Newly Edited Educational Curriculum

Author: Ye Lan
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-05-01
Features: This textbook was commissioned by the Department of Normal Education of the State Education Commission and is intended for use in public education courses at normal universities. After numerous existing textbooks on education, writing another one with its own value is not an easy task. We named this book "Newly Edited Educational Curriculum," reflecting our pursuit of its existence value. As a "curriculum," we first shifted our focus to the students taking this course, considering the organization of the textbook from the perspective of the necessary educational discipline cultivation required of a future teacher. This shift in perspective brought about changes in the overall structure of the book, marking the first step in "newly editing." We believe that as graduates of normal universities, they should first have a clear understanding of the functions of education, establish firm educational beliefs and scientific educational views, and use these to guide their educational practice. Secondly, future teachers should understand the overall model of school education, from its purpose and system to its curriculum, to clarify the specific context in which their future work will be carried out. This will broaden their perspective and cultivation in education, enabling them to understand and embody the requirements of holism in their practical work. Finally, based on the nature of teachers' work being on the frontline of school education, as a curriculum, the book should focus on providing an analysis of school educational activities and offering theoretical and methodological guidance for conducting various educational activities. This forms the structure of the three major parts of the book. From the internal connections of the three parts, it is a gradual process of internalizing the understanding of education from its functions to its practice, from the external to the internal of the school, and from the general to the specific. In terms of content, our principle is to analyze and study educational phenomena from the perspective of dialectical materialism, combining history with theory, reflecting the new achievements and ideas of contemporary educational science, and showcasing the development and experience of China's educational cause. We have consistently kept in mind that this textbook was written in the early 1990s of the 20th century, by Chinese authors, and for the future main force of the teacher team in the 21st century. It should have a sense of the times and China. To enable teachers and students using this textbook to gain a greater amount of information and to encourage independent thinking and judgment, we have provided a wealth of materials, listed different viewpoints on controversial issues, and shared our own insights. Naturally, due to the limitations of space and our own capabilities, all of this is still insufficient. To make up for this, we have provided broader reading references in the notes, appendices, and bibliography. Readers can choose reading materials based on their interests and needs, and teachers can specify required reading based on the actual situation of their students. We hope this book can provide some assistance for teachers in selecting teaching reference materials and for students in further self-study. In terms of exercise design, we focus on three aspects: basic concepts, basic viewpoints, and basic issues, aiming to encourage students to comprehensively apply their existing knowledge and experience when thinking about problems, thereby strengthening their understanding and experience of education. Some questions are also practical and operational, hoping to be beneficial in cultivating students' abilities in certain aspects. Teachers can select parts of them based on teaching or add new reflection questions. The educational cause is one that requires not only human reason but also human passion. We have poured our love for the educational cause into this book, hoping it can inspire future teachers' emotions, enabling them to see the full difficulty of this cause while also recognizing its full greatness.