Conceptions of teaching held by school science teachers in P.R. China: Identification and cross-cultural comparisons

Abstract

This paper reports research into the conceptions of teaching of school physics teachers in Guangdong, China, utilizing both qualitative and quantitative approaches to research, which involved interviews of 18 teachers and a survey of 450 teachers, respectively. On the basis of analyses of both sets of data, five conceptions of teaching and two higher order orientations were identified and a multiple-level model was proposed. Comparisons with previous Western studies suggested that, while most teaching conceptions might be universal, some distinctions could be found between those held by Chinese and Western teachers. Chinese teachers seemed to view students' exam performance as the most important indicator of good teaching and successful schooling while its parallel conception in the Western context focused more on the general institutional standard. Two other teaching conceptions commonly held by Chinese teachers seemed to combine classroom teaching with the cultivation of good learning attitudes and good conduct while their Western counterparts only focused on the facilitation of and interest in learning.