An Comparative Study On The STEM Content Of Junior Middle School Science Textbooks Between China,America And Japan

Curriculum integration is the common trend of international science curriculum reform,science practices has became the key to reverse the misunderstanding of science inquiry,STEM education is considered to be the effective way to solve the problems of curriculum integration.As a basic material carrier of curriculum,textbooks reflect the curriculum concept,so it is necessary to study the textbooks.Attempting to build research framework of the STEM content based on the existing research results of STEM education and science practices at home and abroad.This study uses the combination of quantitative and qualitative research methods to study junior middle school science textbooks of the China,America and Japan to find the similarities and differences of three countries textbooks on the subject integration and science practices,provides specific reference basis for the writing of the Chinese textbooks and curriculum standard revision.The problems of this study are as followed:(1)How to build research framework of the content of STEM based on the existing research results?(2)what are the differences and similarities of STEM learning content of junior middle school science textbooks between China,America and Japan?(3)what are the differences and similarities of STEM learning method of junior middle school science textbooks between China,America and Japan?(4)Whether China,America and Japan's junior middle school science textbooks fit curriculum standards or not?(5)What tries the writing of the Chinese science textbooks and revision of curriculum standard can make?This study is divided into seven parts:The first part mainly introduces the research origin,the research questions of this study and research significances;The second part is the review,comparing and analyzing existing research results about textbooks and the STEM education at home and abroad,defining core concepts "Junior middle school science textbooks","STEM Content";The third part introduces the research design,the research process,the research objects,the research methods and tools of this study;The fourth part analyzes STEM learning content of three junior middle school science textbooks;The fifth part analyzes STEM learning methods of three junior middle school science textbooks and analyzes typical cases in textbooks;The sixth part analyzes the junior middle school science textbooks and curriculum standards' fitness;The seventh part expounds the conclusions of this study,enlightenment,reflection and prospect.The conclusions of this study are as followed:(1)STEM learning content:The number of science,technology,engineering,mathematics four whole subjects and individual subject are:America>China>Japan;From the perspective of learning activities,subject integration of America textbooks in quantity and in quality is better than that of China and Japan on textbooks;the proportion of Science subject in the three countries are greater than other three subjects,the proportion of technology subject in America and China textbooks are minimal,the proportion of mathematics subject in Japan textbooks are minimal;subject integration of the three junior middle school science textbooks are based on academic standard,three junior middle school science textbooks strengthen the national ideology in the form of reveal local advantages.(2)STEM learning method:The common characteristic of the three junior high school science textbooks about design of learning activities is more meticulous but their openness are insufficient,they provide students with the activities of the detailed steps and materials,such as how to put forward assumptions,avoid errors,control variables,improve data accuracy,allowing students to design and hypothesize has weakened.Three junior high school science textbooks highlight the scientific activities of sociality,at the same time of strengthening exchanges and cooperation,they have weaken the argument and reflection;From the learning activities reflect the perspective of science practices,relative to China and Japan textbooks,America textbooks pays more attention to such as critical and creative thinking,development and application of the models and the prototypes,the high level cognitive ability training;China textbooks pays more attention to training students' ability to observe things and phenomena,and the Japan textbooks focuses on the problems will be solved and goals will be realized.(3)The junior middle school science textbooks of three countries and curriculum standard' fitness:The three curriculum standards target at improving students' science literacy,the three textbooks adhering to the principle of curriculum standards guide the student to master the cores of the scientific concepts and principles and deepen the understanding of nature of science through the process of science inquiries;From the overall of the curriculum standard,the China and America curriculum standard are far better than that of Japan;From the point of fitness,there are still some elements is emphasized in the three curriculum standards but weakened in the three textbooks.Choice of technology subject and reaction of nature of science are obvious.