Large picture questions

The reform of processes of teaching and learning take as their preimise the notion that classroom social interactions will in the long run have some effect on the macro structure. the goal is to first transform the individual and then in turn transform the larger society.

the new curriculum reforms in China have such a goal to transform the nature of the Chinese people, to raise up a generation of new Chinese people through a deliberate transformation in the nature of classroom interactions.

how will the classroom interactions be transformed?

through the institutionalization of educational ideologies.

how will this be achieved?


chapter one:
1) what the govt. seeks to achieve with respect to the new society, the new chinese people, the new classroom interaction orders.
2) an analysis of whether the focus is political control, social justice or economic development. unit of analysis--paragraphs in the policy documentation

chapter two:
1) what do teaching practices look like? are the reforms having any kind of an effect?
2) what are the differences in the types of classroom interaction orders?
unit of analysis--the lesson

can i present succinctly the characteristics of the interaction orders of traditional lessons? and progressive lessons?

traditional: conformity, one best answer, symbols, textual reproduction, systems of labeling, rituals, labeling, teacher role and power.
progressive:




chapter three:
if the transformatino of classroom interaction orders is deliberate what are the mechanisms through which this change is achieved?
a) sticks and carrots b) thought education c) cooptation of progressive ideologies that educators find attractive.

my main argument is really the institutionalization of ed. ideologies. but i need a discussion of sticks and carrots and how these are changing. i have ample information to draw upon from the qualitative in-depth interviews for both "sticks and carrots" and also the gradual spread of educational ideologies.

a story is emerging now all that needs to be done is to write it down.