• The Mathematical Education
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.321-335
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• 2004

This study looked into the procedures of and the status on the implementation of the new 7th national curriculum at the elementary school level. It examined the processes taken by the local boards of education in due course of facilitating the schools with the new curriculum implementation. More specifically the study examined, 1) the degree to which the particular innovation(i.e., student-centered, flexible and autonomous school-based curriculum, etc.) is being implemented as planned; and 2) how it is being implemented. It conducted a situation-oriented analysis in cooperation with three local boards of education. Classroom observations, teacher interviews, questionnaires for teachers and supervisors were utilized and the three major criteria of interpreting the result were the three core concepts of the 7th national curriculum, that is, the degree of '(1) reorganization, (2)student-centeredness and (3)diversification/ specialization' of the curriculum. Detailed documentation on the processes of the local bureaus of education and on the classroom practices are made in order to provide schools and policy makers with relevant and practical suggestions for further improvement of curriculum implementation. Ultimately, The greater the awareness of the intention of the new curriculum on the part of both the staff at the local school boards and teachers, the greater the degree of implementation. And the higher the quality of planning to meet problems, the greater the degree of implementation. Continuous efforts are needed to involve teachers in the process of curriculum implementation. The greater the active support of the teachers, the greater the degree of implementation.