1. 1 Education to Achieve 21 st 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 Stimulating Learning in Science: Reform of Elementary and High School Science Education in the Past Half Century in Taiwan Vice President for Academic Affairs and Chair Professor of Atmospheric Sciences National Taiwan University Chinese Taipei 2008 January 15 George Tai-Jen Chen

2. 2 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

3. 3 Curriculum Reform of Elementary School Science Education PromulgationImplementationCharacteristics 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.

4. 4 PromulgationImplementationCharacteristics 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.

5. 5 Grade 1 – 9 Science and Technology Curriculum Guidelines (A Revolution Reform) PromulgationImplementationCharacteristics of Major Reforms 1998, 9 (GDP $12,679) Four stages: 2001, 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 earth’s 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. 2008Minor revision

6. 6 Curriculum Reform of Junior High School Science Education PromulgationImplementationCharacteristics 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.

7. 7 PromulgationImplementationCharacteristics 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.

8. 8 Curriculum Reform of Senior High School Science Education PromulgationImplementationCharacteristics 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”

9. 9 Reformation Trend in Elementary and High School Science Education StagesCharacteristics of Major Reforms I: End World War Ⅱ – 1968 (GDP $189) ˙Conceptual framework and knowledge structure were emphasized in curriculum design. ˙Student learning was focus on concept and knowledge. Ⅱ : 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. Ⅲ : 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.

10. 10 StagesCharacteristics of Major Reforms Ⅳ : 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. Ⅴ : 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.

11. 11 TIMSS Science Achievement Taiwan Singa- pore JapanKorea Hong Kong Intl. Avg. ScoreRankScoreRankScoreRankScoreRankScoreRankScore Grade 8 1999569156825504549553015N/A 200357125781552655835564474 Grade 4 2003551256515433N/A5424489

12. 12 Student Number Scale Score Distribution of Science Achievement of Grader 8 in Taiwan ： Approximately a normal distribution with one peak.

13. 13 Student Number Scale Score Distribution of Science Achievement of Grader 4 in Taiwan ： Approximately a normal distribution with one peak.

14. 14 TIMSS Enjoy Learning Science % of agreement Taiwan Singa- pore JapanKorea Hong Kong Intl. Avg. Grade 8 1999718750337379 2003508359386977 Grade 4 1995N / A88 N / A8783 2003787981N / A8682

15. 15 TIMSS 2003 Self-Confidence in Learning Science % of agreement Taiwan Singa- pore JapanKorea Hong Kong Intl. Avg. Grade 8 668266627986 Grade 4 877387N / A9291

16. 16 Financial Times Asia-Pacific teenagers top OECD tests By David Turner, Education Correspondent Published: December 4 2007 09:07 Taiwan has topped a prestigious international league table of 15-year-olds’ mathematical ability, vaulting ahead of far richer countries. The island state’s performance in the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development’s 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.

17. 17 PISA Age 15 Students (Science Literacy) TaiwanJapanKorea Hong Kong FinlandSweden ScoreRankScoreRankScoreRankScoreRankScoreRankScoreRank PISA 2003 N / A548153845393548150615 PISA 2006 53245315522105422563150322

18. 18 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)

19. 19 PISA 2006 — To Identify Scientific Issues TaiwanJapanKorea Hong Kong FinlandSweden ScoreRankScoreRankScoreRankScoreRankScoreRankScoreRank To identify scientific issues 50917522751995286555149921 Male506513508520542491 Female512531530535568507

20. 20 PISA 2006 — To Explain Scientific Phenomenon TaiwanJapanKorea Hong Kong FinlandSweden ScoreRankScoreRankScoreRankScoreRankScoreRankScoreRank To explain scientific phenome- non 54535276512185492566151019 Male554535517560571516 Female535519506539562504

21. 21 PISA 2006 — To Provide Evidence – Based Conclusion TaiwanJapanKorea Hong Kong FinlandSweden ScoreRankScoreRankScoreRankScoreRankScoreRankScoreRank To provide evidence – based conclusion 5328544253855423567149623 Male532543535544564494 Female532545542541571499

22. 22 PISA 2006 — Earth Science TaiwanJapanKorea Hong Kong FinlandSweden ScoreRankScoreRankScoreRankScoreRankScoreRankScoreRank Earth Science 52995306533552511554149825 Male537544540537562508 Female520517528520547488

23. 23 PISA 2006 — Life Science TaiwanJapanKorea Hong Kong FinlandSweden ScoreRankScoreRankScoreRankScoreRankScoreRankScoreRank Life Science 54935267498275582574151216 Male556529501564569513 Female542523495552579511

24. 24 PISA 2006 — Physics and Chemistry TaiwanJapanKorea Hong Kong FinlandSweden ScoreRankScoreRankScoreRankScoreRankScoreRankScoreRank Physics and Chemistry 54535309 95462560151714 Male558541537563576526 Female532519522529544507

25. 25 PISA 2006 (Interested in Science) % of agreement TaiwanJapanKorea Hong Kong FinlandSweden OECD average Human body 68656275666168 Astronomy 645552624853 Chemistry 464842554550 Physics 52403156414849 Plant Biology 54584556223747 Design Investigation Procedure 51342453244446 Geology 47334243313541 Science Explanation 42252844263536

26. 26 PISA 2006 (Enjoyment of Learning Science) % of agreement TaiwanJapanKorea Hong Kong FinlandSweden OECD average A 79587085746167 B 65515681686263 C 64504777685763 D 62364565604950 E 43292754513443 A. I enjoy acquiring new knowledge in science. B. I generally have fun when I am learning science topics. C. I am interested in learning about science. D. I like reading about science. E. I am happy doing science problems.

27. 27 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 teacher’s education system Teacher’s College / Normal University  All higher education institutions: Changes in teacher’s Education / Training / Pedagogy / Subject specialty Solutions: 1) Teacher’s re-education and on job training ； 2) Mechanisms for quality control / quality assurance of teachers.

28. 28 Challenges 3: Insufficiency of teachers in learning areas in “Grade 1 – 9 Science and Technology Curriculum” reform. Solutions: 1) Curriculum reform for teacher’s education ； 2) Teacher’s 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.

29. 29 Number of Cram Schools in Science Area. Number of Cram Schools for Elementary and High School Students. Solutions: To foster new social value to respect multi-intelligent nature of a student.