The Study On Teaching Research Group In China's Primary And Secondary Schools

Teaching Research Group (TRG) has been in the primary and secondary schools of China's mainland for a long time, and once made superexcellent contributions to our basic education. However, it shows more and more shortages under today's educational backgrounds. Therefore, much more treatise or articles concerning TRG have been seen in recent years, but almost all of them focused on 'HOW SHOULD' instead of 'WHAT' . This study, from the perspective of history, aims to explore TRG's historical evolution and 'WHAT' the TRG truly is.Data were collected in different ways including documents analysis and on-site observation, and finally categorized into three inter-related parts for further analysis, that is: (1) organizational nature, (2) seminar contents, and (3) operating modes.Following the path of Soviet Russia's Кафедра(Teaching Methodology Research Group, TMRG) , TRG was first defined as 'teaching research organization for subject teachers' by central government. In light of practical situation, however, TRG has been never a pure 'teaching research organization' but always assuming considerable administrative functions.Although the early seminar of TRG paid attention to teaching material and methods research based on educational theories such as Teaching Methodology and Pedagogy, it attached more importance to teachers' collective preparation for lessons and collective study of politics, general knowledge and teaching knowledge or skills. In 1980s, TRG's seminar turned to place emphasis on project research and educational idea study, while its 'teaching research' started to lay much heavier stress on the acquiring of teaching skills and the elder teachers' experience.Although the early operation of TRG paid attention to individual preparation in advance and each airing his own views in process, it laid a stronger emphasis on the dominant function of team leader and the uniform and even thought and behavior of teachers. And then, since the late 1900s, TRG's operation has been acting up to the concepts of the ' Deming Circle' .Based on the review of TRG's historical evolution and the analysis of its several questions described above, this study concludes that, taking history as a guide and mirror, to re-consider the function localization of TRG in our primary and secondary schools, and further transform its seminar contents and operating modes, so as to promote the teacher's development. The study also gives some practical suggestions on TRG's reformation which include: (1) try to make TRG return to the nature of 'professional organization for teacher's teaching research', (2) permeate the spirits and principles of Teaching Methodology in TRG's seminar, and (3) DO concern the teacher's professional development.