A Comparative Study Of Chinese And American High School Chemistry Curriculum Standards

The development and implementation of Chemistry curriculum standards has become a key element of Chemistry curriculum reform in recent10years. Research and practice have shown that the quality of the chemistry curriculum standards have a major impact on the expected results of chemistry curriculum reform. At present, the "ordinary high school chemistry curriculum standards (experiment)" was promulgated by Chinese Ministry of Education in2003, in the process of implementation is still in the revision, which needs to learn from some of the more mature approach to guide.This article makes a comparison between "Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Science (high school)" in America and the "ordinary high school chemistry curriculum standards (experiment)" in China, so that we can get some enlightenment and reference for the implementation of the high school chemistry curriculum reform and the revision of the chemistry curriculum standard in our country.Based on curriculum theory, this study uses the comparative education theory as the instruction, using the method of literature research and text analysis, on the basis of reviewing the process of the high school chemistry curriculum development in China and the United States, makes a comparison for the high school chemistry curriculum standard between China and the United States (in Texas, for example). By analyzing the similarities and differences between them, draws the following conclusions:(a)The structure of the high school chemistry curriculum standards of China and the United States is different, but the content contained is similar, which are involved in the nature of the high school chemistry course, concept, content, evaluation, implementation and learning objective requirements and credits, etc.(b) Nature of the course(1)Similarity:The chemistry course belongs to the field of science learning in the United States and China, which is a discipline to improve students’ scientific literacy, emphasizing the students’ subjectivity, and focusing on the needs of different students’ development.(2) Differentia:Chinese ordinary high school chemistry education, linking to the nine-year compulsory education phase, belongs to the basic education for the general public; the American high school chemistry is an elective course of science education, not a public basic course.(c) Curriculum ideas(1)Similarity:both U.S. and China focus on training students’ scientific literacy and interest, training students to solve problem with creativity and emphasizes the students’ autonomy.(2)Differentia:Chinese high school chemistry curriculum rationale is based on the basic concept of the chemistry curriculum of the compulsory education stage, American curriculum concept is overall, regardless of their stage, in pursuit of human nature as the basic direction.(d) Curriculum objectives(1)Similarity:the behavior main body between the two countries are students, embodies the new curriculum idea "take the student as the main body".(2) Differentia:Chinese course objectives are specific segmentation to the knowledge and skills, process and methods, emotional attitude and values of three-dimensional targets under the premise of overall goal, language is clear, action verbs can be measured, has stronger operability; and American chemistry curriculum standards content is too simple, which is not a statement according to the three-dimensional targets, only have asked about knowledge skills and methods, but the nature of science is impervious, without unenforceable hard Numbers, so that to facilitate practitioners operation of teaching.(e) Curriculum structure(1)Similarity:The course structure of the two countries are composed of relatively complete module, Chinese high school chemistry curriculum classification have layers, a total of eight relatively complete modules; And the American high school chemistry course includes four modules. The two countries’ high school chemistry is geared to the needs of all students.(2) Differentia:China takes a compulsory and optional courses structure, and the United States takes optional courses structure. High school courses completed in two countries have different influence on the choice of university(f) Curriculum content(1)Similarity:Both U.S. and China pay attention to the basic content, with the real life, modern society and the development of science and technology are closely linked, increasing the important achievements of modern science and technology. (2) Differentia:In the organizational form of concrete contents, China is the main branch form, tend to be linear; the form of the United States is comprehensive, tend to spiral.Through the comparison and analysis of China and the United States high school chemistry curriculum standards related content, we get the following enlightenment:(A) We should determine the high school curriculum reform period in accordance with the requirements of social development. Only adhere to the curriculum reform, can we make our basic education, cultivate the talents to the world trends of curriculum reform, adapting to the change of social economy, politics, culture.(B) There is a Cross, seepage exists between the disciplines, the integration of curriculum is the inevitable trend of the world curriculum development. So we need to close contact between disciplines in regard to the curriculum, the setup thought of Texas high school integrated physics and chemistry curriculum worthy of our learning.(C) High school chemistry curriculum in our country embodies the selectivity of curriculum, emphasize the autonomy of schools and students, but the curriculum of elective module will weaken some requirements in the field of chemistry discipline.(D)At present our countries’ course evaluation system "a test decide the fate of the life" affect the implementation of new curriculum reform to a great extent. How to correct course evaluation system according to some defect in the present curriculum is worthy of our attention to amend the "ordinary high school chemistry curriculum standard (experiment)".(E)We need to cultivate the students’ professional consciousness and the ability of career planning of career education involve in ordinary high school chemistry curriculum, for students to lay the foundation to enter the society and to be going to work in the future.(F)When revised curriculum standards, we should draw lessons from the American academic evaluation standards, and make it conform to the situation of our country.(G) Our chemistry curriculum standards should increase attention to the manner of scientific inquiry, and pay attention to training students’ ability of problem solving and innovation consciousness.