A Comparative Study Of Secondary Science Curriculum Between India, China And Japan

Abstract

Modernization of secondary science education is mostly dependent on curriculum reforms through policy recommendations. The two East Asian countries China and Japan started their science modernization at the end of twentieth century and for the last few years these two countries are performing outstandingly in the international science competitions like Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) and Program for International Student Assessment (PISA). Various studies from OECD revealed that Chinese and Japanese science curriculums are very much aligned with the 21^st   century appropriate modern curriculum. This study analyzes and provides a deep understanding of secondary science curriculum and middle and secondary stage science curriculum objectives and recent changes in curriculum reform and implementation process. For this qualitative comparative study deductive content analysis method was followed. Major findings of this study revealed that the curriculum reform system of India and China is more centralized compared to Japan. Although the three countries follow integrated science curriculum approach at the lower secondary level (for China and Japan) and middle and secondary phase I (for India), Chinese curriculum objectives have emphasized on students’ holistic development through science core competencies whereas Japan prioritized on physics topics and India has given almost equal importance on physics, chemistry and biology topics. Japan’s curriculum reform is more frequent and systematic than India and China. Three aspects of Japan’s lower secondary science curriculum objectives are ‘knowledge’, ‘attitude’ and ‘ways of thinking’. Main curriculum objectives (of NCF-SE, 2023) at middle stage and secondary science in India are ‘gaining scientific knowledge’ through Indian rootedness, and ‘obtaining scientific temper and attitude’ and focused on creativity and innovation through students’ learning outcome. Both China and Japan have included STEM education in the secondary science curriculum and achieved success through STEM approach, whereas Indian secondary science curriculum does not include STEM education.