New Curriculum Reform Implementation and the Transformation of Educational Beliefs, Practices, and Structures in Gansu Province

Abstract

Response to the implementation of the new curriculum reforms varies by regional context. A study of the effects of reform implementation on basic education in rural Gansu contributes to understanding the reforms in resource-constrained environments in China. Drawing on rich data from linked teacher, principal, student, and county administrator questionnaires available in three waves of the Gansu Survey of Children and Families, this article examines the relationships between new curriculum reform implementation and the transformation of educational beliefs, practices, structures, and student outcomes in primary and junior middle schools in rural Gansu.

Exploring the Mysteries of School Success in Shanghai

“…Government and education systems in China are centralized, are generally purposefully elitist, and have been so for hundreds of years (Zhao & Qiu, 2010). Despite widespread criticism, the Gaokao 1 still rules (Harris, Zhao, & Caldwell, 2009;Sargent, 2011). National, provincial and municipal agencies tend to concentrate resources on the elite schools to support high-end performance.…”

“…Although a particularly Chinese form of decentralization has been in place for some time, all three "central" governmental levels are similarly strong and directive in terms of curriculum frameworks, principal selection, training, promotion and even pedagogy. For example, while schools are granted autonomy to design school-based curriculum, national curriculum has the largest proportion in the school curriculum structure (Sargent, 2011;Walker & Qian, 2018). So, simplistically, one bucket drawn from the centralization well comes overflowing with policy-driven standards, focused resources and sky-high expectations-these appear to produce outstanding academic achievement on standardized tests.…”

Effects of Epistemological and Pedagogical Beliefs on the Instructional Practices of Teachers: A Chinese Perspective

“…Different studies on the new curriculum reform indicate that most teachers have accepted the constructivist conception and adopted discovery and participatory teaching methods (DelloIacovo, 2009;Li, 2004;Ma & Tang, 2004;Song, Lee, & Cheng, 2010;Wang & Zhao, 2011). Sargent (2011) also reveals that a vast majority of teachers also reported the frequent use of several teaching and learning methods in line with the reforms, including open-ended questions, class discussion, group work, opportunities for students to express their own ideas and opinions, small group work, inquiry-based learning, applied activities, role play, use of multimedia, games, and hands-on activities. To some extent, the present study echoes the findings of Sargent, and indicates that teachers tend to translate the constructivist teaching and learning conceptions into standard contemporary and flexible grouping practices that focused on student needs as the new curriculum reform progressed.…”

Teoretický model pro výzkum vnímání kurikulárních změn učiteli ZŠ

“…Pro zohlednění kontextu české kurikulární reformy deset let po jejím zavedení nebyly oproti modelu CBAM dimenze v těchto komponentách pojímány ve vzájemném hierarchickém či chronologickém vztahu. Položky v jednotlivých dimenzích byly vytvořeny na základě modifikace položek dotazníků, které přímo vycházely z teoretického modelu CBAM (Charalambous & Philippou, 2010;George et al, 2013), a také z dotazníků, které sice s modelem CBAM přímo nesouvisely, ale v nich použité položky se při tvorbě dotazníku ukázaly jako teoreticky průkazné a empiricky přiléhavé (Broadhead, 2001;Sargent, 2011). Několik položek bylo vlastní konstrukce (zejména v dimenzích užívání).…”