A Comparative Study On Standpoint Of Different Participants In Kindergarten Curriculum Development

In the kindergarten curriculum development, there are three main types of participants---curriculum managers, curriculum designers and curriculum implementers. Owing to the different standpoints, these three participants tend to have inconsonant opinions, even conflicts, in the process of curriculum development. Kindergarten curriculum should be based on an integration of different points of view and a balance of different opinions. Therefore, an understanding toward the different points of view of the participants and the analysis and comparison of the differences become an indispensable part toward working out an appropriate curriculum.This paper takes the Heilongjiang Kindergarten curriculum development as an example, with two interviewees from each type of participants chosen by stratified purposive sampling. Semi-structural interviews were undertaken when the six interviewees were found, other kinds of supplemented related materials were also collected, among which included some feedback and documents about the kindergarten curriculum. In the analysis of all the materials, the different standpoints and opinions from these types of participants are discussed in this paper.As a research result, different participants in the Heilongjiang Kindergarten curriculum development have different points of view and play various roles in it. Moreover, in terms of the determination of the curriculum objective, the choice and organization of the curriculum content, and the implementation and evaluation of the curriculum, different participants have a variety of opinions. The differences, in three aspects, are as follows:1) curriculum managers are mainly in charge of the overall integration and communication in the process, controlling the whole process on the basis of curriculum policies, policy documents and requirements of the authority. Their focus being how the curriculum needs to be done;2) curriculum designers are responsible for the overall design and lay-out of the curriculum by incorporating their professional knowledge, theoretical framework and personal experiences, so their role is working on how the curriculum should be done;3) curriculum implementers are the ones who put the curriculum into practice, while providing the feedback when adjustments and revisions are needed. It is the practitioners who concern about the present situations and conditions by asking themselves the question of how the curriculum could be done. Therefore, in the process of kindergarten curriculum development, abiding by the regulations and policies of the authority is essential, and the application of the theoretical frameworks and designers’ experience is needed. The practical situation also requires the adjustment of the curriculum toward a balanced state, i.e. between theory and practice, and only a curriculum that is built on the consensus of the authority, the theoretical workers and the practitioners can be applied appropriately for kindergartens.