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Curriculum innovations are deliberate changes which take place to a school’s curriculum, these changes are new or perceived to be new. In 2007, Jon Wiles and Joseph Bondi noted that more than 90 percent of new curricula fail to be implemented; in their view because educators lacked the managerial skills and knowledge necessary to deliver a new curriculum. Ornstein and Hunkins (2018) posited that for a curriculum innovation to be implemented successfully, clarity with regards to the goal of the innovation must be high amongst stakholders implementing the innovation and complexity meanings the difficulty of the change must be low (p. 226). Where the curriculum innovation is complex educators must be offered ample support to learn about the innovation and time to experiment with various ways of engaging students. While provision of infrastructural resources is important in ensuring the effective implementation of curriculum innovations, it is not the most important factor. The most important factor is ensuring that stakeholders share the goals of the innovation with the innovator.

Placing the provision infrastructural resources as the first priority in the implementation of a curriculum innovation is like placing the proverbial cart before the horse. When this is done the government runs the risk of wasting many valuable resources. Locally, an example of this can be identified with the introduction of the CAC component for the SEA examination. While parents, teachers, students and various stakeholders have agreed for years that the SEA examination is a stressful, burdensome, and inequitable way of assessing our nation’s children for secondary school placement and that it should be altered; the implementation of CAC failed not due to a lack of infrastructure but due to many other factors. One major factor was the lack of teacher training and support. Sadly, resources such as musical instruments, technological devices, art supplies were not utilized effectively, and this curriculum innovation was ultimately scrapped.

References

Ornstein, A. C. & Hunkins, F. P. (2018). Curriculum: Foundations, Principles and Issues (7th ed). Pearsons Education Limited.

Wiles, J. & Bondi J. (2007). Curriculum Development: A Guide to Practice (7th ed). Pearson.

Nikita Jack-Lawrence

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Infrastructure resources indeed play a crucial role in ensuring the effective implementation of curriculum innovations. These resources encompass a wide range of physical and logistical elements such as school buildings, classrooms, technological tools, transportation and more. Without adequate Infrastructure the practical application of any new curriculum can become significantly challenging. For instance, if a school introduces a new technology-focused curriculum but lacks the necessary equipment or internet connectivity, students and teachers may struggle to engage with material effectively. Therefore investment in Infrastructure is foundational to the successful roll out of innovative educational approaches.

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Infrastructure resources are merely one aspect necessary for successfully implementing curriculum innovation, and they are not necessarily the most critical component. Physical resources are deemed essential in the capacity to innovate (Cohen and Ball, 1999). Hall & Hord (2006) posit that organizational change is contingent upon the transformation of the individuals within that system, thereby supporting the notion that physical resources are not paramount. An instance that reinforces this idea is when an external entity donated a complete distance education system to our organization. This system included a learning management system and video conferencing hardware and software that allowed for asynchronous user accounts, instructional delivery, creation and marking of assessments etcetera. There has been opposition to the use of the system for various reasons, with some instructors within the organization resisting the change. The most resistance came when the topics for instruction were practical which would require instructional and curriculum amendments for the online learning context. All in all, the system is partially integrated albeit the complete infrastructural support from the donor.

Nzinga

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Physical resources represent a component of innovation but do not singly erect a barrier to the implementation of curriculum innovations. Curriculum innovation refers to implementing different approaches to learning that facilitates more meaningful learning experiences and outcomes for students (source). Such approaches are not exclusively predicated by the availability of tangible resources but rather require the capacity to innovate. The Rogan and Grayson (2003) Framework of Curriculum Implementation posits the capacity to innovate is driven by four sub constructs: teachers, students, school ethos and management, and physical resources. In any given educational environment, the ability of schools to implement curriculum innovations is affected by the collective impact elements of each subconstruct has on the institution.

Kofi Toney

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Quality infrastructural resources equip both teachers and students with a supportive environment for effective implementation of curriculum innovations. Successful education and learning are dependent on the availability of key resources. Pillay and Shipalana (2023) suggests that learning materials and resources, educational and learning environments assist in driving the curriculum.

With modern advancements these resources must complement the changing needs in order to enhance learning and education.

Kerline Gopie

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Infrastructure resources are essential for curriculum innovation and implementation as it also involves teachers, learners and the school. When infrastructure resources are included in the classroom it enhances the teaching and learning experience where innovation can take place. It assists with curriculum implementation as it allows the teaching to be more interactive.

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The provision of infrastructural resources or physical resources such as buildings and equipment is but one factor that can affect the implementation of an innovation and it is not the most significant.  Individuals may resist an innovation if they do not see the need for it or it is not aligned with their values. Ornstein and Hunkins (2009:263). Malcolm, Keane, Hoolo, Kgaka and Owens in their study of South African schools suggest that teacher and school management may be the largest contributors to the Capacity to Support Innovation construct at the early stage of implementation and not provision of physical resources.

There are a range of actors engaged in the implementation of policy at the level of the school such as students, teachers, principals and outside of this internal context there are curriculum heads and school supervisors all of whom fall under the broad educative context. The provision of resources is one factor that can support the implementation of the innovation but not necessarily the most significant.

One example of infrastructural resources failing to enable the change was in 1999 when Trinidad and Tobago invested in the reform and expansion of the school system under the Secondary Education Modernisation Programme initiative (SEMP) to ensure there was education for all and no child was left behind. In order to implement the innovation more schools were built. Although, the school buildings were erected in several areas around the country especially rural communities this did not translate into these resources being engaged for the intended purpose. The innovation was not successful in achieving the intended goal and some of these resources remain abandoned. It remains unpeopled by those who can implement the curriculum innovation.

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Infrastructure resources are undeniably essential for the effective implementation of curriculum innovations. Adequate infrastructure, including classrooms, libraries, laboratories, and technological equipment, provides the physical and technological environment necessary for delivering modern curriculum content. For instance, access to computers and the internet enables students to engage in online research, digital collaboration, and multimedia learning experiences, all of which are increasingly integrated into modern curricula.

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“The provision of infrastructural resources plays the most important role in ensuring the effective implementation of curriculum innovations.”   