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Curriculum, Pedagogy, Teacher Training and Recent Reforms in Primary Science Education

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Primary Science Education in East Asia

Part of the book series: Contemporary Trends and Issues in Science Education ((CTISE,volume 47))

Abstract

The dynamism of science education in Asia is an enigma yet structured. An enigma because science teaching and learning is about discovering the secrets behind natural world phenomena, which suggests nonlinear knowledge construction and creation and liberal pedagogies that teachers need to be exposed to; yet in many Asian classrooms, preceptive transfer of knowledge takes place much of the time which points the finger at the structure of science education which encompasses planned curricula and training of teachers in pedagogical and content knowledge. Since World War II, Asian nations, such as Korea, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, China, and Hong Kong, have seen progressive phases of curricular changes, pedagogical approaches, assessments, and teacher training programs specifically for science education, with many of the cues coming from the West. This chapter discusses the various descriptions of the evolution of primary science curricula in the six nations over the past sixdecades, which indicates that the focus at present are inculcating values, attitudes and skills in general and in particular, to the environment. Furthermore, the global voice for STEM integration is growing louder in order to plant the seeds of the wonder of science in young minds who face a fast-changing world.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China

    Lorraine Pe Symaco

  2. University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

    Esther G. S. Daniel

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  1. Lorraine Pe Symaco
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  2. Esther G. S. Daniel
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Correspondence to Lorraine Pe Symaco .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore

    Yew-Jin Lee

  2. National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore

    Jason Tan

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Symaco, L.P., Daniel, E.G.S. (2018). Curriculum, Pedagogy, Teacher Training and Recent Reforms in Primary Science Education. In: Lee, YJ., Tan, J. (eds) Primary Science Education in East Asia. Contemporary Trends and Issues in Science Education, vol 47. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-97167-4_11

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-97167-4_11

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-97165-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-97167-4

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