The literature on change theory is clear that meaningful curriculum reform only happens with significant ‘ buy-in ’ or engagement from teachers and leaders . As Fullan ( 2006 : 8 ) put it : ‘ If you take any hundred or so books on change , the message all boils down to one word : motivation .’ This is why the change process begins with building a shared understanding and commitment to excellence among schools ( Figure 4 ). During the academic year 2021 / 22 , this will be achieved through ongoing professional training and development .
The philosophy behind the CFE is to value the notion of ‘ curriculum making ’ ( Clandinin and Connell , 1992 ) in developing and enacting a shared vision . This moves the discourse on from seeing the curriculum as a static top-down instrument to be implemented towards a more organic , lived experience . As training and practical support materials come online , it is anticipated that the CFE will take on a co-constructed , reflexive turn , with teachers reimagining their practices and reflecting on what works well and why . Such self-evaluation is critical to building a self-improving education system . A revamped MoE website will host training materials , details on the CFE milestones and project implementation .
The CFE values mirror those featured within the UAE Centennial 2071 ( National Media Council , 2017 ). They matter because it is not frameworks in themselves that make a difference to students ’ learning and development but the values , beliefs and motives that lie behind actions :
• Responsibility : where all stakeholders , particularly teachers and leaders , take up the challenge of supporting students to achieve their potential .
differ from their own .
• Openness : to change and innovation , a willingness to learn from others and to demonstrate receptiveness to new ideas .
The CFE is not about introducing new administrative structures or flagging up the latest instructional techniques , which are examples of first order changes . Research tells us that although these can be valuable , by themselves they are insufficient to bring about long-term system-wide school improvement . Sometimes , they lead teachers and school leaders to go through the motions of adopting new practices , only to lack a fundamental understanding of why change is needed , resulting in little more than ‘ change without difference ’ ( Goodman , 1995 ). This is not what the CFE is about . Rather , it represents second order change , designed to bring about sustained development leading to improvement and ultimately excellence in both provision and outcomes for students . It will require teachers and leaders to become learners themselves ,
demonstrating a readiness to think deeply about their practice , and to shift towards more innovative forms of teaching , training and assessment to ensure that students can meet the demands of the modern age .
References
Clandinin , D ., and Connelly , F . ( 1992 ) ‘ Teacher as curriculum maker ’. In P . W . Jackson ( Ed .), Handbook of research on curriculum : a project of the American Educational Research Association , New York : MacMillan , pp . 363-401 .
Fullan , M . ( 2006 ) Change Theory . A Force for School Improvement , Victoria : Centre for Strategic Education .
Goodman , J . ( 1995 ) ‘ Change without difference : School restructuring in historical perspective ’, Harvard Educational Review , 2 , 1-5 .
Hattie , J . and Yates , G . ( 2013 ) Visible Learning and the Science of How We Learn , London : Routledge .
National Media Council ( 2017 ) UAE Centennial 2071 , available at : https :// nmc . gov . ae / en-us / E- Participation / Lists / Publications / Attachments / 6 / UAE % 20Book % 20- % 20en % 20- % 20New . pdf
OECD ( 2020 ) Teaching in the United Arab Emirates , 10 Lessons from TALIS , available at : https :// www . oecd . org / education / talis / Teaching _ in _ the _ UAE-10 _ Lessons _ from _ TALIS . pdf
• Unity : a unity of purpose manifests in collective efficacy that excellence can be achieved , and where successes are evident , they are built upon to ensure continuing improvement .
• Moderation : in learning and teaching practices , for example by striking a pedagogical balance between direct instruction and inquiry-based learning to meet students ’ needs .
• Tolerance : of those from different backgrounds , by acknowledging feelings and sensitivities which may
Dr Russell Grigg is an Education Inspector for the Ministry of Education and works in the School Development and Improvement Unit . He has written widely on education .
Brian Currie is a former primary headteacher who currently works for the Ministry of Education in the UAE supporting school and curriculum development and improvement .
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