Mathematics Curriculum Standards of China

1. MathematicsCurriculum Standards of China Sun Xiaotian Central University for Nationalities Beijing, P.R.China Sunxiaotian@cun.edu.com

2. Critical Grade Compulsory education Education Systemof China Higher Edu Grade 12 20% Ⅳ Senior 11 10 9 47% Ⅲ Junior 8 7 6 Ⅱ 96% 5 4 Primary 3 Ⅰ 2 1

3. Framework (or Standards) Construction • The first one issued in 1950(Standards) • And then in 1956、1963、1978 and 1986 (framework) successively but irregularly • The 1986 version revised in 1999 • The latest version, Mathematics Curriculum Standards(MCS), issued in 2001(for Compulsory Education) and 2003(for Senior Secondary)

4. Key Factors for The New MCS • Government guiding • Research projects support • Ideas of MCS’s working group

5. 1. Government Guiding • The National Curriculum Framework for Primary and Secondary Education (NCF) • Issued by the State Ministry of Education(2000)

6. Main Principles of NCF • The process of acquiring knowledge should be the process of forming the view of value as well • Content should be associated with social life and keeping attention on students' interests and practices • Students should be encouraged to take active participation in investigation, field work, communication and cooperation

7. Assessment aimed at helping students build their self-awareness and self-confidence and improving teaching • The adopted curriculum structure is to be synthetic, balanced and optional

8. NCF’s key sentence is: Developing students’ life-long desire for learning and learning capability

9. 2. Research Projects • The relations of math science and school mathematics • The relations of society needs and math curriculum • The relations of math study and the healthy development of a student’s body and mind

10. How the students learn mathematics • Understanding the trend and characteristics of international math curricula • Most of the project’s outcomes are included in a two volume collection: The 21st-century view for the math education in China(1999)

11. 3. Ideas of MCS’s of the Working Group • All students should learn mathematics, and school mathematics should be essential, valuable, and appropriate to students’ need of learning • The content of school mathematics should be meaningful, realistic and challenging • The content should come with the processes that produce it

12. Math teaching should take into the consideration of the students’ personal knowledge and experiences • Practice, independent investigation as well as cooperation should be an important way for students to understand and grasp the math • In the math classroom, not only the teacher play a key role but also students play their parts

13. Assessment is aimed at helping students build their self-awareness and self-confidence, and helping teachers to improve their teaching • Math curriculum should integrate the modern informatics technology

14. 70% MCS Participants • Mathematics professors • Mathematics educators • Mathematics teaching field practice coordinators 30% • Classroom teachers, most being expert teachers

15. Two Groups in MCS • Compulsory Education • Senior secondary Education

16. To design MSC is to carry out a research project.

17. Selection of the Group • The MCS project is open to all interested research groups • The state ministry of education decides the qualified participant groups • The ministry may reorganize the group if necessary e.g. The group for senior is a reorganized one

18. Before the MSC becomes official(compulsory version as an example) • For feedback, the MSC’s blueprint was published in eight different magazines specialized in education and mathematics • 10000 copies of the draft version(withquestionnaire paper) were also distributed for feedback

19. The whole country was divided into 9 parts, and three professionals invited for each part to hear feedback • Invited several academic members of China Scientific Academy and university presidents to hear feedback • ……

20. The Structure of MCS

21. Basic Rationale Compulsory Education Design Consideration Overall Objectives Stage Objectives Numbers & Algebra Space & Figures Statistics & Probability Practical Activities & Integrated Applications Teaching Recommendations Evaluation Recommendations Teaching Materials Editing Recommendations

22. Basic Rationale Senior Secondary education Design Consideration Overall Objectives Stage Objectives CompulsoryCurriculum Optional Curriculum Math 2 Math 1 Math 3 Math 4 Math 5 Series 2 Series 3 Series 4 Series 1 Teaching Recommendations Evaluation Recommendations Teaching Materials Editing Recommendations

23. Achievement and Progress • Until now, there are 21 different experimental version textbook series in use • Six for primary level, nine for junior secondary, six for senior secondary. • In 2001, these textbooks were used for about 1% of all students in the country

24. The new textbook series have been used for their all Grade Nine students (senior) in 5 provinces. • Starting from the fall of 2005, all the primary & junior secondary schools have adopted the new textbook series for the beginning grades.

25. Main Difficulties in the Process of Implementation • Teachers’ training • The singleness of the reference frame • Lack of meaningful teaching material • In teaching, more emphasis on imitation than on investigation • Carrying out the philosophies for assessment and examination

26. Debate • Realistic vs formal: more or less • the traditional teaching system: stronger or weaker • The speed of implementing: quick or slow • Being scrupulous(conscientiousand exact) or being active – Can the balance be kept? • “Two basics” (basic knowledge and skills): stronger or weaker

27. Revision Ongoing(only the compulsory version ) • Over 1000 questionnaires received from among the teachers in April, 2003 • 1st revision carried out during Oct,2003-June,2004 • 2nd revision starting from April,2005 • The publication of the revised one isscheduled for the end of 2005

28. Thanks