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anonymous
Q: What's the difference between Western educational system and Chinese educational system?
10 years 46 weeks ago in Teaching & Learning - China
Western educational systems encourages asking questions, the Chinese does not allow questions
One of the differences I would say is that western education challenges you to question the norm and not believe everything you hear. I have a few Chinese friends who have been abroad and are very progressive and informed, though still often believe whatever rumors they hear on Weibo or whatever.
In western education, they don't get paid under the table to change grades and attendance to look good and keep the parents happy.
The Western education system is about learning things through participation and discussion - It encourages and relies upon students being able to express their own ideas.
The Chinese education system is about memorising answers.
My current students are wonderful, but with many previous groups of students, when I tried to engage them in conversation, or tried to get them to voice their own opinions, they just sat there looking dumbfounded. They were just waiting to hear "the answers".
The Chinese education system aims to destroy any intellectual curiosity long before students reach university. When your country specialises in intellectual property theft, why would you need intellectuals?
Western schools teach critical thinking, encourage to question the accepted theories & respect the differences. Conformity is good in China, it's not encouraged in the West. Rote memorization which is a requirement in Chinese schools, is not a norm in the West.
Chinese schools teach conformity & obedience, Western schools encourage creativity, critical & innovative thinking & teach human rights.
The question assumes that China has an education system, I am not sure it does if we consider what education is. As others have said the western system teaches us to have enquiring minds, to question and not just accept. I believe that is the basis of any good education system. In China students are trained in remembering answers and not to question, I do not consider that education, it is indoctrination. I know there are exceptions to this but in general that is how I see it.
Traveler:
It has an education system. It just uses the same methods the west stopped using almost a century ago.
I suppose someone will now use the west's past mistakes as justification for China's current failure.
The assistants in the West are less likely to sit and say "it's ok when one of the children is sat alone crying, and the other students can't hear you trying to teach a lesson".........................The long pause of death.
Free and innovative thinking versus dogma and dulled mental activity.
One of the systems you have to pay more even at a young age. While the other one is basically payed for by tax payer dollars. Other than that quality vs. quantity!
Scandinavian:
You mean free kindergartens vs. the 60000RMB per semester kindergarten down the road from where I am sitting ?
I agree with the above statements made about the Chinese education system. Debilitating and mind-numbing. This is perhaps why so many Chinese seem completely helpless in their ability to critically think about anything and why they appear to exercise such little control over the efforts that seek to govern them.
The above comments, however, about how wonderful the Western education system is, in my view, incorrect...although it all sounds incredibly romantic and idealistic. When you break it down, the purpose of educational systems in Western countries (and I use the term "Western countries" very loosely) is still economic. It's aim is for an individual to grow financially which in turn improves the prosperity of the nation. In a nut shell, do well at school and Uni and then buy lots of things...another success story...the end. If this fits the bill for what life is about for you then ok. But is that what life is all about?
When I was at school, and the last time I looked, schools (from an Australian point of view) in primary and high schools substantially lacked the curriculum that genuinely encouraged critical thinking and self-understanding. I will concede that it is improving but topics and subjects that seek to encourage these qualities are still being overlooked in favour of "safer" and more traditional subjects. What about critical thinking as a subject...and a mandatory one at that. What about more subjects like advertising and propaganda, the psychology of war, how we learn, gender, religion/spirituality etc. etc. Basically subjects that will help a student to understand the forces that govern them...good and bad.
For me, these are some of the elements of a sound education system but I am witnessing very little. Why? Maybe there is a fear that if everyone began to exercise critical thinking there is a risk that social order might suffer. Perhaps people will stop being manipulated by advertising...and with that a collapsed economy. I don't know. For me though, it's a long way down the track before I shower "Western" educational systems with such glowing reviews. But it is improving...
Hugh.G.Rection:
Thumbs up from me! A few too many 'maybes' in that last paragraph but a great summation of the problems.
"Teach them how to think not what to think."
MondoRosa:
Haha, it was getting late! I accept your notes and have removed two maybes. Cheers Hugh
The difference is that in western education it is largely up to the student to put in the effort to excel... education here is 100% effective in about 99% of student in its purpose. They all come out nice cookie cutter style unimaginative and unquestioning the moral and intellectual superiority of themselves and the powers that be.
