Educational Research Journal

Abstract

This article reports a critical examination of the design of the new junior secondary science curriculum in Hong Kong. Five orientations to science curriculum are identified and discussed: academic, cognitive processes, society-centered, humanistic, and technological. Arguments for integrating all curriculum orientations within a science curriculum are presented. Using the five curriculum orientations as analytical tools, the content of the new junior secondary science syllabus designed by the Curriculum Development Council (1998) is examined. The analysis covers the curriculum intentions, curriculum content and organization, teaching methods, learning activities, and instructional assessment. The results show that the new syllabus is dominated by the academic and cognitive processes orientations but neglects the humanistic, society-centered, and technological orientations. Directions for improving the design of the science curriculum are suggested.

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