chinese ed system past pressleeping giant: chinese teacher education system past, present and...

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Sleeping giant: Chinese teacher education

system past, present and future (I)

Hongzhuan Song

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore howwell Chinese teacher educationpositionsitself in

preparing qualified teachers for its vast k-12 education system, especially in the transition from

examination-oriented to that of future-oriented education.

Design/methodology/approach This paper looks at literaturediscussing background, strengths and

weakness of current Chinese teacher training programs. It also employs the Delphi-based scenario

research method to explore plausible futures of curriculum design for teacher education.

Findings The paper finds that, in order to ensure its astonishing economic development and present

itself as a constructive force to the world betterment, it is crucial for China to carry on its ongoing

educational reform, especially in the area of curriculum for its teacher training programs. It also

concludes that the disciplinary curriculum currently employed in Chinese teacher education should be

shifted to the trans-disciplinary curriculum to produce future-oriented and internationally-prepared

graduates the country demands in its effort to play an important role on the international stage.

Originality/value This research, while meriting the structured instruction displayed by the Chinese

education system, argues that the system should strive to provide students with such skills as creativity,

flexibility, initiative, leadership, all necessary in the globally connected future world. The second part of

this paper will focus on four scenarios as a result of his recent research among Chinese educators and

administrators.

Keywords Curriculum development, Teachers, Education, Education policy, China

Paper type Research paper

Introduction

China claims to have teacher training programs which provide approximately 11 million

teachers for the world largest k-12 education system (Song, 2007). To some extent, to know

how sustainable Chinas astonishing economic growth will become depends on how well its

vast teacher education system will position itself in providing the much needed contingent of

qualified teachers for the future demands. It is essential, however, to briefly describe how the

practices and policies of teacher education in China came into being. Therefore, this section

of the paper intends to give readers some background information about the Chinese

teacher education system, to be followed by a discussion of how it prepares to address the

increasing challenges from the greater society.

Two types of teacher training systems

Traditionally, teachers of elementary and secondary schools in China are trained through two

main types of institutions at three levels: pre-service and in-service teacher training at the

four-year college level, at the two to three year junior college level and at the secondary level

of teacher training institutes.

Pre-service training institutes are normally full-time educational institutes to provide the

education that beginning teachers need in order to enter into the teaching profession. In

DOI 10.1108/10748120810901431 VOL. 16 NO. 3 2008, pp. 137-142, Q Emerald Group Publishing Limited, ISSN 1074-8121 j ON THE HORIZON j PAGE 137

Hongzhuan Song is PhD

and President, International

Council for Education

Development (USA),

Minneapolis, Minnesota,

USA.


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addition, each level of government from county level to provincial level has formed an

in-service teacher training system along the following manner: the provincial level provides

training for teachers from senior high schools; the prefecture level trains teachers from junior

high schools, and the county level focuses on training teachers from elementary schools

(Guo, 2002).

According to the Ministry of Education (Guo, 2002), every year four years colleges are

capable of producing approximately 51,000 graduates, while two- and three-year junior

colleges and secondary teacher training schools produce approximately 139,000 and

277,000 graduates respectively. With an increasing demand for qualified teachers, the

national government is trying to upgrade the level of teacher training institutes fromsecondary level or junior college level to four-year college level. In addition, in recent years

some comprehensive universities have been encouraged to undertake the responsibilities of

training teachers (Guo, 2002). By the end of year of 2003, the number of secondary teacher

training institutes was cut down to 500 from 892 in 1997.

Curriculum structure

Overall, the curriculum structure for the teacher training schools, especially those

pre-service training schools, consists of three main components:

1. general education courses which offer a series of classes to equip students with

comprehensive training in political/ideological (including civic) issues, foreign

languages, physical education and computer science;

2. subject matter courses which provide a wide range of classes within the academic areas

in which the student teachers are enrolled (e.g. English, Physics, Chemistry, or History,

etc.); and

3. educational/pedagogical courses which offer classes to help student teachers with

training in such areas as pedagogy, psychology, and subject matter content teaching

methodology, etc.

On the average, the percentage of teaching hours for general education courses, subject

matter courses, and educational theory courses is usually 21 percent, 72 percent and 7

percent respectively. Similarly, the in-service training schools place a heavy emphasis on

courses in the subject matter areas which account for 50 percent of the total teaching hours,

whereas general education courses account for 10 percent, pedagogy/psychology and

practicum takes 35 percent and professional development offers 5 percent of the total

instruction hours (Guo, 2002).

Specialization

In teacher training institutes, once an applicant is accepted into the training program, s/he is

enrolled directly into a particular program/major (e.g. Chinese, English, mathematics, etc.).

As a result, the curriculum is normally designed on the basis of disciplinary specialization. In

other words, each major/program has its own academic department with a specific area

focus that turns out to be a closed system. Curriculum for an individual major is normally

designed in such a manner that enables each teaching unit (e.g. department or program) to

undertake the instruction and assessment of all courses necessary for students to complete

their programs. Exceptions to this practice are the general education courses and

pedagogical courses that are delivered by faculties from other departments.

Destiny of student teachers

Graduates from Chinese teacher training institutes are assigned to schools, most of which

are elementary and secondary schools, although the graduates must now find teaching

positions on their own initiative. In these positions, they are assigned to teach the subject

matter area in which they majored during their formal training. In other words, chances are

that most of these newly appointed graduates will teach the subject for the rest of their lives

unless they choose to change their profession, or leave education entirely. Still, since China

is well known for its examination system throughout all levels of its education system, these

PAGE 138 jON THE HORIZON j VOL. 16 NO. 3 2008


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student teachers are expected to be experts in their subject matter to ensure that their

students have the opportunity to perform better on tests at all different levels. This is true of

teachers for all grades from one to 12.

Strength and weakness of Chinese current curriculum system

Until recently the current curriculum system of teacher education in China has done fairly

well in providing educators for schools and in meeting demands from pre-information age

development which itself was based on the development of various disciplines. Generally

speaking, even though not better off financially, Chinese teachers are commended for taking

their profession very seriously and, therefore, are often praised for their dedication to whatthey are doing.

Also, it is not uncommon to see most of the Chinese teachers stay in the teaching profession

for more than ten years and even for life. Actually, the Chinese basic education system is well

known in the world for its quality in producing students who display themselves marvelously

well in several international knowledge competitions. Elementary and secondary students

are often reported to have a solid knowledge foundation in most of the disciplinary areas,

especially mathematics, physics and chemistry. It is undeniable that teacher education

institutions have played a very important role in helping sustain the largest basic education

system in the world. Also, many Chinese students who do their graduate studies in other

countries are more often than not praised for their previous solid academic training.

It is for this very same reason, however, that scholars and educational reform advocates

(Cui, 2003; Guo, 2002; Li and Chen, 2002) believe that we should hold under careful scrutinythe current curriculum system employed throughout teacher training programs in China. The

following is a discussion about the challenges being faced by the curriculum system.

Although graduates from teacher training programs feel fairly competent at teaching for

tests, they are facing increasing challenges from ever-faster changes taking place both

inside and outside the classroom. The old mode of curriculum leaves the future teachers

unprepared for these changes in the following four aspects:

1. change of learners;

2. improved educational technology at school;

3. change of demands from employers;

4. societys intensive concern about national and global issues like responsible citizenry,etc.; and

5. the interconnectedness or globalization of the nations economic, social and political life

with other parts of the world.

First, students at elementary and secondary schools are very different from those of even a

couple of decades ago. Unlike their parents, todays students at elementary and secondary

schools are much more influenced by the external factors, whether positive or negative.

These influences in large part are characterized by the increasing interconnectedness due

to the popularization of information technology (e.g. computer, cell phone, e-mail, MP3,

iPod, digital dictionary, etc.). Schools are no longer the only source of knowledge. In fact,

before and after class, students can find many other ways to have their assignments done

apart from the instructions given by their teachers. In this case, it is not uncommon that

students feel bored of or even develop a strong resentment toward classroom instructions ifteachers or other educators in school are not prepared to make the learning activities more

closely related to what learners are interested in or to their previous knowledge/experiences,

and/or to their immediate needs in their own lives.

Second, these changes are also reflected in the improved educational technology available

at schools. Thanks to the rapid development of information technology, more and more

elementary and secondary schools in China are equipped with advanced educational

technology, including computers and internet services. Evidently, this accessibility of high

technology by students makes it possible and even inevitable to have interdisciplinary

VOL. 16 NO. 3 2008 jON THE HORIZONj PAGE 139


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inquiries (Guo, 2002). Thus, it becomes impossible that a disciplinary-based training

curriculum alone can continue to assume the responsibilities of the present educational

enterprise.

Third, with its steady economic development and its entry into WTO, Chinas economy is

becoming more and more interdependent with other parts of the world. With rapid

developments in science and technology, the nature of occupations in the world of work is

under frequent change. As a result, employers in China adjust their hiring criteria; instead of

hiring people merely with a firm mastery of knowledge accumulated from the textbooks,

employers nowadays are looking for potential employees full of creativity and originality, that

is, with skills of creative thinking, problem solving, and decision making (Li and Chen, 2002).

As some scholar argues, an information-accumulating mode of education does not work for

the fast-changing world like ours. What educators need to do now, as he points out, is to

develop in students the qualities described above and the ability to learn. Once people

acquire the ability to learn, they will develop an attitude of lifelong learning, which will enable

them to keep up with the development of the society. Unfortunately, these qualities can

hardly be produced by the current compartmentalized curriculum system that is

characterized by its negligence of integration and interaction of different sources of

knowledge.

Fourth, other societal concerns inevitably have impacts on the curriculum design of teacher

education as well. These concerns include development in students of responsible

citizenship, in terms of citizens both of a nation and of the mankind as a whole. Citizenshipeducation is an important task in all contemporary societies (Cogan, 1997). Unfortunately,

the current curriculum seems to make little effort to encourage a healthy development of

citizenship which consists of five attributes: 1) a sense of identity, 2) the enjoyment of certain

rights, 3) the fulfillment of corresponding obligations, 4) a degree of interest and involvement

in public affairs, and 5) an acceptance of basic societal values (Cogan, 1997, p. 4).

Finally, as the world is getting more and more interconnected, international education plays a

very important role in helping students succeed as citizens and in their professions. It is

regarded essential that todays students be internationally prepared with international

knowledge, strong training in languages, and deeper cultural understanding. Obviously,

among many others, lack of international education constitutes one of the greatest

challenges faced by schools in China (Chen, 2002). Living in a world where globalization is

at full speed while there exist sharp conflicts between cultures and religions, responsible

citizens should adopt peace models, judging success by benefits to humanity.

Unfortunately, a disciplinary curriculum alone cannot fulfill this requirement of educators.

Inevitable reforms

The governments and other key stakeholders in China realize, therefore, the problems of

their teacher education systems, especially its curriculum design, if they want to

substantially improve the quality of their school systems (Chen, 2002; Li and Chen, 2002;

Guo, 2002). Obviously, there are many measures that are being taken to strengthen the

curriculum for teacher education.

In one of her documentary speeches, Lizhi Chen (2002), former Minister of Education, says

that it is important to carry out a six-fold reform of curriculum. These six aspects include:

1. the function of curriculum;

2. curriculum structure;

3. content of curriculum;

4. instruction mode of curriculum;

5. curriculum evaluation; and

6. management of curriculum.



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Chen stresses that curriculum should be designed to encourage students to develop an

active learning attitude with a healthy set of values while the curriculum structure should be

scientific, well-balanced, and synthetic in addition to being selective in meeting the needs of

development in the new era. Equally important, in Chens opinion, the curriculum contents

should stress the roles of learners life experience, emphasizing their learning interests, and

promoting the development of society as well as of science and technology. A further priority

should be given to basic knowledge and skills necessary for fostering their life-long learning.

As for proper instructional mode, Chen emphasizes the importance of developing learners

initiatives and hands-on skills. Such skills include collecting and analyzing data, and

creativity exercises, such as developing competence in acquiring new knowledge, or inanalyzing and solving problems. In terms of curriculum evaluation, Chen argues that it

functions to promote students all-round development, improve teacher quality, and aid

better teaching practice, etc.

Naturally, curriculum reform in basic education calls for the concurrent reform of curriculum

for teacher education. As Chen points out, it is essential that a curriculum reform, including

establishment of programs, curriculum system, teaching contents as well as mode of

instruction, in teacher education be enforced to ensure the successful outcome of the

current education reform.

Many studies have been conducted by leading Chinese educators and researchers that

suggest the need for reform (Li and Chen, 2002; Guo, 2002). These authorities all

recommend that resources be devoted to investigate the kinds of teacher education that are

best suited to meet the demands of the information age and to the philosophic exploration of

teaching as a profession. They also recommend comparative education perspective studies

of teacher education.

Findings from these studies reveal that apart from acquiring a sound academic training,

future teachers must be given opportunities to develop themselves as not only mere

executors of teaching, but also as thinkers, researchers and innovators of education.

Teachers initiatives and innovative orientation are considered essential to the development

of student creativity, and this is increasingly view as a fundamental prerequisite for the

development of the nation in general and individuals in particular. Obviously, the qualities

that are required of teachers cannot be developed through a compartmentalized curriculum

that fails to equip future educators with a healthy menu of options to help them construct their

own knowledge structure by allowing them to make choices on their own. Such failure results

in the inability of future educators to adequately provide their own students with the freedomof inquiry, and this failure is considered detrimental to the development of student creativity.

In this case, to ensure a high quality of education, the nation must have a large pool of

qualified teachers, and this depends upon pre-and in-service teacher training programs that

offer an innovative curriculum system.

Therefore, there are now many researchers who propose an open or interdisciplinary

curriculum system for teacher training programs. They argue that only when such a system

is in place can teacher training programs produce future educators who are balanced in

their knowledge structure and, therefore, qualified to develop the full creative potential of

their students in the future. As China aspires to become a global leader in the political,

cultural, and economic sectors, there is an increasing demand for reform in education, in

particular, teacher education, in particular. Government and business leaders have grown

concerned that too many students have become the sort of stressed-out, test-acing drone

who fails to acquire the skills creativity, flexibility, initiative, leadership said to be

necessary in the global marketplace (Hulbert, 2007) According to this authors recent

studies (Song, 2007), there are such emerging scenarios as what the author terms LEADER

and Beacons, both of which are acronyms of English words representing main

characteristics of teacher training programs in line with systems thinking paradigm. A

detailed discussion of this future outlook will be the second part of this paper.

VOL. 16 NO. 3 2008 jON THE HORIZONj PAGE 141


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References

Chen, Z.L. (2002), Deepening understanding, strengthening leadership in promoting curriculum reform

in basic education, Education Weekly (in Chinese).

Cogan, J. (1997), Multidimensional Citizenship: Educational Policy for the Twenty-first Century,

Sasakawa Peace Foundation, Tokyo.

Cui, X. (2003), Multi-disciplinarity and Development of Whole Man, People Education Research Press,

Beijing (in Chinese).

Guo, C.H. (2002), The current issues and research on teacher education curriculum design in China,

in Li, Q.L. and Chen, Y.M. (Eds), International Comparative Studies on Teacher Education Curriculum,

Education Science Publishing House, Beijing (in Chinese).

Hulbert, A. (2007), For Chinese schools, a creative spark, International Herald Tribune, April 1,

available at: www.iht.com/articles/2007/04/01/asia/web-0401reeducate.php

Li, Q.L. and Chen, Y.M. (2002), Reflections on Chinas teacher education curriculum design, in Li, Q.L.

and Chen, Y.M. (Eds), International Comparative Studies on Teacher Education Curriculum, Education

Science Publishing House, Beijing.

Song, H.Z. (2007), Delphi-based Scenario Studies on Futures of Curriculum for Teacher Education in

China, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, MN.

Corresponding author

Hongzhuan Song can be contacted at: [email protected]


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