The curriculum fidelity of secondary school teachers working in rural and urban centers: A case study

The purpose of this study is to determine the commitment of middle school teachers working in rural and urban areas to the curriculum. In the research, the holistic multiple case study design, one of the qualitative research methods, was used. The study group consisted of 36 middle school teachers working in state schools affiliated with the Ministry of National Education in the districts of Altınordu, Perşembe, Fatsa, Ünye, Gürgentepe, and Gölköy of Ordu province during the second semester of the 2022-2023 academic year. The schools included in the study were determined as rural and urban extremes using the outlier sampling method, one of the purposive sampling methods. The 36 teachers who constituted the study group were selected using the criterion sampling method, another purposive sampling method. The criteria for selecting teachers were having at least 5 years of experience and being a middle school subject teacher. The data of the research were obtained through structured individual interview forms. The research data were analyzed using thematic analysis method suitable for qualitative research, and findings were determined. While determining the findings, codes, categories, and themes were obtained, and direct quotations were included to reflect the teachers' views. As a result of the research; findings were obtained in the themes of definitions made by teachers regarding their commitment to the curriculum, teacher characteristics adhering to the curriculum, and factors affecting commitment to the curriculum. It was concluded that middle school teachers working in rural and urban areas generally expressed opinions in line with adhering to the curriculum concept, ensuring the implementation of the designed program as originally intended, ensuring the quality of implementation, and integrity. When the opinions of middle school teachers working in rural and urban areas regarding teacher characteristics adhering to the curriculum were examined, it was observed that some teachers described adhering teachers as rule-oriented, disciplined, classic, routine, and open to innovations, while some teachers described them as responsible, equipped, planned, organized, doing their job, and supporting the development of students. Finally, in the study, it was observed that middle school teachers working in rural and urban areas expressed their views in the categories of student characteristics, program characteristics, teacher characteristics, regional characteristics, economic characteristics, cultural characteristics, institutional characteristics, centralized education system, examination system, teacher trainings, extraordinary situations, supervision, and political situations within the scope of factors affecting the curriculum.