yet to be put in place for course work and promotion examination for the first year students. The new curriculum changes have affected the lecturers' way of teaching and delivery of subject content in the sense that lecturers had not been re-trained in the new curriculum methodologies. It was imperative that lecturers understood the rational for change. They showed that they had no choice of accepting or rejecting the decisions made on the old curriculum but to accept the new curriculum because it was top-down imposed by Ministry of General Education. It is therefore recommended that the new curriculum implementation process must be piloted before it is implemented as proposed by members of staff at the grassroots.