Biology Programs in the Peoples
Republic of China and the United States
April Gardner, BSCS
Liu Enshan, Beijing Normal University
Bruce Fuchs, Office of Science Education, NIH
Origins of the project
 July 2005: Meeting of American and Chinese math and
science education leaders convened by Asia Society
 Potential areas of collaborative work identified at
meeting included comparative studies of curriculum
standards and materials in the two countries
 2006: Grant to BSCS from the Office of Science
Education, NIH, supported a comparative study in
biology education
Study Questions
1. What concepts are used as the foundation for biology
programs in the US and China?
2. What is the role of scientific inquiry in the programs?
3. What is the role of educational technology in the
programs?
Background
 US and Chinese math and science have unique strengths
and challenges
 US and Chinese math and science have common areas of
interest/concern
 Chinese education system
 National science education standards in both countries
Diverse strengths in science education
•
•
•
•
US
More “second chances”
throughout the system
Greater flexibility and
innovation
More use of inquiry and
laboratory
Greater emphasis on
biology and earth science at
high school level
•
•
•
•
CHINA
All curriculum materials
meet national standards
Clear alignment between
curriculum materials and
instruction
Emphasis on mastery of
basic concepts
Strong work ethic among
students
Diverse challenges in science education
•
•
•
•
US
Uneven and repetitive
curriculum
Adherence to diverse state
standards rather than
national standards
Basic concepts not taught to
mastery
Lack of alignment between
instruction and
accountability
•
•
•
•
CHINA
Pedagogy dominated by
teacher-to-student lectures
Lack of independent
thinking by students
Examination-driven system
provides little choice or
“second chances”
Large gap between
education in urban and
rural areas
Common area of interest:
Effective use of educational technology
• Building adequate hardware and software infrastructure
• Evaluating effectiveness of technology for student
learning
• Developing effective ways of using technology in
assessment systems
• Revising examination systems to reflect student
learning through technology
• Evaluating technology-based curriculum materials for
their educational value (as opposed to solely
entertainment)
• Providing professional development for teachers on
effective uses of technology-based curriculum materials
and instructional strategies
Chinese education system
 Children enter day care center at 2 ½ years
 Kindergarten: K1 to K3, ages 3 to 7 years
 Based on Syllabus of Kindergarten Education issued by MOE
 Content areas include health, language, social studies, science,
and arts
 Elementary school: Grades 1 to 6, ages 7 to 12 years
 Science content includes biology, physics, and Earth/space
science; science as inquiry; and positive attitudes toward science
 “Living world” content includes diversity of organisms; common
features of life; organisms and their environment; and health
Chinese education system
 Middle school: Grades 7 to 9, ages 13 to 15
 Biology & geology in grade 7; biology, geology, & physics in grade
8; physics & chemistry in grade 9
 Ten topics in biology:
inquiry
organisms & their environment
 animal movement & behavior
reproduction, development, & genetics
 basic structures of organisms
biotechnology
plants
humans
biodiversity
health
 Zhong kao: external examination at grade 9 determines who can
enter high school
 High school: Grades 10 to 12, ages 16 to 18
 General high schools for university bound; vocational high
schools for labor-force bound
 Three core modules in biology required; three elective modules
available
 Gao kao: national entrance examination for universities
National science education standards,
grades 9/10 – 12
US: Six standards
• The cell
• Matter, energy, and
organization in organisms
• Molecular basis of heredity
• Biological evolution
• Interdependence of
organisms
• Behavior of organisms
China: Three modules
• Molecular and cell biology
• Genetics and evolution
• Homeostasis and
environment
Study Questions
1. What concepts are used as the foundation for biology
programs in the US and China?
2. What is the role of scientific inquiry in the programs?
3. What is the role of educational technology in the
programs?
General Plan & Procedures
 Examine 2 programs from each country, one traditional and
one standards-based:
Traditional
Prentice Hall Biology
Peoples Education Press Biology
Standards-based
Kendall/Hunt BSCS: A Human Approach
Zhejiang Science & Technology Press Biology
 PH Biology used by 25-30% of US high schools; PEP Biology
used by 90% of Chinese high schools; AHA and ZJST Biology
used by much smaller proportions of high schools in each
country
 An English version of PEP Biology is available; Professor Liu
provided translation of ZJST Biology
General Plan & Procedures, continued
 Addressed first question by analyzing the table of
contents for each program and mapping this overview
to the relevant country’s standards
 Address second and third questions using an in-depth
curriculum analysis process for two “units” in each
program, ecology and genetics
Analysis of table of contents
 The programs have varying numbers of chapters and
pages.
 Each chapter in a program was identified as relating
primarily to one standard.
 The proportional focus on each standard was
determined by dividing the number of chapters per
standard by the total number of chapters.
Results: Analysis of table of contents
Standard*
Percent** (Number/Total) of Chapters
U.S.
China
PH Biology
KH BSCS: A
Human Approach
PEP Biology
ZJST Biology
The Cell
Molecule and Cell
5%
(2/40)
15%
(2.5/17)
22%
(2/9)
12%
(2/17)
Molecular Basis of
Heredity
Genetics and
Evolution
10%
(4/40)
18%
(3/17)
11%
(1/9)
29%
(5/17)
Biological
Evolution
Genetics and
Evolution
10%
(4/40)
12%
(2/17)
11%
(1/9)
6%
1/17)
Interdependence of
Organisms
Homeostasis and
Environment
10%
4/40)
18%
(3/17)
22%
(2/9)
24%
(4/17)
Matter, Energy, and
Organization in
Living Systems
Molecule and Cell
7.5%
(3/40)
15%
(2.5/17)
22%
2/9)
12%
(2/17)
Behavior of
Organisms
Homeostasis and
Environment
17.5%
(7/40)
12%
(2/17)
11%
(1/9)
18%
(3/17)
**Percentages may not add to 100% due to rounding errors.
†Percentages add to only 60%, because 40% (16/40) of the chapters cover topics that are not
in the Life Science Standards for grades 9-12.
††Percentages add to only 90%, because 12% (2/17) of the chapters cover topics that are not
in the Life Science Standards for grades 9-12.
Results: Analysis of table of contents
Program
Number of
chapters
Number of
pages
PH Biology
40
1059
K/H BSCS Biology: A
Human Approach
17
682
PEP Biology
9
307
ZJST Biology
17
374
Analyzing Instructional Materials (AIM)
 Approximately equivalent content in ecology and
genetics identified in each program; 2 to 4 consecutive
chapters per program
 Three-member teams composed of April, Professor Liu,
and a BSCS staff biologist analyzed each program
 Team members split up the reading and identified the
“overarching concept” of a chapter and the primary and
sub-concepts for each section of a chapter
 These concepts were organized into a “conceptual flow
graphic,” or CFG
 The CFG was used as the basis for completing 4 rubrics:
Concept Development, Work Students Do, Assessment,
and Work Teachers Do
Sample Rubric: Work Students Do
Work Students Do
1
3
5
Engaging Prior Knowledge
1
3
5
Metacognition
1
3
5
Abilities to Do Scientific Inquiry
1
3
5
Understandings about Scientific
Inquiry
1
3
5
Role of inquiry and educational
technology in the programs
Program
Role of scientific inquiry
Role of educational
technology
PH Biology
Minor:
Major:
Labs primarily verification; students not
asked to design experiments; teacher
materials provided short “right-wrong”
answers to questions
Multiple web resources linked to every
chapter
KH Biology:
A Human
Approach
Major:
Major:
Students design experiments, formulate
explanations based on evidence; teacher
materials encourage accepting and
challenging a variety of responses to
questions
DVD with video and animations an
integral part of program; additional
teacher support on accompanying CD
PEP Biology
Moderate:
None
Students use math in analyzing
experimental data; propose explanations
based on data; little-no support for
teachers
ZJST Biology
Moderate:
Multiple opportunities to design
experiments, analyze alternative models;
teacher support for doing inquiry activities
None
To be completed:
 Analyze programs for coherence, rigor, focus
 Report findings in a set of three papers
 History of biology education in China
 Development of standards in US and China
 Analysis of representative programs in US and China
Thank you!
For a copy of the slides visit
www.bscs.org and click on “News”