Based on the Perspective of Public High School: Shanghai Top-notch Innovative Talents C-PARIS Comprehensive Curriculum Model

• In Event: Teachers, Competencies and Development

Proposal

In the complex international situation and the era of increasing conflicts and contradictions, cultivating top-notch innovative talents for all students is conducive to social equity and development, reducing the conflicts of the times and stabilizing the international situation. Research shows that curriculum is an important part of education reform, and education reform can be deepened through effective curriculum construction and development. If schools can provide a suitable and selective curriculum system for the selection of top-notch innovative talents, it will help promote the selection and training process of top-notch innovative talents, and then reduce conflicts and promote social harmony.
The mainly top-notch innovative curriculum models are: the schoolwide enrichment triad model with above-average ability, commitment to tasks and innovation as the basic requirements for talent cultivation; the talent identification and development model with the acceleration of content and flexible and targeted teaching; the parallel curriculum model is focuses on core curriculum and carries out related subject courses, practical courses and identity courses at the same time. There are also the Purdue three-stage enrichment model, the pyramid project, the integrated curriculum model, the autonomous learner model (Zheng & Zhao, 2013; Hong, 2014). In addition, American science and technology high schools support students to explore the depth and breadth of knowledge on the basis of basic knowledge through the curriculum model of "basic + expansion" (Zheng, 2019). In Hong Kong, China, a "three-tier implementation model" is adopted, which offers developmental and personalized courses (Yang & Lei, 2020). Colleges in China also explore the model according to the characteristics of the major, such as the "trinity" model for the mechanical major, that is, “curriculum - competition – project”, adding competitions and project activities in addition to the core curriculum (Fan & Lou & Cheng, 2023). It can be seen that there are various models of top-notch innovative curriculum, and each model has advantages in cultivating students' thinking, innovation and practical ability, but the courses offered by them are usually based on cooperative learning, ignoring students' individual learning needs. Furthermore, the international talent introduction policy has been launched, and each country has implemented top-notch talent selection, talent training and other programs with financial support. They focus on the differentiation and diversified learning of students, emphasizing the need to break the traditional course model, supplemented by innovation and entrepreneurship, interdisciplinary, project-driven, digital technology and practice-oriented expansion courses (Shi et al., 2022). For example, EPTS (the Education Programs for Talented Students Curriculum Model) aims to cultivate students' ability of analysis, practice and creation. It is proposed that extension courses should be carried out regularly for students under the premise of standard curriculum outline (Sak, U., & Ayas, B. 2020). However, many of the existing curriculum models are often implemented only for their own specific culture or background, and lack of universality applicability.
As a part of the education system, Shanghai public high schools play an important role in the field of education by virtue of their abundant educational resources, high teaching quality, excellent college entrance examination scores and social recognition. They have advanced experience in the construction of top-notch innovative curriculum. For example, Nanyang Model High School, Qibao High School and Datong High School all carry out elective courses on the basis of core courses in order to enrich the curriculum structure, adapt to the individual needs of students(Shanghai Education Commission Teaching Research Office. 2022). Therefore, the practice and experience of the top-notch innovative curriculum model in Shanghai public high schools are worthy of reference. By studying the top-notch innovative curriculum model of Shanghai public high schools from the perspective of students and teachers, we can understand the attitudes and feelings of students and teachers towards the curriculum model, make up for the shortcomings of the existing curriculum model in meeting the individual learning needs of students, and improve the universality of the curriculum model.
Therefore, this study takes the parallel curriculum model as a theoretical guide and defines the top-notch innovative curriculum model of Shanghai public high schools as the comprehensive curriculum model of C-PARIS, which is based on the core curriculum and carries out practical courses, academic courses, related subject courses, identity courses and specialty courses in parallel according to the individual needs of students. This study mainly adopts the literature research method, case study method and interview method. By selecting key high schools, district key high schools and special high schools in Shanghai, collecting data through interviews from the perspective of students and teachers, discussing and analyzing the curriculum framework, curriculum plan and relevant curriculum implementation of each school, focusing on how the curriculum system is committed to providing educational opportunities for all students to develop their interests and specialties, so as to lay a good foundation for the growth of top-notch innovative talents.
This study will answer the question of how Shanghai public high schools set up curriculum according to their own situation under the premise of standardized curriculum of national education reform, so as to cope with the contradiction with the development needs of top-notch innovative talents and achieve the coexistence of standardization and characteristic. Through this study, we can expand the curriculum theory, provide new theoretical viewpoints and ideas for curriculum construction, and help to perfect the curriculum system of top-notch innovative talents training for all students. By learning from the effective curriculum practice of Shanghai public high schools, it can provide experience and inspiration for teaching in other cities, urge them to continuously improve curriculum settings and teaching methods, provide strong support for the early selection and training of top-notch innovative talents, so as to resolve conflicts and create a harmonious society.

Key words: Shanghai public high school; curriculum model; top-notch innovative talents

Authors

• Yue Zhu

• Tainian ZHENG, East China Normal University