Evolution of the Aim of Education Policy into Curricular Materials and the Status of Teachers’ Awareness and Classroom Practice
Abstract
A new Education and Training Policy was introduced in Ethiopia in 1994. The policy is identified, among many others, with the tag of problem solving education and citizen. This study scrutinized how the policy‟s aim of developing problem solving capacity is translated into curricular materials and teaching practices by addressing social studies and science textbooks and 47 teachers‟ awareness and practices. Curriculum organizational constructs such as problem situated learning, allowing students to predict, searching out knowledge, etc. were applied to this end. Results revealed that social studies and science textbooks, albeit better in comparison to social studies, were poorly aligned with requirements for developing problem solving capacity. None of the topics of these textbooks presents components of problem solving curriculum. All address the components in a disjointed manner. Teachers‟ awareness of how to develop problem solving capacity is characterized by uncertainty. Teachers‟ practice also deviates a great deal from instructional elements of problem solving. The development of problem solving capacity does not therefore seem to be properly met by textbooks‟ organizations teachers‟ awareness and practice. Suggestions for the betterment of these problems are forwarded.
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References
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Elliot, J. (1998). The Curriculum Experiment: Meeting the Age of Challenge of Social Change. Buchingham: Open University Press. Fullan, M. and Pomfret, A. (1977). Research on Curriculum and Instruction, Review of Educational Research, 47(2):335-397. Fullan, M. (1991). The New Meaning of Educational Change. London: Cassel. Goodlad, J. I. (1984). A Place Called School: Prospectus for the Future. New York: McGraw Hill. Guskey, T. R. (1988). Teacher Efficacy, Self Concept and Attitudes towards Implementation of Instructional Innovation, Teaching and Teacher Education, 4(1): 63-69. Haimanot Mihret (2000). The Extent Mathematics Textbooks and Teachers Promote Problem Solving Approach. Unpublished Senior Essay. Bahir Dar University. Hall, G. E. & Hord, S. M. (1987). Change in Schools: Facilitating the Process. New York: University of New York Press. Jones, B.F., Palincsar, A.S., Ogle, D.S. & Carr, E.G. (1987). Strategic Teaching and Learning: Cognitive Instruction in the Content Areas. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Lowham, J. (1995). Evolution of Intentions: From State Policy development to Teacher Development. In Cater D. S. and O‟Neill, M. H. (Eds.), Case Studies in Educational Change: An International Perspective. London: The Falmer Press.
McClure, L., Chinsky, J., & Larcen, S. (1978). Enhancing Problem Solving Performance in an Elementary School Setting. Journal of Educational Psychology, 70 (4): 504-513. McNeil, J. (1996). Curriculum: A Comprehensive Introduction. Los Angeles: Los Angeles University Press. Metasebia Demissie (1999). The Extent to Which Teachers Use Heuristics Problem Solving Approach in Teaching Mathematics in Grade Seven. Unpublished MA Thesis. Addis Ababa University. Ministry of Education (1994). Education and Training Policy. Addis Ababa. Newman, F.M. (1992). The Prospectus of Classroom Thoughtfulness in High School Social Studies. In Cathy Collins and John N. Mangieri. (Eds.) Teaching Thinking: An Agenda for the 21st Century. New Jersey: Lawrence Erbalum Associates. Ogle, D. M. (1992). Developing Problem Solving Through language Arts Instruction. In Cathy Collins and John N. Mangieri. (Eds.), Teaching Thinking: An Agenda for the 21st Century. New Jersey: Lawrence Erbalum Associates. Polya, G. (1957). How to Solve it. Princeton: Princeton University Press. Thelen, J.N. (1983). Graphic Organizers for Relating Reader's Prior Knowledge to new Knowledge in Texts. In H. Singer & T. Bean (Eds.), Learning from Text: Explanation and Strategies (pp. 92-106). California: University of California and California State University. Tinzman, M., Jones, B. F., and Pierce, J. (1992). Changing Societal Needs: Changing How We Think About Curriculum and Instruction. In Cathy Collins and John N. Mangieri. (Eds.), Teaching Thinking: An Agenda for the 21st Century. New Jersey: Lawrence Erbalum Associates.
Beck, I. L., & Dole, J. A. (1992). Reading and Thinking in History and Science Text. In Cathy Collins and John N. Mangieri. (Eds.), Teaching Thinking: An Agenda for the 21st Century. New Jersey: Lawrence Erbalum Associates.
Britz, J. (1993). Problem Solving in Early Childhood Classrooms. ERIC Digest. Retrieved from: http://ceep.crc.uiuc.edu/eecearchive/digests/1993/britz93.html. Casey, M. B., & Howson, P. (1993). Educating Students Based on Problem Centered Approach to Teaching. Journal of Teacher Education, 44 (5):361-369. Clark, L.H. & Starr, I. S. (1986). Teaching in Middle and Secondary Schools. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company. Collins, C. (1992). Thinking Development through Intervention: Middle School Students Come to Age. In Cathy Collins and John N. Mangieri (Eds.,) Teaching Thinking: An Agenda for the 21st Century. New Jersey: Lawrence Erbalum Associates. Costa, A .L. (1992). An Environment for Thinking. In Cathy Collins and John N. Mangieri. (Eds.,) Teaching Thinking: An Agenda for the 21st Century. New Jersey: Lawrence Erbalum Associates. Cotton, J. (1995). The Theory of Learning: An Introduction. London: Kogan Page Limited. Cruickshank, D. R., Metcalf, K., & Bainer, D. (1995). The Act of Teaching. New York: McGraw Hill Inc. Ebel, R. L. & Frisbie, D. A. (1991). Essentials of Measurement and Evaluation. New York: Prince Hall Englewood.
Elliot, J. (1998). The Curriculum Experiment: Meeting the Age of Challenge of Social Change. Buchingham: Open University Press. Fullan, M. and Pomfret, A. (1977). Research on Curriculum and Instruction, Review of Educational Research, 47(2):335-397. Fullan, M. (1991). The New Meaning of Educational Change. London: Cassel. Goodlad, J. I. (1984). A Place Called School: Prospectus for the Future. New York: McGraw Hill. Guskey, T. R. (1988). Teacher Efficacy, Self Concept and Attitudes towards Implementation of Instructional Innovation, Teaching and Teacher Education, 4(1): 63-69. Haimanot Mihret (2000). The Extent Mathematics Textbooks and Teachers Promote Problem Solving Approach. Unpublished Senior Essay. Bahir Dar University. Hall, G. E. & Hord, S. M. (1987). Change in Schools: Facilitating the Process. New York: University of New York Press. Jones, B.F., Palincsar, A.S., Ogle, D.S. & Carr, E.G. (1987). Strategic Teaching and Learning: Cognitive Instruction in the Content Areas. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Lowham, J. (1995). Evolution of Intentions: From State Policy development to Teacher Development. In Cater D. S. and O‟Neill, M. H. (Eds.), Case Studies in Educational Change: An International Perspective. London: The Falmer Press.
McClure, L., Chinsky, J., & Larcen, S. (1978). Enhancing Problem Solving Performance in an Elementary School Setting. Journal of Educational Psychology, 70 (4): 504-513. McNeil, J. (1996). Curriculum: A Comprehensive Introduction. Los Angeles: Los Angeles University Press. Metasebia Demissie (1999). The Extent to Which Teachers Use Heuristics Problem Solving Approach in Teaching Mathematics in Grade Seven. Unpublished MA Thesis. Addis Ababa University. Ministry of Education (1994). Education and Training Policy. Addis Ababa. Newman, F.M. (1992). The Prospectus of Classroom Thoughtfulness in High School Social Studies. In Cathy Collins and John N. Mangieri. (Eds.) Teaching Thinking: An Agenda for the 21st Century. New Jersey: Lawrence Erbalum Associates. Ogle, D. M. (1992). Developing Problem Solving Through language Arts Instruction. In Cathy Collins and John N. Mangieri. (Eds.), Teaching Thinking: An Agenda for the 21st Century. New Jersey: Lawrence Erbalum Associates. Polya, G. (1957). How to Solve it. Princeton: Princeton University Press. Thelen, J.N. (1983). Graphic Organizers for Relating Reader's Prior Knowledge to new Knowledge in Texts. In H. Singer & T. Bean (Eds.), Learning from Text: Explanation and Strategies (pp. 92-106). California: University of California and California State University. Tinzman, M., Jones, B. F., and Pierce, J. (1992). Changing Societal Needs: Changing How We Think About Curriculum and Instruction. In Cathy Collins and John N. Mangieri. (Eds.), Teaching Thinking: An Agenda for the 21st Century. New Jersey: Lawrence Erbalum Associates.
Published
2007-12-01
Section
Articles