Emergent Global Curriculum Trends: Implications for Teachers as Facilitators of Curriculum Change

Abstract

Curriculum and its’ reforms have received increased attention in international policy in recent years as a means to making education relevant to societal changes. Major curricula reforms focus on providing learners with abilities of learning new skills and knowledge for effective living in the midst of rapid technological change. The reforms have given rise to a range of emergent curriculum trends which have significant implications on how teachers should teach. This paper explores and highlights some of the emergent curriculum trends and the implications for teachers who implement the curricula. The implications are informed by an abundance of research examining how teachers, as facilitators can foster students’ learning by understanding curriculum theory and processes, providing differentiated differentiation; facilitating learner-centered instruction; utilizing multiple instructional strategies, developing global citizens and lifelong learners, and developing emergent curriculum integration of technologies for curriculum delivery.  The paper concludes by pointing to the fact that since emergent curricula trends are geared towards the basic purpose of promoting the full realization of individual’s whole life, teachers should align their teaching to correspond to the trend, acquire more knowledge and skills for responsive teaching, meet the needs of students for all-round development and should manifest basic characteristics and direction of curriculum development essential for global citizens.

Keywords: Emergent curriculum, teachers, technology, life-long learning, learner-centered instruction