ABSTRACT
Driven by globalization and economic development, curriculum reform has become a development priority in education for most Asian societies (Kennedy and Lee, 2008, p.89), and they have set similar goals to pursue through curriculum reform and initiatives (Lee, 2001). The most decisive underlying principle commonly adopted by the Asian societies in this wave of curriculum reform is the paradigm shift from the tradition of centralized curriculum decision making to the advocacy of decentralization of curriculum decision making. Thus, teachers and school leaders are required to participate actively in school-based curriculum development (SBCD) initiatives and practices (Kennedy and Lee, 2008; Tsui, 2010). Policymakers and researchers are aware of the limitations of traditional school leadership in leading schools and front-line teachers to implement the new curriculum reform effectively. This initiative sets high expectations on the student learning process, outcomes and all-round development. Researchers and school professionals are urging a new kind of leadership for curriculum leaders (CLs) in assuming responsibilities specifically related to curriculum decision making and development and implementation for enhancing student learning at the school sites (Tsui, 2010).
