Curriculum Development in China Perspectives from curriculum design and implementation

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Curriculum Development in ChinaPerspectives
from curriculum design and implementation

• Li Jun
• East China Normal University

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A very brief history review
Ancient
Rites, Music, Archery, Chariot-Riding,
Calligraphy, and Arithmetic Apply the calculating
techniques in solving the real world problem Nine
chapters on the mathematical art
After 1840
Western mathematics and modern school systems
were introduced Ancient China mathematics was
replaced by western mathematics gradually in the
modern system Chinese translation of European,
Japanese and American textbooks
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A very brief history review
1949-1958
The Soviet Model was imported Textbooks were
adapted based on those of the Soviet Union
National unified textbook policy (PEP, an
affiliated Press of the MOE)
After 1958
Curriculum was designed based on practical
conditions of China Attempts at a balance between
Confucian and Western-style education. The
characters of former Soviet Union textbooks in
1950s sediment in China. Some of the central
control made less rigid.
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Characteristics of the Chinese Mathematics
Textbooks (before 2001)
Coherent, systematic
Few topics, more teaching times
Topics relate to each other
Theorem-based curriculum
Accumulation of difficulty
More topics in each item
Multi-steps and theorem-based reasoning
High composite difficulty
Bao, (2004)
Emphasized the rules and regulations of basic
knowledge, and the rigor of proof, including the
basic training of logic reasoning.
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How many different mathematics textbook series
are developed and approved for
Primary 7
Junior secondary 11
Senior secondary 7
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Textbook is a mediator between general intentions
and classroom instructions
INTENDED Intentions, Aims Goals

(Valverde et al., 2002)
In China, less and less is not true more and
more
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Birth of textbook
Appears on the MOE web site for textbook
selection, with price
Check and Approved by the NTMAC
Modify Textbook
Textbook Review by National Teaching Material
Authorization Committee
(Not necessary now)
Textbook Writing
Approved by MOE
A Proposal Sample Chapters
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Textbook selection

• Usually, all schools within a city select the
  same textbook series in the same year

educational bureau directors teaching
supervisors headmasters classroom teachers parents
decision making
2 days reading,
discussion vote
textbook evaluation report is provided by
Province
Textbook selection Committee
Textbook competition becomes strong now. Low
price, High quality, Good service Students buy
textbooks, exercise books calculators
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Textbook Authors
General Editor
Famous Mathematician
Subeditor
Subeditor
University Faculty
Writer
Writer
Writer
Writer
Writer
Writer
Writer
University Faculty
Teaching Researchers
Schoolteachers
editors
In addition to author textbooks for publisher,
they have to finish their regular jobs. They are
rewarded by the publisher.
But before 2000, the PEP textbooks were mainly
designed and wrote by in-house editors. The
authors were also required to collect data at
schools and prepare for the experiment reports.

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Curriculum Materials
Textbooks Teachers manuals Student exercise
books
Prepared by the same textbook writing team
Other Supplemented Materials Hypertexts in
electronic devices, such as CD ROMs, web-based
educational products, etc. Teacher Journals,
problem booklets, workbooks, other teachers
teaching plans, etc.
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Various Intensions of the Textbooks

• Mathematical
• modernization, big ideas
• Pedagogical
• meaningful learning
• Sociological Contexts
• technology, application
• Cultural Traditions
• history, value

The curriculum development after 2000 in China
was mainly driven by international comparative
studies and guided by university faculty.
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Teaching time for different topicsGrades 7- 9
Statistics and probability 69 teaching
hours Total 410 teaching hours
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Research Influence
SOLO Level Summary Description
P Blank, fully irrelevant, illogical, egotistic answers or inability to become engaged in item answers.
U Explains that probability just means may or may not happen and believes chance cannot be measured mathematically so chance comparison is impossible. Considers an incomplete set of outcomes in solving problem.
M May consider all possible outcomes for a one-stage and sometimes for a two-stage experiment in qualifying uncertainty or estimating subjective chance value. For example, assigns an equal chance to each possible outcome for fairness. Interprets most likely to happen as meaning it should happen or interprets chance by frequency but without fully understanding the role of repetition. Uses rudimentary non-proportional reasoning in chance comparison.
R Groups all possible outcomes in favor of a target event together and uses ratio as a measure of probability. Uses proportional reasoning in chance comparison. Knows that a larger number of repetitions is a more reliable predictor and expresses the idea of making a few repetitions automatically.
E Assigns a calculated probability value in complicated situations, for example, involving two bags, two spinners and bases chance comparison on the values. Uses a generative strategy to construct sample space in a two- or three-stage experiment to work out probability. Suggests collecting data from a series of experiments and finding trends across sampling.
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Make Learning be Attractive

• Connection
• Students mathematical reality (cognitive
  structure)
• Students living reality
• Context
• Game Run to 30 fairness of games
• Concrete
• Standard deviation formula reasonable
• Challenge not all mathematics could be or
  should be make up challenge the limits of
  oneself or exceed others
• Spinner size misconception

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A two-person game Run to 30

• Two Players count numbers quickly from 1 to 30 by
  turns. Each player is allowed to count one or two
  numbers in each turn. The player who catch the
  number 30 will be the winner of the game.

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Standard Deviation Formula
New approach To find out measures of spread
(range, mean deviation, variance, standard
deviation, etc.) during whole class discussion.
Why we should divide the sum of the squares by
the number N Calculate SD with calculator or
computer
Traditional approach Standard Deviation is the
measure of spread most commonly used in
statistical practice. Do some calculation
exercises manually.
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Spin each spinners arrowhead as hard as you can.
Suppose you want the arrowhead to stop in the
blue part. Which spinner will give you more
chance to be successful?
blue
Student A
Spinner B gives a greater chance because the
spinner is bigger and has more blue part
spinner A spinner B
Student B
The two spinners give the same chance because
there are only two possible outcomes land on
red or blue. Each spinner has 50 chance to be
successful. So it doesn'tt matter whether you
choose the big one or the small one.
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Voices of mathematicians, standards writing
group, and schoolteachers
Stick to the principles Encourage practical
research Enhance communications with other
interested parties

• The principles should be reconsidered
• The framework should be reconsidered
• Geometry teaching should be reconsidered
• Curriculum development should not be in haste

Basically agree with the principles Suggest to
revise both standards and textbooks
immediately Need practical supports rather than
high expectations Worry about students
achievements in assessments and their future
studies in senior high schools
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(Bao,2004)
Old PEP, 2001 New ECNU, 2001 Grade 8 textbooks
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Comparison on composite difficulty between new
and old textbooks (Bao, 2004)
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Investigate into Textbooks Use (Grades 79)

• Zhu Song, (2004) Investigation and research of
  adaptability to new mathematics curriculum
  standards-based textbooks in the south-west area
• More than 1000 schoolteachers took the
  questionnaire
• More than 50 schoolteachers and students were
  interviewed
• Four series of new standards-based textbooks at
  junior high school level were investigated
• Yang, (2005) An investigation of new
  standards-based mathematics textbooks use in
  junior high schools
• 76 schoolteachers and 862 students from 16 junior
  high schools in the region of Hefei took the
  questionnaires
• Two series of new standards-based textbooks were
  investigated

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How Well Textbooks Satisfy Schoolteachers?

• Textbooks published before 2000
• Before 2000, the PEP series dominated the
  textbook market, constituting more than 70 or
  more of the markets supply. The PEP series
  modified time after time in the past 50 years and
  satisfied schoolteachers well at that time.
• New standards-based textbooks
• The new standards and the first volume textbook
  was published at the same year. So each series of
  new standards-based textbooks have to be modified
  year by year but major changes on the curriculum
  arrangements are happening after 4 years
  experiments.

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Southwest Schoolteachers Evaluations of the
Standards-based Textbooks Zhu Song, (2004)
A 4.005.00 B 3.003.99C 2.002.99 D 1.001.99 E 0.000.99 A 4.005.00 B 3.003.99C 2.002.99 D 1.001.99 E 0.000.99 Average scores Grades
Curriculum Arrangements City teachers 3.88 B
Curriculum Arrangements Countryside teachers 3.94 B
Contents Difficulty City teachers 3.01 B
Contents Difficulty Countryside teachers 2.90 C
Practical Operability City teachers 3.18 B
Practical Operability Countryside teachers 3.18 B
Connections to other school subjects City teachers 2.63 C
Connections to other school subjects Countryside teachers 2.75 C
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To what extent do you feel satisfied with the new
standards-based textbooks? Yang, (2005)

• The majority of teachers and students felt
  satisfied with the new editions mathematics
  textbooks, but the quality of the textbooks
  should be improved. Especially, Examples and
  Exercise Problems need to be redesigned very
  carefully. The spiral curriculum model should be
  applied appropriately.

Very Much
Not at all
0
3
2
4
5
1
Teachers
1.3
5.3
32.9
46.0
14.5
0
Students
1.7 2.2 9.5 31.2 37.8
17.5
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The role of textbooks in teachers teaching

• The majority of the teachers depended highly on
  the textbooks, and they depended on textbooks in
  deciding what to teach more than in deciding how
  to teach. Teachers usually did not depend on
  textbooks in review lessons.
• Over 90 of the teachers admitted that they did
  add some contents not required by the new
  curriculum but appeared in the old textbooks,
  such as some important theorems, formulae and
  examples.
• Teachers used almost all the textbook examples in
  their classroom teaching. However, they also
  selected examples from other teaching materials
  and exercise books or they simply designed or
  modified examples by themselves.

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The use of columns in textbooks

• All columns, except project learning, were
  emphasized by the teachers. But the students seem
  enjoy project learning
• The two columns that students like most are
  explore and reading material
• The three kinds of teaching methods that students
  like most in order
• whole class discussion leading by teacher
• Manipulation
• questioning and answering between teachers and
  students

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the burden of junior high school students

• About 75 of the students answered that the time
  they spent doing exercises outside textbooks is
  as long as or longer than the time they spend on
  doing exercises in textbooks.

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Textbook Reading

• over 60 of the teachers said they usually or
  often requested their students to read textbook
  before (or after) lessons and to be active in
  classroom, while the students read less than they
  were expected.

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Overview

• A very brief history review and the forming of
  the characteristics of our textbooks
• The number of series, the birth of, the selection
  of, the authors of, the intensions of our
  textbooks
• The investigations into textbooks use