Primary Science Education in East Asia

A Critical Comparison of Systems and Strategies

This  edited  volume is a state-of-the-art comparison of  primary  science  education  across  six  East-Asian  regions;  namely,  the  People’s  Republic  of  China, Republic  of  Korea,  Republic  of  China, Hong  Kong  SAR,  Japan,  and  Singapore.  While  news  of  educational  policies, classroom  teaching, assessment,  and  other  educational  innovations  here  often  surface  in  the  international  media,  this  book  brings  together  for  the  first  time  relevant  information  regarding educational systems and strategies in primary science in  East  Asia.  Above  all,  it is  a  readable yet comprehensive  survey—readers  would  have  an  accurate  sense  of  what  has  been  accomplished,  what  has  not  worked  so  well,  and  what  remains  to  be  done.  Invited  experts  in  comparative  education  research  and/or  science  education  also provide  commentary  by  discussing  common  themes  across  the  six regions. These  types  of  critical  synoptic  reviews  add  much  value by enabling  readers  to  understand  broad  commonalities  and  help  synthesize  what  must  surely  be  a  bewildering  amount  of  very  interesting  albeit  confusing  body  of  facts,  issues,  and  policies. Education in East Asia holds many lessons  (both positive and negative) to  offer  to  the  rest  of  the  world to which this volume is a timely contribution to the literature.