Factors Influencing Curriculum Development in Meru University of Science and Technology, Meru County, Kenya.

Abstract

The general objective of this study was to analyse the factors that influence curriculum development in Meru University of Science and Technology (MUST), Meru County, Kenya. The specific objectives of the study were; to establish the relationship between cultural values and curriculum development, to establish the influence of political factors and to determine the influence of technological factors on curriculum development in the University. The study was based on the actor network theory developed by Callon (1986) and Latour (1988). A correlational research design was used to assess the relationship between the variables in the study. The target population for this study comprised of eighteen chairpersons of academic departments and full time lecturers in the University. All the chairpersons of departments were selected through purposeful sampling for the study. Stratified random sampling was used to select fifty nine out of the total one hundred and eight lecturers. Questionnaires were used to collect data from the respondents, while document analysis was used to obtain secondary data from Senate Board minutes. Data collected was analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). The analysed data was presented in percentages and frequency tables. Inferential statistics were used to describe the relationships between the independent variables and the dependent variable. Findings of the study established that there was a relationship between cultural values and curriculum development and that political and technological factors influence curriculum development to a large extent in MUST. The study recommended that curriculum developers need to consider these three factors when developing new curriculum or reviewing an existing one. The findings of the study may be useful to academic departments in universities, curriculum development policy, non-governmental organizations, and research scholars.