Why Do Rural Teachers in China Hardly Implement the Curriculum Reform? A Social Ecosystem Perspective

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Sunday 11:45 am
  In Roundtable Session: Critical Cartographies: Centering Teacher Knowledge in Place, Identity, and Curriculum Justice

Abstract

This study employed a qualitative case study approach to examine the challenges faced by exemplary rural teachers in implementing interdisciplinary curricula. The findings revealed two primary obstacles: (1) a systemic deficit in interdisciplinary pedagogical competencies among rural educators, and (2) the absence of viable collaborative partnerships. Furthermore, the research identified how multi-tiered socio-ecological factors—operating at macro, meso, and micro levels—compound these implementation challenges. By analyzing the complex interplay between these ecosystemic layers, this investigation provides critical insights into the structural barriers hindering curriculum reform and targets the support mechanisms to empower high-performing rural teachers in overcoming these multidimensional constraints.

Author

• Yu-Wen Wang, Henan Normal University