Xiaoyue Hu1, Chen Fu2,*, Ling Song3, Hui Yin4, Yuqing Wang1
1School of Education, Jilin International Studies University, Changchun 130117, Jilin, China.
2School of Education, Shandong Women's University, Jinan 250300, Shandong, China.
3Shandong Experimental Kindergarten, Jinan 250012, Shandong, China.
4Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences Kindergarten, Jinan 250131, Shandong, China.
*Corresponding author: Chen Fu
Abstract
This paper focuses on the inquiry-based curriculum in kindergartens, exploring its sources, characteristics, and relationship with other curricula. At the policy level, since 2001, documents such as the "Outline" and the "Guidelines" have emphasized the cultivation of children's inquiry spirit, promoting curriculum reform. At the practical level, it responds to the demand of "respecting children's nature", addressing issues such as the formalization of the curriculum and the insufficiency of teachers' and children's abilities. At the realistic level, with the practice of kindergartens' own curricula and the demand for high-quality development, this curriculum has emerged. Its characteristics include starting from problems, running through discussion, field visits, representation, investigation, and presentation, emphasizing the combination of children's active inquiry and teachers' guidance. Compared with the STEM curriculum, both emphasize interdisciplinary practice and problem-solving, with the former providing an inquiry framework for the latter. Compared with the theme activity curriculum, the former is a deepening of the latter, highlighting continuous inquiry and children's subjectivity.
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How to cite this paper
Research on Inquiry-based Curriculum in Kindergartens: Sources, Characteristics, and Relationship with Other Curricula
How to cite this paper: Xiaoyue Hu, Chen Fu, Ling Song, Hui Yin, Yuqing Wang. (2025) Research on Inquiry-based Curriculum in Kindergartens: Sources, Characteristics, and Relationship with Other Curricula. Journal of Humanities, Arts and Social Science, 9(6), 1114-1118.
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.26855/jhass.2025.06.011