A Comparative Study On Master Programs Of Preschool Education In China And In The U.S.A.

Under the background of new era, the master programs of preschool education in colleges and universities have been the key to the cultivation quality of preschool education talent. The improvement of the master programs needs to learn reasonable elements from master programs of preschool education in the U.S.A. So, there is a need for a comparative study of this aspect.Taking Northeast Normal University, Nanjing Normal University, East China Normal University, Southwest University, Hunan Normal University and American Columbia University, the City University of New York, Georgia State University, Florida State University, Auburn University as study objects, this paper does characteristic analyses on their admission system, cultivation objectives, cultivation methods and quality management of Chinese and America master programs of preschool education to find the actual problems of our preschool education master’s programs. Learning from American preschool education master’s programs is beneficial to improve our preschool education master’s programs.According to the study, obvious differences exist. The master programs of preschool education in China has four features:(1)Admission system is highly "centralized" management system, implementing the "first and second-round exam" unified national selection system;(2)The cultivation objectives focus on the cultivation of the ideological and moral qualities and the mastery of professional knowledge of preschool education theory;(3)Universities practice personal guidance combined with collective training;(4)Universities adopt the combination of module learning and credit system in curriculum;(5)Universities adopt the "strict entry and tolerant exit" system. The features of the master programs of preschool education in America are as follows:(1)Practicing a free and flexible admission and focusing on the comprehensive ability;(2)Paying attention to the cultivation of the practicing ability, leadership ability, exploring ability, decision-making ability and reflective teaching ability;(3)Universities generally use the committee composed of three to five mentors for the graduate student conducting joint guidance and supervision, assessment;(4)Universities pay attention to the courses in education foundation and the novelty of the course content;(5)American colleges and universities apply a "wide entry into severe out" system.In comparison, the master programs of preschool education in our country has the following deficiencies: the limitations of admission system, the oneness of cultivation objectives and cultivation methods, unreasonable curriculum settings, loose management. In allusion to problems in the Chinese postgraduate education of preschool education, five reform suggestions are put forward by referring to the effective experience of American postgraduate education of preschool education:(1)Improving the flexibility of the admission principle and applying a open admission system;(2)Setting up diversified cultivation objectives;(3)Using a variety of cultivation methods and practicing flexible educational system;( 4)Adjusting the curriculum structure and improving the teaching materials;(5)Strengthening cultivation management.