Journal of Education and Psychology

Abstract

This study explores the individual and organizational factors involved in the process of kindergarten curriculum reform, how those factors interact with one another, and how the interactions of the factors affect the phases of the reform process. The participant was a kindergarten program which voluntarily implemented a new curriculum model. An interpretive research approach is used. Data was collected through interviews, observations, documents, and discussions. Perter Senge’s (1994) theory of the learning organization and its five disciplines as well as Michae Fullan’s (1991) analysis of the phases of educational reform were adopted as the framework for data analysis.

The findings of this study suggests that kindergarten curriculum reform is affected by the interactions among individual and organizational factors; each phase in the reform process has its unique functions for the success or failure of the reform; and the individual and organizational factors intertwined to form the program’s and its personnel’s experiences in each phase. In other words, the reform of curriculum actually involves holistic systemic changes of the program, instead of simply changing the curriculum content. Organizational support and understanding and effective leadership are crucial to the success of the reform.

The conclusions of this report include issues on the autonomy of the teachers, the role and definition of the director’s leadership, transformation leadership, support systems, interactions among the individual and organizational factors, and phases of the reform process. The researchers propose 13 suggestions in four main areas based on the results of this study.

_{[Chinese Version | Index | Journal of Education and Psychology | Other Journals | Subscription form | Enquiry ]}

Mail any comments and suggestions to hkier-journal@cuhk.edu.hk .