CURRICULUM AUDIT: AN ANALYSIS OF CURRICULUM ALIGNMENT AT SECONDARY LEVEL IN PUNJAB

Abstract

The objectives of this study entitled “Curriculum audit: An analysis of curriculum alignment at secondary level in Punjab” were to (a) determine the alignment of Supported Curriculum with the Written curriculum, (b) determine alignment of Taught Curriculum with the Written Curriculum, and (c) find out the alignment of the Assessed Curriculum with the Written Curriculum. The study was delimited to public schools in Punjab, subject of Biology IX-X, and question papers for the academic session 2013-2014. Sample of the study consisted of (a) 400 schools (6.1%) (b) 436 teachers (5.2%) (c) six Biology IX & X question papers (100%) administered by three Boards of Intermediate and Secondary Education (d) two Textbooks of Biology-IX & Biology-X (100%), and (f) one National Curriculum for Biology (Grades IX-X) (100%). The sample size was taken in accordance with Gay, Mills, & Airasian (2009) suggestion as well as by using the online “The Survey System”. Keeping in view the research questions and the nature of population, multistage sampling method was employed for the selection of required sample size. The data were gathered by using observation check list, Surveys of Enacted Curriculum protocol for teachers, and content analysis protocol for the Written Curriculum, textbooks and question papers. For determining the extent of alignment quantitatively, matrices of same order were developed, and a mathematical procedure of using cell by cell comparison of data of the two sets was employed. It was found that the textbooks Biology-IX and X were considerably aligned at coarse grain level (AI 0.72) and Biology-IX at fine grain level (AI 0.74) but Biology X was considerably misaligned (AI 0.68). Similarly, Question Papers administered by viii BISEs were considerably aligned (AI 0.77) at coarse grain level but significantly misaligned (AI 0.54 & 0.52) at fine grain level. The alignment level between written and taught curricula was different for different clusters of teachers. The written curriculum and curriculum taught by teachers of cluster-4 were aligned significantly (AI 0.84) at coarse grain level and considerably (AI 0.72 & 0.76) at fine grain level. Moreover, the written curriculum and the curriculum taught by teachers of Cluster-1 were considerably aligned (AI 0.71) at coarse grain level but considerably misaligned (AI 0.65 & 0.66) at fine grain level. However, the written curriculum and curriculum taught by teachers of Cluster-2 were considerably misaligned at coarse grain level (AI 0.66) and fine grain level (AI 0.61). Similarly, the written curriculum and curriculum taught by teachers of cluster-3 were significantly misaligned at coarse grain level (AI 0.59) and fine grain level (AI 0.54). It was recommended that (a) the content of the textbooks may be reviewed to make it aligned with written curriculum, (b) table of specification in accordance with the written curriculum may be followed for developing the question papers, (c) content in the textbook and number of items in question papers relating to Remember subcategory be reduced and proper representation of all other categories be ensured. Moreover, qualified teachers having relevant academic and professional knowledge may be provided and written curriculum may be properly disseminated to all the teachers.