Public Report of Survey on the School Curriculum Reform and Implementation of Key Learning Area Curricula in Schools 2003

KLA/subject curriculum planning and implementation

School-based curriculum planning

The KLA/subject heads were asked to indicate whether they had planned a school-based curriculum from 2003 to 2006. The school-based curriculum was to cater for the different needs of students and differing school contexts. The responses ranged from "not yet planned", to "planned, but not yet developed", to "already begun to develop".

Tables 17 and 18 give an overview of the status of school-based curriculum planning in all the KLAs & General Studies in primary and secondary schools. School-based curriculum planning in Chinese Language KLA is the most advanced, especially in secondary schools, owing to the early piloting of this KLA in 1999. Comparatively more primary schools than secondary schools had school-based plans.

Table 17: Status of School-Based Curriculum Planning in Different KLAs/subject - Primary Schools

Status of School-Based Curriculum Planning Primary School (%)

Chi Eng Math Arts PE GS

Not yet planned 14.5
36.7 12.1 20.9 15.1 21.6

Planned, but not yet developed 44.0 40.7 48.0 46.6 51.8 47.1

Already begun to develop 41.5 22.5 39.9 32.5 33.1 31.3

Table 18: Status of School-Based Curriculum Planning in Different KLAs - Secondary Schools

Status of School-Based Curriculum Planning Secondary School (%)

Chi Eng Math PSHE Sci TE Arts PE

Not yet planned 4.7 47.5 22.1 28.6 34.6 29.6 32.5 18.1

Planned, but not yet developed 27.9 31.3 47.7 44.0 43.2 50.6 40.0 54.2

Already begun to develop 67.4 21.3 30.2 27.4 22.2 19.8 27.5 27.7

Cross-curricular Planning

As reported by the primary school KLA/subject heads, over 75% of the KLA/subject heads had planned or had already begun to develop cross-curricular work across KLAs/subject to enable students to make connections across the KLAs/subject. Among all the KLAs/subject in primary schools, 59.9% of Chinese Language Education KLA heads had already begun to develop cross-curricular work. However, the responses from secondary school KLA heads were not as positive. As shown in Table 20, comparatively less secondary schools had planned or had already begun to develop cross-curricular work across KLAs. Among all the KLAs/subject, 56.5% of Chinese Language Education KLA heads had already begun to develop cross-curricular work. Table 19 and 20 provide an overview of the results on cross-curricular planning.

Table 19: Status of Cross-Curriculum Planning in Primary Schools

Status of Cross-Curriculum Planning Primary School (%)

Chi Eng Math Arts PE GS

Not yet planned 10.1 24.8 16.1 26.0 19.2 36.2

Planned, but not yet developed 30.0 32.0 40.4 39.8 46.1 40.9

Already begun to develop 59.9 43.2 43.5 34.2 34.7 22.8

Table 20: Status of Cross-Curriculum Planning in Secondary Schools

Status of Cross-Curriculum Planning Secondary School (%)

Chi Eng Math PSHE Sci TE Arts PE

Not yet planned 22.4 35.0 36.0 Data not
available Data not
available 42.2 30.8 27.4

Planned, but not yet developed 21.2 35.0 36.0
57.8
30.8 45.2

Already begun to develop 56.5 30.0 27.9 38.5 27.4

School-based Curriculum Design

KLA heads and teachers were asked whether they had designed a school-based curriculum following the direction of the central curriculum framework; and if implemented, how effective they thought it was in enhancing student learning. As shown in Tables 21 and 22, for each KLA, over 70% of respondents indicated that they had designed a school-based curriculum. In general, the responses from KLA teachers were more positive than those from KLA heads with regard to implementation. In contrast, the responses from KLA heads were more positive than those from KLA teachers with respect to perceived effectiveness. Among those who had implemented a school-based curriculum, over 70% of them felt that it had been effective or very effective in enhancing student learning. The English Language Education groups from secondary schools were the only exception.

Table 21: Implementation and Perceived Effectiveness of a School-based Curriculum — Primary Schools

Design a school-based curriculum following the direction of the central curriculum framework Primary school (%)

Chi Eng Math Arts PE GS

KLA Head Teacher KLA Head Teacher KLA Head Teacher KLA Head Teacher KLA Head Teacher Subject Head Teacher

Implemented 89.0 87.4 80.5 78.9 81.5 84.5 83.7 83.8 89.8 84.8 74.9 81.2

Effective / Very Effective 84.4 83.1 70.2 70.3 88.8 84.3 86.1 84.4 81.8 85.7 84.1 84.9

Table 22: Implementation and Perceived Effectiveness of a School-based Curriculum— Secondary Schools

Design a school-based curriculum following the direction of the central curriculum framework Secondary school (%)

Chi Eng Math PSHE Sci TE Arts PE

KLA Head Teacher KLA Head Teacher KLA Head Teacher KLA Head Teacher KLA Head Teacher Subject Head Teacher KLA Head Teacher KLA Head Teacher

Implemented 87.1 89.9 73.2 76.1 72.9 77.2 73.2 76.6 75.3 75.9 78.3 79.6 80.0 81.6 89.2 87.7

Effective / Very Effective 87.7 79.2 69.0 60.2 80.0 75.0 76.8 70.9 86.5 77.3 80.6 80.0 78.6 71.6 87.1 79.1

Catering for Learner Diversity

When asked whether they had implemented the recommended strategies for catering for learner diversity, over 75% of both primary and secondary groups indicated that they had. Among those who had implemented the strategies, for each KLA/subject, over half of the groups felt that the strategies were effective or very effective. Table 23 and 24 depict the results for each KLA/subject.

Table 23: Implementation and Perceived Effectiveness of Strategies for Catering for Learning Diversity — Primary Schools

Use Effective Strategies to Cater for Learning Diversity Primary school (%)

Chi Eng Math Arts PE GS

KLA Head Teacher KLA Head Teacher KLA Head Teacher KLA Head Teacher KLA Head Teacher Subject Head Teacher

Implemented 85.4 89.8 87.4 91.0 89.3 92.2 79.8 81.0 84.7 84.4 75.0 83.5

Effective / Very Effective 79.7 76.2 53.9 59.1 86.0 82.4 59.4 79.8 82.7 79.7 80.5 83.4

Table 24: Implementation and Perceived Effectiveness of Strategies for Catering for Learning Diversity — Secondary Schools

Use Effective Strategies to Cater for Learning Diversity Secondary school (%)

Chi Eng Math PSHE Sci TE Arts PE

KLA Head Teacher KLA Head Teacher KLA Head Teacher KLA Head Teacher KLA Head Teacher Subject Head Teacher KLA Head Teacher KLA Head Teacher

Implemented 91.9 94.0 87.8 91.8 92.9 87.4 76.5 89.0 84.0 83.6 80.7 88.1 86.8 90.4 86.7 87.7

Effective / Very Effective 80.2 75.5 67.1 55.8 85.9 83.4 70.6 72.7 77.0 71.0 71.2 78.7 67.8 78.2 80.9 76.5

Assessment for Learning Strategies

In the primary schools, around 70% of the respondents in general had "adopted diversified modes of assessment to provide feedback for improving student learning" and "designed appropriate assessment activities to replace some of the tests and examinations". In the secondary schools, around 80% of the respondents in general had implemented the two strategies. Table 25 and 26 show the results for individual KLAs/subject.

Table 25: Implementation and Perceived Effectiveness of Assessment for Learning Strategies — Primary Schools

Assessment for Learning Strategies Primary school (%)

Chi Eng Math Arts PE GS

KLA Head Teacher KLA Head Teacher KLA Head Teacher KLA Head Teacher KLA Head Teacher Subject Head Teacher

Adopted diversified Modes of Assessment for improving learning Implemented 83.7 87.9 78.7 82.3 78.6 82.7 80.1 85.4 85.5 84.4 82.2 85.9

Effective / Very Effective 77.8 78.3 52.9 56.9 89.4 82.8 81.4 81.8 81.1 82.0 86.1 85.2

Design assessment activities to replace some of the tests and examinations Implemented 63.0 75.5 60.5 69.5 60.4 70.2 76.0 81.3 76.7 78.1 60.1 73.8

Effective / Very Effective 73.3 76.7 54.5 60.7 79.0 80.4 83.3 83.7 83.0 79.0 84.4 83.2

Table 26: Implementation and Perceived Effectiveness of Assessment for Learning Strategies — Secondary Schools
Assessment for Learning Strategies		Secondary school (%)
		Chi		Eng		Math		PSHE		Sci		TE		Arts		PE
		KLA Head	Teacher	KLA Head	Teacher	KLA Head	Teacher	KLA Head	Teacher	KLA Head	Teacher	Subject Head	Teacher	KLA Head	Teacher	KLA Head	Teacher
Adopted diversified Modes of Assessment for improving learning	Implemented	89.5	93.9	87.5	87.0	77.6	74.8	81.5	87.1	76.5	80.5	74.4	84.9	75.3	88.5	90.2	88.9
	Effective / Very Effective	89.2	71.6	53.0	53.1	76.7	65.7	70.3	69.5	80.3	73.9	81.0	78.7	75.0	76.3	96.0	74.3
Design assessment activities to replace some of the tests and examinations	Implemented	80.2	85.9	80.5	78.5	60.0	65.4	N.A.	N.A.	79.0	77.5	86.6	91.2	82.1	94.7	89.0	84.0
	Effective / Very Effective	82.6	76.2	56.2	53.1	60.4	59.6	N.A.	N.A.	74.6	73.4	85.7	83.4	84.5	85.4	84.5	82.2

Developing Students’ Generic Skills / Positive Values and Attitudes

Over 80% of primary school respondents and 70% of secondary school respondents had provided appropriate learning experiences to help students work towards the learning targets in the relevant strands, and to develop their generic skills and positive values and attitudes. In the primary schools, among those who had done this, except for the English Language Education KLA group, around 80% thought that what they had done was either effective or very effective in developing students’ generic skills and positive values and attitudes. In the secondary schools, among those who had done something, except for the English Language Education and Mathematics Education KLA groups, around 70% thought that what they had done was effective or very effective in developing students’ generic skills and positive values and attitudes. Table 27 and 28 describe the responses from each KLA/subject group.

Table 27:Implementation and Perceived Effectiveness in Developing Students’ Generic Skills and Positive Values and Attitudes — Primary Schools

Provide learning experiences to help students work towards the learning targets in the relevant strands, and develop the generic skills, and positive values and attitudes
Primary school (%)

Chi Eng Math Arts PE GS

KLA Head Teacher KLA Head Teacher KLA Head Teacher KLA Head Teacher KLA Head Teacher Subject Head Teacher

Implemented 86.2
92.0 92.1 90.3 85.1 89.6 86.0 87.9 84.4 87.7 89.0 91.2

Effective / Very Effective 82.7 82.9 56.9 65.5 88.4 84.1 82.3 84.8 84.1 78.0 90.3 88.4

Table 28: Implementation and Perceived Effectiveness in Developing Students’ Generic Skills and Positive Values and Attitudes — Secondary Schools

Provide learning experiences to help students work towards the learning targets in the relevant strands, and develop the generic skills, and positive values and attitudes
Secondary school (%)

Chi Eng Math PSHE Sci TE Arts PE

KLA Head Teacher KLA Head Teacher KLA Head Teacher KLA Head Teacher KLA Head Teacher Subject Head Teacher KLA Head Teacher KLA Head Teacher

Implemented 91.9 92.7 89.0 84.1 70.2 71.5 88.9 82.5 79.0 79.2 74.7 79.9 86.1 87.6 90.2 91.4

Effective / Very Effective 81.7 73.7 64.2 52.6 67.3 64.5 73.2 77.1 66.1 70.5 78.0 78.2 72.6 79.4 87.1 73.2

Facilitating and Hindering Factors of Curriculum Reform

School heads were asked to indicate which factors they thought hindered, helped or had no effect on the implementation of curriculum reform in their schools on a 5-point scale from "serious hindrance" to "of great help". The listed factors were: agreement among teachers about the aims of the curriculum reform; teachers’ confidence in curriculum reform; teacher workload; teacher professional development in relation to curriculum reform; support from school sponsoring body/school management committee for curriculum reform; parents’ support and assistance; team culture of the school; pace of the reform; and deploy resources flexibly on implementing the curriculum reform.

Among the factors listed, the following were considered to be of help:

Teacher professional development in relation to curriculum reform

Support from school sponsoring body/school management committee on curriculum reform

Team culture of the school

Parents’ support and assistance

Deploy resources flexibly on implementing the curriculum reform

In the perception of both primary and secondary school heads, the current teacher workload hindered the implementation of curriculum reform. However, the data did not indicate whether this was due to an increase in administrative duties or an increase in professional work.

For the following factors, views were mixed. A significant proportion of school heads considered them a hindrance, while others considered them to be helpful factors:

Pace of the reform

Agreement among teachers about the aims of the curriculum reform

Teachers’ confidence in curriculum reform

KLA/subject heads and teachers were asked the same question, though some of the factors listed were different. The factors were: understanding among various teachers about the aims of the curriculum reform; coordination among the various reforms implemented in schools in recent years; the pace of curriculum change/reform; resources (e.g. manpower, funding); leadership of the school head; attitudes of parents; teacher workload; and students’ adjustment to the teaching approaches promoted in the curriculum reform.

Among the listed factors, the following factors were considered to be of help:

Understanding among teachers about the aims of the curriculum reform;

Coordination among the various reforms implemented in schools in recent years;

Resources;

Leadership of the school head

The factors below were considered a hindrance:

Pace of the reform;

Teachers' workload;

Students’ adjustment to the teaching approaches promoted in the curriculum reform.

On the whole, the findings suggest that it is important to nurture the leadership of the school head, provide support and resources to schools, coordinate among the various reforms being implemented in schools, foster common understanding about the aims of the curriculum reform among teachers and the general public, develop a team culture among teachers, and reduce teacher workload.

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