Country differences in curriculum designs (something like that ) - Research Paper Example

The curriculum of China and Finland The curriculum of China and Finland Curriculum of China Education in China is a system that is run by the government under the ministry of education. There nine years of compulsory education where the citizens are obliged to attend. There is six-year primary education that starts at age six or seven. After elementary education, there is secondary education that starts at the age, of 13 or 14. After junior secondary there is three-year senior secondary that complete the cycle of secondary education. Up to the year 1988, China was using a standardized syllabus whereby the text- books were given a central place (Ornstein, 2004). However, after 1988, the ministry of education allowed the schools to use textbooks from various sources. The education system in China emphasized in the preparation for examination as a way of evaluating the performance of the student in schools. However today China does not put more effort on the test; instead it put more emphasize on the reformation in the curriculum. The curriculum system of China dwells on eight spheres of learning unlike before where it dwelled on very many disciplines. These are Language and literature, mathematics, natural sciences, social sciences, technology, arts, physical education and practical. The average class size in China has 50 students depending on the location of the school. The teachers chiefly relied on the scheme of work. Moreover, there was consultation with the teacher. Learning was also expected to take place outside the class. Furthermore, students are expected to participate fully in class work through the engagement of the teacher. For the evaluation of performance, learners take an examination that will enable them to be promoted to the next level of learning. Teacher Education in China The teacher training institution in China at the secondary and higher education category is responsible for the delivery to the students in all the institution of learning that include over 200 million student without the preschool pupils. Conventionally, the teachers in China who handled the student at grades 1- 12 were supposed to teach students in the subjects that they were trained in the training colleges. In China, the class teacher is charged with the responsibility of teaching only a single subject to either one class or more while other teachers are handling other issues. Such a practice is common from grade 7- 12. The teacher who begins handling a particular subject to a class of student takes them through Grade 9 where they take Regional examination to decide their fate for example whether they are joining college or vocational training. That is from Grades 10- 12. At the end of 12 Grade, the student goes through another 7th Grader teaching English through the previous cycle. For a teacher to qualify for the teaching post in elementary and secondary schools, he or she must have a real mastery of the content of the subject that he wants to teach. That is a quality that the recruiting panel must take into consideration before they recruit a teacher at those levels of teaching. Every teacher training institute offers training in all the subjects that are taught at elementary and secondary levels. The disciplines offered in the curriculum are Chinese Language and Literature, Geography, Ideological and Political Education, Computer Science, History, Physical Education, Chemistry, English, Russian, Music, Physics, Japanese, Mathematics and Applied Mathematics, Fine Arts, Biology and Languages and Literature of Minority Nationalities. Besides, they also do practical that equips them for the job market. The teacher training in China goes for two to three years to the junior college and four years of the senior college. The education in Finland is provided by the government; it is a public service. General education, vocational education, and higher education are not paid for. The state and the local authority are in charge of elementary education, upper secondary education, and vocational training. The government provides for University education that is independent while the local authority provides for the General education and vocational training. On top of these levels of education in Finland, there is also adult education that the government gives full support. Teacher Education in Finland Not until the year 1970, the primary school teachers got training at the Teachers Training College, a process that went for around three years. However, from the year 1970 the provision for the teacher education for all levels is done at the university level. The training for secondary school teacher went for five years in the college from that point forward the practical teaching practice is done at the regular schools that have a connection with the university where one has attained his training. However, in the year 1979, there was reformation that required that for one to qualify as a primary or secondary school teacher. He or she must have attained master’s degree for not less than five years in any reputable university. The main reason for the reformation was high standards of education that made the students to students to successfully compete internationally. Pre- school All pupils have the freedom to attend pre- school, a reform that was made in the year 2001. It is the social authority that provides the pre- school education in the day care centers. It is offered for children at the age of around six years old. Close to 97% of the age around 6 attend pre- school. The primary education, it is obligatory for all the pupils from the age seven years and above. Primary education lasts for nine years. Class teachers mainly take care of students in Grade 1- 6 at the comprehensive school. From grade, 7 are where most of the subjects are taught, and every teacher stands in of one subject. This class is also called the lower secondary school. The schools offer meals and transport services for the students. However, for the Swedish speaking students, they have their different schools and their administration services. The primary aim of the Finnish education system is to uphold the cultural values and identity of Finnish. Upper Secondary School The students who join the upper secondary schools are those who are promoted from the comprehensive schools. Most of the students, after the compulsory education at the elementary level, choose the upper secondary school of their choice that prepares them for higher secondary learning. At the end of upper secondary education, there is an examination where the student is expected to pass at least four subjects thereby one earns matriculation n certificate. After one has given the four subjects, they are free to join a university or vocational higher education. However, if one chose professional schools instead of the upper secondary school, they also become legible to enter a college or the vocational higher education. The teachers who handle the students at the primary level and the secondary level are termed as subject teachers because at university they specialized in less than two academic subjects. The education system in Finish is under evaluation of The Education Evaluation Council. It is an independent body that ensures that the set standards in schools are met. The body evaluates General Education, Vocational education, and adult education. The Curriculum for Secondary School Teacher in Finland Finnish National Board of Education is the body charged with the responsibility of determining the curriculum. The body defines the objectives and the content of all the disciplines. The body represents the curriculum such that it addresses the environment under which the content of the curriculum is delivered. Furthermore, Finnish National Board of Education put clear the process of assessing the students. The Finnish national core curriculum has been in place for not more than forty years. Before the 1970 there were to an equivalent education system that provided different curriculum. The system considered the social background of the children is therefore bringing disparity. For one to be a secondary school teacher in Finland, one must take one major subject with not less than 120 ECTS and a thesis for masters in that subject they have majored. Besides the major question, they have to take a minor subject with not less than 60 ECTS. Research is also part of the discipline that the teachers take in pedagogical studies. The features of teacher’s education curriculum include: the academic subject. The subject teacher chooses from one of the subject that are taught in schools, for instance: Foreign Language, Mathematical Science, mother tongue, Biology, geography, religion and philosophy, home economics, sports among others. Apart from academic subjects, there is Research Studies that includes the thesis and the methodological studies, communication, Personal studies introduced from the year 2005. Lastly, there is an optional study whereby one can take any other different course that is mainly meant to increase ones profile. Pedagogical studies are compulsory for both the class teacher and the subject teacher. The qualification of at least 60 ECTS creates flexibility whereby the primary teacher can advance later on and become a secondary teacher. Teacher’s pedagogical studies take care of the teaching practice that has approximately 20 ECTS. The teaching practiced has to be supervised. The primary goal of the teaching practice is to help the class teacher to meet the required skills and reflect the same to learners. Englishism The English curriculum in China covers the English learning in both primary and secondary school. There was a reform in the year 2001 that was geared towards providing directions for the change of English policies in China. The syllabus incorporated skills such as listening. Speaking, reading and writing. It also provided the linguistic knowledge such as pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and functions. In the year2011, the state did a review on the syllabus that was there from the year 2001. However, there was still comparison between the curriculum standards that were there before and that one of the year 2011. The national curriculum recognized the teaching of English as a foreign language. The government of China wanted to enhance the use of English so as to promote international trade. The reformation that took place in the year 2011 put the following strategies so as to ensure that the learning of English was a success: the need to consult with the peers so as to be able to learn more about English, the need to listen effectively in class and communicate (Ruan, 2012). Moreover, it also emphasized the need read more and more English books and journals so as to upgrade the standard of English. Again the strategies put more emphasis on the need to do an overview of what had been learned. The English curriculum standard that were put forward did not cover Grades one to three bur it was to begin from grade three to grade six in primary education. Historical Sources of Curriculum from Plato to Rousseau and their lasting Influence Plato based his theoretical constructs of a just society. Plato argued that children should be taken away from their mothers as early as possible so that they can be independent. In his view, he argued that children should proper education so that they can be productive to the society and those who are less able (Mason, 2014). He further argued that education should aim at providing a holistic environment for learning music, arts, physical education and others. Plato believed that talent could be found from any child regardless of the social background. Therefore, he urged the government to help in nurturing the skills of these children so that they can assume the roles, of the leaders in future. Plato developed a system of education that the primary training was to be limited to the custodian class until the child reaches age 18. After 18 years of age, one joins a compulsory soldierly training that is to take at least two years. One was to join higher education only on the condition that he qualified for the military training. Plato suggested a system of education that did not give any disparity on gender; boys and girls were to receive the same system of education. After going through the higher education, the best student was given the opportunity to seek advanced education where he would learn mathematics, geometry, astrophysics, and harmonics. That was to take place at the age of 20. Furthermore, those who passed the stage as mentioned earlier were to join another level another stage, whereby by they studied dialectics, philosophy, and metaphysics. According to Plato, someone would end his theoretical studies at the age of 50. Rousseau had a different view from that of Plato. Rousseau posits that man is born an innocent person, but the society influences him in a negative way thus thwarting his set ambitions. (Adamson, 2004) He encouraged a system of education that removed the child from the society. Furthermore, he urged the parents to be truthful to their children in the teaching so as to avoid the innocent child being corrupted by the society. He further says that, at the age of 12, a child should be let alone to determine his world. From age twelve a child should be able to learn from his experience. Mathematics in the Curriculum of China and Finland The mathematics was compulsory for preschool pupils. The content was numbers and operation, measurement, algebra and basic application for mathematics. Mathematics for Junior school had the following content: algebra, geometry, equations and inequalities, probabilities and statistics. At this stage, mathematics was compulsory for everybody. On the other hand, in Finland, the fundamental instruction of mathematics that was done in grades one and two was the cognitive development of mathematics concept. The concepts dwelled much on the thinking, communication and gaining of the necessary experience. The content was numbers, algebra, geometry, measurement and data processing. In grades three to five the core things that were carried out were essential calculations that strengthen the thinking of the student. Some of the objectives of learning mathematics at this level was to draw a conclusion following the skills learn. Furthermore, the level was more advanced than that in grades one and two but there were many similarities. The training for mathematics teachers in China was done at the University or any recognized college. The training could start after the students have completed and passed junior school. However after completing the senior school they can join training college or university. The content learnt at the university was: calculation, numbering, algebra and geometry. References Adamson, B. (2004). Chinas English: A history of English in Chinese education. Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press. International Conference on Science Education, & In Zhang, B. (2014). International Conference on Science Education 2012 proceedings: Science education: policies and social responsibilities. Mason, C., & Rawlings-Sanaei, F. (2014). Academic Migration, Discipline Knowledge and Pedagogical Practice: Voices from the Asia-Pacific. Singapore: Springer Ridley, D. (2008). The literature review: A step-by-step guide for students. London: SAGE.Ornstein, A. C., & Hunkins, F. P. (2004). Curriculum--foundations, principles, and issues. Boston: Allyn and Bacon. Ruan, J., & Leung, C. (2012). Perspectives on teaching and learning English Literacy in China. Dordrecht: Springer. Read More