This study explored whether substantive differences exist between the ‘themes developed by students and teachers’ intended in the 2022 revised integrated curriculum and the themes implemented in textbooks. To this end, the study compared and analy...
This study explored whether substantive differences exist between the ‘themes developed by students and teachers’ intended in the 2022 revised integrated curriculum and the themes implemented in textbooks. To this end, the study compared and analyzed the characteristics of themes in curriculum documents and textbooks based on the criteria of status, function, and source. The analysis revealed that the intended themes in curriculum documents were unit titles derived from students’ lives and subject content, serving both as a principle for organizing learning experiences and as a starting point for inquiry. The implemented themes in textbooks largely retained these characteristics, while textbook themes and the lessons developed around them were used as additional sources. Furthermore, the implemented themes were presented not only at the level of unit titles but also at the level of subunit and lesson titles, and their functions were diversified depending on the textbook themes and content. These differences between intended and implemented themes were identified as a source of structural tension between the national curriculum and textbooks, while simultaneously providing meaningful support for feasible approaches to theme development in classroom practice.