PARENTS’ ATTITUDES TOWARD THE MODERN EDUCATIONAL CURRICULUM: AN EMPIRICAL STUDY IN THE CONTEXT OF AZERBAIJAN
Abstract. The article analyzes parents’ attitudes, expectations, and experiences regarding the modern curriculum implemented in Azerbaijani secondary schools. The study was conducted using a mixed-methods design (quantitative and qualitative approaches), and the data were collected through a survey administered to 455 parents residing in Baku who have school-aged children. The findings indicate that although the majority of parents (278 respondents) report being sufficiently informed about the curriculum, their level of participation in its development process remains considerably limited (182 respondents report no participation at all). Parents generally evaluate the quality of textbooks and their age appropriateness as moderate. While they positively acknowledge the curriculum’s potential to foster independent thinking skills (179 respondents), they also emphasize several concerns, including excessive academic workload (95 respondents), insufficient alignment of textbook content with students’ developmental characteristics (149 respondents), and shortcomings in the assessment system. Notably, 165 respondents believe that the outcomes of the previous educational program were more applicable to real-life contexts. Participants primarily proposed the following improvements: adapting textbook content to students’ age levels (94 respondents), reducing academic workload (73 respondents), enhancing the assessment system (29 respondents), and improving teacher professionalism (44 respondents). The results highlight the necessity of more active parental involvement in curriculum processes, the development of age-appropriate instructional materials, the optimization of students’ workload, and the enhancement of teacher training quality. Furthermore, by conducting a comparative analysis with international practices, the study provides scientifically grounded recommendations for the further improvement of curriculum reforms within the Azerbaijani education system.
Keywords: curriculum, parental attitudes, educational program, school-family collaboration, textbook quality, educational reforms, student-centered education.
