Integrating Integration with Contextualization: A Study on Rural Teacher Education Curriculum Model Based on Henan Practice

Abstract

Against the backdrop of the strategy to build a strong education system, constructing a teacher education curriculum that meets the genuine needs of rural education has become a critical issue. In response to the existing dilemmas in current curricula—such as an “urban-centric” orientation, the disconnection between theory and practice, and the fragmentation between pre-service training and in-service professional development—this study proposes a reform concept centered on the integration of “Integration” and “Contextualization.” Using Henan Province as a practical field, the research constructs a systematic curriculum model. In the dimension of “Integration,” the model traverses the entire process of teacher professional development through mechanisms like the University-Government-School (U-G-S) collaboration, spiral curriculum modules, and a diversified evaluation system. In the dimension of “Contextualization,” it reshapes teachers’ local sentiment and place-based practical abilities by integrating Central Plains culture and local knowledge into the curriculum content and innovating immersive practical teaching. This paper elaborates on the theoretical framework and the four key reconstruction dimensions of the model, and demonstrates its operability and effectiveness by focusing on typical cases such as the “Xinyang Maojian Tea Curriculum Development” and the “Xinxian County Small-Class Multi-Grade Teaching Training.” The model aims to provide a replicable and scalable practical solution to resolve the structural contradictions in rural teacher cultivation, holding demonstrative significance for promoting the high-quality development of regional rural teachers.