Science Education and International Cross-Cultural Reciprocal Learning: Perspectives from the Nature Notes Program

by George Zhou (Editor), Yuanrong Li (Editor), Jian Luo (Editor)

Overview

This volume draws on findings from the Canada-China Nature Notes Reciprocal Learning Program to explore cross-cultural exchanges in science education in and outside of the classroom. Under the collaborative reciprocity perspective, cross-cultural learning needs to go beyond simple comparison in practices, values, and results and moves to a paradigm that emphasizes a two-way learning process in the context of acting together. Through collaborative work between the international teams and partner schools, the program described in this book shows how collaborative efforts between the two sister schools worked to raise awareness about Chinese farming culture and extend students' outdoor learning experiences. In this book, educators from across the research team share their insights and reflect on the cross-cultural collaborative process and how it impacted the learning experiences of themselves and their students.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9783031171567
Publisher:	Springer International Publishing
Publication date:	01/26/2023
Series:	Intercultural Reciprocal Learning in Chinese and Western Education
Edition description:	1st ed. 2023
Pages:	164
Product dimensions:	5.83(w) x 8.27(h) x (d)

About the Author

George Zhou is Professor in the Faculty of Education in University of Windsor, Canada.

Yuanrong Li is Professor in the College of Teacher Education in Southwest University, China.

Jian Luo is a senior science teacher at Southwest University Affiliated Secondary School, China.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction.- 2. Following the Rhythm of Nature: Wisdom in the 24 Solar Terms and the 12 Constellations.- 3. Same Seasons, Different Campuses: Setting off the Journey of Nature Notes Program.- 4. Different Cultures, Working Towards the Same Goals.- 5. Leading the Way for Students' Growth.- 6. Teachers’ Experience and Perceptions of the Program.- 7. Conclusion and Suggestion.

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

“This book describes an extraordinary reciprocal learning program that fostered significant intercultural learning between and among students and teachers in China and Canada. It affirms the importance of school-based curricula as a way to take Canadian students out of their dominated ethnocentric viewpoint and to more widely inform Chinese students about interdisciplinary ways of understanding science and technology. It tells a story about the challenges, successes, and excitement of doing international collaboration that should lead readers to develop their own reciprocal learning programs.” (Clayton Smith, Professor, University of Windsor, Canada)

“This book is a product of a cross-culture reciprocal learning program between Canada and China. In this book, the readers will learn how students and teachers reflected on the relationship between human beings and nature and gained life aspiration from nature while they worked on their inquiry-based science projects throughclose observations of nature. Through this unique program, the sister school students and teachers learned different natural phenomena and customs of two countries and appreciated the biodiversity and cultural differences. Such an exchange program is a powerful platform for reciprocal learning!” (Changchun Lin, Professor, Chongqing Normal University, China)

Editorial Reviews

This book is highly recommended for those who are interested in cross-cultural education and teaching learning curricula at the primary and secondary school levels based on environmental education. … The book also provides information on the importance of collaboration, so it is highly recommended that this useful Cross-Cultural Nature Notes Programme be adopted by other Eastern and Western countries, not only by China and Canada.” (Amsal Alhayat , Risti Dwi Lestari and Maurra Syifah Wijaya, Australian Journal of Environmental Education, September 5, 2023)

From the Publisher