Yen, K. L., & Vun, Y. (2016). A Study of the 12-Year Basic Education Policy Implementation in Taiwan. Academic Star Publishing Company, 6(4), 217–226. https://doi.org/10.15341/jmer(2155-7993)/04.06.2016/001
The journal article is written by Kuo Liang Yen and Yee-shu Vun, both of which represent high-profile governmental and education management positions. Yen is part of the Department of Education and Learning Technology in the National Hsinchu University of Education while Vun is the Elementary School Inspector of the Bureau of Education of the Hsinchu City Government. That being said, this article is also credible as it is published in a reputable peer-reviewed journal: the Journal of Modern Education Review.
The journal article investigates the ways in which the new 2014 Curriculum has been adopted and integrated into schools in relation to “policy objectives...enrollment [method]” and other miscellaneous adjustments schools have made to fulfill the new policy. The Qualitative method is used and a mix of questionnaires and data validity procedures were used and analyzed statistically. The article argues that the implementation of the Curriculum has increased high school students’ aptitude for exploration, the rates of shadow education, as well as agreement to the Curriculum’s policies (specific details in notes below).
Overall, I will be using this document in my research paper as it explicitly discusses the effects of the new Curriculum and the increase of “parents intent to send their children to take certain qualification examination to have better chance to get into ‘top-ranking high school,” which is the stepping stone of my RQ. By furthering my research on the buxibans role in this process, I would be able to continue the research conversation so to speak.
Notes:
Reason for study
investigate the educational policy of Taiwan’s 2014 Curriculum reform in four sections:
Formation of Policy
Policy Legalization
Policy Implementation
Policy Evaluation
Clarify the issues and propose adjustments to the Curriculum:
Analyze disputes, enrollment inquiries, and curriculum design/school capacity to carry out the policy
Senior High School Education Act: 12-year Basic Education policy was officially declared in July 2013 (the study was from August 2013 to August 2015)
Timeline of Curriculum Proposal
1989: proposal to extend 9-Year Compulsory Education
2000: VP Lien Chan proposes 12-Year Compulsory Education be implemented within 3 Years
2007: PM Su Tseng-chang announced the main implementation of the New Curriculum in 2009
2011: Pres Ma Ying-Jeou announced the “Formal Implementation of the 12-Year Basic Education in 2014”
ESSENTIALLY, it was planned for nearly 30 years over 19 ministers of Education
Various policies proposed were significantly different
Without MYJ, the bill would likely have been passed down to other presidents
12-Year Basic Education Program changes the admission process into an open admission:
Students can admit to a high school according to their aptitude, interest, and capacity, besides, their academy performance is waived upon certain conditions.
Research Method; used quantitative and qualitative research through questionnaires, surveys, and interviews
Subjects: teachers from public junior high schools in Taiwan
Results:
Based on the studies, the junior high school teachers believe, 12-year Basic Education Policy can effectively relieve excessive academic pressure.
Most of the schools need more supportive measures to overcome the problem they are facing with.
The study found that most parents have a misleading concept of a 12-year Basic Education Policy, this is one of the crucial factors among the barriers. Parents tend to send their children to cram examinations for the purpose to increase the chance of getting them to elite schools.
Students are still under massive stress from schools. Therefore, pressure relief is still the most concern of schools adopting the 12-Year reform bill