THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CURRICULUM DESIGN AND STRUCTURE AND EDUCATIONAL QUALITY ASSESSMENT: A CASE STUDY OF SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN NEIQIU COUNTY, XINGTAI CITY, HEBEI PROVINCE, CHINA

Abstract

This quantitative study examined the levels of curriculum design and structure, educational quality assessment, and the relationship between these variables in secondary schools in Neiqiu County, Xingtai City, Hebei Province, China. The sample consisted of 134 teachers and administrators selected through stratified random sampling based on Taro Yamane’s formula. Data were collected using a validated and reliable questionnaire developed from established theories of curriculum design and educational quality assessment. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze respondents’ characteristics and perception levels, while Pearson’s correlation coefficient was applied to test the hypothesis. The results showed that curriculum design and structure had a statistically significant but low positive relationship with educational quality assessment. Among all dimensions, sociocultural approaches to curriculum design demonstrated the strongest relationship, indicating the importance of connecting curriculum with learners’ contexts and community environments. Other components, including curriculum design principles, the role of administrators, and theoretical definitions of curriculum design, also showed low correlations, suggesting that curriculum alone cannot determine educational quality without effective teaching, supportive leadership, and conducive learning conditions.