Cross-disciplinary STEM Learning for Asian Primary Students


Book Description

Given the importance of student learning in the various types and integration of STEM education, this book provides a landscape of cross-disciplinary STEM learning in Asian primary schools, and a systematic overview of design, practices, and outcomes of STEM learning implementation. Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) has continued to attract attention worldwide, and there have been calls for the promotion of STEM education in primary schools to nurture students to meet the needs of societies in terms of innovation and technology development. Since STEM is complex in nature and is related to various disciplines, the effort of a single discipline may not be as effective as cross-disciplinary efforts. This edited volume, involving an Asian team of authors, examines how cross-disciplinary STEM learning can be designed for students to achieve viable outcomes, and what opportunities and challenges have been offered to the next generation to equip them with the necessary skills, knowledge, and ways of thinking, as well as attitudes and values for lifelong learning. A resourceful text for students, researchers, and practitioners interested in the rich development of STEM education and practical methods for a variety of learning approaches from elementary to secondary education has been provided.




Cross-disciplinary STEM Learning for Asian Primary Students


Book Description

"Given the importance of student learning in the various types and integration of STEM education, this book provides a landscape of cross-disciplinary STEM learning in Asian primary schools, and a systematic overview of design, practices and outcomes of STEM learning implementation. Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) has continued to attract attention worldwide, and there have been calls for the promotion of STEM education in primary schools to nurture students to meet the needs of societies in terms of innovation and technology development. Since STEM is complex in nature and is related to various disciplines, the effort of a single discipline may not be as effective as cross-disciplinary efforts. This edited volume, involving an Asian team of authors, examines how cross-disciplinary STEM learning can be designed for students to achieve viable outcomes, and what opportunities and challenges have been offered to the next generation to equip them with the necessary skills, knowledge, ways of thinking, as well as attitudes and values for lifelong learning. A resourceful text for students, researchers and practitioners interested in the rich development of STEM education and practical methods for a variety of learning approaches from elementary to secondary education"--




School Counselling in East and South-East Asia


Book Description

This book explores trends in the practice of school counselling in East and Southeast Asia in response to socioeconomic changes, developments in education and schooling, the growth of technology, and the legacy of the recent COVID-19 pandemic. The volume adopts an ecological perspective, taking into account both schools’ institutional contexts and the sociocultural settings in which school counsellors work. Chapters focus on the needs, perspectives, and expectations of different stakeholders and explore the changing roles and identities of school counsellors. Contributions from Mainland China, Hong Kong SAR, Japan, Malaysia, The Philippines, Singapore, and Vietnam provide a wide-ranging account of the development of school counselling in the region and set out key themes and priorities for this fast-developing field. Academics in the field of school counselling, practising school counsellors, academics involved in training programmes for school counsellors and students will find this an invaluable volume. More broadly, this text will be of interest to individuals involved in accrediting bodies for international schools in Asia, and school leaders tasked with overseeing counselling provision and that of well-being.




Curriculum Innovation in East Asian Schools


Book Description

Following closely behind the global pandemic’s recent forced challenges to schools and teachers, Xu gives an overview of how educational researchers and schools in Asia respond to challenges in times of change. Her research focuses on how they adjust or change curriculum policy and practice to find a balance between developing innovation in response to fast-changing societal needs and maintaining the existing education systems that traditionally predict success for students. In this book, curriculum innovation is documented in three themes: 21st-century skills and competency-based curriculum, technology-supported curriculum and equity in curriculum. Xu includes three types of chapters: (1) case studies that provide detailed analyses of curriculum innovation at the school or country level, (2) conceptual analyses that deepen our understanding of curriculum issues using a new lens and (3) literature reviews that provide an overview of research in particular topics. The volume will be of great interest to researchers and educators interested in the role of curriculum innovation in times of change. In particular, it focuses on the ways innovative curriculum provides opportunities for individual students to maximize their potential while also acknowledging the constraints of local education systems.




Enacting Moral Education in Japan


Book Description

Drawing on the case of moral education reform, this book provides an authoritative picture of how policy is enacted between state policymaking and school practice in Japan, focusing on how national policy is enacted locally in the classroom. The study follows the 2015 moral education reform from its genesis in central government, through the Ministry of Education to its enactment by local government and schools. The book looks beyond written policies, curricula and textbooks to examine how teachers, school administrators and others make sense of, and translate, policy into practice in the Japanese classroom context. Chapters explore how moral education practice has changed in response to the intentions of national policy, and analyzes the implications for understanding processes of policy enactment in the Japanese education system. This book presents a new perspective on the complexity of education policy making, practice, and the gaps in between. It will be of interest to postgraduate students, researchers, and academics in the fields of education policy and politics, moral education, school administration, and international and comparative education more broadly, particularly in Asia.




Successful K-12 STEM Education


Book Description

Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) are cultural achievements that reflect our humanity, power our economy, and constitute fundamental aspects of our lives as citizens, consumers, parents, and members of the workforce. Providing all students with access to quality education in the STEM disciplines is important to our nation's competitiveness. However, it is challenging to identify the most successful schools and approaches in the STEM disciplines because success is defined in many ways and can occur in many different types of schools and settings. In addition, it is difficult to determine whether the success of a school's students is caused by actions the school takes or simply related to the population of students in the school. Successful K-12 STEM Education defines a framework for understanding "success" in K-12 STEM education. The book focuses its analysis on the science and mathematics parts of STEM and outlines criteria for identifying effective STEM schools and programs. Because a school's success should be defined by and measured relative to its goals, the book identifies three important goals that share certain elements, including learning STEM content and practices, developing positive dispositions toward STEM, and preparing students to be lifelong learners. A successful STEM program would increase the number of students who ultimately pursue advanced degrees and careers in STEM fields, enhance the STEM-capable workforce, and boost STEM literacy for all students. It is also critical to broaden the participation of women and minorities in STEM fields. Successful K-12 STEM Education examines the vast landscape of K-12 STEM education by considering different school models, highlighting research on effective STEM education practices, and identifying some conditions that promote and limit school- and student-level success in STEM. The book also looks at where further work is needed to develop appropriate data sources. The book will serve as a guide to policy makers; decision makers at the school and district levels; local, state, and federal government agencies; curriculum developers; educators; and parent and education advocacy groups.




Video-based Research in Education


Book Description

The rapid development of video technology in the last decade has changed the ways in which people communicate, how they learn, and how research is done. Video technology offers rich potential in capturing complex social interactions over a prolonged period of time and in supporting teacher professional learning and development. This book explores the ontological, epistemological, methodological, and ethical challenges associated with the different uses of video in research, ranging from video as a tool for investigating social interactions and for stimulating participants’ reflection, to the use of video for engaging varied communities and social groups in the process of teaching, learning and research. Each chapter presents the authors’ critical reflection on the ways in which video was employed, the research decisions made, the methodological challenges faced, and the consequences for how educational practices were understood. As such, it illustrates a wide range of philosophical and theoretical standpoints with respect to video-based research approaches. This book will stimulate broad and rich discussion among education researchers who are interested in video research and contributes to: advancing knowledge of the field; developing approaches to dealing with emergent ethical, theoretical, and methodological issues; and generating new protocols and guidelines for conducting video-based research across a variety of disciplinary areas in education.




Teachers’ Journeys into International School Teaching in China


Book Description

Poole’s book illuminates the experiences and perspectives of host country national teachers at internationalised schools in China. The international school sector in China has undergone significant changes in recent years. This is due to the growing demand for international education from local middle-class families. In response, a new type of school has emerged. Going by various names, such as private, bilingual or internationalised, these schools offer a fusion of national and international curricula and are staffed predominantly by host country national teachers. Despite these changes, we still know little about who host country national teachers are and what draws them to the world of international schooling. Accordingly, this book explores the motivations and mobilities of host country national teachers in China. It identifies three types of teacher: Returners, Reachers, and Remainers. Returners are graduates who have returned to China from overseas study. They are drawn to international schools by the opportunity to use their international experience and qualification. Reachers are internal migrants who face structural inequality and attracted to international schools by the opportunity for social mobility. Remainers are married teachers with children. They are motivated to work in international schools by the perceived stability and security these schools offer. Discussing implications for teacher recruitment, development, and retention in international schools, this book is an essential read for international educational researchers as well as students researching international education or teacher identity.




Cracking the code


Book Description

This report aims to 'crack the code' by deciphering the factors that hinder and facilitate girls' and women's participation, achievement and continuation in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education and, in particular, what the education sector can do to promote girls' and women's interest in and engagement with STEM education and ultimately STEM careers.




Science Education in East Asia


Book Description

This book presents innovations in teaching and learning science, novel approaches to science curriculum, cultural and contextual factors in promoting science education and improving the standard and achievement of students in East Asian countries. The authors in this book discuss education reform and science curriculum changes and promotion of science and STEM education, parental roles and involvement in children's education, teacher preparation and professional development and research in science education in the context of international benchmarking tests to measure the knowledge of mathematics and science such as the Trends in Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) and achievement in science, mathematics and reading like Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). Among the high achieving countries, the performance of the students in East Asian countries such as Singapore, Taiwan, Korea, Japan, Hong Kong and China (Shanghai) are notable. This book investigates the reasons why students from East Asian countries consistently claim the top places in each and every cycle of those study. It brings together prominent science educators and researchers from East Asia to share their experience and findings, reflection and vision on emerging trends, pedagogical innovations and research-informed practices in science education in the region. It provides insights into effective educational strategies and development of science education to international readers.