Chinese Elementary School Research Articles

The Impact of Motivation to Participate in Taekwondo on Self-efficacy and Social Skills in Chinese Elementary School Students

The Impact of Motivation to Participate in Taekwondo on Self-efficacy and Social Skills in Chinese Elementary School Students

Sex-specific co-developmental trajectories of childhood victimization among elementary school students: Relations to social behavior

This study aimed to identify sex-specific co-developmental trajectories of multiple forms of childhood victimization: family maltreatment (FM), psychological maltreatment by teachers (PMT), and peer victimization (PV), and their relations to prosocial and delinquent behaviors among elementary school students. A total of 4378 Chinese elementary school students (Mage = 9.93; SD = 0.92; 55.14% boys) participated in assessments on five occasions, using six-month intervals. Parallel process latent class growth model analyses revealed three trajectories for boys: Congruent-low (75.64%), High-PV, Moderate-FM and PMT (14.62%), and Moderate-PV, High-FM and PMT (9.74%). Similarly, girls exhibited three trajectories: Congruent-low (81.11%), Moderate-PMT, High-FM and PV (10.54%), and High-PMT, Moderate-FM and PV (8.35%). The results indicated that boys were more susceptible than girls to three forms of childhood victimization. Furthermore, boys were especially vulnerable to co-occurring FM and PMT. In contrast, girls were more vulnerable to co-occurring FM and PV. Additionally, after experiencing childhood victimization, girls showed a greater hindrance in prosocial behavior development, whereas boys exhibited a more significant increase in delinquent behavior. These findings underscore the importance of considering sex differences in understanding multiple forms of childhood victimization and provide important insights for prevention and intervention efforts.

Parental Mediation, Digital Media Usage, and Health Literacy: An Exploration Among Chinese Elementary School Students

This study examines the relationship between parental interactions, digital media usage, and health literacy among 19,386 elementary students (ages 6–11) in Guangdong Province, China, using the framework of parental mediation theory. Path analysis revealed that increased digital media usage is associated with decreased health literacy, particularly for short video platforms, which exhibit a significant negative correlation (β = −.335). Parental interaction was found to significantly reduce the use of instant messaging apps (β = −.007) and short video platforms (β = −.008), with the influence being moderated by the student’s residence status (boarding or non-boarding). The findings highlight the importance of frequent parental interaction in limiting digital media usage and enhancing health literacy among children. This study suggests that parental mediation theory should pay closer attention to environmental or living status factors, as they can significantly influence its mechanisms of action. Overall, this research contributes to the discourse on digital behavior in childhood and offers evidence-based insights for improving educational and health literacy strategies.

Development Of Digital Learning Platform to Boost Chinese Children’s Mental Health Awareness: Experts’ Evaluation

The increasing prevalence of mental health disorders among children, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, calls for innovative educational approaches and tools. Traditional mental health curriculum in Chinese elementary schools often rely on didactic methods that fail to engage students effectively. The “Mind Explorers” digital learning platform addresses this issue by enhancing mental health awareness among grade-2 students. Based on the ADDIE instructional design model and Biggs’ Constructive Alignment model, the platform integrates learning outcomes, content, activities, and assessments via Google Site. The sample unit “Know About Yourself” focuses on self-awareness and emotional regulation through storytelling, reflective activities, and interactive quizzes. Expert evaluations indicate positive reception of the platform’s content, usability, and educational alignment, with suggestions for enhancing design aesthetics and accessibility. Through a mixed-methods research design, this study underscores the potential of digital tool to transform mental health education, promoting engaging and effective learning experiences for young learners.

Using olfactory cues in text materials benefits delayed retention and schemata construction

Olfactory cues are considered a new sensory medium that can enhance learning, but the lack of empirical data has hampered their widespread use in educational practice. This requires empirical research to explore the effects of olfactory cues on learning. To address this research need, an experimental research study was conducted among 87 fourth graders from a Chinese elementary school. It explored the innovative design of adding olfactory cues to text materials by examining their effects on retention and schemata construction as learning outcomes, as well as their influence on learners’ cognitive load and learning experience. In this between-subjects design experiment, the experimental group (n = 44) learned text materials with the introduction of olfactory cues, while the control group (n = 43) only learned text materials. After the learning activity, participants were asked to complete the questionnaires, immediate test, and delayed test. The results revealed that the usage of olfactory cues synchronized with text materials can enhance delayed retention, facilitate schemata construction, and improve learner experience without increasing cognitive load. This study confirms the potential of well-designed olfactory cues in educational practice and provides insights for designing and presenting multimedia learning resources.

Father educational involvement and Chinese elementary school children's math anxiety: the chain mediating role of growth mindset and math self-concept

Father educational involvement and Chinese elementary school children's math anxiety: the chain mediating role of growth mindset and math self-concept

Intelligence Mindsets Trajectory Profiles among Chinese Elementary School Students: Associations with Changes in Academic Achievement from Grades 4 to 6.

Early adolescence is a critical period for the development of children's intelligence mindsets, which play a significant role in academic achievement. However, existing research predominantly employs variable-centered approaches, which fail to capture individual differences in mindset-achievement relations. This research addresses this gap by adopting a longitudinal person-centered approach to explore the joint developmental trajectories of growth and fixed mindsets among early adolescents. It further explores how these trajectories relate to changes in academic achievement (i.e., the mean of standardized mathematics and Chinese achievement test scores) over 2 years, accounting for intelligence and sociodemographic factors such as age, sex, and family SES. In two five-wave longitudinal studies with 748 (Mage = 10.23 years, SD = 0.30; 49% girls at T1) and 3258 (Mage = 10.34 years, SD = 0.37; 49% girls at T1) Chinese elementary school students from grades 4 to 6, four distinct mindset trajectory profiles were identified: Growth (initially high growth but low fixed mindsets), Fixed (initially high fixed but low growth mindsets), Moderate (initially moderate levels in both mindsets), and Both-High (initially high levels in both mindsets). Analysis across both studies revealed that students in the Growth trajectory profile exhibited the most significant improvements in academic achievement 2 years later. Conversely, students in the Both-High trajectory profile experienced the least favorable academic outcomes. These findings highlight the importance of recognizing individual differences in mindset trajectories and their potential impact on academic outcomes. The current research underscores the need for educational interventions that are tailored to different mindset profiles to optimize student development and achievement.

Exploring the impact of web-based inquiry on elementary school students’ science identity development in a STEM learning unit

One of the primary objectives of science education is to cultivate students’ science identity, and evidence points to the efficacy of inquiry-based learning in advancing this objective. Nevertheless, recent concerns have emerged regarding the effectiveness of information technology in supporting scientific research and its impact on students’ science identity. This study explores this domain through a comparative experiment conducted with fifth-grade students at a Chinese elementary school. Utilizing the Web-based Inquiry Science Environment (WISE) and the “Solar Oven” STEM learning unit, it scrutinizes the effects of web-based inquiry and traditional inquiry on students’ science identity development. The findings indicate that web-based inquiry is equally effective as traditional inquiry in fostering students’ science identity, especially in the two dimensions of “recognition” and “performance”. Notably, web-based inquiry surpasses traditional inquiry by significantly improving seven out of eleven assessed indicators, while traditional inquiry improves only four indicators. This research provides valuable insights into how integrating information technology within an inquiry-based learning environment can support Chinese elementary school students in developing their science identity. These results have significant implications for science education by demonstrating that web-based inquiry is a valuable approach for fostering science identity among elementary school students.

Estimating the Heterogeneous Causal Effects of Parent-Child Relationships among Chinese Children with Oppositional Defiant Symptoms: A Machine Learning Approach.

Oppositional defiant symptoms are some of the most common developmental symptoms in children and adolescents with and without oppositional defiant disorder. Research has addressed the close association of the parent-child relationship (PCR) with oppositional defiant symptoms. However, it is necessary to further investigate the underlying mechanism for forming targeted intervention strategies. By using a machine learning-based causal forest (CF) model, we investigated the heterogeneous causal effects of the PCR on oppositional defiant symptoms in children in Chinese elementary schools. Based on the PCR improvement in two consecutive years, 423 children were divided into improved and control groups. The assessment of oppositional defiant symptoms (AODS) in the second year was set as the dependent variable. Additionally, several factors based on the multilevel family model and the baseline AODS in the first year were included as covariates. Consistent with expectations, the CF model showed a significant causal effect between the PCR and oppositional defiant symptoms in the samples. Moreover, the causality exhibited heterogeneity. The causal effect was greater in those children with higher baseline AODS, a worse family atmosphere, and lower emotion regulation abilities in themselves or their parents. Conversely, the parenting style played a positive role in causality. These findings enhance our understanding of how the PCR contributes to the development of oppositional defiant symptoms conditioned by factors from a multilevel family system. The heterogeneous causality in the observation data, established using the machine learning approach, could be helpful in forming personalized family-oriented intervention strategies for children with oppositional defiant symptoms.

A Case Study of the Teaching Experience of Filipino and Chinese Teachers in a Chinese Elementary School

This study examined teachers' teaching experiences in an elementary school in China who engaged Chinese and Filipino students in English classes. A qualitative multiple-case study design was employed to explore teachers' experiences handling learners. Using a purposive sampling technique, data was collected from 10 teachers with experience working with students in Lam-an, Ozamiz City, Philippines. The data collection involved in-depth interviews with teachers categorized into two groups: Case 1, consisting of Filipino teachers, and Case 2, comprising Chinese teachers. The data encompassed four main categories: methods of class management in Chinese schools, student responses to classroom management, challenges faced by teachers in student management, and strategies employed by teachers to overcome these challenges. The findings revealed that teachers utilized diverse strategies to effectively instruct Chinese students, encountering challenges such as language barriers and managing a varied student body. Additionally, the teachers made efforts to understand their students better, provide necessary reinforcement to spark student interest and implement teaching strategies tailored to the needs of their students. The study concluded that while managing students in a Chinese school is challenging, witnessing students learn and grow despite these difficulties is ultimately rewarding for the teachers.

제도이론의 관점에서 한국과 중국의 방과 후 프로그램 정책 비교 분석

[Purpose] The purpose of this study is to comparatively analyze the after-school programpolicies of Korea and China froman institutional perspective in order to obtain implications for after-school programs currently being expanded in Chinese elementary schools. [Methods] To this end, this study comparatively analyzed national education policy on after-school programs in China and Korea (three policy from each country). For analysis, this research explored the similarities and differences between the two countries' relevant policies in three dimensions of institutional theory suggested by Chen (2008), such as value function, subject identity, and social behavior. [Results] The results of the study show that, first, in terms of the value function dimension, Korea has a clear evaluation and supervision system for after-school programs, while China's policy provisions on supervision and evaluation are more general, and the supervision system needs further refinement and improvement. Second, in terms of subject identity, Korea's policy shows a more comprehensive and systematic emphasis and arrangement on the subjectivity of teachers and students. On the other hand, although China's policy mentions that students' individuality should be respected and students' academic burden should be reduced, it generally pays less attention to student subjectivity and intensity than Korean policy. Third, in terms of social action, Korea focuses on diversifying teaching content and promoting social participation, while China emphasizes the standardized management of after-school programs and the overall development of students, and should further strengthen the diversification of teaching content. [Conclusion] Through the comparative analysis of after-school programs in Korea and China, this study identified that China needs to strengthen the construction of supervision and evaluation systems, pay attention to the needs of teachers and students, and enrich the forms of teaching content to continuously improve after-school programs, so as to promote the quality and balanced development of after-school education.

Profiles of Teaching Assistants’ Role Performance in Chinese Elementary Schools: A Person-Centred Approach

ABSTRACT Using a person-centred approach, this study aims to identify teaching assistants’ (TAs) profiles in terms of their role performance levels and how these profiles are associated with TAs’ personal and job characteristics. Three hundred and eighty TAs from Chinese elementary schools completed the Teaching Assistants’ Role Performance Questionnaire. Latent profile analysis yielded three profiles: (1) the low role performance level, (2) the medium role performance level, and (3) the high role performance level. Multivariate logistic regression revealed that profile membership was associated with TAs’ personal and job characteristics (i.e. educational level, years of classroom experience, professional training received, and part-time or full-time status) in different ways. The findings contribute to the literature on TA role performance in an inclusive education context and have practical implications for improving role performance among TAs.

Distinct Roles of Parental Autonomy Support and Psychological Control in Chinese Elementary School Students’ Intelligence Mindsets and Academic Outcomes

Distinct Roles of Parental Autonomy Support and Psychological Control in Chinese Elementary School Students’ Intelligence Mindsets and Academic Outcomes

Career management strategies and commitment among Chinese elementary school teachers

Career management strategies and commitment among Chinese elementary school teachers

A Literature Review on the Practice and Challenges of Project-based Learning (PBL) in Teaching Primary (STEM) in China

With the rapid development of modern society, China is more and more eager for innovative talents; therefore, the national policy supports the adoption of Project-based Learning (PBL) pedagogy in Science, technology, engineering and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines. Although PBL can develop students' ability to solve real-life problems, such as solving the problem of sewage treatment in life, thinking independently, and exploring actively, the implementation of PBL in STEM teaching in Chinese elementary schools is still a great challenge because the current level of teachers in China is inadequate and lacks systematic training. This paper will analyze the positive views and shortcomings of previous researchers in relevant topics of inquiry through the literature review method and then propose some new ideas for improvement. For example, schools need to be better resourced with teachers as well and the government can provide schools with more funds to buy equipment to ensure that teaching and learning are equipped.

Reliability and Validity of a Theory-Based Determinants of Eating and Physical Activity Behaviors Questionnaire for Chinese Elementary School Children

ObjectiveThe primary objective of this study was to develop and validate a Social Cognitive Theory-based instrument to identify psychosocial factors that influence diet and physical activity among Chinese children aged 10–12 years. DesignThis is a cross-sectional study, with data collected from questionnaires. SettingTwo elementary schools in Beijing, China. ParticipantsFourth to sixth-grade students (N = 1,486) aged 10–12 years were recruited. Variables MeasuredGender, height, weight, nation, and grade were collected. Energy-balanced eating behaviors and their related sociopsychological factors were surveyed. AnalysisConfirmatory factor analysis, Pearson correlations, Cronbach α index, and mediation analysis were used. Results(1) Confirmatory factor analysis revealed a 6-factor solution (51 items) and all factor loadings > 0.32, indicating that the model fitness was acceptable. (2) All correlation coefficients are statistically significant. All of the Cronbach α indexes were > 0.65, indicating acceptable reliability. (3) The mediating effect of goal intention and outcome expectations between self-efficacy and habit strength was statistically significant (P < 0.01), verifying the theory structure. Conclusions and ImplicationsThis questionnaire exhibits good internal consistency, reliability, and structural validity. It can be effectively employed to investigate energy-balanced eating behaviors related to the Social Cognitive Theory in Chinese children.

Acceptability and preliminary impact of a school-based SEL program for rural children in China: A quasi-experimental study

While Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) as school-based mental health preventative interventions have been extensively examined in western contexts, they have not yet been studied much in China. Several SEL programs have been developed or adapted for Chinese contexts, but few studies have examined their intervention effects in resource constrained settings, especially rare in rural schools. This study serves as the first to examine the acceptability and preliminary impact of a school-based SEL intervention in rural Chinese elementary schools. A quasi-experimental pre- and post-intervention study with a two-level cluster design was adopted. The sample consisted of 1247 fifth graders nested within 28 classrooms in Southwest China. Students rated the SEL curriculum as highly satisfactory, interesting, helpful, and practical. Findings demonstrated significant SEL intervention effects on rural children’s overall self-reported social and emotional competencies (ES = 0.213) and three subdomains including self-awareness (ES = 0.342), social awareness (ES = 0.25), and relationship skills (ES = 0.185). However, no intervention effects were found in the subdomains including self-management and responsive decision-making. Additionally, the subgroup analysis revealed that children of work-away parents, as well as boys, obtained greater benefits from the SEL intervention. These findings are interpreted in light of their practice, research, and policy implications to further strengthen school-based SEL efforts for improving rural children’s wellbeing.

Crafting a framework: a Delphi method approach to formulating a maker literacy assessment model for primary school students in China

The inclusion of Maker education is crucial in fostering innovative individuals. However, evaluating Maker activities in primary schools continues to be a difficult task. This study aimed to determine the fundamental components of Maker literacy among primary school students. The researchers constructed a thorough evaluation index system by doing a literature review, using coding techniques, determining the weights from YAAHP, and performing statistical analysis with SPSS. The Delphi technique enhanced the conceptual framework through consultation with sixteen experts. The emerging framework consists of three dimensions: Design Thinking, Technology Application and Materialized Practice, and Maker Spirit and Responsibility, each encompassing 12 subordinate aspects. These aspects subtly comprehend Maker literacy and act as indicators for comprehensive assessment systems in Chinese elementary schools. The study enhances our comprehension of children’s development in the field of Maker literacy by outlining its structure. This study provides vital insights into the assessment of Maker activities, which is a significant obstacle to the progress of Maker education. The findings of this study have practical consequences for those in the field of education, policymakers, and those involved in developing curricula. The aim is to promote the development of a generation of individuals capable of thinking innovatively and creating new ideas.

Walking on eggshells: elementary school teacher alienation in parent-teacher relationships in China

ABSTRACT Conflicts in the parent-teacher relationships have become conspicuous and inevitable, deteriorating the supposedly mutually beneficial relationship. To understand teachers’ negative experiences in such relationships and underlying reasons, this study, based on alienation theory and its latter extensions, collected and analysed eight teachers’ in-depth interviews and 47 pieces of school-life observation records in a Chinese elementary school. The findings revealed that although elementary school teachers adopted different strategies to handle parent-teacher relationships, each experienced at least one dimension of alienation (powerlessness, meaninglessness, isolation, or self-estrangement). Especially, they felt “double powerlessness”: loss of control in relationships with both the school and parents. To be specific, the major sources of double powerlessness are the big gaps in educational attainment, wealth, and social connections between teachers and parents. However, teachers can still be partially empowered by their identity, colleagues, and even educational bureaucracy to resist alienation.

Using the divergent association task to measure divergent thinking in Chinese elementary school students

The Divergent Association Task (DAT), published in July 2021, is a psychological test designed to measure an individual's divergent thinking. The test requires participants to name ten nouns that exhibit maximum dissimilarity from each other. The semantic distance between these nouns is then calculated to indicate the person's level of divergent thinking. In this study, we explored the applicability of the DAT for elementary school students in Chinese contexts, given that it was not initially designed for this specific population and was available only in English. We recruited a total of 348 students who were asked to complete three creativity tasks: the DAT, the Alternative Uses Task (AUT), and the Bridge-the-Associative-Gap Task (BAG). We examined the associations between DAT and the scores of the AUT and BAG tests. Moreover, we tested the accuracy of the DAT using varying numbers of nouns and different natural language processing models to calculate the semantic distance between nouns. Our findings supported the suitability of using the DAT to measure divergent thinking in elementary school students within Chinese contexts. We also found that using only eight nouns, instead of ten, could achieve a relatively high accuracy in measuring divergent thinking based on the DAT method. The language model of Word2Vec performed better than the BERT (Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers) and GPT (Generative Pre-trained Transformer) models when calculating semantic distances between nouns. This study has methodological and practical implications.