전문학습공동체를 통한 교육과정 개혁

The goal of this study was to suggest a new alternative approach to current top-down and bottom-up curriculum reforms, neither of which has been regarded as successful. “Curriculum” could be defined as decision-making related to teaching-learning plan and its implementation to achieve educational goals. The following research questions were raised: 1) what are the major problems that drove the search for an alternative approach? 2) what is that alternative approach? and 3) what are the implications of the study? The main problems that necessitated the alternative approach were: 1) the hierarchical and separate accountabilities among the government, local school districts, and schools, 2) the absence of cooperative relational procedures among the government, local school districts, and schools, 3) insufficient feedback and support regarding the autonomy of schools and teachers, and 4) the return to the top-down approach instead of the autonomy of schools and teachers was due to insufficient preparation. The alternative approach to improving the main problems raised by current curriculum reforms might be called “schools as professional learning communities (PLC),” where government, local school districts, and schools are linked with continuous interactions on the principle of permeable connectivity (Fullan, 2007: 262). As PLCs, the schools are focused both on students’ learning and the linkage of schools within each district. They aim to build the capacities of their own schools through cooperation among the teachers, local school districts, and government. The capacity building by schools is more important than their accountability. Discussions were made in terms of: 1) making clear relational procedures for permeable connectivity by mandates, regulations, or laws among government, local school districts, and schools, 2) to establish the same educational goals focused on students, 3) to encourage cooperative leadership by school principals, and 4) to be alert to “false clarity” of reforms. Finally, some implications of the study will also be suggested.