An exploratory study of the school-based curriculum development journey of a Hong Kong primary school

This study first began as a case study of a local primary school in Hong Kong on its path of school-based curriculum development. The school has been noted for its success in school-based curriculum development and has won wide local recognition. The purpose originally was to investigate and document the factors leading to the school's curriculum success. There were two site visits of the school, one in 2003 and one in 2007. Eight teachers including the Headship were interviewed during the two visits. At the beginning, teachers' learning theories and organizational learning theories guided the direction of the study. In the end, it was found that organizational change theories, especially the life cycle approach of studying an organization's life path development could best explain the school's change in curriculum focus in response to the recent curriculum reform demands. On the other hand, methodologically, it was found that a historical study approach is most suited to a study of an organization's efficacy in facing change. This study also reveals the success of the school's deliberative mode of curriculum development and the underlying factors. In the face of the curriculum reform, the school's change from the original 'deliberation' frame of mind to the later 'rationalization' mentality can be said to speak for many a school in Hong Kong that is similar to the case school in terms of the school ethos, organizational arrangements and teachers' professional relationships.