Abstract
The purpose of this study was to explore a collaborative action research about how to design a concept-based curriculum in the course entitled “Language Arts Teaching Materials and Methods in Chinese”. The concept based curriculum would be focused on how to help students achieve depth, conceptual understanding and the ability to transfer what they have learned. This study also investigated the feasibility of its implementation in one of the courses in teacher education. Participants were the students who took the course, and this course is one of the required courses in teacher education. Therefore, the students, a practical teacher, and the researcher formed a collaborative action research group. Methods used in this study were mainly qualitative, supplemented by quantitative data. Data collection might include the classroom observation, researcher’s journal, learning portfolio, scales, questionnaire, interview, etc. The study found that students' autonomous learning by reading designated materials before class improved their cognitive strategies, motivational strategies, resource strategies and overall self-regulated learning performance. Through focused conversation method and community of inquiry in the class, it was necessary to clarify and solve the problems of reading materials and teaching topics. Furthermore, the students significantly improved their understanding of the course material as well as their interest level, self-confidence in learning performance, and motivation to learn. In addition, students formed their own professional learning community, and have shaped a culture of collaborative inquiry and learning. Through the process of teaching practice, reflection and revision, the concept-based curriculum design has become more feasible. Therefore, 94.87% of the students in the first semester and 95.56% of the students in the next semester advocated that the "concept-based" literacy-oriented curriculum design is feasible.