A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF IN-SERVICE TEACHER TRAINING IN JAPAN

AND CHINA

This paper focuses on different ways of conceiving and carrying out in-service teacher
preparation in Japan and China of which China is known as communist country and
Japan is popularly
known as capitalist country. This paper facilitates to find out the differences in teacher
training in Japan
and China. This paper intended to document model of in-service teacher training and
technology in the
entire countries as well.
In-service training is accepted as an effective method of increasing the knowledge, skills
and
positive beliefs of teachers. It is a process used to continue the teacher's education once
they have
received their certification in teaching and are employed in a professional position
(Locke, 1984) (cited in
Bayrakcu, 2009). The Education Information Network in the European Union
(EURYDICE) defines in-
service training as a variety of activities and practices, in which teachers become
involved in order to
broaden their knowledge, improve their skills and asses and develop their professional
approach (Perron,
1991).
In-service training is the term used to describe a set of activities and requirements
generally
falling under the heading of professional development. It is an organized effort to
improve the
performance of all personnel already holding assigned positions in a school setting or to
implement a
specified innovation or program (Sapp, 1996). It is a key factor in influencing the
professional
development of teachers and contributing to the improvement of their knowledge through
an active role
(Saiti & Saitis, 2006).
Teacher Training in Japan and China
Japan has a multidimensional, continuous and systematic in-service teacher
training program. Five levels of teacher training, as defined by the Ministry of
Education, are at the national level: the Prefectural Board of Education (local
administrative units); the Municipal Board of Education level; the school level; and
the level consisting of voluntary educational associations, groups, and the training
of individual teachers (Fujita, 2007).
In Japan, there are two kinds of teacher training courses such as basic course
and specialized course. Besides the basic training courses a Specialized Training
comprises various in-service training courses directed towards specific subjects or
subject areas in which teachers wish to become experts. These courses are planned
and organized by prefectural education centers for specific aims and teachers are