A History Study On The Method Of Instruction In Modern China

Instructional methods (methods of education) had been changed significantly in China before 1949. In order to inject ideas of scientism and democracy into this area, referring to the contributions of psychology research in western countries, educators reformed the traditional methods, and began to experiment on new methods. Through summarizing characters of transformation progress of instructional methods in modern china (1840-1949), this dissertation contributes to the research of current reform in basic education.The transformation of instructional methods includes not only the change of practice, but also that of theory, which is the result of practice and could also affect practice. The internal and external powers transformed the practice of instructional methods, reflecting the influence of politics, economics and culture. Based on agriculture economy, traditional instructional methods could hardly be operated because it focused on liberal art teaching, emphasized memory and meditation, and its wonderful principle was hard to be used in breaking teaching strategy. This fact, together with the imperfection, was the internal power of transformation. External power came from changes of government, the development of commerce and industry, changes of international relationship, and the emergence of some new industries. Methods that attach importance to practice were paid much attention and became more and more popular. Teaching mode of missionary schools was followed. The principle of "Western Methods Based on Chinese Culture" was set up and used in new schools.The deepening national crisis was a thruster of transformation. With the idea of "Saving the Nation Through Education", the governor promulgated new educational systems, such as "Gui Mao Educational System", which modify the traditional method, abolish "recitation" and "physical punishment","Ren Zi Gui Chou Educational System" which advocate teaching in connection with subjects, "Ren Xu Educational System" which let the student learn by themselves. At the same time, the educator experiment on new methods in kindergartens, elementary schoola, secondary schools, and other education institutes. In the process, students who studied in Japan, translated the "Herbart's Method", "One Grade Method" into China, and students who studied in America, experimented on the "Project Method", "Dalton Plan", "Group Method", "Winnetka Plan", and etc, and invited western famous educator such an John Dewey, Paul Monroe, G K. Twiss, and etc, to instruct Chinese teaching. During the three periods of absorbing partly, reference completely, and experiment rationally in learning, the Chinese educator created "TAO Xingzhi's Method", "LI Lianfang's Method", "CHEN Heqin's Method".On the basic of practice, the theory of instructional method improved. The concept and system had been confirmed. The research of theory tend to specialization, reification and microcosmic. The value of instruction tend to individuation, scientism, democratization, and practicality. The theory instructed the practice actively, so reformation of instructional method had got great accomplishment.Through describing, analyzing and evaluating the changing of method of instruction in modern China by the means of literature-reading, statistics-analyzing, case-studying and comparative method, the dissertation united the history and objective, exhibited the development of the practice and theory in the education institute, such as Sishu, Shuyuan, Westernization School, New school, kindergarten, elementary school, secondary school, and etc, evaluated the reformation and its influences objectively, concluded the scientific and practical general tendency. Of course, the changing has the deficiencies we should admit. In summery, the study will not only deepen and extend the understanding of the changing in instructional method in modern China, so that enrich the study production on educational history, but also can elicit the experiences and lessons that direct our educational practices of the time. Firstly, we should pay attention to the puzzle of the transplantation and reconstruction, to the wandering of the teaching tradition. Secondly, we should care for the experiment of instructional method in the course of the scientific research in the practice and theory. Thirdly, we should realize that the instructor who has reforming spirit make the methods variety. Fourthly or lastly, we should know that the instructor who is rationalistic make the methods localize.