Curriculum Development in China Perspectives from curriculum design and implementation

1. Curriculum Development in ChinaPerspectives from curriculum design and implementation Li Jun East China Normal University

2. 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

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. How many different mathematics textbook series are developed and approved for …… Primary: 7 Junior secondary: 11 Senior secondary: 7

6. POTENTIALLY IMPLEMENTED Textbooks and Other Organized Resource Materials IMPLEMENTED Strategies, Practice & Activities ATTAINED Knowledge, Ideas, Constructs, Schemas 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”

7. Experiment Report 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

8. Textbook selection • Usually, all schools within a city select the same textbook seriesin 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

9. 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.

10. Curriculum Materials Textbooks Teacher’s 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.

11. 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.

12. Teaching time for different topicsGrades 7-9 Statistics and probability:69 teaching hours Total: 410 teaching hours

13. Data-based Reasoning Experience to Uncertainty Estimate Chance by Relative Frequency Predict Probability by Formula Examine Probability by Different Approaches Research Influence

14. 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

15. Voices of mathematicians, standards writing group, and schoolteachers • The principles should be reconsidered； • The framework should be reconsidered； • Geometry teaching should be reconsidered； • Curriculum development should not be in haste Stick to the principles； Encourage practical research； Enhance communications with other interested parties 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

16. (Bao,2004) Old: PEP, 2001 New: ECNU, 2001 Grade 8 textbooks

17. Comparison on composite difficulty between new and old textbooks (Bao, 2004)

18. Investigate into Textbooks Use (Grades 7~9) • 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

19. 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 market’s 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.

20. Southwest Schoolteachers’ Evaluations of the Standards-based Textbooks Zhu & Song, (2004)

21. 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 2 3 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%

22. 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.

23. 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

24. 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.

25. 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.

26. 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