Curriculum coherence as perceived by district-level stakeholders in large-scale national curriculum reform in Finland

Abstract

It has been suggested that curriculum coherence is crucial in successful educational reform. However, empirical research on the topic is still scarce. This study explores how the stakeholders involved in curriculum development at the district level perceived curriculum coherence. Survey data (n = 550) were analysed using structural equation modelling. A confirmatory factor analysis showed that curriculum coherence consists of three complementary components: consistency of the intended direction; an integrative approach to teaching and learning; and alignment between objectives, content and assessments. Moreover, the results showed that curriculum coherence contributes to the expected impact of the reform on the school level development. The study adds to the research on curriculum reform by showing that curriculum coherence is a central determinant of the reform taking root at the school level, and by introducing a scale for measuring perceptions of curriculum coherence within the context of large-scale national curriculum reform.

Keywords:

• Curriculum reform
• curriculum coherence
• school impact
• school development

Note

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Jenni Sullanmaa is a PhD candidate in the Faculty of Educational Sciences, University of Helsinki, Finland. Her doctoral dissertation focuses on the role of curriculum coherence in a large-scale curriculum reform.

Kirsi Pyhältö is a professor at the Centre for University Teaching and Learning, University of Helsinki and a professor of Educational Sciences at the University of Oulu. She is also an extraordinary professor, Department of Curriculum Studies, University of Stellenbosch, South-Africa. Her research interests include teacher learning, school development, teacher burnout and curriculum making.

Janne Pietarinen is a professor of Educational Sciences. He works as dean of Philosophical Faculty, University of Eastern Finland. His research interests include teachers' occupational well-being, school development, school transitions and teacher agency.

Tiina Soini works as research director in the School of Education, at Tampere University. Her research interests include school development, curriculum reform, study engagement and teacher agency.

Notes

1 The municipalities were sampled on the basis of national statistics gathered by Statistics Finland (2013).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Ministry of Education and Culture under Grant 6600567; and the Academy of Finland under Grant 295022.