Curriculum conception, implementation and evaluation: an experience

Abstract

Aligned with the new trends in curriculum studies, the Portuguese physical and natural sciences curriculum of basic education was reorganised by introducing several new ideas and principles, such as the notion of competence, the development of adequate learning experiences, an emphasis on formative assessment of students and the idea of flexible management of the curriculum. In order to promote changes in teachers’ practices and conceptions, the reorganisation of the curriculum involved a complex process of implementation. However, this process of curriculum change was stopped abruptly due to a change in government. This chapter’s goals are to describe the process of curriculum change, how teachers interpret and implement the science curriculum and the factors that affect the way the curriculum is implemented. We analysed data from three types of studies: (a) a nationwide study focused on teachers’ perspectives regarding the science curriculum, (b) a meta-analysis of several comprehensive Portuguese studies and (c) a multiple case study involving five schools. Results show that teachers modified certain practices not according to the original intentions of the curriculum, but according to how they perceived and experienced some of the constraints and their educational and school contexts. These results support the idea that it is essential to create structures capable of responding to the emerging training needs of teachers. The creation of communities of practice involving educational researchers and teachers may facilitate discussion and reflection about the curriculum, providing teachers with resources to accomplish innovations and for providing them with feedback about the work they are developing.