Education to Achieve 21st Century Competencies and Skills for All: Respecting the Past to Move Toward the Future

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Education to Achieve 21st Century Competencies
and Skills for All Respecting the Past to Move
Toward the Future

• Stimulating Learning in Science
• Reform of Elementary and High School Science
  Education in the Past Half Century in Taiwan

George Tai-Jen Chen
Vice President for Academic Affairs and Chair
Professor of Atmospheric Sciences National
Taiwan University Chinese Taipei 2008 January 15
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• Curriculum Reform of Elementary School Science
  Education
• Grade 1 9 Science and Technology Curriculum
  Guidelines (A Revolution Reform)
• Curriculum Reform of Junior High School Science
  Education
• Curriculum Reform of Senior High School Science
  Education
• Reformation Trend
• TIMSS
• PISA
• Challenges and Solutions

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Curriculum Reform of Elementary School Science
Education
Promulgation Implementation Characteristics of Major Reforms
1967, 12 (GDP 270) 1968, 8 (all grades) ?Reforms are based on contemporary education trend and national economy needs.
1975, 8 (GDP 984) 1978, 8 (yearly) ?Teaching materials shall focus on scientific activities of students. ?Teaching methods shall based on principle of learning by doing. ?Balanced development among scientific concepts, scientific methods, and scientific attitudes shall be emphasized.
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Promulgation Implementation Characteristics of Major Reforms
1993, 9 (GDP 11,077) 1996, 8 (yearly) ?Reforms are based on education trend, needs of society and students, curriculum design and instruction principles, etc. ?Curriculum contents shall related to students daily life and student centered learning. ?Curriculum design shall focus on some specific topic of nature phenomenon which possibly concerns some concepts in physics, chemistry, and biology, etc.
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Grade 1 9 Science and Technology Curriculum
Guidelines (A Revolution Reform)
Promulgation Implementation Characteristics of Major Reforms
1998, 9 (GDP 12,679) Four stages2001, 8 (Grade 1) 2002, 8 (Grade 4, 7) Curriculum Objectives 1. To foster learner enthusiasm to explore science and a sense of active learning. 2. Study basic science and technology knowledge and inquiring skill and how to make use of them now as well as in the future. 3. Learn to protect our environment, cherish the earths resources and respect life. 4. Learn to communicate, cooperate in team work and live in harmony. 5. Learn to think independently, solve problems and discover your potential. 6. Learn to observe the interaction between people and science/technology.
2008 Minor revision
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Curriculum Reform of Junior High School Science
Education
Promulgation Implementation Characteristics of Major Reforms
1972, 10 (GDP 528) 1973, 8 (yearly) ?To cultivate abilities related to independent thinking, decision making, and reasoning. ?Spirit of science, scientific methods, and scientific knowledge and ability shall be emphasized.
1983, 7 (GDP 2,876) 1986, 8 (yearly) ?To promote abilities related to the self-understanding, understanding of nature environment, and adjustment to social life. ?To develop abilities related to independent thinking, creativities, and problem solving.
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Promulgation Implementation Characteristics of Major Reforms
1985 (GDP 3,314) 1985 ?Adjust partially the instruction goals for each learning area.
1994, 10 (GDP 11,991) 1998, 8 (yearly) ?To emphasize that curriculum contents shall related to students daily life and student centered learning. ?By implementing integrated curriculum to improve learning achievement.
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Curriculum Reform of Senior High School Science
Education
Promulgation Implementation Characteristics of Major Reforms
1971, 2 (GDP 449) 1971, 8 (yearly) ?To establish Earth Science in science learning area. ?Courses for both the science major and the social science major are strengthened for entering higher education institutions.
1983 (GDP 2,876) 1984, 8 (yearly) ?To add more elective courses to implement course selection concept in place of major study concept.
1995, 10 (GDP 12,906) 1998, 8 (yearly) ?To emphasize the principle of general education integration in grade 10, exploration in grade 11, and differentiation in grade 12. ? To keep course selection concept in place of major study concept.
2004, 8 (GDP 14,663) 2006, 8 ?To continue course selection concept in place of major study concept
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Reformation Trend in Elementary and High School
Science Education
Stages Characteristics of Major Reforms
I End World War ? 1968 (GDP 189) ?Conceptual framework and knowledge structure were emphasized in curriculum design. ?Student learning was focus on concept and knowledge.
? 1968 1974 (GDP 524) ?Learning psychology was emphasized in curriculum design and teaching. ?Cultivation of science process and inquiring ability was emphasized in curriculum contents.
? 1974 1990 (GDP 3,329) ?Completeness of conceptual framework and knowledge structure was emphasized in curriculum design. ? Concept of integrated science was gradually adopted in curriculum contents and teaching.
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Stages Characteristics of Major Reforms
? 1990 2000 (GDP 11,995) ?Learning of both the knowledge structure and science process as well as the cultivation of abilities was emphasized. ?Concept of integrated science was gradually accepted and was reflected in school science curriculum and teaching design. ?Curriculum and teaching were moving towards activities related to daily life, localized events, and STS concept.
? after 2000 (GDP 15,061) ?Goals of curriculum design were focus on the cultivation of abilities and the integration of study areas was emphasized. ?Curriculum design was emphasized on nature of science, beauty of science, and ethics of science. ?Design of curriculum contents was emphasized on school-based curriculum and the concept of multi-dimensional and flexibility was also emphasized. ?Combined curriculum, modular curriculum, and STS-based curriculum were gradually adopted in teaching.
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TIMSS Science Achievement
Taiwan Taiwan Singa-pore Singa-pore Japan Japan Korea Korea Hong Kong Hong Kong Intl. Avg.
Score Rank Score Rank Score Rank Score Rank Score Rank Score
Grade 8 1999 569 1 568 2 550 4 549 5 530 15 N/A
Grade 8 2003 571 2 578 1 552 6 558 3 556 4 474
Grade 4 2003 551 2 565 1 543 3 N/A N/A 542 4 489
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Distribution of Science Achievement of Grader 8
in Taiwan Approximately a normal distribution
with one peak.
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Distribution of Science Achievement of Grader 4
in Taiwan Approximately a normal distribution
with one peak.
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TIMSS Enjoy Learning Science
of agreement of agreement Taiwan Singa- pore Japan Korea Hong Kong Intl. Avg.
Grade 8 1999 71 87 50 33 73 79
Grade 8 2003 50 83 59 38 69 77
Grade 4 1995 N / A 88 88 N / A 87 83
Grade 4 2003 78 79 81 N / A 86 82
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TIMSS 2003 Self-Confidence in Learning Science
of agreement Taiwan Singa- pore Japan Korea Hong Kong Intl. Avg.
Grade 8 66 82 66 62 79 86
Grade 4 87 73 87 N / A 92 91
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Financial Times
Asia-Pacific teenagers top OECD tests By David
Turner, Education Correspondent Published
December 4 2007 0907 Taiwan has topped a
prestigious international league table of
15-year-olds mathematical ability, vaulting
ahead of far richer countries. The island
states performance in the Organization for
Economic Co-operation and Developments Pisa
tests of mathematics and reading carried out in
2006 and released on Tuesday, reinforces its
reputation as a high-tech Asian tiger. Taiwan
also earns fourth place in the parallel Pisa
science ranking, published last week, although in
reading it is a mere 16th.
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PISA Age 15 Students (Science Literacy)
Taiwan Taiwan Japan Japan Korea Korea Hong Kong Hong Kong Finland Finland Sweden Sweden
Score Rank Score Rank Score Rank Score Rank Score Rank Score Rank
PISA 2003 N / A N / A 548 1 538 4 539 3 548 1 506 15
PISA 2006 532 4 531 5 522 10 542 2 563 1 503 22
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PISA 2006 Science Literacy of Taiwan Students

• To identify scientific issues (Rank 17)
• To explain scientific phenomenon (Rank 3)
• To provide evidence based conclusion (Rank 8)
• Earth Science (Rank 9)
• Life Science (Rank 3)
• Physics and Chemistry (Rank 3)

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PISA 2006 To Identify Scientific Issues
Taiwan Taiwan Japan Japan Korea Korea Hong Kong Hong Kong Finland Finland Sweden Sweden
Score Rank Score Rank Score Rank Score Rank Score Rank Score Rank
To identify scientific issues 509 17 522 7 519 9 528 6 555 1 499 21
Male 506 506 513 513 508 508 520 520 542 542 491 491
Female 512 512 531 531 530 530 535 535 568 568 507 507
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PISA 2006 To Explain Scientific Phenomenon
Taiwan Taiwan Japan Japan Korea Korea Hong Kong Hong Kong Finland Finland Sweden Sweden
Score Rank Score Rank Score Rank Score Rank Score Rank Score Rank
To explain scientific phenome-non 545 3 527 6 512 18 549 2 566 1 510 19
Male 554 554 535 535 517 517 560 560 571 571 516 516
Female 535 535 519 519 506 506 539 539 562 562 504 504
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PISA 2006 To Provide Evidence Based
Conclusion
Taiwan Taiwan Japan Japan Korea Korea Hong Kong Hong Kong Finland Finland Sweden Sweden
Score Rank Score Rank Score Rank Score Rank Score Rank Score Rank
To provide evidence based conclusion 532 8 544 2 538 5 542 3 567 1 496 23
Male 532 532 543 543 535 535 544 544 564 564 494 494
Female 532 532 545 545 542 542 541 541 571 571 499 499
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PISA 2006 Earth Science
Taiwan Taiwan Japan Japan Korea Korea Hong Kong Hong Kong Finland Finland Sweden Sweden
Score Rank Score Rank Score Rank Score Rank Score Rank Score Rank
Earth Science 529 9 530 6 533 5 525 11 554 1 498 25
Male 537 537 544 544 540 540 537 537 562 562 508 508
Female 520 520 517 517 528 528 520 520 547 547 488 488
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PISA 2006 Life Science
Taiwan Taiwan Japan Japan Korea Korea Hong Kong Hong Kong Finland Finland Sweden Sweden
Score Rank Score Rank Score Rank Score Rank Score Rank Score Rank
Life Science 549 3 526 7 498 27 558 2 574 1 512 16
Male 556 556 529 529 501 501 564 564 569 569 513 513
Female 542 542 523 523 495 495 552 552 579 579 511 511
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PISA 2006 Physics and Chemistry
Taiwan Taiwan Japan Japan Korea Korea Hong Kong Hong Kong Finland Finland Sweden Sweden
Score Rank Score Rank Score Rank Score Rank Score Rank Score Rank
Physics and Chemistry 545 3 530 9 530 9 546 2 560 1 517 14
Male 558 558 541 541 537 537 563 563 576 576 526 526
Female 532 532 519 519 522 522 529 529 544 544 507 507
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PISA 2006 (Interested in Science)
of agreement Taiwan Japan Korea Hong Kong Finland Sweden OECD average
Human body 68 65 62 75 66 61 68
Astronomy 64 55 52 62 48 53 53
Chemistry 46 48 42 55 45 50 50
Physics 52 40 31 56 41 48 49
Plant Biology 54 58 45 56 22 37 47
Design Investigation Procedure 51 34 24 53 24 44 46
Geology 47 33 42 43 31 35 41
Science Explanation 42 25 28 44 26 35 36
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PISA 2006 (Enjoyment of Learning Science)
of agreement Taiwan Japan Korea Hong Kong Finland Sweden OECD average
A 79 58 70 85 74 61 67
B 65 51 56 81 68 62 63
C 64 50 47 77 68 57 63
D 62 36 45 65 60 49 50
E 43 29 27 54 51 34 43

1. I enjoy acquiring new knowledge in science.
2. I generally have fun when I am learning science
   topics.
3. I am interested in learning about science.
4. I like reading about science.
5. I am happy doing science problems.

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Challenges and Solutions

• Challenges 1 Entrance examinations (focus on
  knowledge learning) take the lead to school
  education
• Junior high school ? Senior high school
• Senior high school ? higher education
  institutions
• Solutions 1) Multi-dimensional ways of
  entrance
• 2) Improvement of entrance
  examinations.
• Challenges 2 Changes in teachers education
  system
• Teachers College / Normal University
• ? All higher education institutions
  Changes in teachers
• Education / Training / Pedagogy /
  Subject specialty
• Solutions 1) Teachers re-education and on job
  training
• 2) Mechanisms for quality
  control / quality assurance of teachers.

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• Challenges 3 Insufficiency of teachers in
  learning areas in Grade 1 9 Science and
  Technology Curriculum reform.
• Solutions 1) Curriculum reform for teachers
  education
• 2) Teachers re- education
  and on job training.
• Challenges 4 Social values / Parents expectation
  

Traditional Chinese social value Parents
expectation for a son to become a dragon and a
daughter a phoenix. Expect every student to
enter the best school / university. Cram schools
for examination purpose only are vary active
after the regular school hours.
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Number of Cram Schools for Elementary and High
School Students.
Number of Cram Schools in Science Area.
Solutions To foster new social value to respect
multi-intelligent nature of a student.