The Five-Level Education and Teaching Research System: A Distinctively Chinese Research Mechanism for Basic Education

China’s five-level education and teaching research system (ETRS) has been instrumental in advancing Chinese basic education. It includes the central-, provincial-, municipal-, and county-level education and teaching research institutions and school-based teaching research offices, which jointly contribute to the enhancement of the quality of education and teacher professional development. There is close collaboration as well as a clear division of responsibility among these institutions. This article expounds on the ETRS’s functions and characteristics, shedding light on its significance for Chinese basic education with a view to providing implications for global education development

The Ethical Challenges of Educational Artificial Intelligence and Coping Measures: A Discussion in the Context of the 2024 World Digital Education Conference

Artificial intelligence (AI), as the core technology of the fourth industrial revolution, has been widely deployed in many areas, bringing tremendous changes to human society. At the same time, AI has also instigated a variety of ethical issues regarding basic human rights, social order, private safety, and more. In order to maintain a balance between technological development and the ethics of AI, governments of various countries and international organizations are working to develop AI regulations and ethical norms. A forum themed “Artificial Intelligence and Digital Ethics” was held as a side event during the 2024 World Digital Education Conference (WDEC), showcasing the Chinese government’s adherence to the ethical notion of “human-centered AI” and the principle of “digital for good” in using AI in digital education. The forum emphasized the importance of establishing the ethics of educational AI for circumventing relevant ethical risks and creating healthy environments for the digital transformation of education. Based on the forum’s theme, this article seeks to set forth the necessity of formulating a code of ethical norms for educational AI and to explore pathways to building an ethical framework in this regard in order to provide insights into the rational application of AI in education and promote the sustainable development of digital education

Online Addiction: A New Form of Mental Health Issue

Online addiction, a relatively new phenomenon in the realm of mental health, has rapidly emerged as a significant concern in today’s digital age. With the pervasive use of technology and the internet in daily life, individuals are increasingly at risk of developing problematic behaviors related to online activities. This article delves into the complex landscape of online addiction, exploring its definitions, prevalence, and the profound impact it has on mental health. By examining the signs, symptoms, and consequences of online addiction, as well as discussing intervention strategies and preventative measures, this perspective review aims to shed light on this pressing issue and provide insight into navigating the challenges of excessive internet use

The Significance of China’s Education and Teaching Research System: A Key Driver of Chinese Basic Education

China has the largest-scale education system in the world. Its five-level education and teaching research system has had far-reaching effects in promoting its basic education, enhancing the quality of education, and upgrading the nation’s talent pool. The system has been in constant improvement, playing an irreplaceable role in school and teacher development and the national curriculum reform. This article focuses on discussing the significance of this unique research system, with a view to providing valuable insights for sustaining development of education worldwide

Why Principal Positive Leadership Is Important: It’s Mediating Effect on the Relation between the School Context and Student Academic Achievement

“Deficit remediation” as an educational governance paradigm has given rise to many problems, whereas principal positive leadership under the “strengths development” paradigm has the potential to give new impetus to school development. Based on large-scale survey data within a provincial region, this study investigates how the school context and principal positive leadership impact student academic achievement using structural equation models. Research findings show that principal positive leadership as a structural latent variable has positive impacts on student academic performance and significantly mediates the effects of the school context on student academic results; and that the patterns of the impacts of principal positive leadership differ according to the variations of the school’s autonomy in operation

Biology Teacher Candidates Drawings about Circulatory System

The purpose of the drawing method is to reveal the hidden beliefs, attitudes, knowledge and understanding of students without being dependent on words. It is more useful than other techniques in that it is easy to apply and a lot of data can be obtained with a drawing. Some misconceptions can be revealed by asking students to describe or illustrate some objects or phenomena. Biology is mostly concerned with the diagnosis of structures, their interrelationships and their functions. For this reason, it is very important to draw the biological structures correctly. Human circulatory system’ comprehension is a major point in biology education. Because understanding this system is a basis for learning the transport and exchange of substances in the human body, the lymphatic system, gas exchange, and other important biological concepts. The aim of this study is to examine the cognitive structures of biology teacher candidates about the “circulatory system” with the drawing technique. In this study, a case study was conducted to reveal the biology teacher candidates’ drawings in detail. In order to explore biology teacher candidates’ drawing of the circulatory system in detail, their drawings were collected as data through 32 high school students (teacher candidates) in biology education faculty from Turkey. After the drawings were completed, each drawing was effectively scored for the presence or absence of at least one organ/structure in circulatory system. In addition, the drawings were further reclassified, taking into account the pattern of the path of pulmonary and systemic circulations. According to the findings obtained from the drawings of the biology teacher candidates about the circulatory system, it was revealed that the teacher candidates had many misconceptions, mistakes and incomplete information

Can We Realize a Real State of Medical Equity?

Achieving a real state of medical equity remains a challenging and complex goal within the healthcare system. Despite efforts to address disparities in healthcare access, treatment, and outcomes, significant barriers persist for marginalized communities. Structural inequalities rooted in race, socioeconomic status, geography, and education play a critical role in perpetuating inequities in healthcare delivery. To realize true medical equity, it is imperative to address these underlying factors through innovative policies and initiatives that prioritize equitable resource allocation, culturally competent care practices, and community engagement. Collaborative efforts between policymakers, healthcare providers, researchers, and community leaders are essential to reshaping our current healthcare system and ensuring that all individuals have equal opportunities to receive high-quality, person-centered care regardless of their background or circumstances. By working together towards the common goal of achieving medical equity, we can create a more just and inclusive healthcare system for everyone

Inclusive Education in China: Complications and Causes

Inclusive education is aimed at giving children with disabilities equality of opportunity in education. The Chinese government has released a host of regulations and action plans concerning inclusive education, defining its direction and setting forth the principle of respect for differences in its implementation. Nevertheless, there remain many challenges in inclusive education development. Among them is the low level of popularization of inclusive education in compulsory education. This article delineates the complications of the implementation of inclusive education in China and analyzes their causes with the intent of contributing to its high-quality development in this country

Interweaving Assessment into Students’ Authentic Learning

Over decades, standardized testing has been the primary form of assessment of student learning. Standardized tests have been used as measurements of students’ knowledge retention, but with little capability of evaluating their capacities to apply knowledge in authentic contexts (Cai, 2000). With the advent of the information age, the limitations of conventional standardized tests have become increasingly pronounced. Assessment was one of the key concerns in the education reform in the 1990s. In the U.S., for example, America 2000: An Education Strategy emphasizes that measurements of student performance must be accurate, comparable, appropriate, and constructive; that placement decisions for young children should not be made on the basis of standardized tests; and that achievement tests must not simply measure minimum competencies, but also higher levels of reading, writing, speaking, reasoning, and problem-solving skills (Bush, 1991). Goals 2000: Educate America Act (1994) declares that its purpose is to provide a framework for meeting the National Education Goals by assisting in the development and certification of high-quality assessment measures that reflect the internationally competitive content and student performance standards, among other means

Comprehensive Practice Education via “Cloud-Based Study Tours”: A Case Study of the Comprehensive Practice Curriculum in the Tianfu New District, Sichuan Province, China

Comprehensive practice education is an integral part of the basic education curriculum, aiming to train students to connect textbook knowledge with real-world life through hands-on manipulations and in-person experiences in off-campus settings. In response to the challenges arising in the current enactment of the comprehensive practice curriculum in Chinese county-level schools, the Tianfu New District Educational Science Institute of China’s Sichuan Province developed the “cloud-based study tour” model to leverage local cultural and social resources to advance comprehensive practice education. Strategies, such as digital empowerment and curriculum development partnerships, were adopted. This article focuses on expounding on the positive roles of the “cloud-based study tour” in supporting regionally balanced, high-quality practical education by fully utilizing digital technologies and partnerships in curriculum development