Global Trends in Curriculum Reform and Development

Curriculum is generally understood to be that which defines what should be taught and learned in an education system, and the activities and experiences related to this. Curriculum reform and development is a trend globally as nations and states, and their education departments seek to deliver future focused curricula to meet the challenges and needs presented in the 21st century. This article explores some of the definitions of curriculum and the place of knowledge in a curriculum. This sets the basis for discussing curriculum reform and development globally. This is demonstrated in the global trend of curriculum change from curricula where knowledge is seen as specific subject facts, learned through transmission by the teacher to curricula where knowledge for application and problem solving is valued, acquired through a learning process of self-regulation and collaboration. This enables the authors to identify challenges and processes in curriculum reform or development projects. The article discusses curriculum reform in many countries to improve quality of schooling and the production of human capital, has resulted in a policy shift away from content-based curricula towards outcomes-based curricula, with an inclusion of skills and values, and learner-centred pedagogies.