Effects of Local Culture and Teacher Efficacy on Teacher Enactment of Curriculum Reform in South Korea

Abstract

Guided by social cognitive theory (SCT), this research investigates the structural relationships among local culture, teacher efficacy, and teachers’ exercise of curricular autonomy. A total of 605 Korean elementary school teachers completed survey questionnaires that underwent structural equation modeling analysis with a phantom model approach to identify the motivational factors and their relationships. The results indicate that teachers’ degree of internalization of mainstream Korean culture and teacher efficacy influence their implementation of the reform agenda, while teacher efficacy mediates the effect of culture. Theoretical and practical implications for scholars, policy-makers, and practitioners are provided.

Darting from pillar to post: Policy inconsistency and stakeholder contestations in curriculum review

“…Schools in both developed and developing countries face pressure to keep pace with technological, economic, political, and social changes (OECD, 2020;Xhemajli, Malaj & Mehmeti, 2023). Policymakers recognise the need to add new content, learning activities, and subjects to schools as they try to keep up with the constantly evolving techno-economic and socio-political dynamics (Chisholm, 2005;Erstad & Voogt, 2018;Majoni, 2017;Min, Lee & Kubow, 2022). However, these review and reform initiatives often result in work overload for teachers and learners as new content is added to already overcrowded curricula.…”