Curriculum Is a Matter Often Decided Based

Curriculum is a matter often decided based on earlier curriculum, and not changed even when the changes are required and approaches have changed. This leads to opposition from existing students, teachers and parents to the recommended curriculum in schools. It is interesting to find out about the attitudes of these groups to specific subjects on the matter.

It is very important for the involved groups within the schools -- teachers, students and parents to find out regarding as to what is the general opinion on matters important to the school students. This is the method of deciding a curriculum which will be suited for the development of students and also meeting the needs for development of the school curriculum by the principals. The help to principals is in terms of their being able to mobilize their staff, students, parents and community interest groups in becoming proactively involved in the issues influencing teaching and learning in their schools, the school principals being able to encourage teachers to reflect on their own practice of teaching and work co-operatively with teachers to find the way to improve teaching practice, and for the school principals to be able to assist stakeholders in the school community to have an impact on policy makers and curriculum decisions taken so as to enable that high standards of teaching and learning would prevail in their schools. (AARE paper: University of Sydney)

In one particular case for research was a co-educational selective high school that was trying to improve its career education program to better meet the needs of its gifted and talented students. In the school there were 920 students attending with an intake in Year 7 of 150 selected from approximately 1 000 applicants. This led to years 7 to 10 having 150 students each, and years 11 and 12 were having 160 students each. In theory the school was co-educational, but, there were more boys than girls among students enrolled, having a ratio of 6:5. For teaching purposes, there were 70 teachers and 11 support staff was being employed at the school. The process of selecting the students for the school was focusedd on an entrance exam of conventional academic performance through a test within the school. The programs of the school that were being devised sought to cater for a broad interpretation of giftedness and this was via aplying the work of Gagne, Renzulli, Gardner, Braggett, and Betts. (The development of a career education program for gifted high school students)

The research study actually took place when the staff of the school and the parents accepted that there were real problems existing with that of the school's career education programs that were under operation from 1997. The problems were being defined as being for Year 7 - there was only a single pastoral care/student welfare/career education of about 55 minute lesson for each fortnight that was being taught and that was being taught by the Year Adviser by means of the Careers and Life Skills syllabus; In the years 8 and 9 - there was however no formal program of teaching careers and skills; in the year 10 the provision of teaching was being restricted to a response from a student demand with the program being provided by the Careers Adviser; Year 11 wherein provision was being limited to the Work Studies elective course, as also a student demand responsive program which was being offered by the Careers Adviser; and, Year 12 where the only provision for teaching was a student demand responsive program as offered by the Careers Adviser. (The development of a career education program for gifted high school students)

The first stage of the survey was through a survey of students during their respective Year assembly times. Student responses were at 72% since answering the questions were not compulsory. The answers indicated that there was a need for a career education program for years 7 to 12; there was a felt desire of a link with student welfare needs as it was felt that this will be a helpful component; the senior students requested a program requiring career education, tertiary study and life skills to a higher extent; senior students accepted the desirability of individual counseling interview process but also formed a wish for increased confidentiality of the interview setting; senior students felt that tertiary education environment of orientation skills like selection of university, accommodation and travel, staying away from home, and living as per allowance received, etc. should be a significant program component; on the other side, certain junior students felt that there a need for increased information about alternate study modes for the senior school like accumulating the Higher School Certificate over several years, joint secondary schools programs, and options of post-school study; there was a general concern about work experience, the usual career education activity for Year 10 students, and these attracted a great deal of comment from students like the feeling that it was useful and should be retained but with increased emphasis on vocational decision making and skills relating to workplace awareness, as also targeted work experience opportunities for Year 11 and Year 12 students; and, there was enough scope for better facilities for the career education program in the form of confidential counseling opportunities, career reference centre, enhanced technology and also improved open access to information as potential enhancements. (The development of a career education program for gifted high school students)

The next set of surveys was on parents and this survey was through a school newsletter mail out which resulted in only a 7% response rate. To improve response, a reminder was made in a subsequent school newsletter but this also had less success by means of returned survey forms. When there were direct enquiries of parents by Year Advisers the indication was that many parents had little confidence in their own knowledge of their sons and daughters career education requirements. This was the reason why they did not participate in the survey. However there was an analysis of the survey, though there were only 51 responses. This provided the following suggestions. First that there should be class lessons in career education from 35 of them. The second point was that the program should take account of gifted and talented students needs by 24 respondents. The third was that use should be made of guest speakers, excursions, etc. To make the work felt to be real by the students with 20 respondents. The fourth and last point was that the program should be offered in all years and 10 respondents provided this view. (The development of a career education program for gifted high school students)