School Reform and Democracy in East Asia

East Asia has introduced school and curricular reform to reflect democratic citizenship and globalized skills, knowledge, and competencies in the 21st century. However, students from Japan, China, South Korea, Taiwan, and Singapore receive the highest scores in international students' assessments, while Indonesian and Vietnamese students are likely to receive the lowest testing scores. The book investigates high academic achievement in East Asia in light of the trend towards democratization and considers controversial issues such as whether the goals of democratic education should be the attainment of high academic scores, competency-based curriculums, or meritocratic systems of academic competition, and the provision of equal opportunities in the community of learning.

Format: Hardback
Length: 180 pages
Publication date: 02 October 2020
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

This comprehensive book delves into the transformative journey of East Asia in implementing school and curricular reforms to foster democratic citizenship and equip students with globalized skills, knowledge, dispositions, and competencies in the 21st century. It also explores the intriguing phenomenon of students from Japan, China, South Korea, Taiwan, and Singapore consistently achieving high scores in international assessments like PISA and TIMSS, despite their relatively low curiosity and motivation for learning compared to their international peers. On the other hand, Indonesian and Vietnamese students, despite receiving lower testing scores, exhibit remarkable motivation for learning. The authors argue that examining the high academic achievement in East Asia within the context of the trend towards democratization is crucial. They address controversial topics such as whether the primary objective of democratic education should be focused solely on achieving high academic scores, whether competency-based curriculums or meritocratic systems of academic competition should be adopted, and whether equal opportunities should be provided within the learning community. Through in-depth analysis of each country's unique social and cultural contexts, the book sheds light on the ongoing struggles and successes in realizing school reform. It also examines the historical, present, and future connections between East Asia, providing valuable insights into the region's educational landscape.

Weight: 440g
Dimension: 162 x 240 x 18 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781138346048