A statistical analysis of the characteristics of the intended curriculum for Japanese primary science and its relationship to the attained curriculum

Abstract

Background Japan's national curricula, the "Courses of Study, " have been revised roughly once every 10 years by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) since first being implemented in 1947. The current Course of Study for Elementary Schools was announced in March 2008, and came fully into force in April 2011 with the objectives of revision including keeping up with societal change over the years and meeting the needs of learners on an international level. The Course of Study for Elementary Schools sets out the overall goals, objectives, and content for each subject and learning area. Textbooks in Japan must be authorized by MEXT, and their drafts are always checked against the content described in the Courses of Study. Since these textbooks are extensively used by primary school teachers throughout Japan, this system functions to maintain the levels of learning content expected for both teaching and learning at schools.

The sensitivity of TIMSS country rankings in science achievement to differences in opportunity to learn at classroom level

“…Focusing on life science, Matsubara et al (2016) compared the fourth-grade intended curriculum of Japan with that of the international average in TIMSS 2011, and related the findings to the relevant percent correct for the items. They then proposed changes to the Japanese science curriculum.…”