Introduction

The modern era, characterized by globalization, easily accessible information, and enhanced technology integration, has required educational innovations in all areas, including curriculum planning, design, and teaching preparation. Educators must gain a comprehensive understanding of learners and their continually changing surroundings. Educational innovations are generally concerned with increasing the degree of personalization in learning methods. Personalization enhances student skills, accommodates individual learner differences, and enables teachers to keep pace with related changes. Various initiatives have been undertaken to optimize educational quality and support teachers’ professional growth while producing quality learning outcomes.

Educational innovations encourage cognitive growth by equipping learners with necessary skills, abilities, and competencies, enabling teachers to facilitate qualitative leaps in learning rather than strictly focusing on knowledge, information, and achievement tests. Here, the ultimate goal is to aid learners in personal growth, in both their lives and future careers. To cultivate learners’ fullest abilities, they must be viewed as human resources that can benefit society. Educational relevancy is considered the cornerstone of achieving a balance between the “function of self-actualization and manpower production” (Moon, 2007, p. 338). Creating such a context facilitates students’ exploration of their abilities, enabling them to reach their potential.

In the twenty-first century, the significance of intellectual, emotional, and physical dimensions as part of individuals reaching their potential has been highlighted. For students to reach self-actualization, a qualitative shift must take place, away from teaching toward learning, which can be found in the competence-based curriculum (CBC) approach. The application of a CBC highlights the vital role institutions play in preparing learners for life and cultivating their abilities for personal productivity while contributing to society (Meryama & Alzahra, 2011). Both corporations and teacher training institutes have successfully used competence-based approaches to ensure that learners gain the skills and knowledge needed to perform their jobs (Priest et al., 2012). These approaches have also been implemented as an independent educational paradigm (Moon, 2007).

Many countries, including the United States, Australia, Belgium, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom, have gradually shifted from objective-based curricula to CBCs, paving the way for a new kind of education (Al Faraji & Rachidi, 2017). Saudi Arabia has also recently implemented a CBC to further develop and transform its educational system (Sturgis & Patrick, 2010). The First Learning Center was contracted to restructure the National Center for Vocational Training. The center had trained more than 15,000 teachers in several developed countries by 2018, including many Saudi teachers, through the International Experience Program (Al-Issa, 2018).

A CBC promotes the development of a new relationship between students and teachers, which emphasizes mentoring, facilitating, supervising, and coaching. Teachers are encouraged to empathize with students, facilitate autonomous learning, and provide both constructive and qualitative forms of feedback (Alliance for Excellent Education, 2013; Shubilla & Sturgis, 2012). Therefore, the teaching role is geared toward helping learners gain personalized learning experiences designed to meet their individual needs, abilities, paces, and capabilities (Sturgis, 2012; Sturgis & Patrick, 2010).

Establishing that competence is not exclusive to educational environments is important. The concept was developed as a focus for companies to help sharpen employees’ management and organizational skills. In the educational context, competence has two main perspectives: theoretical, which is concerned with cognitive structures that facilitates behavior, and operational, which includes a range of skills and abilities that are useful in complex situations (Westera, 2001).

The philosophy of a CBC is concerned with a transformation, wherein students “learn how to learn” (Nasera, 2011, p. 463). The aim of the teaching process is to equip students with critical thinking skills and workplace-related knowledge (Priest et al., 2012). Owing to these characteristics, educators now advocate for the immediate implementation of CBCs.

The objective-based approach, which has been used for decades, is centered on behavioral objectives and procedural formulations that are strongly linked to procedural outcomes that measure skills. Within it, learning is restricted to external behaviors without considering the constructive process that occurs in the psyche. This is one interpretation that has led to a CBC gaining more attention than the objective-based curriculum in Kuwait; a CBC is both prominent and implemented with various incentives. Objective-based learning is also stigmatized to some extent because of its limited focus on achieving the learning goals regardless to the constructivist learning process and internal changes that occur when active learning occurs (Al-Dreij, 2016). However, these criticisms do not completely negate the significance of the objective-based curriculum, although the learner must not be limited to measurable behaviors. Students must have the opportunity to develop their unique creativity as learners. Saadeh (2001) explained that focusing on educational goals and predicting them before the learner experiences the education is unacceptable, as it makes education a mechanical process that proceeds within certain steps and does not deviate from it. The reality of teaching is that it is a dynamic process, making it more than just the scope or limit of the steps.

A shift to the competence-based approach does not mean that we should ignore the general and specific objectives in the field of education, but students should not be limited to measurable behaviors. Instead, opportunities should be presented for students to display creativity and uniqueness. This shift to a CBC targets correcting the educational trajectory due to defects in the objective-based curriculum that focus on learning outcomes among the learners and marginalizing them holistically (Alshebani, 2014).

Kuwait is currently reforming education. It has followed similar strategies as the United States, Australia, and Belgium in its use of a CBC at various educational stages. In line with the “Vision 2035” plan, the Ministry of Education aims to develop its educational system and accommodate innovative trends in educational reform. To this end, it has coordinated with the World Bank and several international experts to implement the National Curriculum for Improving Education’s Quality and Development. This collaboration has resulted in the existing Kuwaiti national CBC, which comprises the most critical educational development standards in 2013. The Kuwaiti Ministry of Education initiated the implementation of the CBC by the 2015–2016 school year in elementary schools, gradually expanding to middle and high schools. The general framework of the Kuwait National Curriculum and Study Materials, as indicated in the Basic Education Document of the Ministry of Education, specifies which competencies will form the core of the new learning approach. The following sections detail these issues.

Key competencies up to the end of Grade 12

As defined by the Kuwait National Curriculum Framework (KNCF), the National Curriculum “covers the overall system of learning experiences offered to students of Kuwait in all subjects in terms of knowledge, skills, and attitudes/values from the age of 3 to 18 by relevant educational institutions” (Ministry of Education, 2013). The KNCF also guides policymakers, curriculum designers, planners, schools, and education administrators in designing, organizing, managing, and assessing school activities and their effectiveness. It outlines the following key competencies:

The key competencies represent a transferable, multifunctional (system) of knowledge, skills, values, attitudes, beliefs, and personal/social attributes that all individuals need to acquire for future development (i.e., for being successful in their personal, social life, and professional career.)

Different from key competencies, general competencies are subject-specific. In other words, they define the most general subject-based knowledge and skills, as well as attitudes and values, integrated with expected student outcomes by the end of Grade 12.

Specific competencies are clustered in the following four dimensions: a range of realities particular to the subject (knowledge), operations (skills and strategies) specific to the subject, personal and social responses (attitudes, values, beliefs) mobilized by the knowledge and skills acquired in a particular subject, and connections with other subjects and domains (outlined by the KNCF; Ministry of Education, 2013). Including the term “competency” within Islamic studies is considered new to this specific curriculum. The Ministry of Education has attempted to highlight the most prominent aspects of competence-based learning in the context of Islamic studies as follows.

Rationale for competence-based learning approaches in Islamic studies

The Islamic studies curriculum focuses on teaching the Islamic religion in the context of faith, ethics, values, jurisprudence, and legislation derived from the Islamic Sharia’s primary sources, such as the Quran and Hadith (the sayings of the Prophet Mohammad, peace be upon him). The curriculum deals explicitly with Islamic religious teachings in a manner that is both interesting and compatible with the characteristics of learners’ growth at various stages. It also emphasizes that religion should not be taught as mere knowledge but as a way of life designed to reach inclusive growth as civilized Muslim citizens.

Objectives of Islamic studies according to the competence-based curriculum

The main objective of the CBC is to help learners become excellent Kuwaiti citizens with multiple abilities that will help them learn and effectively integrate their skills, both locally and globally, through a reliable belief system that establishes a profound understanding of Islamic legislation and provisions based on evidence derived from the Quran and Hadith. It also encourages learners to master worship; the Islamic studies curriculum emphasizes the role of faith in proper behavioral modifications while promoting the values of dialog and accepting others. These ideas are derived from and confirmed in both the Quran and Hadith. Examples can be found by examining the life of the Prophet Mohammad, peace be upon him, and in the behaviors and actions of his companions. The curriculum also aims to create good citizenship and instill pride in belonging to the Kuwaiti nation while encouraging a renaissance among students.

Organization of Islamic studies according to the competence-based curriculum

The CBC used to teach Islamic studies involves strategies that build personality with respect to cognition, emotions, and skills. Specific competencies are implemented through various learning activities designed to help learners achieve the curriculum standards. Students are thus expected to gain a proper and accurate understanding of various Islamic concepts, such as creed, Hadith, the Prophet’s biography, jurisprudence, and discipline. Further, they are guided to employ this knowledge through positive reflections on their behaviors and personalities. The Islamic studies curriculum also emphasizes an understanding of Islamic ethics and values and the importance of applying these elements in daily life.

The Islamic identities highlighted in the curriculum deal with globalization and its influence on religious belonging. A strong focus is also placed on educating students about general human rights and specific Muslim rights, duties, and responsibilities. Here, the subject matter is positively related to Muslims’ daily practices, thus developing good Muslim citizenship and active social personalities among students. The CBC is also expected to challenge teachers in this regard and thus requires proper implementation in educational practices. Teachers should understand that the curriculum involves more than textbook-based instruction and that the transition from a content-based approach entails a focus on competencies and common standards; this requires new practices in both teaching and learning (Ministry of Education, 2013).

The employment of the CBC in Islamic studies in Kuwait aims to teach students content related to behaviors and skills, which requires teachers to activate a higher level of thinking that involves analysis, problem solving, synthesis, and evaluation (Power & Cohen, 2005).

Literature review

Changes within the educational sphere sparked learners’ demand for acquiring skills and competencies that they may apply throughout their lives and would help them grow professionally (Butova, 2015). Several countries, policymakers, and educators perceived that CBCs would fulfill these objectives and requirements. For example, Singapore shifted from emphasizing education about the industrial economy to a knowledge economy based on technologies, especially given global competitiveness. Meanwhile, Canada’s application of a CBC occurred to update the educational system to meet the changes within the digital generation, where the requirements of those born in the twenty-first century need to be matched by changes within the educational system (C21 Canada, 2012). The CBC targeted the quality of education as well as its outcomes. Several studies that have investigated the motives behind the implementation of a CBC have revealed how the curriculum is effective and promotes skills that are compatible with the twenty-first century. Studies have also investigated teachers’ competency in implementing a new curriculum. Recent literature has been reviewed to obtain a thorough understanding and information that might correlate with the current study.

Chafi et al. (2016) state that a CBC is directed toward a “reform meant to effect a paradigm shift from [the] traditional teacher-dominated, knowledge-based transmission style of teaching to the more student-centered, experience-based, problem-solving approach of teaching” (p. 1). Along with other educational reforms, the current literature discusses the implementation of CBCs in this regard. Understanding how teachers conceptualize the new curriculum and how it reflects their classroom practices is crucial. Further, it is essential to understand the weakness regarding the broad definition of competence-based learning: for contemporary methods to merely involve activities is not sufficient; a curriculum should also prepare students for societal demands. Curriculum planners and designers face a range of inherent difficulties when implementing a CBC. Therefore, validating the effectiveness of a CBC is crucial, by revealing teachers’ perceptions and practices toward implementing this curriculum (O’Donoghue & Chapman, 2010). Struyven and De Meyst (2010) discussed the importance of training among teachers with extensive educational experience; regarding the novelty of competencies as a concept, teachers need further information and training to implement it effectively in their fields. In Belgium, both students and teachers were uncertain regarding competence-based learning; both lacked the experience to apply and exercise their skills successfully, owing to the need for extensive training to ensure the effective implementation of competency programs.

Al-Jabri (2010) shed light on how both policymakers and educators need to accurately define all competencies and develop a clear description for teachers to achieve the suggested benefits. Specifically, such an approach should address significant competencies (e.g., active learning) to provide learners with cognitive and metacognitive strategies while promoting collaborative and interactive skills. Transferring to a learner-centered model is challenging and to expect immediate and effective results from teachers who lack qualitative skills training in this regard would be unreasonable. Addressing strengths regarding CBC outcomes is needed, and such attention must be provided by defining and clearly articulating the learning goals, which will help teachers scaffold a conceptual experience (Morcke et al., 2013). Producing a clear structure to teach according to a CBC allows for an authentic learning experience and the achievement of anticipated goals (Lynn & Marcia, 2017). Nonetheless, various obstacles might surface throughout the transition from objective-based curricula to CBCs. Kalthoum and Maryam (2011) found that many teachers in Algeria faced some degree of difficulty with competencies (e.g., regarding teaching, planning, classroom implementation, and even assessing) when implementing a CBC. A similar finding was presented by Egodawatte (2014) who examined whether a CBC was suitable for the Sri Lankan mathematics curriculum and whether it could fulfill its objectives as part of the country’s educational reform movement. While the CBC was implemented regarding content and teaching methods, holistic objectives were not accomplished, and the result was a superficial application to the teaching of the subject, which can be considered as one of the limitations of implementing a CBC. To achieve the potential of CBC application, shedding light on teaching practices is essential; teachers should be trained, qualified, and well prepared for the structure of this type of curriculum’s teaching practices, objectives, instructional activities, and pedagogies. In addition, they should gain familiarity with its assessment methods to promote their sense of reliability and efficiency toward its implementation (Lynn & Marcia, 2017).

Another aspect that requires attention is teachers’ beliefs regarding the transition to a CBC. Nissila et al. (2015) addressed Finland teachers’ beliefs toward competence-based learning to highlight significant pedagogical innovations with experienced vocational teachers. Teachers were skeptical about their ability to use the CBC after many years of teaching through traditional objective-based pedagogical methods. Teachers with extensive experience tended to feel mixed emotions of uncertainty and fear while holding ambiguous attitudes about their ability to manage the CBC, which raised doubts about their readiness and skills in successfully and efficiently implementing it. Sadeq et al. (2021) took a similar approach to that of Nissila et al. (2015) by exploring ESL teachers’ experiences toward the application of a CBC and what factors might affect their efficacy in employing this curriculum. However, the results showed that ESL teachers were positive about applying the CBC, regardless of the difficulties they confronted, especially among older teachers.

It is critical to have a proper examination and comprehensive understanding among teachers, who must, therefore, spend time conceptualizing the pedagogy prior to classroom implementation to determine the best approach for educational reform and development (Chafi & Elkhouzai, 2017).

The situation in Kuwait is similar to that found in the aforementioned studies. A sudden transition from an objective-based curriculum to a CBC has resulted in rejections, opposition, and resentment from teachers, educational supervisors, parents, and students. These negative sentiments are likely due to the sudden introduction of the new curriculum. For instance, many teachers have expressed that they are underqualified for implementing the new curriculum and that they are unhappy about the urgency of applying it without adequate training. Further, experienced teachers have been skeptical of the idea after spending years teaching based on objectives. These objections have raised doubts about whether teachers are ready to implement the CBC (Al Jassar, 2018).

Undoubtedly, the change in the educational approach by applying a CBC is geared to the transformation from knowledge and skill acquisition to knowledge creation and application (Waweru, 2018). However, this transformation results in the emergence of complexities, stemming from the paradoxes and tensions that underpin the process (M’mboga Akala, 2021). In conclusion, every step of the reform and implementation process for curricula should begin with the development of a clear change management strategy. Another crucial step is to use a participatory strategy, a factor to consider when reforming the curriculum, instead of employing a top-down, centralized governing system. Understanding the method and outcome of a curriculum reform process is influenced by an understanding of the notion of change and the requirement to manage it successfully. It is crucial to stress that some fundamental components must be considered for a successful curriculum reform process (Simon, 2022).

Purpose

This study investigated the perceptions of Islamic studies teachers regarding the implementation of a CBC and how it differed from the familiar objective-based curriculum, which was examined in terms of planning, classroom implementation, and assessment. The aim was to ascertain teachers’ general self-efficacy in applying the new curriculum and their level of satisfaction with and the perceived complexity of the associated concepts. Thus, this study explored whether professional experience or age affected how teachers manage educational developments and innovations. The following research questions were addressed:

  1. (1)

    How does teaching in the CBC differ from the objective-based curriculum for middle-school Islamic studies teachers concerning planning, classroom implementation, and assessing student performance?

  2. (2)

    Are there statistically significant differences in participants’ levels of satisfaction with the CBC based on age and teaching experience?

  3. (3)

    How do middle-school Islamic studies teachers rate their self-efficacy when teaching the CBC?

  4. (4)

    Are there statistically significant differences in participants’ levels of satisfaction regarding their self-efficacy when teaching the CBC based on the variables of age and teaching experience?

Materials and methods

Design

This study employed a descriptive analytical design. The quantitative approach is directed toward answering the research questions to understand the relationship between variables so that phenomena or patterns in data that were not been recognized previously can be identified (Cohen et al., 2007; Loeb et al., 2017).

Participants

Participants included 180 randomly sampled female middle-school Islamic studies teachers from various educational districts in Kuwait. As shown in Table 1, 73.3% of all the participants were under 30 years of age, followed by those who were between 30 and 40 years (22.8%) and 41 years or above (3.9%).

Table 1 Distribution of the sample by age
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Regarding professional experience, more than half (n = 99, 55.1%) had 5 or fewer years, 28.3% had between 5 and 10 years, and 16.6% had more than 10 years (Table 2). The professional experience variable was considered influential in the formation of teachers’ perceptions regarding the implementation of the CBC.

Table 2 Sample distribution by professional experience
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Questionnaire

The questionnaire was administered during the 2018–2019 academic year. It included two main sections: the first asked for personal and demographic information, while the second contained 42 statements that aimed to ascertain the challenges teachers faced when applying the CBC after having taught through objectives. These items were rated on a five-point Likert scale from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). The items were distributed on four main axes: planning, classroom implementation, evaluation, and self-efficacy. The first, second, third, and fourth dimensions included 8, 14, 10, and 10 items, respectively.

Statistical analysis

All the results were analyzed using SPSS version 25 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA) and Microsoft Excel. Data were statistically processed by calculating the value of the arithmetic mean of the variables within the scope of responses to reduce errors and obtain more accurate results.

Validity and reliability

The questionnaire’s reliability was determined through Cronbach’s alpha; coefficients and correlation coefficients between the statement and total marks of the dimensions were calculated. Then, the correlations between the total marks of the dimensions and those of the questions were established (Table 3).

Table 3 Cronbach’s alphas for questionnaire dimensions, axes, and the whole questionnaire
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As seen in Table 3, the dimensions of planning, classroom implementation, and assessment were deemed reliable according to the Cronbach’s alpha results. Following George and Mallery (2003), the questionnaire’s classifications ranged from very good to excellent, while the four dimensions were characterized by a sufficient degree of statistical reliability. As such, the questionnaire was determined to be reliable.

Calculation of reliability between the study dimensions and overall marks according to Pearson’s correlation coefficients

After determining a high degree of internal consistency between each statement in every field through Cronbach’s alpha, the researcher measured the stability of all study dimensions according to Pearson’s correlation coefficient to verify internal consistency between each dimension. That is, the researcher calculated Pearson’s correlation coefficients between the total marks for each dimension and the total number of questionnaire items (Table 4).

Table 4 Pearson’s correlation coefficients between the total marks of the dimension total marks
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As seen in Table 4, the 4 dimensions and 42 questionnaire statements were deemed statistically significant at 1%.

Results

The results for each dimension were as follows.

Planning

Lesson planning is considered the first phase of teaching to achieve the anticipated objectives and outcomes. It holds teachers accountable for readiness and efficacy in organizing and designing assignments, allocating a timetable of activities, and providing the resources to be used (Vural, 2006). Accordingly, as shown in Table 5, the item “needs a varying set of learning activities” was considered the most crucial planning dimension (mean 4.14, standard deviation 0.86, and consent rate 76.7%). This finding is contrary to Al-Ghemeiti’s (2011) study, which indicated that teachers did not take long to plan activities that suited diverse learning styles. On the contrary, it supports the idea that teachers using a CBC should focus on self-learning while stimulating their own skills and personal growth, thus implementing active learning to promote social and organizational skills (UNESCO, 2013). In addition, teachers competent in planning and preparing their lessons will reflect positively on their instructional process and promote students’ academic achievements. (Kablan, 2012; Süral, 2019).

Table 5 Mean, standard deviations, and rankings for planning items
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The item “takes a lot of effort to prepare the lesson” was rated the second most crucial in the planning dimension (mean 3.74, standard deviation 1.20, and consent rate 57.7%) (Table 5). This can be attributed to the recent implementation of the CBC and a generally inadequate amount of teacher training. This may have led teachers to view the planning process as very demanding (Kalthoum & Maryam, 2011), as well as being associated with poor preparation among teachers for the innovative curriculum approach, that is, “insufficient teacher training prior to and during the implementation of the curriculum” (Sadeq et al, 2021, p. 7). The item “challenging to implement structural assessments in class” was considered the least significant (mean 3.23, standard deviation 1.16, and consent rate 36.2%). As previously confirmed by Nissila et al. (2015), teachers with extensive experience may have concerns about their ability to manage a CBC. In general, the arithmetic means of responses regarding planning lessons according to the CBC compared to planning according to the objective-based curriculum dimension were between 2.34 and 3.66. This reveals that the participants hold a high degree of difference regarding planning their lessons according to the CBC compared to their former lesson planning.

Classroom implementation

As shown in Table 6, the item “requires continuous employment of educational technology” was most important in the classroom implementation dimension (mean 4.14, standard deviation 0.91, and consent rate 72.2%). This is compatible with Nasera’s (2011) study, wherein teachers placed high importance on employing educational and technological means when implementing the CBC. One of the crucial aspects within the philosophy of applying a CBC is that it emphasizes the notion of preparing learners with the twenty-first century skills that require mastering various competencies (Scheopner Torres et al., 2018), including the utilization of technology as an essential skill during the new technological era (Beers, 2011). The item “increases the pleasure and fun of learning” was considered the second most important (mean 4.05, standard deviation 0.93, and consent rate 71.4%). This finding supports a study by Forbes and Zint (2011) in which students who were encouraged to ask questions while making assumptions and discoveries found enjoyment in the learning process. When CBC students were exposed to activities that were challenging, it enabled them to reach an authentic learning experience (Wangeleja, 2010). The item “challenging to activate emotional aspects” was rated 12th overall (mean 3.48, standard deviation 1.19, and consent rate 45.6%), while “takes individual differences into account” was rated last (mean 3.35, standard deviation 1.08, and consent rate 43.8%). Teachers who employ active teaching strategies and seek students’ active engagement with the content can indirectly deviate from focusing on emotional aspects, which are significant elements of the Islamic studies curriculum. Many teachers complained that the CBC needed to better highlight the emotional and spiritual features specific to Islamic studies, and overall learning. Indeed, the relationship between knowledge and emotion is considered one of the core aspects of Islamic studies.

The combination of traditional and active teaching methods supports the Islamic studies goal, which emphasizes the formation of moral and spiritual attitudes, skills, personalities, and a worldview that are consistent with the knowledge, skills, and appreciation of the Quran and the Hadith. Education is not merely a process whereby the teacher imparts knowledge that the students may or may not absorb; rather, it is also an interaction affecting and benefiting teachers and students equally (Kasim & Yusoff, 2014, p. 559).

Table 6 Mean, standard deviations, and rankings for execution items
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The mean of responses for classroom implementation dimension ranged from 3.67 to 5.0. This indicates that the participants perceived a high degree of difference regarding the classroom implementation of the CBC, compared to implementation of the objective-based curriculum. The findings of Sadeq et al. (2021) showed that one of the main obstacles that ESL teachers faced when implementing a CBC was inadequate training and preparations before and during implementation.

Assessment

As shown in Table 7, the item “requires creative assessments from one class to the next” was considered most important in the assessment dimension (mean 4.00, standard deviation 1.05, and consent rate 71.2%). The CBC entails individuality and self-learning, thus requiring teachers to make creative efforts suited to student diversity and varied learning styles. This supports Al-Basheer et al.’s (2015) finding that authentic assessments enabled teachers to measure student skills more effectively.

Table 7 Arithmetic means, standard deviations, and rankings for assessment items
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The item “continuously uses teaching technologies when conducting assessments” was the second most important (mean 3.92, standard deviation 1.01, and consent rate 63.9%), while “contributes to student self-assessments” came ninth (mean 3.27, standard deviation 1.08, and consent rate 37.8%). The item “easy to assess students regularly and objectively” was considered the least important (mean 3.22, standard deviation 1.16, and consent rate 40.6%). This indicates that participants lacked the experience and knowledge to assess their students. As mentioned regarding the absence of adequate training, this could indicate that teachers were accustomed to monotonous assessment techniques that did not measure higher-level thinking skills.

The mean of the responses in the assessment dimension was between 2.33 and 3.66. This indicates a high degree of difference regarding assessments applied in their lessons according to the CBC, compared to their previous assessments using the objective-based curriculum.

Self-efficacy in implementing the competence-based curriculum in teaching Islamic studies

As shown in Table 8, the item “I stimulate student participation” was ranked first (mean 3.78, standard deviation 0.94, and consent rate 63.3%). This is supported by Alkandari’s (2020) finding that Islamic studies teachers viewed a CBC as highly active while encouraging students to discuss materials and ask questions. The statement “I choose to employ strategies suitable for the competencies curriculum” was rated second (mean 3.77, standard deviation 0.96, and consent rate 62.3%). Sadeq et al. (2021) harmonized with this result; they concluded that after several years of teaching according to a CBC, teachers found that it was more convenient to teach and evaluate their students according to a CBC. Also, Sadeq et al. (2021) noted that a CBC is considered to be a “flexible system that accommodates learners of various learning styles and abilities and…Assessments should also be in line with the overall objectives of CBC” (p. 10).

Table 8 Means, standard deviations, marks, and ranks for self-efficacy items
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The statement “I provide feedback in both formative and summative assessments” was rated ninth (mean 3.56, standard deviation 1.02, and consent rate 47.3%). Applying a CBC fosters teachers’ roles as facilitators. Teachers are, therefore, required to encourage learners to set goals for their learning and support learners to retrieve and retain knowledge that can be used to develop habits of lifelong training (Masdugi, 2006). The statement “I feel comfortable implementing the CBC” was rated 10th (mean 3.30, standard deviation 1.20, and consent rate 41.7%). Muneja’s (2015) findings correspond with previous statements that addressed the fulfilling experiences of secondary school teachers regarding implementation of a CBC. Participants expressed happiness toward teaching this curriculum despite their novel exposure and the challenges experienced in the CBC implementation. ESL teachers in Sadeq et al.’s (2021) study expressed their satisfaction in teaching according to a CBC; they welcomed the novelty of a curriculum that accommodated learners’ needs and developed their skills.

Different averages by age

The Kruskal–Wallis test results indicated no statistically significant differences in responses to the planning dimension with respect to age (H value = 3.09, degrees of freedom = 2, and statistical significance < 0.05). Further, there were no statistically significant differences in the responses to the classroom implementation dimension based on age (H value = 0.217, degrees of freedom = 2, and statistical significance < 0.05) (Table 9).

Table 9 Results of the Kruskal–Wallis test with respect to planning and classroom implementation based on age
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Different averages by professional experience

The Kruskal–Wallis test results indicated no statistically significant differences in responses to the planning dimension when considering professional experience (H value = 1.66, degrees of freedom = 2, and statistical significance < 0.05). Further, there were no such differences for responses to the classroom implementation dimension (H value = 0.229, degrees of freedom = 2, and statistical significance < 0.05) (Table 10).

Table 10 Results of the Kruskal–Wallis test with respect to planning and classroom implementation based on professional experience
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Analysis of variance for the level of teacher satisfaction with assessments according to age and professional experience

As shown in Table 11, the analysis of variance showed no differences in teachers’ satisfaction when conducting assessments through the CBC based on age (F value = 1.04 and statistical significance < 0.05) or professional experience (F value = 1.54 and statistical significance < 0.05) (Table 12).

Table 11 Results of the analysis of variance
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Table 12 Results of the Kruskal–Wallis test to detect significant differences with respect to planning and classroom implementation based on professional experience
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The overall results for participant self-efficacy when implementing the CBC in Islamic studies, according to age and experience, contradicted those reported by Nissila et al. (2015) on teaching beliefs in Finland. Their study concluded that senior teachers with extensive experience had significant concerns about managing the CBC compared to newly qualified teachers, which also can be viewed, to some extent, as being compatible with the current study, especially considering that most of the participants were viewed as newly experienced; however, this can also relate to inadequate teacher training. Also, Sadeq et al. (2021) pointed out that ESL teachers who are over 51 years old addressed their dissatisfaction with CBCs owing to insufficient training, which can result from a failure in applying CBCs correctly.

Conclusion

The Kuwait National Curriculum is part of the educational system reformation designed to teach the skills necessary for twenty-first century learners. CBCs, a new addition to the Kuwaiti education environment, was applied because of poor achievements in mathematics and science, along with the lowest results thus far in reading according to TIMSS and PIRLS 2011 (http://timssandpirls.bc.edu/i). These results were a red flag, leading to the conceptualization of a holistic system that would remedy poor learning outcomes and stop educational decline (Singer et al., 2014). Owing to the complexity of Islamic studies and the context of its national implementation, the sudden transition from an objective-based curriculum to a CBC faced rejection and dissatisfaction from educators who lacked adequate training and preparation on the curriculum.

Teachers are the main agent for the success or failure of a curriculum (Loflin, 2016). It is crucial to prepare teachers whenever they are being introduced to new a curriculum. Curriculum development requires teacher participation to increase their capacity for designing appropriate lesson plans that meet curriculum objectives, evaluate their students’ learning outcomes, and plan activities. To do so, teachers must be initially well trained; understanding how teachers perceive their responsibilities in implementing the new curriculum will help reach the curriculum goals and objectives (Jess et al., 2016).

Despite the novelty of the participants’ experiences with implementing this curriculum, many participants were beginning to accept the idea of teaching according to a CBC. They were receptive to change and innovation in Islamic studies regarding lesson design, classroom implementation, and assessing students’ outcomes. Islamic studies teachers’ experiences indicated that applying a CBC is an innovative transition within their educational practices, one that is not without complications. Eventually, time and effective training must be allowed to achieve authentic learning outcomes. Enhancing teachers’ skills and self-efficacy reflect positively on students’ learning outcomes. The critical component for the successful implementation of any novel curriculum is teachers’ growth, which can be achieved by providing them with high-quality professional development programs (Singer et al., 2014). In addition, it is critical to highlight the importance of teachers’ beliefs and perceptions about their educational practices, which consequently would affect their actions and practices in their classroom (Budak, 2015).

The focal point of Islamic studies teachers’ perceptions was that the CBC emphasizes highly active learning. This requires activities to stimulate students’ participation, which can be detrimental to nurturing students’ emotional sides. Ahmad (2016) explained that teachers confront such a dilemma by applying a CBC that is loaded with content, where they deal with intertwining aspects, such as exploring various themes and actively acquiring planned content to achieve their goals; hence, teachers find themselves unintentionally marginalizing other significant aspects, such as attitudes and skills (Muñoz & Araya, 2017).

In addition to these obstacles and skepticism from some teachers, others expressed dissatisfaction with the CBC implementation, especially those with extensive experience in using the objective-based curriculum. Still, this did not prevent participants from testing and experiencing innovations in their teaching practices. Indeed, many participants expressed the desire for professional growth and insight throughout their successes and difficulties. These teachers evaluated their experiences and improved their approaches when implementing the CBC in the context of Islamic studies. Such feedback should serve as an objective source of information for curriculum designers, planners, and educational decision makers when evaluating the overall implementation of the competence-based approach and should serve as the basis of efforts to offer teachers new and valuable experiences to prevent any frustration.

Despite its strengths, this study had several limitations. First, it did not consider students’ learning outcomes and perceptions related to the transition to the CBC. In addition, male teachers should also be considered to capture a holistic perspective regarding the implementation of the new curriculum.

It is significant to note that competence-based curricula are widely used internationally, with variations in every country. Further, application varies by subject matter. For example, the application of competence-based curricula to Arabic or social studies can have different outcomes than those arising in the context of Islamic studies; this should be adequately addressed in future studies. Competence-based curricula may not be suitable for all contexts, and this is something educators, policymakers, and stakeholders must recognize to fulfill its objectives thoroughly. It is vital to identify teachers’ practices and determine how to attain educational objectives across various subjects. Finally, it is important to address practices in individual countries, as well as internationally, to determine the efficacy of CBCs for both students and teachers, as well as to identify outcomes related to their overall growth.