Teachers' perceptions and implementation of the mathematics curriculum reform in China : a multiple case study of the DJP instructional model

Abstract

Mathematics curriculum reform in China reveals the tensions of implementing student-centred pedagogy in the Chinese context. Scholars and educators call for a need to balance Chinese traditional practices and new approaches adopted from the West. The Dao Jiang Ping (DJP) instructional model in this study could be one of the balanced practices. The DJP model has attracted considerable attention in China due to its effectiveness in combining various learning theories, including reception, discovery, self-regulated, and collaborative learning. Though being an appealing model, the implementation of the DJP model has been rarely studied. This study contributes to this research gap through a case study of the DJP model, based on the synthesis of six teachers’ perceptions and implementation.

The theoretical lens of the study is Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) and the Theory of Sense-making. TPB predicts and explains individual’s behaviours through attitudes, subjective norms and perceived behavioural control, while the theory of sense-making concerns the cognitive process of understanding policy and its implementation. A combination of the dimensions of the two theories allows key factors influencing teachers’ curriculum implementation to be well-captured in this study. Data sources in this qualitative study include classroom videotapes from 16 classrooms, semi-structured interviews of one DJP coach, six teachers, and 28 students, as well as fieldnotes and relevant documents. Analysis of classroom videotapes includes level of student participation and quality of classroom interaction, while interview analysis includes teachers’ attitudes and understanding regarding the DJP model. Other data source serves for the purpose of triangulation.

Results of this study reveal that the implementation of the DJP model has brought considerate changes in teachers’ perceptions and practices. It suggests teachers’ instructions were shifting from teacher-centred to a mix of teacher-centred and student-centred, which increased students’ active participation in classrooms including group discussion, explanation, and presentations. Consistency of perceptions and practices was found in three cases and discussed through the literature addressing the strong influence of beliefs and attitudes on teachers’ classroom practices. Inconsistencies were identified in the remaining three cases, who expressed positive attitudes towards the model but their classroom practices showed very few DJP features. Inconsistencies are discussed through teachers’ conventional beliefs, limited understanding of the DJP model, and the constraints of factors, including students, school support, professional development programmes, district reform climate, and examination-oriented culture. In addition, the results suggest that the influence of contextual factors on teachers’ acceptance and implementation of the DJP model is mediated by teachers’ perceptions, thus varying between teachers.

The main significance of this study lies in its enrichment of the literature on the mathematics curriculum reform in China and its extension of TPB framework by adding the sense-making perspective. A framework to examine curriculum implementation is proposed, which may provide reference for future studies. The study suggests policymakers should pay attention to how teachers perceive the mathematics reform, especially their understanding of the reform initiatives, and providing them with the support to overcome the contextual constraints.