Intellectualizing the Competency-Based Curriculum
J. Bismoko
Many teachers say the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC or ‘KBK’) means that one is free to choose teaching materials. Others say that its use necessitates process evaluation. Vocational school teachers claim that there is nothing new in CBC, because they have been using it for several years. Some education officials insist that in CBC practical life-skills should be emphasised. Meanwhile the National Education Department has created a comprehensive, in-service teacher training package on text-based English instruction. However, as it stands, the curriculum is difficult to understand, thus undermining teacher autonomy and empowerment, and becoming less facilitating. This paper shows disturbingly prevalent dis-intellectualisation in the curriculum itself (‘intellectualisation’ borrowed from Alvesson and Skolberg, 2001), e.g. incoherent relations among concepts, design elements and operations. It reviews the curriculum documents and general and course curriculum, vis-à-vis general learning trends. In conclusion it offers a more intellectualised curriculum structure.
------- ---- -------
Bismoko, J. (2006, February). Intellectualizing competency-based
curriculum. Paper presented at the 6th International
Conference, ITB Bandung, Indonesia.
Website: www.geocities.com/eltindonesia
Email: eltindonesia@yahoo.com