The Study Of Common Core Standards-based Curriculum Reform In America: Strategy And Implication

In the late1980s, President George H. W. Bush initiated the world-class academic standards to cope with the K-12education crises. Subsequently, many well-known teachers’associations and research organizations developed the national curriculum standards; States constructed their standards voluntarily, which trigged a series of changes. The scholars call it "the standards-based (curriculum) reform", referred to the some key elements changes in K-12education system caused by the development of standards, including academic standards, curriculum, instruction, assessment and accountability, etc.In America, the Standards—based Curriculum Reform has undergone two important developing periods. They are the State Standards—based Curriculum Reform and the Common Standards—based Curriculum Reform(CSCR). In2010, the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) and the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices (NGA Center) published the Common Core State Standards, indicating the beginning of the new CSCR, it has been adopted in44states and the District of Columbia. It’s the new stage of the Standards—based Curriculum Reform, trying to retrospect the challenges and reconstruct it. It means the new Curriculum Reform learns the lessons and applies new strategies, models and approach.In2001, China started the new curriculum reform, which is also called the standards-based reform. In2011, the Education Department of China published the revised academic standards for students who receive Compulsory Education, and pointed out that the new curriculum reform in china was in a hard time, facing deeper problems and contradiction. How to interpret and resolve these problems becomes an urgent task for researchers. In this condition, combining the theory of large-scale curriculum reform, the paper tries to study how Americans learn the lessons from the past standards-based reform, and analyze the principle, model, strategies and approach used in the CSCR.The thesis is mainly divided into three parts. The first part,"overview of the CSCR" focuses on three questions:"what is the CSCR?","why did they initiate it?" and "how do they plan and implement it?". It’s to study the meaning, theory, causes and models of CSCR.There are two charters in the first part. Chapter1is about the core concept, development process and theoretical basis of the CSCR. Through analyzing different scholars’ interpretation of Standards-based Curriculum Reform, as well as development stages and features of standards-based reform to understanding What’s the meaning of the CSCR. In addition, this chapter analyzes three theories mainly impacting Standards-based Curriculum Reform; they are the systematic theory, complexity theory and network theory, study their curriculum reform thought and influence on CSCR.Chapter2is to analyze the causes of the CRCS, combing the internal factor and external factors. The study analyzes the motive from international competition of economy, talents, and education, as well as the challenges in the Standards-based Reform. Meanwhile, In the stance of states boycotting the interference of federal government in the field of education, after America choose the state-lead inter-government network, with the support of federal government, states make joint efforts to develop the common standards, plan and drive the CSCR.The second part is to discuss the core elements implement strategies of CSCR. The action logic of CSCR is to develop high-quality common standards as start-point, then aligning the curriculum, instruction and assessment with the common standards, while making use of accountability to ensure the implement of common standards. Therefore, part2concentrates on the core elements of CSCR, such as how to develop high-quality standards, how to align curriculum, instruction and Assessment with the common standards, how to use the accountability to ensure the implement of common standards.According to these contents, part2is divided into three charter:Chapter3analyzes the design principle, develop process, main content and organization, as well as the famous research institutes’ evaluating indicator, method and conclusion of the Common Standards.Chapter4is the Common Standards-based curriculum, instruction and assessment. Combining with Cases, focusing on the how to align the curriculum, instruction and assessment with the Common Standards. And analyze the Curriculum Mapping, Expert System and Webb Alignment model in developing curriculum, instruction and assessment.Charter5study the role of accountability for ensuring the common standards. Analyze the thought, development, models of accountability, and pay great attention to the measures and features of accountability changes after the issue of the Common standards.The third Part is to compare the Standards-based Curriculum Reform in China and in America. Compare their development stages and problems, causes and models, reform principles and core element reform features, based on these analysis and comparison to give some proposals for the new curriculum reform in China. The theses also reveals the shortcomings of the study and prospects for follow-up study.