What Are Transferable College Credits?

Credits (xué fn) is a unit of measure used to calculate the amount of students' learning. It is calculated by semester. The specific credits of each course and practice link are subject to the provisions of the professional teaching plan. Some schools also have a credit-based system. Credits can be used to judge the breadth of students' knowledge during college. The more credits a student gets, the more things they learn. In some universities, credits have also become an important criterion for evaluating students' excellence.

[xué fn]

Each course in the university has certain credits. Only by passing the exam for this course can you get the corresponding credits. Graduation is only possible after the credits have accumulated to the professional requirements. If you complete the required courses and credits in advance, you can also graduate early.

Credits Part I

Q1. What are credits?

Credit is a unit of credit for successfully completing a course. It is used to indicate the amount of learning required for a student to obtain a certain certificate, diploma, or reach a certain level. Each country has different regulations on the amount of learning represented by credits. For example, the number of credits in some states in the United States is generally calculated based on "Carnegie Units", and each unit represents at least 120 hours of classroom teaching for a school year. Canada successfully completes a minimum of 110 hours of courses to earn 1 credit, and a minimum of 55 hours to receive 1/2 credit. The standard for the new senior high school curriculum of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, and Culture in Japan stipulates that one class or one class is 50 minutes, and 35 classes is one credit. "Credits" is a unit used to calculate a student's academic performance. One credit is approximately equal to one hour of academic work in a classroom or laboratory

The amount of work and consecutive semesters, it does not include the amount of extracurricular discussions and exchanges between students and teachers or classmates, preparation of exams and other academic work related to the course but not directly related to the teaching of the course. This definition of credits was proposed by the Carnegie Foundation for Teaching Promotion and has been widely recognized. The use of credits to measure the amount of student learning is the credit system, also known as the cumulative credit system. It uses credits to calculate the amount of student learning. It is believed that students must achieve a certain minimum academic weight in order to obtain an academic degree, such as a bachelor's degree, master's degree, or doctorate. This weight represents the amount of lessons the student has taken. The credit system originated in the United States in 1894. Harvard University in the United States first adopted the credit system. The Harvard Medical School created a credit system based on the elective system. By the beginning of the 20th century, most colleges and universities in the United States had introduced credit systems.

Q2. What is the credit system?

The Credit Unit System is a course management system that calculates the student's learning volume by credits and completes the required minimum credits to obtain the basic conditions for students to obtain graduation qualifications. It uses quantitative credits to record students' growth experience in the corresponding curriculum field and the degree of development achieved.

Q3. What is the academic year system?

The academic year system is the abbreviation of the academic year and school hour system, that is, a system in which students must complete the required academic year, complete the subjects and hours required for each academic year, and pass the examination to meet the established standards before they can graduate to receive a certificate. China's ordinary high school implements the academic year system. Relative to the credit system, the academic hour system is a rigid curriculum management system.

Q4. What is the academic year credit system?

The academic year credit system is a form of the combination of the academic year system and the credit system or the transition from the academic year system to the credit system. The academic year credit system basically retains the three years of study in ordinary high schools, but there are compulsory and elective courses in the curriculum, and credits are used to measure the amount of learning completed by students in a given academic year.

Q5. What is the flexible academic system?

In many countries, credits are used to measure the amount of students' learning, often combined with flexible academic systems. That is, credit statistics break the boundaries of the school year, and use the entire semester (such as undergraduate, junior college, high school) as a unit to calculate the credits for students' study. Students are allowed to graduate earlier or later within the prescribed number of years. As a result, there are no grade points in high school, only the first few years.

The flexible academic system provides students with a greater degree of learning freedom and caters to students with different learning needs. However, considering that many ordinary middle schools in China are large in size, large in class size, and lack of rich experience. Therefore, on a large scale, most schools can only try the academic year credit system. Of course, nationwide, a small number of schools have carried out experiments on flexible education systems, and it is recommended that schools with conditions can conduct experiments and continuously sum up experience.

Q6. How is the credit for the course calculated?

Each credit is equivalent to one class hour (40-45) minutes of classwork per semester and meets the required quality requirements. In terms of class hours alone, 1 credit = 18 class hours.

Q7. Who will recognize the credits?

The school is the main authority for credit recognition of high school students. According to the idea of three-level curriculum management, courses can be divided into academic and non-academic categories, and different courses are identified by different subjects, as shown in the following table:

Q8. What is the subject and basis of credit recognition?

Non-academic courses

Field / Subject Language and Literature, Mathematics, Foreign Languages, Humanities and Society, Science and Technology, Arts, Physical Education and Health

Research Learning Community Services and Social Practice

The subject of credit recognition and the basis shall be determined by the school or the teacher based on the uniform external school test results or the internal school test results or the national curriculum standards. Recognition is determined by the teacher in accordance with the relevant regulations of the school

Note Non-academic courses are temporarily listed in the technical field.

Credits Part Two

Q9. Is there a limit to the number of credits for each academic year?

For the academic year credit system, the upper and lower limits for the number of credits taken by a student each semester are specified. Students can follow a certain order of courses, according to the school's curriculum plan and the advice of the course selection instructor, within the range of credits stipulated in each semester, allow more courses, less courses, exemption from certain courses.

Q10. What is a required course?

All courses offered by the Ministry of Education in accordance with the General High School Curriculum Program are mandatory for all ordinary high school students.

Q11. What are elective courses?

Elective modules in certain areas of study developed by the Ministry of Education, as well as courses offered by the school for students to choose based on their own characteristics and student needs.

Q12. What is the standard for credits to graduate?

The credit requirements for ordinary high school students to graduate are: students must obtain at least 144 credits within three years, and compulsory credits must not be less than 116 credits, including 15 credits for research activities, 2 credits for community service, and 6 credits for social practice. Elective credit I is not less than 22 credits, and elective credit II is not less than 6 credits. Therefore, for the schools that have tried the credit system management, students have completed the above minimum credits and passed the comprehensive assessment of ideology, morality, organizational discipline, and behavioral norms. They are allowed to graduate, and the school will issue a uniformly printed graduation certificate. .

Q13. Where does the student benefit from implementing the credit system?

The implementation of the credit system can provide students with more and richer courses, allowing students to choose individual courses according to their personal interests, their own conditions, and development needs according to the school curriculum. Wait. In this way, it not only helps students with learning difficulties to solve the problem of lack of energy, but also provides opportunities for students with more ability to accelerate, broaden, and deepen learning.

Q14. How does the school implement the credit system management?

Schools conducting the credit system pilot should first realize that the premise and core of implementing the credit system are elective systems. For schools with experience in setting up and developing elective courses, the implementation of credit system management has basic conditions. For schools that have not yet established a compulsory and optional course structure as a framework, they should first construct a flexible, open and scientific curriculum structure, and do a good job of the first step in implementing the credit system management construction.

Q15. Is there an advantage to the credit system in larger schools?

The number of students in large-scale schools is relatively large, and the implementation of the credit system can optimize the management process and improve management efficiency. In the course of course selection, as far as specific courses are concerned, the number of students enrolled is relatively small, and the cost of education is relatively low.

Q16. How do smaller schools implement the credit system?

The possible problems with the implementation of the credit system in smaller schools are mainly uneconomical. If possible, with the support of higher education authorities, cooperate with the surrounding ordinary middle schools to jointly implement the credit system and explore the specific credit system according to regional characteristics. Management methods, sharing of elective course resources. You will get more results with less effort.

Credits Part III

Q17. What are the specifications for the school system credit system management plan?

Schools should formulate a school curriculum plan and a corresponding credit system management plan adapted to the new curriculum in accordance with the 2003 General Senior High School Curriculum Program (Experimental), new curriculum standards, and guidance or requirements on school curriculum management. When setting up a school curriculum plan, the first task is to evaluate and integrate the original curriculum, and actively develop elective courses, so as to establish a curriculum structure based on required courses and elective courses, to provide a platform for students to choose courses, and to highlight the flexibility of the curriculum. , Selectivity.

The credit system management plan should include four major elements: curriculum setting, credit recognition, course selection guidance, and student status management. Pilot schools with an academic year credit system should also set the upper and lower limits on the total number of credits taken by a student in a semester in the school curriculum plan for each academic year.

Q18. What are the requirements for school resources and facilities to implement the credit system?

Generally speaking, the implementation of the credit system requires schools to make full use of and tap existing school resources and facilities, such as school libraries, laboratories, playgrounds, and multimedia classrooms. Conditional schools can add a number of motorized classrooms of various sizes, which is conducive to elective courses.

Q19. What impact will the implementation of the credit system have on teachers?

The combination of the elective system and the credit system is conducive to giving play to the independence and creativity of teachers and bringing more professional development space for teachers. Teachers will have greater autonomy in terms of curriculum content, learning time, and teaching methods. At the same time, it also brings more challenges to teachers, who face the problem of adjusting and improving their knowledge structure.

Q20. Are there any classes that have a unified curriculum for the credit system?

In schools that are managed on a credit system, students can still arrange classes by grade, forming natural or administrative classes. After a student chooses a course, the school forms a teaching class according to the course selection staff, and the student can take the class across classes or across grades (if conditions or need).

Q21. The change of class concept in credit system management?

Under the management of the credit system, there are two types of classes. One is the administrative class. The compulsory study of students and the holding of collective activities are still carried out in the administrative class, and are managed by the class teacher. The second is the teaching class. The students' elective courses are studied in the teaching class, that is, the students "go to class" according to the subjects they choose, and the learning of this subject is managed by the teacher of the teaching class.

Q22. How does dynamic class student management work?

After the credit system was implemented, part of the students' learning was carried out in relatively stable administrative classes, while the other part of learning was completed in dynamic teaching classes, which affected the role of the original administrative class and head teacher system, so the head teacher of the administrative class Coordinate the division of labor with the head teacher of the teaching class to do a good job of student management.

Q23. How does the school guide students to choose courses?

Schools that implement the credit system have developed a Course Selection Guide for distribution to newly enrolled students, and a course selection instructor plan. The course selection instructor will give full guidance to students in choosing courses, choosing learning processes, choosing learning methods, etc., and establish a relatively fixed and long-term relationship with students to provide guidance and help for students and their parents. In addition, the school also organizes concentrated counseling for students before each class and semester.

Q24. What is included in the subject instruction manual?

The content of the course selection guidebook mainly includes two parts: one is the school-related curriculum policy, including graduation requirements, semester and academic year credit requirements, course selection procedures, etc .; the second is a brief introduction (description) of all courses for students to choose. Name and code, instructor, credit hours, course content introduction, class place, time schedule, learning method, elective requirements, etc.

Credits Part Four

Q25. How do students choose courses?

Except for compulsory courses, students refer to the general schedule of scheduled courses for the next semester published at the end of each semester (including the course name, course code, course credits, instructor, lecture time, and class capacity). Course selection under the premise of conflict, fill in the "selection list", and hand it over to the head of the administrative class.

Q26. What is the mutual recognition of credits among similar schools?

Schools that are also ordinary high schools can achieve mutual recognition of credits in certain areas, especially in the area of elective courses. The elective courses that a school can offer are always limited. For areas where conditions permit, schools can explore walking or online elective courses in a certain area to achieve the mutual selection of courses between multiple schools in a certain area.

Q27. Procedures for mutual recognition of credits in similar schools?

· Both parties shall sign a mutual credit agreement and report to the school authorities

· The performance of the agreement is based on the official grades and credits of the school's educational administration.

Q28. What is the mutual recognition of credits between different types of schools?

The credit recognition system for different types of schools is conducive to the convergence of various types of schools and improve the construction of China's education interchange. In the field of secondary education, there are vocational high schools and comprehensive high schools in parallel with ordinary high schools. Because of the different types of schools, the educational resources they occupy also have their own advantages, especially in some elective courses. . According to the "Principle Opinions on the Pilot Work of the Credit System in Vocational Schools" issued by the Ministry of Education in 2001, some vocational high schools and comprehensive middle schools in China have piloted the credit system. Therefore, these three types of schools can try to recognize the credits of some courses in a certain area. In other words, mutual recognition of credits can be achieved according to the same requirements in the curriculum standards of both parties.

In addition, the credits of some courses can be recognized between ordinary high schools and institutions of higher learning.

Q29. Credit recognition procedures between different types of schools?

· Students provide information about the courses they have taken (course name, course standards, grades);

· Comparison of the two types of curriculum standards by relevant experts and recommendations for mutual recognition of credits;

· Official approval by the school's educational administration.

Q30. Can the student's competition awards and qualifications be converted into credits?

In principle, the competition rankings and qualification certificates obtained by students can be recorded on the student's personal study report by handwriting, and do not need to be directly converted into credits. Students must earn credits to complete a certain course in the high school curriculum plan and achieve a qualified level of results. If a student believes that his or her position and qualification certificate can prove that he has reached the required level in the relevant course, he or she can apply for exemption or waiver of the course according to regulations.

Q31. Can students avoid listening and taking certain courses?

For some subjects or modules in the subjects, students think that they can be mastered by self-study, and can be exempted after approval. Students have excellent grades and strong self-study ability. For the courses specified in the teaching plan, those who have mastered themselves through self-study can apply for exemption according to the exemption method and obtain credits in advance.

Physical education and health courses, comprehensive practical activities, and skills operation courses are not eligible for exemption.

Q32. What are the requirements for students to apply for exemption from listening to a certain course?

Students can apply for exemption if they obtain a valid grade certificate or qualification certificate issued by a national or international authoritative institution to prove that they have mastered a course (or courses) required by the school. Students should submit the application for exemption and the original certificate, which will be examined and approved by the School Affairs Office.

Credits Part V

Q33. How is the credit for integrated practical activities calculated?

A total of 15 credits for three years of research study. There are three schemes: one subject per semester, three credits per subject; one subject per academic year, five credits per subject; five credits for one small subject in the first grade, and ten credits for one large subject in the second and third grade. Schools can customize specific credit programs as needed.

Social practice lasts three weeks, one week per school year, 2 credits per week, 6 credits in three years. The head teacher will recognize the credits according to the actual performance of the students in practical activities.

There are 2 credits in community service for three years, and the service time is not less than 10 working days. Credits are recognized by the class teacher according to the service time certificate signed by the person in charge of the service receiving unit, and service activities organized by the Youth League Committee or Student Union are recognized by the responsible teacher.

Q34. What about subjects that fail the exam?

Students who fail the course assessment have a chance to make up for it. Make-up exams are placed in the first week of the new semester after the winter and summer vacations. For students who have failed the re-take, they cannot obtain credits for that subject or module.

Students who fail the re-take can retake the subject or module, and on the premise of meeting the minimum credit requirements for the field and subject, students are allowed to choose other modules that are easy to pass across the subject or field.

Regarding the limited courses, different schools can have different approaches, they can repeat them, or they can arrange students to choose another course in the same course.

Optional courses can be retaken, modified or abandoned.

Course retakes must take place within a subsequent year. Rebuilding is generally not allowed more than twice.

Q35. Has the academic year credit system been implemented without repeating grades?

The implementation of the credit system means that the repetition system is cancelled. Students who fail the exam can refer to 25 questions. However, the school that pilots the academic year credit system will be limited by the number of years of study, and students cannot rebuild without restrictions.

Q36. Can credits reflect the quality of students' learning?

The total number and structure of credits that meet the graduation requirements is the main basis for students to obtain a diploma. Therefore, the main purpose of implementing the credit system is to provide flexible curriculum management programs, not to evaluate the quality of learning between students.

Q37. What is the point system or point system?

In some countries, when moving from the score / grading system to the credit system, in order to more specifically compare the differences in the quality of learning between students and reflect the credit evaluation function, the original scores or grades are usually converted into grade points or accumulated points for statistics. The following is the specific conversion method of the two systems.

.United States

The specific method of grade point change in a middle school

Grade point

A + 4.2

A 4.0

A- 3.8

B + 3.2

B 3.0

B- 2.8

C + 2.2

C 2.0

C- 1.8

D + 1.2

D 1.0

D- 0.8

Germany

How to convert a middle school grade / grade into points

Scores / grades are very good, satisfactory, passing, failing

+ 1-+ 2-+ 3-+ 4-+ 5-6

Q38. Do I have to calculate the grade points for the credit system?

Calculating the point system expands the function of the credit system, so that in addition to the course management, the credit system also has a certain evaluation function. It is feasible where there are not many enrolled schools and small class sizes. Considering that the comprehensive promotion of the credit system in ordinary high schools in China is just an attempt, and that there are too many school registrations and the class size is too large, it is impossible to fully reflect all the functions of the credit system, nor to design the credit system too complicated to avoid lack Spreadability and operability. Therefore, we should first consider the course management function of the credit system rather than the evaluation function.

Q39. How to evaluate students' learning after the credit system is implemented?

In the final analysis, the credit system is to provide a flexible curriculum management program. No matter how delicate the credit system is designed, it is difficult for the credit system to accurately and completely reflect the overall quality of a student. The learning results of students are comprehensive and rich, and cannot be covered by quantitative evaluation methods such as examinations, tests, credits, and achievement points. There are many learning results that cannot be quantified, such as students' emotions, attitudes, and values. The evaluation of students should pursue a diverse evaluation system, emphasizing the unity of quantitative evaluation and qualitative evaluation.

Q40. After the implementation of the credit system, the design of students' report cards?

We can redesign the study report manual for high school students. We can consider retaining the original scores and register them in the study report manual with the credits. At the same time, handwriting and registration records signed by the principal or other personnel are advocated to make up for the lack of credit system in reflecting the overall quality of students.