School Education in China and Its International Exchange

Dr. ZHAO Zhong-jian Professor and Deputy Director Working Team for NYU Shanghai East China Normal University zjzhao@gec.ecnu.edu.cn

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One more word about myself.

• Deputy Director of the Institute of Curriculum and Instruction, ECNU since 2002), and professor in International and Comparative Education, with special research focus on school education reform in America, with publication of books named Innovation Leading the World: Strategies on Innovation & Competitiveness in the USA (2007) and Quality-based Reform: Study of Main Topics in School Education in America(2010)

• Member of the National Expert Working Committee of Curriculum and Teaching Materials in School Education

• U.S. Fulbright Research Scholar, Graduate School of Education & Consortium for Policy Research in Education (CPRE), University of Pennsylvania ( 1999-2000)

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I. Brief Retrospect and Educational Structure in ChinaII. National Policies on EducationIII. Some Important Reform Aspects Concerning School Education in ChinaIV. Some Existing Problems V. Some Comparison between Education in America and ChinaVI. International Exchange

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I. Brief Retrospect and Educational Structure in China

China educational history since 1949 could be divided into several periods:

1) Learning from the former Soviet Union: 1949-1957;

2) One Sinofication of education: 1957-1966;

3) The ten years of Cultural Revolution: 1966-1976; and

4) The New era of Education: 1976 until the present. During those years, five sub-periods may be roughly divided as follows: 1976-1984; 1985-1991; 1992-1999; 2000-2010(particular important to school education); and 2010 till the present.

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the 6-3-3 school system was restored in the late 1970s.

3 years kindergartens

6 years primary schools

Compulsory Education

3 years middle schools

Academic Stream

3 years senior secondary schools

Vocational Stream

2 – 4 years college and university education

3 years master and 3 years doctor study

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fast pace to the stage of mass higher education

Since 1999, China has experienced sustainable growth in the enrollment of higher education. With the gross enrollment rate reaching 15% in 2002, China entered the stage of mass higher education.

Gross enrollment rate of higher education in China (1999 - 2007)

10.5

12.513.3

15

17

19

2122

23

0

5

10

15

20

25

1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007

25% in 2010

40% in 2020

year

%

高等教育毛入学率

7

Peking Univ.Tsinghua Univ.

93956107

Doctorate-granting universities

581

Undergraduate universities

Higher Vocational Education institutions

1867 Higher Education Institutions in 2006, and now 2263 in 2008

“985”

295

Master’s universities

720

“211”

1147

2

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To see some statistics of schools education in China (2009)

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II. National Policies on Education

1983 saw the principle that "Education must face the modernization, face the world and face the future, "pointed out by Mr. DENG Xiaoping.

In The Decision on the Reform of Educational System in 1985, the government clearly affirmed that "Our country is a vast but imbalance one in its economic and cultural development levels" and so "the educational contents, methods" and "development paces and approaches" "should be in line with local conditions." (1985)

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The 14th National Conference of the Party pointed out in 1992 that a socialist market economy should be established. This is a shocking change in Chinese history

In Feb. 1993, the Central Committee of CPC and the State Council issued Outline for Reform and Development of Education in China, which is also a national policy on educational reform towards the future.

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In the 1990s, with the deepening of reform of market-oriented economic system, it is also necessary to

· accelerate steps to reform the highly centralized system,

· set up preliminarily a new educational system which is suitable to the market-oriented economy,

· strengthen vitality of adaptation of education sector to the outside economic and social development, and

· develop new ways for educational development,

so as to lay a foundation to create the new education system with Chinese characteristics.

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China has now made its new Outline of Long and Medium Term Plan of Educational Reform and Development in China, which sets its goal for the educational development till 2020. This OUTLINE was formally issued by the central government in 2010, which will direct the educational development and reform in the next ten years.

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Some indicators of educational development till 2020:

• Illiteracy rate will be decreased below 3% among the population at the age of 15 years old, and below 1% among the young adults.

• Basic universalization of pre-school education.

• Gross enrollment rate at higher secondary education will reach 90%, and students at high schools will overpass 49.

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• Gross enrollment rate at higher education level will reach 40% ， and all students at colleges and universities will reach 35 million.

• Basic formation of learning society with all people learning and life-long learning, participation rate of in-service training will overpass 20%.

• Average population at the age of 15 and above will receive near 11 years education, and new labor people will have 13 years education.

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III. Some Important Reform Aspects Concerning School Education in China

1.School Curriculum (Standards)2.Teacher Education(Professional Development)3. Principal Training (School Leadership and Management)

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A. School Curriculum Reform

Closely relevant to the centralized educational system and administration, curriculum development and textbook compilation in China had been totally centralized before 1986.

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Diversification of curriculum and subjects is closely related with the devolution of administrative responsibility and with the policies adopted by the central government.

In 1986, the National Council of Teaching Materials Examination and Approval was set up, and cities, provinces, universities, schools and even individual teachers were allowed to design and compile textbooks in different styles for different areas, local conditions and students.

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In the new curriculum reform starting in 1988, Shanghai and Zhejiang Province were empowered to develop their own curriculum plans (not the word standards)and compile the textbooks and other teaching materials corresponding to the new curriculum.

A new curriculum system combining unification with flexibility and diversification has been since established, replacing the former totally unified curriculum and textbooks all over the country.

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In June 8th, 2001, the Ministry of Education issued the Guidelines for Curriculum Reform of Basic Education (Experiment Version), leading to a new reform in school curriculum.

The main feature of this reform is also the standards and decentralization.

The national curriculum standards for 19 subjects have been fully revised and examined, and will be soon approved by MOE after ten years experiment (see the arrangement of subjects in 9 years school education).

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The objectives of this curriculum reform are as follows:

• The reform is to change the knowledge transferring to forming active attitudes of the students toward learning.

•The new curriculum will set up new courses for comprehensive training so that the education can cater for the needs of the students with diverse backgrounds in diverse regions. The new curriculum will be designed in the spirit of balance, comprehensiveness, and selection.

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• The new curriculum will change the situation of overemphasis on the knowledge from the books that were invariably too difficult, complicated, out of date, and meticulous in details of content.

It stresses the importance of the link between student's life, content of the learning, and the development of modem society, science and technology. The content of learning is selected with a view of the requirements for life-long learning and the student's needs and interests.

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• The new curriculum reforms the receptive styles of learning of rote memory, and mechanical training, encourages the students to have hands-on experience, participate in exploration of knowledge, learn to search for, acquire and process new information. The students are also trained to develop the ability of critical analysis, problem solving, communication and cooperation (most likely higher-order thinking skills used in America).

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美国 ASCD 于 2010年出版的新书，着重于如何在课堂中评估思维技能，而且是Higher-Order 的思维技能

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The contents of the book are mainly as follows:

1. General Principles to assess Higher-Order Thinking

2. Assess analysis, Evaluation and Creativity

3. Assess Logics and Reasoning

4. Assess Judgment

5. Assess Problem Solving

6. Assess Creativity and Creative Thinking

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B. Teacher Education (Professional Development)

On October 8th, 2011, MOE formally issued a new document named Suggestion on the Great Promotion of Curriculum Reform of Teacher Education, talking about the implementation of Curriculum Standards of Teacher Education (Experiment)

The main contents of the Suggestion are as follows:

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1.To innovate the curriculum ideas of teacher education. In order to cultivate professional teachers with high-qualities, it is necessary to adhere to the ideas of student-based, practice-oriented and life-long learning, focusing on the cultivation of social responsibility, innovative spirit and practical capacity.

2. To perfect the curriculum structure of teacher education. Public basic courses, subject major courses and pedagogy courses should be appropriately designed, with at least one semester teaching practice at schools.

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3. To reform curriculum and teaching contents. The new research findings in children study, learning science, psychological sciences, information technology etc. should be absorbed, with particular emphasis on the capacity building on ICT of those future teachers.

4. To develop excellent curriculum resources, implementing the Plan of Development of National Excellent Curriculum of Teacher Education.

5. To improving teaching methods and procedures. Introducing such teaching methods as modeling classroom, field teaching, situation teaching, case studies, so as to improve the learning ability, practical ability, ICT ability,and innovative ability of teacher students.

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6. To deepen teaching practice.

7. To strengthen the cultivation of attitudes of teacher, with emphasis on the professional morality of teacher, putting The Professional Code of Ethics of School Teachers as the compulsory subject.

8. To develop high quality teaching force. One measure here is to invite experienced teachers in schools as part-time teachers in teacher education colleges and universities, no less than 20% of teachers who teach pedagogy courses.

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9. To develop the system of curriculum management and quality evaluation.

10. To strengthen leadership and condition guarantee, such as increasing the investment in teacher education, so as to ensure the different expenditures needed for the curriculum reform of teacher education.

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In May 2011, Ministry of Education and Ministry of Financing jointly issued an announcement about the matters concerning National Training Program of School Teachers in 2011.

National Training Program (2011) is composed of two projects: One is Modeling Training Project for School Teachers ( 中小学教师示范性培训项目 ), and other is Training Project for Master Teachers in Middle and Western Rural Areas( 中西部农村骨干教师培训项目 ).

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In the Modeling Training Project for School Teachers, there are several different sub-projects:

1.Study Project for Master Teachers in Primary and Secondary Schools( 小学骨干教师研修项目 ):4000 teachers, 15 days intensive study 2.Training Project for Master Teachers in Kindergartens ( 幼儿园骨干教师培训项目 ): 1000 teachers with intensive training3.Study Project for Master Teachers in Charge of Class in Primary and Secondary Schools ( 中小学骨干班主任教师研修项目 ): 1000 teachers, 10 days intensive study.

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4. Distance Training Project for Master Teacher in Compulsory Education Years( 义务教育骨干教师远程培训项目 ): 300,000 master teachers, 50 teaching hours on online distance training.5. Training Project for Master Teachers in Some Subjects( 紧缺薄弱学科骨干教师培训项目 ): 1500 master teachers in subjects such as physical education, music, painting and arts, 10 days intensive training. 6. Study Project for Training Group( 培训团队研修项目 ): 500 master trainers at provincial level, 10 days intensive study; 10000 trainers at district level with 50 teaching hours online distance training, with combination of intensive training and distance training.

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Training Project for Master Teachers in Middle and Western Rural Areas( 中西部农村骨干教师培训项目 ) will include several ways such as three months intensive study with exchange of teachers in city schools and excellent college students; combination of short term intensive and big scale distance training.

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So in China, we have training programs at several levels:

• National Level( 国培计划）• Provincial Level （省培计划） , Provincial Teacher Training College • District Level （县 / 区培计划） , County/ District Teacher Training College/School • School-based teacher training （校本培训）

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On August 2, 2007, the US Congress passed the America Creating Opportunities to Meaningfully Promote Excellence in Technology, Education and Science Act (America COMPETES Act), and on August 9, President Bush signed it.

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The main contents concerning education in this America COMPETES Act are as follows:

1. Teacher Education. ( 美国中小学教师尤其是数学和科学教师短缺已经成为阻碍美国教育质量提升的一个重要因素，例如在美国高中就读的大约 2/3 的学生，教授他们化学和物理的教师并不是以化学和物理为专业的或者没有相关的证书，在教授五至十二年级数学的教师那里，这一比例达到 50 ％ ，来自低收入社区的学生更不可能配备有获得所教学科资格证书的教师。此外， 2/3 的现职数学和科学教师将在 2010 年退休。 )

2 ． STEM education （ science, technology, engineering and mathematics education)

3 ． Foreign Languages Education. Even within American Competitiveness Initiative: Leading the World in Innovation signed by President Bush in 2006, US government demanded to set up National Security Language Initiative.

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C. Principal Training and Our Practice

• Who could become a principal?

• How does one become a principal?

• Which institution could do principal training?

-District (or county )teacher training college at district or county level, and

-Provincial teacher training college at provincial level

-National Training Center for Secondary School Principals in East China Normal University, and

-National Training Center for Primary School Principals in Beijing Normal UniversityC

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My designed program for principals in-service training is consisted of the following modules:

• Change of Mind and Ideas• System Support: Strategic Management and School Development Plan (SDP); School Management System and ISO 9000 Standards Application• Resource Development and Administration: Human Resource Management in Education and Schools; School Budget and Cost Management• Instructional Leadership and Morality Leadership• Shaping of School Culture• School Self-evaluation and Feedback, such as

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• Baldrige National Quality Program

• Self-evaluation on SDP

• Indicators for quality and excellent school

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IV. Some Existing Problems

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Those problems may be considered particularly concentrating on access, equity and quality. Access, equity and quality are perhaps the main themes in current education all over the world as well.

The World Bank in its report Priorities and Strategies for Education (Jan. 1995) mentions these same problems as "major challenges." It says that "the challenges in part the result of changes in economies and labor markets and in part the result of the countries' very success with educational reform. The challenges are: (a)access; (b)equity; (c) quality; and (d) reducing the lag between the reform of economic structures and that of education systems."

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One heat discussion topic now in China is still concerned with education for examination and education for qualities. In China today, many children have a very heavy learning burden, and "education only deals with exam requirements and only for the examinations, "for the purpose to enter good institutions at higher levels.

We call this phenomenon in Chinese Education for Examination( 应试教育） . Heavy learning burden and family tutoring are perhaps two obvious reflections.

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That phenomenon is perhaps similar in Japan, just as Ken-Ichi Suematsu, Chairman of Sakura Bank and Vice-chairman of Japan Federation of Economic Organizations (Keidanren), says in his summary article "Creativity: A New Goal in Education and Employment" that in Japan "many have such a busy schooling schedule that they are unable to behave like children. Each day they go strait from school to a JUKU for after-hours tutorial lessons."

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Control Spectrum in Classroom Teaching

Teacher

DO TO DO FOR DO WITH ENABLE

Master All Knowing Expert/Coach Facilitator/

Provider Mentor

Slave Passive Recipient Learning Active Self

Participant Starting Learner

Without Choice Controlled, Dependent Independent Controlled Passive Follower Investigator/ Dependent Knowledge Explorer Let me out! I'm OK. It's OK. Joy in Learning

Student

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V. Some Comparison between Education in America and China

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In March 1983, the National Commission on Educational Excellence issued A Nation at Risk

Then:

School Reconstruction Movement

Standards-based Curriculum Reform and Educational Reform

Capacity Building and School Accountability

No Child Left Behind Act, and so on.

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QUESTION

Why the positive results have not appeared so obviously?• “We have many great schools, excellent teachers, and successful students in America. But there are also troubling signs that, overall, our students should be doing better in math and science.”

• In the 2006 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) comparison, American students ranked 21st out of 30 in science literacy among students from developed countries, and 25th out of 30 in math literacy. (In 2011 PISA, Shanghai ranked the first at all subjects.)

• On the 2009 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) math tests, 4th graders showed no signs of progress for the first time in many years, and 8th graders tallied only modest evidence of progress. We are not advancing as we must.

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Again, education reform in America continues without stop.

In November 2009, Race to the Top Program was announced, which is part of the contents within the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, signed by President Obama on February 17, 2009.

“It’s time to stop just talking about education reform and start actually doing it. It’s time to make education America’s national mission.” (Obama, November 2009)

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In March 2010, A Blueprint for Reform: The Reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act could be found in the web of US Department of Education.

The priorities in this Blueprint for Reform are as follows:(1) College-and-Career-Ready Students(2) Great Teachers and Leaders in Every School(3) Equity and Opportunities for all Students(4) Raise the Bar and Reward Excellence(5) Promote Innovation and Continuous Improvement.

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In early 2011, President Obama launched an “Educate to Innovate” campaign to improve the participation and performance of America’s students in STEM.

This campaign will include efforts not only from the Federal Government but also from leading companies, foundations, non-profits, and science and engineering societies to work with young people across America to excel in science and math.

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Through “Educate to Innovate” and other efforts, we in America must:

• Increase STEM literacy so that all students can learn deeply and think critically in science, math, engineering, and technology;• More American students from the middle of the pack to top in the next decade;• Expand STEM education and career opportunities for underrepresented groups, including women and girls.

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The White House issued in Feb 2011 A Strategy for American Innovation: Securing Our Economic Growth and Prosperity. In the part named Invest in the Building of American Innovation, “Educate Americans with 21st century skills and create a world-class workforce” is the main content

This imperative underpins the Obama Administration’s focus on education reform in general and in STEM education in particular.

• Improving America’s STEM education• Reform elementary and secondary education• Restore America to first in the world in college attainment• Create a first-class system of early education.

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I just quote some of the sentences here from Math and Science Education In a Global Age: What the U.S. Can Learn from China published by Asia Society in May 2006.

These sentences or conclusions just show some differences in school education in America and China, but do not mention RIGHT or WRONG.

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China has national standards for what is to be taught at

each of the three levels of schooling.

...

In the United States, there is a great deal of variation

in the rigor and quality of standards among states.

In China all textbooks and other teaching materials must meet the national standards.

...

U.S. textbooks are voluminous because they must meet the standards of many states.

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Chinese math and science curriculum sequences contrast sharply with U.S. high schools where students can opt out of more advanced courses.

In 2000, nearly 40 percent of U.S. high school students had not taken any course work in science more challenging than general biology.

Ninety percent of eighth grade science teachers in East Asia have majors in science compared with 60 percent in the United States.

China provides science specialist teachers as early as third grade.

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U.S. national and state standards advocate the use of problem-solving and hands-on inquiry in science, but the reality of classrooms may be different.

...

Chinese education leaders are concerned about teacher dominated classrooms and students’ lack of independent thinking.

Students in China work twice as many hours as their American peers.

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I should say that China school education has learned and should continue to learn from US in many aspects in education, particularly in “Educate to Innovate.” aspect. For examples: • US has very good Advanced Placement courses, which are followed by many good high schools in China.

• US has put focus on STEM education, which will put America on the position of leadership in innovation, in science and technology.

Project Lead The Way (PLTW) is the leading provider of rigorous and innovative STEM education curricular programs used in middle and high schools across the US.

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PLTW considers that STEM education is at the heart of today’s high-tech, high-skill global economy. Now more than 350,000 students in nearly 4000 schools in all 50 states are currently taking PLTW courses .

STEM education programs like the one offered by PLTW engage students in activities-, projects-, and problem-based (APPB) learning, which provides hands-on classroom experiences. Students create, design, build, discover, collaborate and solve while applying what they learn in math and science to the world’s grand challenges.

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VI. International Exchange

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In the Outline of Long and Medium Term Plan of Educational Reform and Development in China, there is one chapter named Widening Educational Openness, demanding educational exchange and cooperation at different levels, so as to promote the internationalization of education in China, and to cultivate persons with international vision and perspective, knowledge of international regulations and rules, involvement with international affairs and competitions.

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In the school education level, we encourage

• Education for international understanding, introducing international and cross-disciplinary topics, which are also included in the Framework for 21st Century Learning (www.21stcenturyskill.org) in America. Such topics are concerned with global awareness, financial, economic, commercial and entrepreneur literacy, civil literacy, health literacy• Development of sister schools with foreign schools. It is easy for students and teachers in sister schools visit and connect each other.• Introduction of good courses such as AP courses from America and IB courses from Europe.

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Thank you for your cooperation!