As a key research base for humanities and social sciences designated by China’s Ministry of Education and a national key research base for textbook development, the Institute of Curriculum and Instruction at East China Normal University is committed to sharing China’s educational experience with the world. In recent years, the Institute has invited internationally influential scholars and experts to engage in dialogue on China’s curriculum reform. These efforts culminated in the launch of China’s first English-language book series devoted specifically to “Curriculum Reform and School Innovation in China.”
The series is co-edited by Professor Cui Yunhuo, Professor Chen Shuangye, and Lee Shulman, former president of the American Educational Research Association (AERA) and professor emeritus at Stanford University. Associate Professors Wang Tao and Shi Yuchen serve as Executive Editors. The series is published in collaboration with the internationally renowned Springer Group .
Volume 1
School-based Curriculum in China
Edited by Professors Cui Yunhuo, Professor Lei Hao, and Professor Zhou Wenye, the first volume, School-Based Curriculum in China, was published in 2020. As the first English-language book to offer a systematic introduction to the development of school-based curricula in Chinese basic education, it provides an important foundation for the international academic community’s understanding of this field in China.
Overview
The volume is organized around three main themes: the background to and concepts underpinning school-based curriculum development in China, approaches and practical cases, and the challenges and future prospects of this work.
Part I traces the development of school-based curricula in China and examines the Chinese approach to curriculum development, including its underlying values, procedures, and types, as well as the preparation of curriculum plans and processes of evaluation and review.
Part II presents case studies of Hangzhou Maiyuqiao Primary School, Jiangsu Xishan Senior High School, and Hangzhou Gongchen Middle School. Moving from an individual school-based course to a category of courses and then to the whole-school curriculum, it illustrates curriculum-design approaches at different levels.
Part III discusses the challenges facing school-based curriculum development in China and its future prospects. It aims to foster a shared understanding of the value of school-based curricula, strengthen schools’ capacity for curriculum development, and establish curriculum review mechanisms at both school and local levels.
The series is currently open to submissions of theoretical or empirical monographs by individual authors or co-authors, as well as edited collections. It plans to publish three volumes each year, continuing to share China’s experiences in curriculum reform with the world.