Enacting the curriculum: The interplay of pedagogical beliefs, motivation, and fidelity

by Özgür Tutal Background Curriculum fidelity – the balance between strict adherence to prescribed curricula and context-responsive adaptation – represents a critical challenge in educational implementation, particularly within centralized systems. While curriculum design has evolved toward constructivist, student-centered approaches, teachers must navigate tensions between mandated standards and diverse classroom realities.

This study examines how teachers’ pedagogical beliefs (constructivist versus traditional) and teaching motivation (intrinsic versus extrinsic) interact to shape curriculum enactment decisions. Methods A quantitative correlational design was employed with 424 in-service teachers from southeastern Türkiye.

Participants completed validated scales measuring pedagogical beliefs, teaching motivation, and curriculum fidelity, which assessed both adherence and adaptation dimensions. Structural equation modeling with mediation analysis was conducted to test direct and indirect pathways among latent variables.

Results Constructivist beliefs were positively associated with curriculum adaptation and intrinsic motivation, while traditional beliefs showed positive associations with adherence and extrinsic motivation. Critically, intrinsic motivation was positively associated with adaptation and negatively associated with adherence.

Conversely, extrinsic motivation was positively associated with adherence and negatively associated with adaptation.