On the December 25, 2020, Prof. Lu Jie, the Emeritus Professor and former Dean of the Faculty of Education at Nanjing Normal University passed away. The sudden news struck me and recalled my nearly 30 years’ friendship with Prof. Lu since 1991, stirring up also my memories of pre-1949 Christian colleges of China, and the promotion of “education of love” at Ginling College and Nanjing Normal University, from the time of Prof. Wu Yifang, Prof. Minnie Vautrin, Prof. Tao Xingzhi and Prof. Lu Jie. In this paper, I shall recall the various meetings with Prof. Lu Jie, and how her life has inspired my re-thinking of the development of “education of love” in China. I shall relate especially her humanistic educational ideals, especially the “education for life” and “cultivating human beings” with Prof. Tao Xingzhi’s “education of love.” Their educational ideals reflected the humanistic education taught at the University of Nanking and Ginling College in the first half of 20th century China. Though the two colleges had brought in a Western style of education, they had exemplified good models of indigenization, especially regarding how humanistic education could become Sinifized in Chinese soil today.

Based on the concept of learning stickiness, this study constructed a model of influencing factors among the elements of online learning content, interaction, incentive, satisfaction, and learning stickiness from Comprehensive Learning Theory. Structural equation modeling was used to analyze the interaction and influence effects among the factors. It is found that the content, interaction, and incentive in Comprehensive Learning Theory had a significant positive impact on learning stickiness from the total effect analysis. From the direct effect analysis, the influence of content and interaction on learning stickiness was not substantial, but the influence of incentive and satisfaction on learning stickiness was significant. From the perspective of mediation effect analysis, incentive and satisfaction were critical mediating variables for the influence of content and interaction on learning stickiness. This study put forward suggestions and strategies for online teaching, providing a reference for teachers to carry out online education.

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.

The use of role models for learning and publicity is widespread in China. By comparing four sets of primary school textbooks complied and published by People’s Education Press between 1999 and 2005, this study reveals the similarities and differences between these textbooks with regard to the positive role models covered and the virtues conveyed. The major role models in both versions of the textbooks can be characterized as representing four main types of persons: children, Han Chinese, males, and modern people. However, the occupations of these role models are more diverse in the new textbooks, and the more recent editions place more emphasis on moral values such as “protecting the environment,” “loving peace,” and “promoting democratic cooperation.” The implications of the findings and the potential problems arising in the textbooks are discussed at the end, particularly noting the changing mode of regulation with regard to the individual-collective relationship.

Online learning has become the new educational pattern during the COVID-19 pandemic and is likely to supplement conventional schooling in the post-pandemic world. Lacking prior online learning experiences, the population of K-12 students deserves our special attention. Using purposeful sampling, this study investigated K-12 online learning experiences in China based on a large-scale survey (N = 118,589). Leveraging both quantitative and qualitative evidence, this study supported online learning as a flexible alternative to conventional schooling in emergency situations with a discussion of its benefits and limitations, and revealed key findings regarding K-12 students’ online learning pattern, experiences, and engagement, as well as the influencing factors. The research findings can inform the future design and implementation of online learning programs in primary and secondary schools.

Balanced development of compulsory education is not only the cornerstone of education equity, but also the fundamental part for realizing a harmonious society. There have been several achievements in balancing the development of compulsory education in China, such as narrowing the gaps in compulsory education between rural, urban, and other areas. However, the development of compulsory education is still confronted with several issues, including the gaps between rural and urban schools, the gaps between teacher’s situations in rural and urban area, higher drop-out rates of rural compulsory education than that of the national average level, etc. Based on the analysis of these issues and reasons, the suggestions for the policy-makers are as follows: (1) it must be further clarified that governments at all levels must take all responsibilities for the balanced development of compulsory education so as to integrate local authorities’ input and the central government’s subsidies; (2) the allocation mechanism of resources for compulsory education should be set up with qualitative and fair growth  as its aim; (3) The quality standard for compulsory education based on the national curriculum standard should be worked out for playing the role of quality inspection in the fair development of compulsory education, and a relevant system of responsibility should also be established; (4) A national unified card for compulsory education should be adopted, which would help abolish extra fees for non-permanent-resident students receiving compulsory education in other places and (5) civilian-sponsored schools should be encouraged to offer compulsory education.

In this introduction we describe the purpose and structure of the Canada–China Reciprocal Learning in Teacher Education and School Education Partnership Grant Project sponsored by the Social Sciences and Humanities Council of Canada (SSHRC) in 2013?2020, and describe the project’s practice-based methodology along with a discussion of selected preliminary results. The papers presented in this special issue of Frontiers of Education in China animate our discussion by bringing forward important school-based activities and results. The heart of this work is the collaborative activity and voices of Chinese and Canadian educators. We illustrate our concept of reciprocal learning and how we apply this concept in our Partnership Grant Project. We believe that we have heavily benefited from the productive work and impact that has been made in the field of comparative education and we have put our emphasis on Reciprocal Learning as Collaborative Partnership throughout our project.

This paper begins by reflecting on the significance of the 16th World Congress of Comparative Education Societies which was held at Beijing Normal University (BNU) in August 2016. Part I focuses on China’s experience in educational development since the late 1970s, and the support provided by organizations such as the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and the World Bank, which facilitated the rapid restoration of China’s universities after the Cultural Revolution and supported a dramatic social and economic transformation. Part II goes on to profile China’s rich educational civilization and suggests that the normal university is uniquely suited to bringing that to a wider world. Part III overviews China’s programs of support for educational development in Africa and Southeast Asia, and suggests that these embody forms of dialogue and reciprocity that have the potential to open up refreshingly new approaches to educational thought and practice in the global arena.

International cooperation and collaborations played an important role in the economic and educational development of several countries. In the 1950s and 1960s external aid was an important modality to establish cooperation between countries, especially between developing and developed countries. Cross-border activities in higher education used to take place mostly through cooperation projects and academic exchange programmes. The political returns to aid declined during the post-cold war period. Therefore, incentives to extend aid declined and markets and trade became more accepted modes of cooperation and collaboration in all sectors including education. International collaborations of today are very often motivated by economic incentives and are mediated through markets. The franchising and twinning arrangements, establishment of branch campuses, and promotion of cross-border student mobility are examples of market-based collaborative efforts in higher education. This paper discusses Indian cooperation and collaborations with foreign institutions focusing also on such efforts among the BRICS countries. It argues that the collaboration efforts among the BRICS countries may be more influenced by government-to-government efforts than mediated by markets. The paper shows that the BRICS countries at present are more engaged in cooperation and collaborations in higher education with developed countries. Collaborations among the BRICS countries are rather limited and are still at the nascent stages. Therefore, government initiatives and public action are needed at this stage to promote cooperation and expand collaboration in higher education among BRICS countries.

This paper presents systematically China’s New National Curriculum Reform (CNNCR). It covers the background, origin, essence, goals, features, evolvement, schedule, implementation, the alignment in primary, secondary and middle schools’ curricula and inter-subjects, the outcomes and the challenges and strategies of CNNCR.

Over the past decades, the internationalization of higher education in China has had considerable achievements, and has contributed to the current transformation of the Chinese system into one of the largest and arguably most promising ones in the world. Setting the Chinese experience in an international context, this article assesses the latest developments. It argues that China’s internationalization of higher education is part of a much larger process of cultural integration between China and the West. From this perspective, it concludes that although China’s recent developments deserve to be noted, China has a considerable distance to go before its aspirations to create truly world-class universities are fulfilled.

International exchange is an important part of China’s educational opening up, cooperation, and connection with other countries. It also serves as a unique strategic resource, helping to develop and consolidate mutual political trust, diplomatic exchange, economic and trade relations, cultural exchange and educational cooperation between China and other countries in the world, thereby enhancing China’s international image. We have seen positive contributions made to our progress towards peace among peoples, and noted the irreplaceable role played by China. International educational exchange is an important part of global international student flows. Since the founding of the People’s Republic of China, especially in the 40 years of reform and opening up, China has experienced a development process in education from language students to students at all levels and from quantity to quality. The change in the type of international students studying in China and of Chinese students studying abroad reflects the Chinese spirit and the broadening the appeal of China’s programs. It can be interpreted as the fulfillment of the “Chinese Dream,” contributing to national revitalization. The trade imbalance between exporting countries and destination countries in international educational exchange has been reduced.

In the field of Chinese higher education, gender is still a significant issue, as is a general ignorance of gender discrimination against women. Issues related to gender can be observed throughout the process of education: at the time of entering an institution, during the educational process and as an outcome of education. The following seven aspects of sexual discrimination occur in Chinese higher education system: (1) Fewer opportunities for women in higher education than for men; (2) within disciplines and specializations there exists the phenomena of gender segregation and diffluence; (3) considerable gender difference exists in the distribution of school resources; (4) teaching materials and teaching content are gender discriminatory; (5) within higher education institutions, student organizations have a degree of gender imbalance; (6) campus culture has a hidden agenda of gender discrimination; and (7) employment prospects for women tend to be unequal and discriminatory.

In this paper, we used the platform log data to extract three features (proportion of passive video time, proportion of active video time, and proportion of assignment time) aligning with different learning activities in the Interactive- Constructive-Active-Passive (ICAP) framework, and applied hierarchical clustering to detect student engagement modes. A total of 840 learning rounds were clustered into four categories of engagement: passive (n = 80), active (n = 366),constructive (n = 75) and resting (n = 319). The results showed that there were differences in the performance of the four engagement modes, and three types of learning status were identified based on the sequences of student engagement modes: difficult, balanced and easy. This study indicated that based on the ICAP framework, the online learning platform log data could be used to automatically detect different engagement modes of students, which could provide useful references for online learning analysis and personalized learning.

The educational inequity of rural workers’ children is a unique social problem in the transition stage of China. Based on the specific survey in such provinces as Hubei, Henan, Anhui, and other provinces, a conclusion can be drawn that the reasons for the educational inequity of rural worker’s children are very complicated, among which the system is the most essential factor. Therefore, institutional safeguards should be provided to realize the education equity of rural worker’s children.

The development of higher vocational education in China embodies a global trend of vocationalism that values skills and skilled workers, which is opposite, in some ways, to the Confucian tradition in Chinese education that values theoretical knowledge related to good governance. As the cultural trend supporting the development of higher vocational education, vocationalism is implicated in certain challenges including high tuition fees, limited upward mobility, and neglect of the humanities in education. Humanities for moral education, and mechanisms for upward mobility on equal terms for all, which are fundamental elements of Confucianism, may help resolve these challenges. This paper embodies the dialectic of a global trend and local culture in educational reform within the context of globalization.

Globalization is bringing about a new paradigm of super-diversity which is resulting in all societies becoming more culturally diverse. Interculturalism, as a new model which responds to this increasing diversity, rejects all forms of discrimination based on differences, instead embracing reciprocity and accommodation. Interculturalism theory is characterized by integration, cohesion, and intercultural dialogue. Compared to multiculturalism theory, interculturalism theory discusses how to make a society more cohesive and accommodate people from different cultures. Interculturalism features a stronger sense of whole. Therefore, in intercultural education, intercultural competence is highlighted in order to catalyze dialogue between people from different groups. Interculturalism has a role in increasing the current level of diversity within contemporary Chinese society. Furthermore, Confucius’ ideal of Great Harmony, which values integration while respecting differences, echoes the tenets of interculturalism. In conclusion, interculturalism can serve as an effective theory for cultivating a shared society.

Reforms in colleges and universities should promote the humanistic character of higher education rather than simply serve for pure economic production but also observe the sacred mission of transmitting and creating culture and knowledge, with these two possessing momentous differences. These then demand rationality in academic management to guard against declination toward dehumanization or bureaucracy. Thus, the relationship between academic power and administrative power must be harmonized, and a reasonable equilibrium must be guaranteed. An academic management idea of power in learning is particularly emphasized to overcome the false polarity of managerism, straightforwardly reducing complicated academic operations to a kind of economic prosecution, hence truly promoting the function of a higher education system.

Due to the social environment of China’s reform and opening up, as well as China’s education system with knowledge impartation as its focus, some college students lack the humanistic care and education of value and significance of life. Universities should plan effective activities to make students realize the importance of life. They should provide students with such education as life conscience, failures in life, the ability to make a living and the values of life in order to have a clearer knowledge of life education, so that the students can set up a positive, healthy and correct life view, realize the value and meaning of life, and finally learn to respect life.

Reflecting on nearly half a century’s research on “effective teaching”, this essay attempts to arouse a lot of suspicion, including ambiguous definition of connotation, a false antithesis and the imbalance between teachers and students. Accordingly, this study further reveals hidden thinking obstacles, such as over-reliance on technical rationality, wrong inference and the separation of the dialectical relationship between teaching and learning. As a future research direction, the ideal teaching should focus on virtue rather than efficiency, giving consideration to effectiveness and responsibility.

This paper presents a qualitative study of immigrant Chinese teachers’ professional identity and beliefs about the teacher-student relationship in an intercultural context. Theoretically, this study takes its departure from a sociocultural perspective on understanding professional identity. The empirical analysis in the study drew mainly upon ethnographic interviews with a group of Chinese language teachers in Denmark concerning their life experiences, perceptions, and beliefs. The results of this study suggest that teachers’ beliefs about their roles as teachers and about student-teacher relationships are shaped by both their prior experiences and backgrounds and the current social and cultural contexts in which they are situated. Changes of context (e.g., from China to Denmark) often lead to a transformation of their professional identity and beliefs. Being a teacher in an intercultural context often exposes them to the confrontation of diverse challenges and dilemmas. On one hand, teachers in this study generally experienced a transformation from being a moral role model, subject expert, authority and parental role to being a learning facilitator and culture worker. On the other hand, they developed diverse individualized coping strategies to handle student-teacher interactions and other aspects of teachers’ professional identity.

To achieve the overall goals and purposes of education is closely related to the living environments of students. Different family backgrounds will put children into a situation where they face unfair competition. According to a survey conducted in China’s Urumqi and Changchun about parents’ awareness of educating their children, this paper will suggest that families with different backgrounds have different expectations for their children’s education. Moreover, it suggests that parents’ social status is related to their children’s education expectations. Therefore, we can find that parents’ social status influences their children’s education, and their positions in social class are related to education.

This article mainly introduces the contemporary changes in Chinese family and especially analyses the transformation of family structure and type, family housing conditions, family relationship network, the relationship between husband and wife and parenthood. In addition, it discusses the influence of family changes in the socialization of children. Then it expounds the new transformation in children s socialization because of family, school, mass media, etc. Finally, it discusses its challenge and reflection to family and pedagogue.

Based on the endogenous growth theory, this paper uses the Gini coefficient to measure educational inequality and studies the empirical relationship between educational inequality and income inequality through a simultaneous equation model. The results show that: (1) Income inequality leads to educational inequality while the reduction of educational equality does not contribute to the decrease of income inequality, and there is no simple casual effect between them. However education expansion is beneficial to reduce educational inequality and income inequality. (2) Education relates to income inequality through the human capital transmission mechanism, but this mechanism does not automatically translate into a virtuous cycle of “educational equality←→income equality”. (3) In the long run, the reduction of educational inequality does not reduce income inequality, but income inequality has a negative instant-impact on educational equality. (4) At present, the level of educational investment and urbanization do not effectively promote educational equality. In addition, the robustness of the model used in this paper has been partly proved.

This paper attempts to address connections between the Chinese model for development or the “Beijing Consensus” and Chinese universities. Chinese universities seem to be caught between serving governmental agendas and pursuing their own goals as an academic community. Up until recently, they had become used to following the lead of the government, which often comes with rationales and approaches featuring pragmatism and utilitarianism. Drawing on the perspectives of social embeddedness and external control of organizations in higher education, we argue that the lack of dynamism and innovation that is hindering Chinese higher education’s development is largely owing to the political, social, and cultural factors prevailing in the environment in which the universities operate. Put in another way, Chinese universities are confronting a crisis, owing to the inbuilt constraints of China’s development model.