Research On Evolution And Innovation Of P.E Curriculum In Chinese Elementary And Middle Schools Since The Reform And Opening

Curriculum, which is the kernel of not only school education but also education innovation, is a key factor that any education innovation can take real effect. Therefore, the research focuses on the evolution and innovation of the physical education (P.E) curriculum and aims to probe into the main clue of the curriculum development in Chinese elementary and middle schools since the reform and opening. The study also summarizes the experience and problems of the curriculum development during this period. In doing so, the author intends to provide systematic materials for improving the research of P.E curriculum and for references to the theoretical construction and curriculum innovation in Chinese elementary and middle schools.This paper divides the evolution and innovation of the P.E curriculum since the reform and opening into three stages: The first stage (1978-1985): Following the model before institutional revolution, the innovation of P.E curriculum focused on the implementation of the new teaching outline, making efforts to resume the normal physical teaching order and to build up the health of students. Although some important theoretical problems had been touched, these innovations were not commonly agreed.The second stage (1985-1999): Some new features of P.E curriculum appeared. Some changes and development had taken place in curriculum system as well as P.E materials. At the same time, there were still a lot of drawbacks: the idea of education was laggard; the object of curriculum was highly general and poorly hierarchical and operational; the subjectivity, opening and modernity of curriculum content had not been attached enough attention; the phenomenon, such as teacher-centered, sports-centered and constitution-centered, still existed in teaching; the physical fitness and sport skills were over-emphasized in the teaching evaluation; over-centralized management could not meet the actual needs in the management of curriculum.The third stage (1999-present): The innovation of P.E curriculum, which takes quality education as its concept and health education as its guidance, has made brilliant achievements. The developments during this stage include mainly five parts: 1. Embody the principle of"health first". 2. Propose four basic notions according with actual situation: First, adhere to the guidance—"health first", in order to promote the students'growth; Second, stimulate students'interests in sports and cultivate the students a sense of lifelong sports; Third, focus on the students'development and put emphasis on the students' principle; Fourth, concern about individual differences and diverse demands, in order to ensure every student's benefit. 3. Establish five goals: one, sports and participation; two, knowledge and skills; three, physical development; four, psychological development; five, social adaptation. 4. Realize the policy of"one outline with many textbooks"by using three-level management system including central government, local government and school, which changes the situation of unique textbook. 5. Establish the new evaluation system which supervises and encourages the students. New evaluation system proposes some basic principles, which combines process evaluation with final evaluation, qualitative evaluation and quantitative evaluation, teachers'and others'evaluation with self evaluation. Moreover, new curriculum standard recognizes individual differences and lays stress on the understanding and use of knowledge.On the foundation of the above research, the results show that with the development of the essential, P.E curriculum for elementary and middle schools will have a new trend in the 21st century, which includes new education ideas, modern curriculum system, people oriented contents, various teaching patterns and humane evaluation system. This new P.E curriculum will certainly become a favorite and further lay a solid foundation for lifelong P.E.In order to ensure the scientificalness and the feasibility of the study, this paper uses the methods of literature review, expert interview, logic analysis and comparative and historical methods.