The effectiveness of a creative teaching module based on a music learning sequence on children’s music audiation in China

Creativity of primary and secondary school students is a major focus of research in the educational science. In this study, we examined how willpower affects the creativity of Chinese primary and secondary school students and what role the knowledge reserves and creative thinking play in this process. Specifically, we hypothesize that (a) elementary and middle school students’ willpower has a direct positive effect on their creativity, (b) willpower influences their creativity mediated by knowledge reserves and creative thinking, and (c) willpower influences their creativity development through a significant serial multiple mediating effect of knowledge reserves and creative thinking. In this study, a total of 5,176 primary and middle school students ranging from the grade 1 to 9 completed a set of questionnaires assessing willpower, knowledge reserves, creative thinking, and creativity. We used structural equation modeling to test the relationship between the variables in the Research Objectives. Results indicate that the direct positive effect of elementary and middle school students’ willpower on creativity production is weak, and the indirect effect mediated by knowledge reserves and creative thinking is significant. Results suggest that cultivating primary and secondary school students’ willpower is important to enhance their creativity, and teachers can better help Chinese primary and secondary school students develop their creativity by not only choosing appropriate teaching strategies in the process of creative education, but also by paying attention to making willpower closely integrated with the knowledge reserves and creative thinking.

This investigation evaluated the Growth Psychoeducation Intervention (GPI) designed to increase primary school students’ covitality, a construct describing the beneficial combinatorial effects of positive psychological skills and mindsets. Students with higher covitality levels have stronger relationships with their teachers and classmates, and behave in more positive ways. This GPI intervention study employed a pretest-posttest-follow quasi-experimental design to evaluate a culturally adapted group counseling intervention designed to foster Chinese senior primary school students’ (n = 189, ages 9–12 years) covitality levels. The hypothesis was that covitality increases would positively correlate with school belonging and life satisfaction and less frequent bullying victimization. The Social Emotional Health Survey-Primary (SEHS-P) assessed the effectiveness of the GPI eight-week program to promote mental health and decrease bullying. GPI demonstrated effectiveness by improving students’ covitality and school belonging and reducing bullying victimization.

This study examined the effect of self-support on loneliness, the mediation effect of school belonging, and the moderation effect of self-esteem using a sample comprising 1,126 Chinese mainland primary school students, 621 are boys and 505 are girls, and their mean age was 10.51 years (SD = 1.63, range 8–13). Participants completed questionnaires regarding self-support, loneliness, school belonging and self-esteem. In the model hypothesis, self-support is an independent variable, loneliness is an outcome variable, school belonging is a mediating variable, and self-esteem is a regulatory variable. After controlling the demographic variables, the data were analyzed, and the results showed that: (1) self-support had a significantly negative predictive effect on loneliness; (2) the relation between self-support and loneliness was mediated by school belonging; and (3) the relation between school belonging and loneliness was moderated by self-esteem, supporting the moderated mediation model. Moderated mediation analysis further indicated that the mediated path make loneliness weaker for pupils with higher levels of self-esteem. These results revealed the formation mechanism of loneliness in primary school students and have certain enlightenment significance for the intervention of loneliness in primary school students. These results revealed the formation mechanism of loneliness among primary school students and have significant implications for interventions against loneliness in the primary school context.

Although there are some researches conducted about students’ conceptions of technology, little research has been conducted to reveal the primary school students’ conceptions concerning technology in China. This research investigated Chinese primary school students’ (aged 9–12) conceptions of technology as regards their understanding of (a) the concept of technology, (b) the impact of technology on human life and nature, and (c) the relationship between technology and science. Phenomenography as the methodological framework was adopted for this study. A total of 63 primary school students were chosen as participants in the study to probe their conceptions about technology through picture/photo eliciting activities, and semi-structured, personal interviews in a website video format. It is found that the primary school students defined technology from diverse perspectives, including the dimensions of its attributes, production, operation and use, function, with most of them regarding technology as a double-edged sword. It is also found that they lack a comprehensive and rational understanding of the concept of technology and cannot understand the relationship between science and technology properly. This study contributes better to understanding primary school students’ conceptions about technology in mainland China and beyond, thus providing an empirical basis for improving technology education policy, curriculum, instruction, and assessment in the future for China and other countries.

To analyze and describe the status and characteristics of using electronic screens of primary and middle school students in China from 2016 to 2017. From 2016 to 2017, 275 monitoring points were selected from 31 provinces in China, and 280 primary and middle school students were selected from each monitoring point to complete the survey. Using the suggestion from "Healthy China Initiative(2019-2030)"of which the screen time of primary and middle school students should be less than one hour per day as the standard. A total of 74 314 primary and secondary school students(except grade 9 and grade 12) were included in this study. Among them, there were 37 147 boys(50.0%) and 37 167 girls(50.0%); 44 612 pupils(60.0%), 14 858 junior school students(20.0%), and 14 844 senior high school students(20.0%); 38 995(52.5%) rural students and 35 319(47.5%) urban students; 53 287 boarding students(71.7%) and 20 537 day students(27.6%). From 2016 to 2017, the average daily screen time of Chinese primary school students was 1.45 hours, M(P25, P75) was 1.14(0.57, 1.93) h. That of junior high school students was 1.92 hours, M(P25, P75) was 1.43(0.71, 2.48) h. That of senior high school students was 2.37 hours, M(P25, P75) was 1.71(0.90, 3.02) h. The average daily screen time qualified rates of primary school, junior high and senior high school students were 46.1%, 37.1% and 27.7%, respectively. From 2016 to 2017, the most used electronic screen products of primary school students in China were TV/videos(62%), followed by mobile phones(21%). Junior high school students spent 38% and 37% of the total time watching TV/videos and playing mobile phones, respectively. High school students spend the longest time using mobile phones(49%) of the total time, followed by watching TV/videos(26%). With the increasing of grade, screen time became longer, and screen time qualified rate dropped. Moreover, the most used electronic screens were mobile phones and TV/videos.

Somatic symptoms and concern regarding COVID-19 among Chinese college and primary school students: A cross-sectional survey

This study investigated the internal mechanism of the relationship between primary school students’ peer relationships and their performance in the Chinese language and literature. We constructed a chain mediation model, focused on the mediation effects of parental involvement and the sense of autonomy, on the correlation between peer relationships and performance in Chinese language scores. A questionnaire survey was conducted among 1,503 students in grades 4–6, and their parents, in three cities in Jiangsu Province. The result indicated the following: (1) there was a significant positive correlation between primary school students’ peer relationships, parental involvement, sense of autonomy, and the level of Chinese language scores; (2) parental involvement and the sense of autonomy, respectively, mediate the relationship between peer relationships and Chinese language scores; (3) primary school students’ parental involvement and sense of autonomy play a chain-like mediating role in the relationship between their peer relationships and Chinese language scores. The research results provide a reference for exploring the educational strategies of primary school students’ Chinese literacy.

PurposeThe mental health of primary school students in China has garnered significant attention. Various factors can influence the mental health of primary school students, with family-related factors being particularly important. This study aims to explore the relationship between parental growth mindset and primary school students' mental health problems, as well as the longitudinal mediating mechanisms of parenting self-efficacy and students' self-control in this relationship. By providing theoretical support and practical guidance, this study aims to improve the mental health of primary school students.MethodsThis study utilized a three-wave longitudinal design spanning 1 year, recruiting students and parents from two primary schools in Beijing. Parental growth mindset (T1) and parenting self-efficacy (T2) were assessed via parent self-report using Parental Growth Mindset Scale and Parenting Self-Efficacy Scale. Students' self-control (T2) and mental health problems (T3) were assessed via student self-report using the Brief Self-Control Scale and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Data were collected in three waves, resulting in 280 valid matched questionnaires.ResultsParental growth mindset significantly negatively predicted mental health problems in primary school students (β = −0.25, SE = 0.02, p < 0.001, 95% CI [−0.129, −0.049]). Parental growth mindset can influence mental health problems in primary school students through parenting self-efficacy (effect value = −0.09, 95% CI [−0.152, −0.036]), self-control (effect value = −0.04, 95% CI [−0.083, −0.005]), and chain mediating effects of parenting self-efficacy and students' self-control (effect value = −0.01, 95% CI [−0.030, −0.002]).ConclusionParenting self-efficacy and students' self-control play a chain mediating role between parental growth mindset and students' mental health problems in primary school students. This conclusion provides suggestions for improving mental health in primary school students.

BackgroundChinese primary school students spend the majority of their day at school, making the school physical activity policy environment (SPAPE) crucial to their development of physical literacy (PL). However, research exploring the relationship between SPAPE and PL remains limited. This study aims to investigate the association between SPAPE and students’ PL levels.MethodsA total of 408 primary school students (206 boys and 202 girls) were included in the data analysis. The School Physical Activity Environment Questionnaire (SPAEQ) and the Canadian Assessment of Physical Literacy-Edition 2 (CAPL-2) were used to assess the policy environment and PL levels, respectively. Pearson correlation coefficients were calculated to explore the relationship between the policy environment and PL. Additionally, ANOVA and MANOVA analyses were conducted to examine the effects of age, gender, and their interaction on the relationship.ResultsA significant positive correlation was found between SPAPE and PL, with boys (r = 0.59, p < 0.01) and girls (r = 0.48, p < 0.01) both showing moderate to strong associations. MANOVA results revealed significant gender differences for Daily Behavior (DB) (F (1, 406) = 14.24, p < 0.01, partial η² = .04) and Motivation and Confidence (MC) (F (1, 406) = 4.72, p < 0.05, partial η² = .01). Significant age differences were observed for MC (F (4, 403) = 5.68, p < 0.01, partial η² = .05) and Knowledge and Understanding (KU) (F (4, 403) = 8.57, p < 0.01, partial η² = .08). No significant effects of age, gender, or interaction were found in relation to SPAPE.ConclusionThis study is the first to explore the relationship between PL and SPAPE in Chinese primary school students. The results highlight the significant association between SPAPE and PL, with notable gender and age differences. These findings emphasize the importance of tailoring PA policies to account for demographic factors to effectively promote PL.

The development of a Digital Intelligence Quotient (DQ) scale for primary school students is the basis for research on the DQ of primary school students, which helps to scientifically diagnose the level and the current average DQ among Chinese primary school students. This study developed and validated a scale applicable to the assessment of DQ in Chinese primary school students where, the initial scale was first constructed; Then 1109 valid datasets were collected through purposive sampling and divided into Sample A and Sample B; Sample A was subjected to exploratory factor analysis and Sample B was tested by confirmatory factor analysis; The final validated scale consists of 22 items in 7 dimensions: digital identity, digital use, digital safety, digital security, digital emotional intelligence, digital literacy and digital rights. The scale has high reliability and validity and thus can be used as a reliable instrument for assessing DQ in Chinese primary school students.

It is beneficial for teachers’ effective teaching to be aware of the characteristics of students’ learning strategies. This paper employed “Questionnaire of Primary School Students’ EFL Learning Strategies” of high reliability and validity and examined Chinese primary school students’ EFL learning strategies. 700 students participated in the investigation. Results indicated that the general situation with respect to participants’ EFL learning strategies was not optimistic. The most frequently used was cognitive strategy, followed by meta-cognitive strategy, and the least frequently used strategy was social/affective one. In addition, interaction between school, gender and grade was significant, the scores obtained were closely associated with individual school’s teaching level, and girls gained more scores than boys.

The Investigation of critical thinking disposition among Chinese primary and middle school students

English is the compulsory subject from Primary Three in China since 2003. However, the Chinese curriculum in primary school highlights Chinese and Mathematics more than English. This causes Chinese primary school students' poor speaking English. Objectives of this paper is to explore the root causes of primary school English beginners' speaking problems. As a pilot study, samples are eight primary school students aged 7-11 at the BEST English Training Institution selected by the purposive sampling method. To identify the critical situation, Second Language Acquisition, Cone of learning, and Customer Knowledge Management are applied. The findings are 1) the root cause of teachers' teaching problems is passive teaching; and 2) Chinese students have difficulties in speaking English.

Prevalence and associated factors of anxiety among 538,500 Chinese students during the outbreak of COVID-19: A web-based cross-sectional study

Parental involvement may influence the subjective well-being of primary school students, but the specific mechanisms remain unclear. This study explores the mechanisms between parental involvement and primary school students' subjective well-being. The current study investigated 340 fifth and sixth grade students and their parents from a primary school using the Parental Education Involvement Behavior Scale, the Well-Being Scale, the Sense of Security Scale, and the Learning Self-Regulation Scale. We found that (1) sense of security plays a complete mediating role between parental involvement and primary school students' subjective well-being; (2) autonomous motivation has a marginal mediating effect between parental involvement and subjective well-being of primary school students; and (3) sense of security and autonomous motivation play a chain mediating role between parents' educational involvement and primary school students' well-being. In conclusion, parental involvement appears to contribute to primary school children's subjective well-being, and this effect may be mediated individually and sequentially by the children's sense of security and autonomous motivation.