A Case Study On The Status Of Adaptation Of Mathematics Textbooks In Rural Schools

We consider the adaptation as a complex process of interaction among teachers,students, textbooks, environments and standards of curriculums. The status ofadaptation of textbook refers to the relative balance that we achieve among the abovefactors in the process of interaction. In this study, we select two junior high schools ascases. One is H school in Huining County and the other is L school in LinxiaAutonomous Prefecture, which are both in Gansu Province. Using the ways of contentanalysis, questionnaires, interviews and classroom observation, we collect theinformation and know the status of adaptation of two kinds of math textbooks whichare taught among the students who are in grade eight. Two kinds of textbooks arepublished by Beijing Normal University Press and People's Education Press. At thesame time, we analyze the important factors that influence the status of adaptation oftextbook. The following are the main findings of the study:1.The grade eight math textbook published by Beijing Normal University Pressprovides possibilities to the teaching methods which are advocated by the NewCurriculum Reform. And it not only considers the needs of students study in its designbut also contacts with the contemporary social life and students'life closely in itscontent. However, teachers in the school think that the content structure of it is a littleconfusing. So it is not beneficial to teaching math knowledge systematically.2.The grade eight math textbook published by People's Education Press inheritedits old advantages that it has comprehensive knowledge, rigorous system structure andstrong logic. And it also gradually overcame its old shortcomings----too complex,partial and old in content and too much emphasis on book knowledge. But it hasn'ttaken different levels of students into account in its content as well as its exercises.Meanwhile, there are too many additional tips in it.3.Both textbooks pay more attention to the mathematical thinking and means intheir contents, which are very beneficial to the teachers'teaching. Although there aresome examples rely on the city life, they don't actually affect the students'learning.4.The ways of teaching and learning did not change with the correspondingchanges of the textbooks. The advanced concepts carried by textbooks cannot be usedin the classroom teaching. The interaction process of the adaptation of textbooks is actually becoming a separate change process of itself.5.The important factors which have influences in the process of adaptation areteachers'professional learning and classroom teaching practice. In fact, teachers aregradually adapting to the new textbooks by self-learning and class teaching.Based on the above analysis, some suggestions on how to solve these problemshave been offered: First, the ways of teaching and learning in the classroom should bechanged so that classroom teaching and learning can meet the textbooks'requirements.More specifically, it can be included in creating the environment which supportsteachers to implement the new curriculum in the classroom, training moreprofessional educational leadership and creating the necessary conditions for teachers'personal professional learning. Second, in the long term, national level educationalempirical research should be advocated and the knowledge on improving classroomteaching and students'learning should be provided in a large scale. Only in this waycan the education reform be based on the data and facts. Third, a dynamic feedbacksystem which concerns on the status of adaptation of textbooks should be developedand a long-term link between the user and the compilers of textbooks which cancollect information and improve textbooks should be established.Fourth, learningability of students should be improved to achieve breakthroughs in the ways oflearning.