A Rasch Approach to the Measurement of Responsive Curriculum Practice in the Context of Curricula Reform

Abstract

Reforms of national curricula, in recent years, have increasingly emphasized attention to pedagogy, and in particular to teaching and learning approaches that reflect five dimensions of responsiveness. These dimensions relate to key competencies, values, inquiry, partnerships and student agency. While these dimensions are evident in the curricula of several nations that have undergone curriculum reform recently (including New Zealand, Australia, England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland) no single measure has successfully captured the extent to which these dimensions are embedded in practice. The present article addresses this psychometric shortcoming by reporting on the development of the Responsive Curriculum Practice (RCP) Scale. The RCP, constructed according to Rasch measurement principles, is potentially useful to a range of stakeholders for whom the implementation of responsive curriculum is of concern.