Civil Exam May 18, 2010Civil Exam May 18, 2010

The Civil ExaminationThe Civil Examinationfeatures, nature and features, nature and

implicationsimplications

a personal interpretationa personal interpretation

Kai-ming ChengKai-ming ChengSRT Sciences of LearningSRT Sciences of Learning

May 18, 2010May 18, 2010

Education in East AsiaEducation in East AsiaKoreaKorea

North KoreaNorth Korea

JapanJapan

TaiwanTaiwan

Mainland ChinaMainland China

Hong KongHong Kong

VietnamVietnam

Singapore (?)Singapore (?)

Education in East AsiaEducation in East Asia

Common features:Common features: examination as the core activityexamination as the core activity frequency & intensity of frequency & intensity of

examinationsexaminations high legitimacy for examinationshigh legitimacy for examinations overwhelming examination pressureoverwhelming examination pressure pervasive tutorial schoolspervasive tutorial schools

China: China:

The Home of ExaminationsThe Home of Examinations

Education in Ancient Education in Ancient ChinaChina

SynonymsSynonyms EducationEducation Attending schoolsAttending schools StudyStudy ExaminationExamination LearningLearning Reading booksReading books

The Examination ...The Examination ...

The Civil ExaminationThe Civil Examination Normally three tiersNormally three tiers Started formally 603 AD Started formally 603 AD (( 隋隋 ))((shui dynasty)shui dynasty)

Four Books & Five ClassicsFour Books & Five Classics Assessment: Essay writing Assessment: Essay writing Appointment to the OfficialdomAppointment to the Officialdom

科舉科舉 始於隋朝 傳入日韓始於隋朝 傳入日韓 單一功能 選拔官員單一功能 選拔官員 社會上升 唯一途徑社會上升 唯一途徑 十年寒窗 一朝成名十年寒窗 一朝成名 拜為宰相 招為駙馬拜為宰相 招為駙馬 出身寒微 衣錦榮歸出身寒微 衣錦榮歸 目的鮮明 全在功名目的鮮明 全在功名

The Examination: The Examination: AnalysisAnalysis

Preparing for the civil examination at the imperial Preparing for the civil examination at the imperial court:court:

Vision Vision MissionMission StrategyStrategy CurriculumCurriculum Mode of LearningMode of Learning Entrance requirementsEntrance requirements

The ExaminationThe Examination: Vision: Vision

““ Education” was Education” was solelysolely preparing for the Civil Exampreparing for the Civil Exam

Civil Exam was Civil Exam was solelysolely for for recruitment into the recruitment into the officialdomofficialdom

Joining the officialdom was the Joining the officialdom was the solesole means of social mobilitymeans of social mobility

The ExaminationThe Examination: Vision : Vision (con’t)(con’t)

Reward to success was overwhelmingReward to success was overwhelmingappointment to power appointment to power 拜為宰相拜為宰相 marriage to the royal family marriage to the royal family 招為駙馬招為駙馬 glorious home-comingglorious home-coming 衣錦榮歸衣錦榮歸

……......

The Examination: MissionThe Examination: Mission

Excellence in the ExaminationExcellence in the Examination Good memory Good memory Application of the classicsApplication of the classics Good writing skillsGood writing skills Ideas that attract appreciationIdeas that attract appreciation ……......

The Examination: The Examination: StrategiesStrategies

Hard-working: Hard-working: ““Ten years by the cold windowTen years by the cold window” ”

十年寒窗十年寒窗Emphasis on Emphasis on effortsefforts

““Diligence compensates for Diligence compensates for StupidityStupidity” ”

勤能補拙勤能補拙

The Examination: The Examination: CurriculumCurriculum

Basic LiteracyBasic Literacy reading, reciting, writingreading, reciting, writing

Four Books and Five Classics Four Books and Five Classics mostly social theoriesmostly social theories little natural science little natural science no practical skillsno practical skills

The Examination: Learning The Examination: Learning ModeMode

Textbooks readily availableTextbooks readily available Basically self-studyBasically self-study Self-motivatedSelf-motivated Distance-learningDistance-learning Teachers a luxuryTeachers a luxury Schools dispensableSchools dispensable ……......

The Examination: The Examination: Entrance RequirementsEntrance Requirements

None!None!

The Examination: The Examination: Perceived BeautiesPerceived Beauties

Extremely simple system: only examExtremely simple system: only exam Extremely simple curriculum: classicsExtremely simple curriculum: classics Extremely low-cost: no teaching, no Extremely low-cost: no teaching, no

fees, distance learning fees, distance learning Extremely fair: no class Extremely fair: no class

discrimination discrimination Extremely rigorous: open and tight Extremely rigorous: open and tight ……......

Implications ...Implications ...

It was about social mobility, not It was about social mobility, not about learning of knowledge and about learning of knowledge and skillsskills

Curriculum relevance is purely Curriculum relevance is purely politicalpolitical

……....

Implications ...Implications ...

It was only about scholarship, It was only about scholarship, which means reading and writingwhich means reading and writing

It favored only scholars; It favored only scholars;

““everything is low but reading”everything is low but reading” ……..

Implications ...Implications ...

It was single measure of single It was single measure of single intelligenceintelligence

Effort was treasured over innate Effort was treasured over innate abilityability

……..

Implications ...Implications ... It was selection of a few, not It was selection of a few, not

education of the masseducation of the mass It was norm referenced; it favored It was norm referenced; it favored

competitioncompetition It was conforming, little room for It was conforming, little room for

individual developmentindividual development……......

Implications ...Implications ...

Motivation was basically extrinsicMotivation was basically extrinsic Preferred interpretation vis-à-vis Preferred interpretation vis-à-vis

objectivityobjectivity Correctness vis-à-vis truthCorrectness vis-à-vis truth Decisions by authorityDecisions by authority Subordinate to authoritySubordinate to authority ……......

Chinese ExaminationsChinese Examinations

Cultural assumptions transmitted:Cultural assumptions transmitted: The society is a hierarchyThe society is a hierarchy Individuals should offer themselves for Individuals should offer themselves for

selection and engage in competitionselection and engage in competition Success belong to those who conform to Success belong to those who conform to

expectations from society or above expectations from society or above Hardworking pays off, regardless of Hardworking pays off, regardless of

innate ability, family conditions and innate ability, family conditions and environmentsenvironments

New ReadingNew Reading

Benjamin, E.A. (2000) Benjamin, E.A. (2000) A cultural A cultural history of the Civil Examination in history of the Civil Examination in late Imperial China. late Imperial China. Berkeley: Berkeley: University of California Press.University of California Press.

The Examination: Learning The Examination: Learning ModeMode

Textbooks readily availableTextbooks readily available Basically self-studyBasically self-study Self-motivatedSelf-motivated Distance-learningDistance-learning Teachers a luxuryTeachers a luxury Schools dispensableSchools dispensable ……......

A folk songA folk song小么小么小儿郎呀郎小儿郎呀郎

Little John, Little John,Little John, Little John,

背着那书包上学堂背着那书包上学堂On way to school with books in backpack;On way to school with books in backpack;

不怕那太阳晒不怕那太阳晒There is no fear of the fierce sun,There is no fear of the fierce sun,

也不怕那风雨狂也不怕那风雨狂or heavy rains or wild storm;or heavy rains or wild storm;

只怕先生骂我懒哟只怕先生骂我懒哟The only fear is teacher’s reprimand of laziness.The only fear is teacher’s reprimand of laziness.

没有学问喏没有学问喏With no achievement,With no achievement,

无脸见爹娘无脸见爹娘It’s shameful to face parents.It’s shameful to face parents.

Ancient times …Ancient times …

Korea 2006

Korea 2006

CredentialsCredentials

Industrial society …Industrial society …

Industrial SocietyIndustrial Society

Org

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Socie

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Know

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Cre

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Industrial SocietyIndustrial SocietyPro

cedu

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Ru

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Regu

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Tig

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Managem

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Strict D

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Industrial SocietyIndustrial Society

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Assumption:Assumption: People are Specialized, Classified & People are Specialized, Classified &

RankedRanked

Manpower

Young People

Education

Manpower

Young People

Education

>>

Exam

inat

ions

>>

Sylla

buse

s

>>

Text

book

s

>>

Scho

ols

>>

Clas

ses

>>

Tim

etab

le>

>…

.

Industrial InstitutionsIndustrial Institutions

Operatives

Craftsmen

Technicians

Engineers Degrees

Diplomas

Basic Education

Vocational

Training

Credentials …Credentials …

Education in Industrial Education in Industrial SocietySociety

People are prepared as People are prepared as manpowermanpower People are People are classifiedclassified and and rankedranked People & jobs are matched thro’ People & jobs are matched thro’

signalingsignaling Signaling is realized through Signaling is realized through

credentialscredentials SchoolingSchooling prepares credentials prepares credentials Hence Hence exams, syllabuses, classes, exams, syllabuses, classes,

timetables, schools,timetables, schools, …… ……

Students are processed by schools!Students are processed by schools!

勤有功

戲無益

Work Hard

Don’t Play

HoweverHowever

Society has Changed!Society has Changed!

What if selection is less an issue?What if selection is less an issue? What if credentials have a much What if credentials have a much

lesser role?lesser role?

Thank you!Thank you!