Exploring institutional capacity building and training initiatives for curriculum responsiveness in Tanzanian universities. A qualitative inquiry

Abstrak

This study explored the capacity-building and training initiatives for responsive curriculum development in Tanzanian universities. This is because, although there has been a growing scholarly focus on curriculum responsiveness, little research has explored how institutional capacity-building and training initiatives facilitate responsive curriculum development, especially in resource-limited university environments. Guided by Institutional Theory and Communities of Practice Theory, the study used a qualitative descriptive design and conducted in-depth interviews with 19 participants, including four quality assurance directors, four department heads, and eleven academic staff from two public and two private universities. Following the three-stage analysis model by Ary, Jacobs, Sorensen, and Razavieh, the study revealed three themes: training on curriculum development; variation and access to training; and the focus of training content. Generally, capacity-building efforts were unstructured, top-down, and inconsistently delivered, with minimal follow-up or peer learning. The study shows that coercive isomorphism pressure is associated with formal compliance without the capacity to deliver, and the lack of active Communities of Practice hinders the reflection of training in actual curriculum practices. The study extends global literature on curriculum implementation in developing countries by conceptualising capacity building as influenced by institutional pressures and social learning frameworks, rather than solely by personal skill deficits. The study recommends engaging curriculum developers more extensively throughout the entire process and exploring expert-led training options and sustained capacity-building models. It also highlights the importance of increasing both the frequency and flexibility of training sessions. Additionally, the findings offer valuable insights for higher education institutions in comparable resource-limited contexts seeking to enhance curriculum responsiveness.