A curriculum must be constantly changing, evolving alongside technological advances and societal shifts. But while most educators agree that the curriculum should be dynamic, they also recognize that curriculum change is not easy. The changes must be accompanied by a strong capacity-building effort, which includes ensuring that teachers have access to the training they need to make the transition. This will help them adapt their instruction and teaching strategies to align with new curricular objectives.
The interviews with faculty members reveal that one of the most important factors in a successful curriculum change is support throughout implementation. Teachers need access to continuous assistance, opportunity for frequent discussion and periodic review, and ongoing professional development that can help them develop and use new instructional strategies. This will increase the ‘buy-in’ that is often so essential to the success of curriculum reforms.
In addition, a key issue for many faculty members is time. They believe that they need adequate curricular time to carry out the proposed changes, and some are concerned about whether the proposed curricular change will actually provide them with enough time to accomplish their teaching and clinical duties. Finally, faculty members need training in the pedagogical aspects of competency-based education and in the evaluation of student performance.
The most important limiting factor for curriculum change is the attitudinal issues that arise in the process. Teachers are hesitant to teach new material that may be unfamiliar, or they might feel that the new materials will not engage students. They need a clear rationale for why the curriculum should be changed, and they must be encouraged to participate in the process of developing the new material.