Conceptual reconstruction of curriculum management based on the integration of managerial functions
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.51468/jpi.v8i2.1740Keywords:
Curriculum Management, Managerial Functions, POAC, Conceptual reconstructionAbstract
Curriculum management is commonly described through the managerial functions of planning, organizing, actuating, and controlling (POAC), yet much of the literature examines these functions one at a time or treats them as a linear sequence, which weakens their explanatory and practical value in contemporary curriculum reform. This article aims to reconstruct the concept of curriculum management by integrating the four managerial functions into a coherent conceptual framework. The study used a conceptual, library-based design with theory synthesis. Purposively selected scholarly publications, from 2020 to 2026, on POAC, curriculum making, Merdeka Curriculum implementation, school leadership, and educational governance were analyzed through coding, comparison across sources, and model building. The analysis produced a reconstruction in which the four functions operate as a dynamic cycle bound together by three integrative mechanisms: a feedback loop that returns evaluative evidence from controlling to planning, instructional and distributed leadership as a coordinating mechanism, and participatory sense-making supported by adequate resources and capacity building. Four propositions are derived to guide future empirical testing. The reconstructed model shifts curriculum management from a sequence of administrative tasks to an integrated, evidence-informed, and learning-oriented system in which each function both depends on and corrects the others. The framework offers a theoretical lens for researchers and a practical reference for school principals, curriculum teams, and policymakers who seek to strengthen curriculum governance, particularly in contexts of curriculum change such as Indonesia's Merdeka Curriculum. Empirical validation through multi-site and mixed-methods studies is recommended.
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