A Comparison of Questions and Tasks in Geography Textbooks before and after Curriculum Reform in China

Abstract

This study centres on the questions and tasks in geography textbooks written before and after the curriculum reform in China. The aim of the study is to reveal the recent changes in amount, learning outcomes and types of questions and tasks in geography textbooks as well as the extent to which the ideas and intentions advocated by the curriculum reform have been actualized in the questioning and tasking practices of geography textbooks. Five geography textbooks written before and after the curriculum reform have been quantitatively and qualitatively analyzed and compared in terms of amount, learning outcomes and type. The findings show that the questioning and tasking practices can be characterized as an increase in amount, more emphasis on the intermediate-order cognitive level of analysis, little concern for the affective and psychomotor abilities, and less diversity of types of questions and tasks. Current textbook writing does not fully and vigorously respond to the ideas and intentions articulated by the curriculum reform. The amount, learning outcomes and types of questions and tasks in the geography textbooks need to be adjusted so as to better meet the aims of the curriculum reform.