Jun 2006, Volume 1 Issue 2
    

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  • An analysis of the impact of traditional Chinese culture on Chinese education
    Gu Mingyuan
    2006, 1(2): 169-190. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11516-006-0001-8
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    The educational tradition of China has developed from traditional Chinese culture. Without an understanding of the cultural impact on traditional education, it is impossible to comprehend the educational tradition of China and to change its traditional educational ideas. There are fine traditions and feudal remains in Chinese culture which ought to be examined from the historical materialism perspective in order to tell the essence from the dross and to facilitate educational modernization in today s China.
  • Moral education and values education in curriculum reform in China
    Zhu Xiaoman
    2006, 1(2): 191-200. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11516-006-0002-7
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    In the new curriculum reform in China, moral education and values education have been defined from the angles of the integrity and conformity of curriculum functions. Accordingly, a new education concept based on complete/integral curriculum functions is established. By discussing the essences of the curriculum, the basis of moral and values education, integrated curriculum setting in instruction structure, the presence of emotional and attitudinal goals in the subject standards, and teaching methods, this text points out that this curriculum reform looks to moral and values education in schools. The reform also emphasizes and will guarantee moral and values education in schools. Finally, the article recommends to elementary and secondary schools the studies on moral education in class conducted by the Research Institute of Moral Education of Nanjing Normal University, one of the Key Bases for Humanities and Social Sciences Research for the Ministry of Education.
  • Institutional innovation and systematic construction of teacher education in the transformational period
    Xie Anbang
    2006, 1(2): 201-211. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11516-006-0003-6
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    Teacher education in China has entered an important period of transformation which requires institutional innovation and systematic construction. Teacher education institutions should be gradually reshaped to meet the needs of elementary and secondary schools that are run on an autonomous basis. A system of teaching qualification certification and teacher education institution accreditation should be established. Further, a system of curriculum appraisal of teacher education as well as the performance assessment of teacher education institutions should also be set up. In the meantime, making corresponding policies is necessary to accommodate the reform and development of teacher education.
  • The particularities and the research missions of the educational theories
    Wu Gang
    2006, 1(2): 212-225. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11516-006-0004-5
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    Starting from the analysis of the theoretical drawbacks of classical pedagogy stretching from Johann Friedrich Herbart to John Dewey, this paper advocates that educational research in China in the new century should take on a theory mission that calls for the classification of the knowledge of educational theory and the definition of its theoretical formation. Instead of a single theory, the formation of the new theories should be a theoretical continuum, which consists of three parts that are not isolated but interconnected and interactive. The first one is a general theory that is conformed by abstract propositions and has a reflective function.The second is a mid-level theory that presents the requirements of the methodology, and the third one is a micro-theory that displays detailed experiences. The paper finally presents the structure of the problems of educational theory and its unique value. It then concludes that progress in educational theory implicates progress in the understanding of the conditions for education.
  • On the essence of knowing in teaching/learning
    Zhang Hua
    2006, 1(2): 226-257. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11516-006-0005-4
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    To probe into the knowing of teaching/learning, we have to surmount the subject/object dualism based on the level of enlightenment rationality and trend towards epistemology of the relationship, which means that knowing of teaching/learning should be combined with its value and be wholly considered. The unique value of students and teachers is made up of their unique knowing. In knowing of teaching/learning, students and teachers are intersubjective. The so called epistemology of teaching/learning  in China is an odd combination of enlightenment rationality and centralized system, which might be good for the mastery and training of knowledge and skills, but has nothing to do with the formation and development of creative personality.
  • An inspection on the Gini coefficient of the budget educational public expenditure per student for China’s basic education
    Yang Yingxiu
    2006, 1(2): 258-269. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11516-006-0006-3
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    Using statistical data on the implementing conditions of China s educational expenditure published by the state, this paper studies the Gini coefficient of the budget educational public expenditure per student in order to examine the concentration degree of the educational expenditure for China s basic education and analyze its balanced development condition. As the research shows, China s basic education is undergoing an unbalanced development due to diversified factors, which is mainly reflected as follows: firstly, the budget educational public expenditure presents a four-tiered appearance of the strong, the less strong, the less weak and the weak, which lead to a great discrepancy between the two opposing extremes; secondly, the compulsory education in rural areas is still confronted with great difficulties; thirdly, the general senior secondary education is loaded with the crisis of unbalance. Therefore, it is necessary to construct a balanced development policy framework of the basic education and pay close attention to the benefit and effectiveness of the educational input. In addition, it is also important to clearly stipulate the criterion of the government s educational allocation and to support the disadvantaged areas in order to promote the balanced development of the basic education.
  • An analysis of the regional disparity in the average educational expenditure per senior secondary student and its relevant factors in China
    Shen Baifu
    2006, 1(2): 270-285. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11516-006-0007-2
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    The essay deals with regional disparities in the average educational expenditure of every ordinary senior secondary student, including budget funds for education, the proportion appropriated to the ordinary senior high school by the government, tuition fee per student and the proportion of tuition fees of the total educational expenditure. By analyzing the relevant educational and economic indicators, we find that the average educational expenditure and tuition of every student in the western area are lower than those in the eastern and the middle area while the proportion of funds allocated by the government is the highest. However, in the middle area, both of the government appropriation of education funds for every student and its proportion of the total educational expenditure are the lowest in China, but on the other hand the proportion of tuition fee of the total educational expenditure and the income of the rural residents are the highest. Therefore, the aim of this essay is to look at the reasons why there are such differences.
  • Over ten years after the implementation of the Teacher’s Law: watching and expecting
    Yin Li
    2006, 1(2): 286-299. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11516-006-0008-1
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    It has been over ten years since the Teacher s Law took effect on January 1, 1994, and its promulgation and implementation have somewhat helped in protecting teachers  legal rights and interests. Undeniably, however, the Teacher s Law is defective in many aspects, such as the absence of teachers' legal identity, its failure to safeguard a teacher s essential interests and rights, serious laggardness of the teacher s appointment system and obstacles to dealing with teachers  complaints and litigations. All such defectiveness make the legislative purpose to safeguard the teacher s legal rights and interests  in Article 1 of the Teacher s Law less effective in practice. Therefore, in order to judicially assist teachers in safeguarding their own legal rights and interests, it is necessary to modify the Teacher s Law and especially give priorities to: (1) defining the identity of the state staff member for teachers; (2) treating teachers owed to in arrears as peasant-workers, and paying and remunerating them punctually (3) formulating detailed measures on the implementation of the teacher's appointment system as soon as possible, solving problems of unemployment of teachers arising from the inequality between the teacher s rights, the school s power and the absence of the teacher s identity; (4) establishing a lawsuit system connected with teachers  complaints and personnel arbitration.
  • Rehabilitation of the imperial examination system
    Liu Haifeng
    2006, 1(2): 300-315. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11516-006-0009-0
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    Since the abolishment of the imperial examination system (the IES) in 1905, the system has been the target of severe criticism by most Chinese people. This paper is intended to clear up the misunderstanding of the IES in seven respects based on some ideas of rehabilitation of the IES over the past 100 years. In the author s opinion, the IES is actually not so contemptible as most people think, at least it is not a bad system. The examination system was an attempt to recruit men on the basis of merit rather than because of social position or political connections, which is a great invention of China. Although it was abolished, the method to select talents by means of examination has not yet been and cannot be exterminated, and it is still proper to be used in the present society. The IES with a 1,300-year history has rich experiences and valuable lessons, which have implications to various examination reforms.
  • A Preliminary Research on Middle School Students’ Academic Subjective Well-Being and Its Major Influential Factors
    Liu Dianzhi, Zhang Ronghua
    2006, 1(2): 316-327. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11516-006-0010-7
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    This study is conducted with self-developed questionnaire on 910 middle school students, aimed at describing middle school students  academic subjective well-being and exploring its influential factors. Results show that (1) Academic subjective well-being of middle school students is generally low and there exist differences in different schools and grades. Students from non-key middle schools have lower academic subjective well-being than those from the key schools. Grade 2 students in both junior and senior middle schools have the lowest academic subjective well-being. (2) Factors directly affecting middle school students  academic subjective well-being are academic experience and the present academic achievements?with the former playing a major role. (3) Factors indirectly influencing middle school students  academic subjective well-being are social pressure and expected academic achievements, both of which influence students  academic subjective well-being through students  academic experience or their present academic achievements.
  • Spiritual beliefs among Chinese junior high school students
    Tian Lili, Jin Shenghua
    2006, 1(2): 328-337. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11516-006-0011-6
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    Objective: To explore the characteristics of the spiritual beliefs among junior high school students. Method: 431 junior high school students are measured by Students  Basic Information Questionnaire (SBIQ) and Middle School Students  Spiritual Beliefs Questionnaire (MSSSBQ). Results: (1) The overall characteristics of the spiritual beliefs among junior high school students are as follows: social beliefs rank first, practical faith second, and supernatural beliefs last. The ranks of the seven beliefs from high to low are nationalism, political conviction, family's doctrine, life worship, religious beliefs, money/material and gods worship. (2) Boy students have higher political conviction and money/material faith than girl students. Girl students have higher religious beliefs than boy students. (3) On the beliefs of money/material and life worship, students in Grade 9 take the first place, Grade 8 second and Grade 7 last. (4) Non-student cadres have stronger money/material faith than cadres. (5) League members have higher political beliefs than non-members. (6) Students who are good at studies have stronger national faith than students who are average or poor at studies. Students who are poor at studies have stronger money/material faith than other students. Conclusion: The spiritual beliefs of junior high school students are positive.