Chinese Primary School Research Articles

The role of family and peer factors in the development of early adolescent depressive symptoms: A latent class growth analysis.

Few studies have explored the trajectories of Chinese early adolescent depressive symptoms or comprehensively considered the factors of family and peers. The present study aimed to identify the trajectories of depressive symptoms in early adolescence using a school-based sample assessed in three waves. The study also examined whether family and peer factors were significant predictors. A total of 586 Chinese primary and middle school students participated in the survey. A growth mixture model was used to find the trajectories of depressive symptoms, and multinominal logistic regression was used to identify the predictors. Three trajectories were identified, including a stable-low class, an increasing class, and a high-decreasing class. Results indicated that gender, parental psychological aggression and neglect, parental psychological control, traditional bullying/cyberbullying victimization, and friendship quality were significant predictors. However, witnessing intimate partner violence, parental behavior control, and traditional bullying/cyberbullying perpetration could not significantly predict the trajectories. The findings of this study can provide an empirical basis for teachers and clinical interveners to determine different development trajectories of depressive symptoms and carry out prevention and intervention.

The Effect of Persistence of Physical Exercise on the Positive Psychological Emotions of Primary School Students under the STEAM Education Concept.

The effect of persistence of physical exercise on the psychological and emotional aspects of primary school students is studied to improve the comprehensive quality of current Chinese primary school students and explore the effect of physical exercise on students’ emotions under the science, technology, engineering, art, mathematics (STEAM) education concept. First, students in a primary school in Nanchang are taken as the survey participants. Second, by formulating a physical exercise scale and a psychological and emotional scale, the current situation of physical exercise of primary school students is investigated by means of mathematical statistics. Finally, the current situation of physical exercise and the overall situation of positive psychological emotions of primary school students are analyzed, and the effect of physical exercise on the positive psychological emotions of primary school students is studied. The data show that there are significant differences in the amount of exercise and its three dimensions of intensity, time, and frequency, as well as the scores of positive emotions in the gender dimension, with the boys scoring higher than the girls. In terms of grades, students in grades 1, 2, and 6 are higher than students in grades 3, 4, and 5 on the level of a small amount of exercise, while students in grades 3, 4, and 5 are higher than the other three grades in terms of a moderate amount of exercise. Moreover, in the aspect of positive psychological emotions, the lower-grade students are obviously higher than the upper-grade students, and the second- and third-grade students present marginal significance, p = 0.058. The correlation and regression between physical exercise and positive psychological emotions are calculated and analyzed, and it is found that there is a significant positive correlation between physical exercise indicators and positive psychological emotions, with a correlation coefficient of 0.297. Physical exercise explains 8.8% of positive emotions. This research also makes relevant recommendations for students and schools and has played a role in strengthening the physical exercise and mental health of primary and secondary school students. Greater attention to the physical exercise of primary school students is recommended.

Whether Chinese Primary School English Teacher Are Able to Help Students Learn With a Deep Approach

In order to improve the quality of education, there is a great concern for students’ learning methods. Students’ learning methods are basically divided into deep and surface methods. The deep approach is seen as the one that is encouraged to be used. However, in the views of the researchers, students in Asian countries tend to prefer to use surface methods of learning. Therefore, the authors would like to critically analyse an innovative teaching activities in a Chinese primary school to investigate whether Chinese primary school English teachers might be able to help their students achieve deep learning through changes in their classrooms.

해방 후 제주화교 사회의 재건과정과 경제·사회적 활동에 대한 연구

The purpose of this paper is to further enrich the life history of Jeju Overseas Chinese(Jeju Hwagyo) by supplementing the limitations of previous studies and examining the reconstruction process of Jeju Overseas Chinese society and the impact of the results on the lives of them after liberation. In addition, when research on Chinese history in Korea is very scarce after liberation, it was intended to expand the horizon of Overseas Chinese history in Korea through this research in the same period. The main fact revealed through the study was that Jeju Chinese formed a Overseas Chinese society through steady growth during Japanese colonial era since they moved to Jeju before 1909, but the Chinese society almost collapsed as it withdrew to China due to the influence of the Sino-Japanese War at the end of Japanese colonial era. However, after liberation, the Jeju Chinese Overseas society was rebuilt through the organization and operation of the Chinese Autonomous District and the opening of the Chinese Primary School, and cultural identity was secured. Based on these reconstruction activities, inland Chinese who flowed into Jeju due to evacuation were able to easily settle in Jeju society, and were able to carry out active economic activities centered on the food industry with existing Jeju Hwagyo. As a result, Jeju Chinese Overseas society showed an active appearance, with its population increasing until the mid-70s. it showed efforts to harmonize with the local community through continuous participation in local cultural events. This point can be said to be a unique appearance of Jeju Overseas Chinese in contrast to other local Overseas Chinese. Future research projects can be said to be studies on the trends and causes of re-migration of Jeju Chinese after the late 1970s, and the relationship between old hwagyo and new hwagyo which flowed into after diplomatic relations between Korea and China in 1992.

Music Teachers’ Perceptions of the Authenticity Issues Towards World Music Teaching in China

The purpose of this study is to investigate Chinese primary and secondary school music teachers' perceptions towards “authenticity”-related issues in world music teaching. Using a qualitative methodology, the researchers conducted in-depth semi-structured interviews with nine primary and secondary school music teachers in different provinces of China. The results show that the teachers have different views on whether “authenticity” is often emphasized in the teaching of world music, whether world music in textbooks is represented authentically, whether absolute “authenticity” could be achieved in the teaching of world music, and the role of culture bearers in the transmission of music culture in the classroom. On the whole, to ensure that music teachers can objectively treat authenticity in world music teaching, the teachers should be clear about the purpose of world music teaching and transcend the dilemma of the authentic/inauthentic dichotomy.

Do vocabulary, syntactic awareness, and reading comprehension in second language facilitate the development of each other in young children?

This study explored whether children's second language (L2) vocabulary, syntactic awareness, and reading comprehension contributed to the growth of each other. A total of 184 Chinese primary school children (91 girls) aged 8–10 years old in Hong Kong participated in the pre-test of this study. Among them, 88 were in Grade 3 and 96 were in Grade 4. One year later, 178 of these children also participated in the post-test. These children learned English as an L2 at school. They completed a series of English language tasks. The results from a cross-lagged panel model show that vocabulary predicted the growth of syntactic awareness and reading comprehension. Syntactic awareness predicted the growth of vocabulary and reading comprehension. Reading comprehension facilitated the growth of vocabulary, and it also predicted the growth of syntactic awareness in Grade 4 students but not in Grade 3 students. Implications for teaching children an L2 are discussed.

Attitude toward COVID-19 vaccines and its association with depressive symptoms in 386,924 Chinese primary school students during COVID-19 epidemic normalization

AimBefore Chinese primary school students were generally vaccinated against the COVID-19 vaccine, this study evaluated the willingness of this population and its influencing factors before vaccination, and evaluate its association between attitudes toward the vaccine and depressive symptoms. MethodsA cross-sectional study involved 386,924 primary school students using a cluster sampling method during May 21–27, 2021. The Chinese version of the Children Depression Inventory (CDI) was used to assess depressive symptoms. Multiple logistic regression analysis models were used to estimate the relationship between attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccines and depressive symptoms. ResultsAmong the participants, the prevalence of depressive symptoms was higher in higher grades. The prevalence was higher in fifth and sixth grade students than third and fourth grade students and first and second grades (10.22% vs. 6.07% vs. 3.04%). In addition, 20.79% of students do not know whether the vaccine can protect him from the COVID-19 infection, and 40.60% of students do not know whether the vaccine is safe. Of note, in terms of attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccines, students with more positive attitudes have a lower risk of depressive symptoms (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 0.151; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.140–0.164). ConclusionBased on these findings, it is necessary for the government and schools to promote vaccine safety and reliability information in a timely manner to increase vaccination uptake.

The Cultivation of Students' Logical Thinking in Chinese Primary School Mathematics Education

Mathematics is a subject that studies concepts such as quantity, structure and space and their changes. From a certain point of view, it belongs to a kind of formal science. Mathematics develops from counting, calculating, measuring, and observing the shape and motion of objects using abstraction and logical reasoning. Logical thinking ability refers to the ability to analyze, generalize, synthesize and judge reasoning problems, which is mainly manifested in mathematics. Therefore, mathematics education plays an important role in the cultivation of primary school students' logical thinking. The goal of this paper is to understand how mathematics education in primary schools in China fosters logical thinking in students. This paper adopts the method of qualitative research and conducts research through literature research and comparative analysis. The author will analyse the aspects of educational mode, educational content and educational tools, etc. To explore how Chinese primary school mathematics curriculum develops students' logical think. Logic training is a long-term process. Therefore, China has done very detailed training in primary school students' logical thinking. This is especially reflected in primary school mathematics education, including mathematics classroom teaching content, teaching methods and teaching strategies.

Student values and wellbeing in mathematics education: perspectives of Chinese primary students

Around the world the prevalence of mathematics anxiety and disengagement point to a poor sense of student ‘mathematical wellbeing’. Mathematical wellbeing is defined here as the fulfilment of one’s ultimate or core values, accompanied by positive feelings and functioning in mathematics education. Yet student wellbeing and how to support it in specific school subjects including mathematics is vastly under-researched. Also, despite outperforming other countries in international mathematics assessments, East Asian students generally appear to experience poor affect and high academic burden in mathematics education, which are indicative of poor mathematical wellbeing. In this context, this explorative and descriptive study investigates the values that are associated with the mathematical wellbeing of a cohort of Chinese primary school students. 258 Grade three students in Chengdu, China responded to a questionnaire which explored teacher-nominated mathematics learning moments that students valued most for their mathematical wellbeing. Findings pointed to students valuing all the learning moments to some extent, with good grades, fun and interest, mathematics-themed videos, and teacher praise rated most commonly for wellbeing. The values underlying these learning moments are similar to the seven mathematical wellbeing dimensions found in Australian classrooms. The findings also highlight the cultural subjectivities involved, in which the same classroom actions can reflect different underlying values across cultures, and in which a particular value can be espoused in different ways in different places. We also look ahead to suggest how teachers might support students’ mathematical wellbeing, by recognising and then fulfilling their students’ values in the mathematics classroom.

Evaluating the immediate and delayed effects of psychological need thwarting of online teaching on Chinese primary and middle school teachers’ psychological well-being

Recent studies on the effects of mandatory online teaching, resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, have widely reported low levels of satisfaction, unwillingness to continue online teaching, and negative impacts on the psychological well-being of teachers. Emerging research has highlighted the potential role of psychological need thwarting (PNT), in terms of autonomy, competence, and relatedness thwarting, resulting from online teaching. The aim of this study was to evaluate the immediate and delayed (longitudinal) effects of PNT of online teaching on teachers’ well-being (including distress and burnout), intention to continue online teaching, and job satisfaction. Moreover, data collected from both cross-sectional and longitudinal surveys allowed for a systematic validation of an important instrument in the field of teacher psychology, the Psychological Need Thwarting Scale of Online Teaching (PNTSOT), in terms of longitudinal reliability and validity. The data reveal the usefulness of the construct of PNT in terms predicting and explaining teachers’ willingness to continue using online teaching as well as the degree of burnout after a period of 2 months, such that PNT is positively associated with burnout and negatively associated with willingness to continue online teaching. As such, the PNTSOT is recommended for future research evaluating the long-term psychological, affective, and intentional outcomes stemming from teachers’ PNT. Moreover, based on our findings that the impact from PNT of online teaching is persistent and long-term, we suggest that school leaders provide flexible and sustained professional development, model respectful and adaptive leadership, and create opportunities for mastery for the development of community of practice that can mitigate the thwarting of teachers’ autonomy, competence, and relatedness during times of uncertainty. Additionally, in terms of the psychometric properties of the PNTSOT instrument, our empirical findings demonstrate internal reliability, test–retest reliability, measurement invariance, and criterion validity (concurrent and predictive) based on cross-sectional and longitudinal data.

On the Application of Creative Reading in Primary School Chinese Teaching

On the Application of Creative Reading in Primary School Chinese Teaching

Brief Discussion on Research on the Cultivation Path of Students' Comprehensive Quality in the Process of Primary School Chinese Teaching

Brief Discussion on Research on the Cultivation Path of Students' Comprehensive Quality in the Process of Primary School Chinese Teaching

The Effects of Willpower on Chinese Primary and Secondary School Students’ Creativity

Abstract 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.

Olympic education: a critical ethnography of two Chinese primary schools

ABSTRACT The implementation of Olympic education in schools is a requirement for any host country of the Olympic Games, including the 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in China. However, there are no strict requirements for host countries in terms of what their Olympic education programme should look like or how they must be implemented. Rather, each country is left to develop their own version of Olympic education. In the context of the recent 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in China, we draw on a four-month critical ethnographic research project that explored the implementation of Olympic education programmes in two primary schools in Beijing, China. Utilising Foucault’s notion of governmentality, we demonstrate how three key technologies of government were employed by schools to perform in and through Olympic education: technologies of discipline that governed students to be ideal representatives for their school; technologies of filtering whereby certain students were selected to gain “glory for their school”; and, technologies of sign systems that helped create a unique and visual identity for the schools. These technologies were used to govern schools to perform their own unique “brand” of Olympic education and achieve their governmental ambition to promote themselves within the broader, competitive Chinese public education marketplace.

Comparing Students’ Perceptions on Quality of School Life: Voices from Malay and Chinese Ethnic Students

While the quality of school life is expected to be cultural and context-specific, fewer studies have been conducted to investigate the conceptualisation of quality of school life in a multi-ethnic and multicultural context. This study aims to compare Malay and Chinese primary school students’ perceptions on the quality of school life in Malaysia. This study employed a quantitative cross-sectional survey research design. Survey data were collected from 594 Grade 5 students. Findings revealed that both Malay and Chinese students ranked the highest score on the opportunity dimension and the lowest scores on the negative affect dimension. The Malay students scored higher means in all dimensions of quality of schools than the Chinese students, except the findings revealed cultural differences in the perceptions of quality of school life.

Relationship of 24-Hour Movement Behaviors with Weight Status and Body Composition in Chinese Primary School Children: A Cross-Sectional Study.

24 h movement behaviors, specifically physical activity (PA), sedentary behavior, and sleep, play a crucial role in the prevention and intervention of childhood obesity. This study aimed to examine the association of 24 h movement behaviors with weight status and body composition among Chinese primary school children. Using a random stratified sampling, 978 eligible participants (9.1 ± 1.4 years, 53.2% boys) were recruited from 1 May to 15 July 2021. Demographics included children’s age, gender, grade, parents’ education level, and household income. Movement behaviors were measured by validated self-reported scales. Weight status and body composition (percent of body fat, PBF; fat-free mass, FFM; skeletal muscle mass, SMM) were measured objectively. Results indicated that participants who were younger, boys, and at lower grade showed higher guidelines adherence. PA was inversely associated with PBF, while screen time (ST) was positively associated with overweight/obesity risk and FFM. Sleep showed no association with any health indicators. Meeting the behavioral guidelines was associated with better weight status and lower PBF, yet not with FFM and SMM. Interventions to improve the Children’s weight status and PBF should involve enhancing their overall movement behaviors and considering their demographic differences. More research on examining the association of movement guidelines adherence with body composition indicators is needed.

Learning by Researching: Achievements and Actions of Teacher Learning in a School–University Collaborative Project

Purpose This study explores the achievements and process of a group of Chinese primary school teachers learning from a research-based school–university collaborative project. Design/Approach/Methods We used qualitative methods to construct our research design, collecting data through participatory observations of weekly meetings, teacher interviews, and participants’ reflective journals. Both thematic analysis and discursive analysis were employed as strategies to scrutinize the data. Findings We categorize teachers’ learning into five achievements: outcome, processual, democratic, catalytic, and dialogic achievement. A further examination highlights seven successive learning actions composing an implicit mechanism to facilitate these achievements: questioning, analyzing, modeling, examining, implementing, reflecting, and consolidating. Originality/Value Through this longitudinal study, we more comprehensively record details about teachers’ learning as they conduct their own research. Although school–university heterogeneous collaboration has potential conflicts, teachers can improve their problem-solving and knowledge creation and sharing abilities, promoting a sense of professional accomplishment. These findings also suggest the need to reconsider the authentic process of teacher research, a task equally significant for international educators.

Intraindividual reaction time variability and academic achievement of primary school students: A longitudinal cross-lagged panel model

Attentional control indexed by intraindividual reaction time variability (IIRTV), which is found a crucial predictor of children's academic performance, may also be influenced by children's academic achievement. However, the bidirectional longitudinal relationships between children's IIRTV and academic achievement remain unclear. This study aimed to examine this issue in 211 Chinese primary school children (98 girls; Mage = 7.39 years, SDage = 0.49). Children's IIRTV was assessed using the flanker task - child version in three waves from the first to the third grade, and the children's final grades in Chinese and math for each year were collected from the school. The results showed that (1) IIRTV to the flanker task decreased with age; (2) IIRTV and Chinese achievement had a bidirectional longitudinal relationship, suggesting that IIRTV predicted prospective Chinese achievement; and Chinese achievement also predicted subsequent IIRTV in children. These findings have implications for promoting children's attentional control and academic performance.

Physical Fitness of Chinese Primary School Students across the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Outbreak: A Retrospective Repeated Cross-Sectional Study.

Social distancing measures against COVID-19 imposed restrictions on students that may have affected their physical health and fitness. The objective of this study was to investigate the change in physical fitness of primary school students across the coronavirus outbreaks from 2019 to 2021. This was a retrospective repeated cross-sectional study. We obtained the annual physical and fitness assessment data measured every November for all students at the same primary school in Guangzhou, China. There was a total of 6371 observations in the dataset for three years. The physical fitness of the students was evaluated with an overall physical fitness score, body mass index (BMI), lung vital capacity, physical flexibility (via a sit-and-reach test) and sports task performances (sprint, shuttle run, rope-jumping, and sit-up). Generalised estimating equations were used to determine any significant changes from 2019 to 2021, adjusted for confounders. After the COVID-19 outbreak in 2021, there was a significant elevation in BMI of 0.64 kg/m2 in 2020 and 0.39 kg/m2 in 2021 (p < 0.001). The overall physical fitness score was significantly increased by 2.1 and 4.1 points, respectively, in 2020 and 2021 (p < 0.001). Lung vital capacity and rope-jumping performance were significantly improved in both 2020 and 2021 compared with 2019, and sit-up performance was marginally significantly improved in 2020 and significantly improved in 2021. However, students demonstrated poorer flexibility and sprint and shuttle run performance in 2021 compared with 2019. A health promotion programme during and after COVID-19, including online physical education classes, television broadcasts, and a rope-jumping campaign, could account for these positive outcomes, along with the ease of administering rope-jumping and sit-ups at home.

Smartphone-Acquired Anterior Segment Images for Deep Learning Prediction of Anterior Chamber Depth: A Proof-of-Concept Study

PurposeTo develop a deep learning (DL) algorithm for predicting anterior chamber depth (ACD) from smartphone-acquired anterior segment photographs.MethodsFor algorithm development, we included 4,157 eyes from 2,084 Chinese primary school students (aged 11–15 years) from Mojiang Myopia Progression Study (MMPS). All participants had with ACD measurement measured with Lenstar (LS 900) and anterior segment photographs acquired from a smartphone (iPhone Xs), which was mounted on slit lamp and under diffuses lighting. The anterior segment photographs were randomly selected by person into training (80%, no. of eyes = 3,326) and testing (20%, no. of eyes = 831) dataset. We excluded participants with intraocular surgery history or pronounced corneal haze. A convolutional neural network was developed to predict ACD based on these anterior segment photographs. To determine the accuracy of our algorithm, we measured the mean absolute error (MAE) and coefficient of determination (R2) were evaluated. Bland Altman plot was used to illustrate the agreement between DL-predicted and measured ACD values.ResultsIn the test set of 831 eyes, the mean measured ACD was 3.06 ± 0.25 mm, and the mean DL-predicted ACD was 3.10 ± 0.20 mm. The MAE was 0.16 ± 0.13 mm, and R2 was 0.40 between the predicted and measured ACD. The overall mean difference was −0.04 ± 0.20 mm, with 95% limits of agreement ranging between −0.43 and 0.34 mm. The generated saliency maps showed that the algorithm mainly utilized central corneal region (i.e., the site where ACD is clinically measured typically) in making its prediction, providing further plausibility to the algorithm's prediction.ConclusionsWe developed a DL algorithm to estimate ACD based on smartphone-acquired anterior segment photographs. Upon further validation, our algorithm may be further refined for use as a ACD screening tool in rural localities where means of assessing ocular biometry is not readily available. This is particularly important in China where the risk of primary angle closure disease is high and often undetected.