A Study On Value Orientations Of Swedish Basic Education Reform Since1980s

Since1980s, basic education in Sweden has been obtaining good and sustainable development. Swedish perfect, specific and dynamic basic education system has been founded by rolling reforms, thus unity of equal development and higher quality in education has been realized with promoting economic and social coordinated development. During the process of the reforms in Swedish basic education, values of equality and efficiency, base for lifelong learning, service for multi-cultural society pursued have important meanings for Chinese present education reform and development.From international comparative perspective, The dissertation analyzed systematically Swedish situation of basic education reform and development from1980s at aspects of four value orientations of educational equality, stimulating educational dynamics, promoting student development, service for lifelong learning and multi-cultural adjustment with comprehensive use of several research methods such as literature analysis, historical analysis method, survey research method and comparative method. And then the dissertation comprehensively analyzed the basic characteristics of Swedish educational reforms and value orientations, and provided relevant suggestions for Chinese basic education reform.The dissertation is divided into six sections which are as follows in details.The first section is introduction. The section mainly consists of topic reasons, definition of research subjects, literature review, research thought and methods.The second section discussed the issues related to education equality value orientation in Swedish educational policy adjustment from1980s.The core value idea of educational reform and development, especially School Education Act from1980s is education equality. In the practice of education reforms, Swedish government has been taking many measures to ensure education equality which are as follows:further promoting homogeneity changes of high school education system structure to reinforce equality and equivalence of education opportunities; Developing energetically childcare and preschool education to lower age of universal education and strengthening equality at starting point of educated rights by universal accessibility; making protection provisions for disadvantage groups and taking supportive measures to be able to provide all population with basic educational welfare to obtain equivalent development for all school-age population.The third section discussed value orientation of increasing efficiency in the process of decentralization education reform under the new public management in Sweden. Since1980s, Sweden has gradually accelerated decentralization change in basic education field, which reflected ideas of new public management and national administration system reform, and was also a big trend of meeting the needs of stakeholders to increase efficiency in internal education. The measures in practice were as follows:professional empowerment for schools and teachers in educational activities; coordination and unification of decentralization of authority and responsibility and quality assurance; free school choice.The fourth section mainly discussed the value orientation of Integration and opening which is following in details:firstly, constructing school educational integration and opening system of service for lifelong learning for which concrete measures such as conducting learning cycle activities, provision of learning leave right and building individual Leaning Accounts system. Secondly, establishing basic education integrated system with two-side extension and Multiple connection. That is to say, further strengthening consistency and flexibility of basic education, constructing featured adult basic education, bringing preschool education into school education system for strong start. Thirdly, promoting basic education quality to provide knowledge base for lifelong learning, for which is in details as follows:service for lifelong learning directing rich connotation of basic education quality, paying attention to individual teaching to enhance learning quality for every student, strengthening student evaluation and quality control system.The fifth section discussed the value orientation of multi-cultural responsiveness. Under the influence of globalization, Swedish basic education reform reflected the value orientation of multi-cultural responsiveness for which concrete measures are as follows in details:positively taking on immigrant Education to adapting to multi-culture, strengthening ethnic minority culture protection and education, improving language education for immigrants.The sixth section put forward some policy suggestions for Chinese current basic education reform and development. Chinese current education reform and development should attach more importance to educational social functions with value orientation of educational equality. The concrete strategies should include followings:increasing financial investment, accelerating balanced development of basic education with more choice rights to students and parents, building the overpass-like connecting mechanism within the internal education system, accelerating preschool education development with reinforcing head start program, paying close attention to multi-cultural issues. Education reform should emphasize scientific and democratic decision-making and overall matching, and should also realize clearly that the issues in education are certainly not just the problem of internal education system, any education reform not only needs a series of matching measures issued within education system, but also needs social interaction and support.