Research On The Implementation Degree Of The Goals In Basic Education Curriculum Reform

Recently, the reform of basic education curriculum in China attracted more and more attentions and researches from researchers at home and abroad. The topic about the curriculum implementation is always especially important subject in Chinese curriculum research. "The National Program for Elementary Education Curriculum Reform (Trial)" (We use the abbreviations the "The National Program" later) was published by the Ministry of Education in 2001. It definitely stipulated the curriculum and teaching goal in primary and secondary school, and indicated the development orientation of basic education. This education reform aimed at change the curriculum function, modify the curriculum structure and content, alter the teaching methods, and construct the new evaluation system and curriculum management system. Ten years passed, we always keep going toward to this target.The goal of curriculum reform is the very important benchmark of our research on the curriculum implementation degree. And the realization of this original goal is the focus of most attention. Our study focuses on the goal of curriculum reform mentioned in "The National Program (Trial)". Based on this goal, we examine the implementation degree of curriculum reform, analyze the progress made in the implementation process and the existing problems, and then enlighten the further curriculum reform.The research approach of this study is examining the curriculum implementation based on the goal of curriculum reform. First, we make sure the 12 key points of basic education reform by the document analysis, and they are the investigation points in this study. Second, make questionnaire and revise it by the methods of document analysis, expert consultation and primary and secondary teacher consultation. We consult 40 experts in this field and 62 teachers. And we use the formal questionnaire to investigate 1554 teachers in primary and secondary school. Finally, we use the methods of group interview and individual interview to interview 22 primary and secondary teachers about the questions we care based on the analysis of the investigation.After the investigation we found that, teacher think the implementation degree in curriculum function, teaching methods, curriculum evaluation performs well. The implementation degree in curriculum structure, curriculum content, and curriculum management performs ordinary. In all, the implementation degree of the curriculum reform goal in our country is at the middle-upper level. And the implementation degree of the reform goal refers to teachers'practice in classroom is good, as the teaching methods, student evaluation, process and emotion, etc. The goals refer to curriculum structure and content, curriculum development, etc., are at the middle level, as the selection and arrangement of textbook content, the adaptability and selectivity of the content, school-based curriculum reform.After the comparison, we found that there were significant differences between different groups of teachers on the implementation degree of curriculum reform. The result shows that:the curriculum implementation degree of teachers in primary school is significantly higher than teachers in secondary school; the curriculum implementation degree of teachers in urban areas is significantly higher than teachers in rural areas; the implementation degree of teachers who engage the teaching works after the curriculum reform is significantly higher than teachers who engage the teaching works before the curriculum reform; the implementation degree of teachers who works in provincial and municipal key schools is significantly higher than teachers who works in ordinary schools; the implementation degree of teachers who have the Bachelor degree or above is higher, and teachers who have the college degree or below is relatively low. The data shows that teachers in different group have the different understanding, needs and abilities towards curriculum reform.After the analysis and discussion about the investigation, we study the factors influence the teachers' curriculum implementation by interview. We found the following influential factors:(1) the character of the textbook document. If the document needs to be adjusted and revised, teacher may think that it is useless, and influence their identification to the curriculum reform implementation. (2) Teacher and its' situation. Teachers prone to use their own knowledge, belief and attitude to explain the curriculum, and don't satisfied by this explanation. (3) The diffidence of students and the support from parents. Student is the subject in learning, and the difference between them is objectively existence. How to learn student, respect their difference, and to find proper teaching methods for them, then to improve the degree of curriculum implementation is what both researchers and teachers should consider. At the same time, the parent culture and the support from parents are the key influential factors for teachers'curriculum implementation. Fourth, the evaluation and the high-risk examine. When the evaluation combines with the high-risk examination, meanwhile, the curriculum ideas and curriculum goals decide the curriculum content and teaching method, they become the decisive factor of examination. Fifth, teaching culture and resource. Most teachers have the positive attitude to the new curriculum, but their practice always constrained by the multiple deep-rooted cultural factors, and the shortage of teaching resources is also the problem teacher encountered in curriculum implementation.Overall, if we want our basic education reform to be effective, we need the joint efforts of different groups, as administrator, curriculum workers, teacher and student, parents, etc. We should develop alternative curriculum resources, for teachers prefer a set of materials can be operable, practical, demonstrated, which comes with the curriculum reform. We should emphasize the principals'curriculum leadership, and construct the professional learning community lead by principles, then collectively assume responsibility for improving student learning, prompting the principal to better fulfill the responsibility of shaping the innovative and adaptive culture, and effectively lead the school reform towards the goals. Meanwhile, we can establish explicit, openness curriculum evaluation system, avoid passive teacher training and evaluation, and let teacher actively experience the process of adjusting and confirming, and then change their behavior.The goal of the Basic Education Curriculum Reform is the results that the school curriculum and teaching activities are trying to achieve over a longer period of time. It is also a clear direction for all educators that need long-term efforts. The firmness goal is a "contract" between the curriculum reform requires and educators. This "contract" agreed that we must not only clearly understand the reform goals, but also need to explore the approach of "how to reform".