Universities In China Research Articles

Exploring New Paths for the Internationalization of Vocational Colleges in the Era of Artificial Intelligence

This study analyzes the internationalization development changes of one vocational college in China over the past 10 years. Based on the new requirements and trends of vocational education in the era of artificial intelligence , effective suggestions are proposed for the internationalization development of vocational education from the aspects of establishing international consulting organizations, attracting international capital investment, learn from other vocational colleges, formulating international cooperation plans, building industry education integration communities, constructing international curriculum resource databases, shortening students' learning time in school, changing classroom learning modes, increasing online practical training time, and building international cooperation alliances. This study is expected to promote the improvement of vocational colleges in curriculum construction, teaching resources, learning modes, school enterprise cooperation, and platform construction, ultimately achieving sustainable development of vocational education.

Utilizing Baidu Index Data to Investigate the Spatiotemporal Characteristics of Public Concern towards Lifelong Education

Background and purpose: With the advancement of Industry 4.0 and the vigorous development of the Internet, search engines have become one of the important platforms for the public to obtain information. As the world's largest Chinese search engine, Baidu is widely popular with the Chinese public. Similar to Google Trends, the Baidu Index is one of the most important databases on the Internet and even in the entire data age. This study adopted the Baidu Index to investigate the public's attention to "Lifelong Education" and analyze its changing trend and geographical distribution, to grasp the public's attention to it in a more comprehensive way. Materials and methods: The Baidu Index was used to obtain the attention of the keyword “Lifelong Education" from July to November 2023. The characteristics of attention are analyzed from three aspects: trend research, demand graph, and user portrait. Finally, it focuses on the comparison between the keyword "Lifelong Education" and the related word "Lifelong Education Platform". Results: The term "Lifelong Education" showed two fluctuations during the period, both of which showed an initial rise and then a decline. For the demand graph, the public pays the most attention to "Lifelong Education Platform", "Lifelong Learning" and "Compulsory Education". The group that pays more attention to "Lifelong Education" is mainly distributed in East China, mostly female, 20~29 years old. Conclusion: Similar to Google Trends, the Baidu Index is a useful tool to study the trend of keyword searches, insight into the change in netizens' demand and monitoring the trend of media public opinion. The results show that the main reasons for the two obvious changes in search volume are that the National Open University of China opens freely lifelong education platform and provides free and comprehensive learning resources, and "Lifelong Education" appears as a translation in the National College English Test Band 4 (CET-4) in June 2023.

Art College Teachers’ Status and Experiences of STEAM Education at a University in China

Art College Teachers’ Status and Experiences of STEAM Education at a University in China

Extent of Execution of P.E. Administrators’ Functions as Influenced by Their Leadership Capabilities in an Engineering University in China

This study explores the relationship between leadership capabilities and management functions of Physical Education (PE) administrators at Hubei Engineering University, China. Using a descriptive-comparative-correlational research design, data were collected from PE teachers to assess the effectiveness of administrators in strategic planning, organizing, directing/leading, and controlling. Additionally, leadership capabilities such as organizational direction, collaborative leadership, and instructional leadership were evaluated. The results revealed that administrators are generally effective in their management functions, with organizing and collaborative leadership receiving the highest scores. However, challenges related to resource management and internal control systems were identified. Significant correlations between management functions and leadership capabilities underscore the importance of strong organizational skills for effective leadership. These findings provide insights into the leadership development needs of PE administrators and suggest practical solutions for overcoming administrative challenges.

A Study on the Influence of Language Environment on English Writing Ability in Universities-Based on the Theory of Second Language Acquisition

Based on the theory of second language acquisition, this study employs a mixed-method approach to investigate the impact of language environment on English writing proficiency in higher education institutions. In the quantitative study, data were collected from 184 students with diverse English language learning backgrounds via the online questionnaire platform "Wenjuanxing" at several universities in China and in-depth interviews were conducted to gain qualitative insights. The findings indicate that the frequency and depth of writing practice, parents' education level, and early exposure to English have a notable impact on English writing ability. Students in the advanced training group demonstrated superior performance due to their increased exposure and practice opportunities, whereas students in the standard study group necessitated more structured instruction and writing practice to enhance their proficiency. The study offers a theoretical foundation and practical guidance for teaching English writing, such as the creation of a rich language environment to facilitate students' English writing abilities.

How to boost college students’ pro-environmental behavior: the implicit theory perspective

Purpose This study aims to examine how higher education can overcome some of the psychological barriers to pro-environmental behavior among college students by cultivating growth mindset of nature and to investigate whether, how and when growth mindset of nature can enhance pro-environmental behavior. Design/methodology/approach A three-wave survey was conducted to collect quantitative data on growth mindset of nature, connectedness with nature, pro-environment behavior and pro-environmental school climate among 283 undergraduate college students at two universities in China. This study used the Process Macro for SPSS (models 4 and 14) to reveal the effects of direct, mediating and moderated mediation. Findings The findings showed that growth mindset of nature positively affected students’ pro-environment behavior. Moreover, growth mindset of nature contributed to pro-environment behavior through the beneficial effects of connectedness with nature. In particular, positive pro-environmental school climate strengthens the mediating effects of connectedness with nature on the relationship between growth mindset of nature and pro-environment behavior. Practical implications Growth mindset of nature provides a vital impetus for facilitating college students’ pro-environmental behavior so that universities can incorporate sustainable development, climate change and environmental sustainability into curricula to cultivate students’ growth mindset of nature. Furthermore, educators could develop students’ connectedness with nature through environmental education by directly exposing them to nature. Finally, the pro-environmental school climate is the essential social-environmental nourishment for college students’ pro-environmental behavior. Originality/value This study advances implicit theory by introducing implicit beliefs to the environmental realm. Meanwhile, this study solves the puzzle concerning why people are aware of increasingly serious environmental issues, yet few are really engaged in pro-environmental behavior. A second contribution lies in extending the application of the pro-environmental climates into educational contexts to uncover the “black box” of how growth mindset of nature promotes college students’ pro-environmental behavior. Finally, this study enriches the literature on connectedness with nature by exploring the mediating mechanism of connectedness with nature between growth mindset of nature and pro-environmental behavior.

Teacher-Student Interaction, Learning Motivation, And Classroom Participation In Private Colleges In China

Teacher-Student Interaction, Learning Motivation, And Classroom Participation In Private Colleges In China

Learning Outcomes, Benefits, and Challenges of International Research Experiences for Students (IRES): An Exploratory Study of an IRES Program in China

Despite the increasing number of international programs targeting students’ learning of research and intercultural skills, there has been limited holistic investigation of students’ experiences employing both qualitative and quantitative methods. In this study, we incorporated several measures to explore students’ experiences in an International Research Experiences for Students (IRES) program, which benefited from the existing partnership between Virginia Tech in the U.S. and Shandong University in China. We examined students’ intercultural competence and interdisciplinary research skills and explored students’ stories of their lived experiences across three cohorts, each with five students, who completed the IRES program. Both open-ended survey responses and interview data demonstrate that the experience allowed students to learn skills involving the various tools, methods, and processes needed to conduct experiments and solve interdisciplinary problems. In particular, qualitative data further demonstrated the influence of the program on students’ desire to pursue graduate degrees and navigate the research process. While the behavioral dimension of cultural intelligence did not show a major improvement, student interviews suggested enhanced student abilities in interpersonal interactions, including non-verbal and verbal means for effective communication. We provide explanations for the differences between quantitative and qualitative results. Reflecting on the results, we elaborate on the importance of structural elements necessary for creating international experiences for students and the need to examine students' learning processes using different means of data collection.

The Chinese idea of a university in flux: academic freedom and institutional autonomy under entrepreneurial reforms in the GBA

ABSTRACT The complexity of the idea of a university has been intensified globally as more universities pursue entrepreneurship. For modern universities in China as latecomers, contemporary entrepreneurial reforms are implemented against a backdrop of ongoing interactions between Chinese and Western ideas of a university, with the Western established as the formal system and the Chinese functioning informally yet powerfully. Through 71 semi-structured interviews at four universities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, this study explores how academic freedom and institutional autonomy are perceived by Chinese academics under entrepreneurial reforms. The study has two major findings through Clark’s analytical framework of academic, government, and market forces: (1) A novel form of statist academic freedom is emerging, merging traditional Chinese scholarly values with state-driven entrepreneurial demands; (2) The adapted triple helix model in China emphasises competition and excellence, shaped by a unique blend of state influence and market dynamics. It offers a nuanced perspective on academic freedom and institutional autonomy amidst entrepreneurial reforms in China, highlighting a compatibility with Chinese idea of a university and a response to global entrepreneurial pressures.

Beyond the blues: The protective influence of adaptability and well-being on university students' mental health.

Theoretical approaches suggest that adaptability and well-being could serve as protective factors in influencing mental health. However, it remains empirically unclear how students' prior adaptability and well-being predict depression (and vice versa) in the long term. Hence, using a longitudinal design, the present study explores the reciprocal relations among university students' adaptability, well-being, as well as depression before, during, and after the lockdown resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. In a sample of 7527 Chinese university students (51.7% female; mean age = 18.38, standard deviation [SD] = 0.77), we measured adaptability, university-related well-being, and depression. Self-report assessments were administered before (Time 1, October 2019), 1 year after (Time 2, March 2021), and 2 years after (Time 3, March 2022) the COVID-19 outbreak in a comprehensive public university in China. Cross-lagged panel analysis revealed that prior adaptability and university-related well-being negatively predicted subsequent depression, even when statistically controlling for demographic factors such as gender, family economic status, and so on. Moreover, results showed positive reciprocal relations between adaptability and university-related well-being. Findings indicate that adaptability and university-related well-being have long-term protective effects on the mental health of university students, which could mitigate the negative effects of COVID-19 or other crises. The implications for practice and suggestions for future research are discussed.

Teacher Support as Predictor of Student Engagement in College English Course in Selected HEIS in China

This study adopted quantitative method to investigate the predictive role of teacher support in student engagement in College English courses at selected universities in China. The study population consisted a sample size of 379 students and 124 teachers, and assessed the level of teacher support in terms of emotional, academic, and instrumental support, as well as behavioral, emotional, and cognitive aspects of student engagement. Through Mann-Whitney U test and multiple linear regression analysis, the study revealed the teacher-student differences in perceptions of teacher support and student engagement and also the predictive role of teacher support on student engagement, with implications for enhancing educational practices. The study revealed that both teachers and students rated teacher support positively in terms of emotional, academic, and instrumental support, with slight differences. There was no significant difference between teacher and student assessments of overall teacher support, though students rated emotional support higher. However, a significant difference was found in the assessment of student engagement, where students rated their engagement—especially emotional engagement—higher than teachers. Also, it was found that academic and instrumental support were significant predictors of student engagement, with academic support having the strongest impact. Based on these findings, a teacher support program is proposed to enhance student engagement in College English classes. The findings of this study have implications for teacher professional development in higher education. It highlights the importance of teacher support, especially academic and instrumental support, teachers towards boosting student engagement in College English class. Schools should prioritize ongoing training that helps teachers better understand and meet students’ academic and emotional needs, while also improving their ability to provide practical instrumental support. Professional development programs that strengthen and improve these areas can enhance teaching effectiveness, reduce discrepancies in student engagement perceptions, and ultimately improve student academic performance in College English classes in China.

Impact of Employment Salary Level of Graduates from Higher Education Institutions in China

Based on the analysis of questionnaire survey data on college graduates, we constructed a multiple linear regression model using Matlab software to study the factors affecting the salary level of graduates, such as University rank and geographical locations, which provides a reference basis for the employment planning of college students. The results indicate that the nature of the university and the ranking of geographical regions have a significant impact on the salary level of college graduates. We utilize the proposed method to study typical two universities in China, demonstrating the effectiveness of our analysis. Finally, from the perspective of talent employment in universities, feasible and effective measures to improve the salary level of college graduates were discussed.

Impact of Volleyball Course on College Students’ Tactical Skills in China

In 1910, the game of volleyball was introduced in China. Currently, the level of Chinese competitive volleyball is relatively high, and it has achieved good results in international tournaments so it is timely and necessary to investigate its teaching in universities and colleges. The effects of playing volleyball may influence the students’ safety, physical conditioning, use of facilities, team considerations, experience with the coach or instructor, and tactical ability. Much has been studied in the field of volleyball including its health effects on its players. However, there was a dearth of literature on the effects of volleyball courses on university students in China. Thus, the study looked into this area of investigation to propose a teaching development for volleyball courses in universities and colleges in China. Using descriptive comparative correlational research design, the findings revealed that the majority of the participants were male first-year college students pursuing engineering studies. The college students evaluated the impact of their tactical skills in playing volleyball. The factors of safety and instructor received the highest assessment while the management of equipment and facilities had the lowest assessment. There was a significant difference in the assessment of the management of equipment and facilities domain based on the respondents’ year levels, with a small effect size. On the other hand, no significant difference was found in safety, physical conditioning, team consideration, instructor, and overall experience of college students in playing volleyball. Comparing the groups, 1st and 2nd year students scored higher in management of equipment and facilities than those 3rd year students. Overall, the college students were assessed to have average tactical skills in playing volleyball. Specifically, offensive tactical skills scored higher than defensive tactical skills.

Ethnocultural technologies of vocal training of students of pedagogical universities of China

The training of music teachers in China's pedagogical universities is based on strategies for linking national cultural traditions and innovative education systems in other countries. Today, special attention is paid to the training of music teachers, which is due to the increased demand of children and parents for music education. The deepening of such training is facilitated by the special specializations of students, which allow them to acquire knowledge and performing skills in a particular type of musical activity in the final semesters of study at the university. But, since students receive education in pedagogical universities, this performance training should be based on Chinese ethnocultural traditions, and be organically combined with pedagogical training. The article examines an ethnocultural technologist based on the traditions of the national Chinese opera, contributing to the formation of stage skills necessary both for staging an opera performance by students and for replenishing the pedagogical baggage of a school music teacher. The introduction of this technology into the "Performing Arts" subject of the "Vocal Music" specialization among fourth-year students has shown its effectiveness both for staging fragments of opera performances, not only by Chinese but also by Western composers and for replenishing the pedagogical skills of future music teachers.

The Interactive Effects of Video Type and Viewing Device on Pre-service Teachers’ Learning Performance

Classroom video use in teacher education is rising, but the interplay of video type (2D, panoramic) and viewing device (PC, HMD) on learning remains unexplored. This study examined the interactive effects of video type (2D, panoramic) and viewing device (PC, Head-Mounted Display [HMD]) on pre-service teachers’ learning performance. 143 pre-service teachers from a China university participated in a 2 × 2 randomized controlled experiment, viewing a 10-minute instructional video. Results indicate that panoramic video with HMD yielded the best learning outcomes, enhancing academic achievement, attention, presence, and immersion. Conversely, 2D video on HMD increased cognitive load. Interestingly, while PC-viewed panoramic video maximized attention, it also generated the highest cognitive load. Focus group interviews revealed the potential of immersive learning alongside challenges like motion sickness and navigation difficulties. This research provides empirical evidence for the interaction of video type and viewing devices in teacher education, informing the design of effective video-based learning.

An improved game cross-efficiency approach with dual-role factors for measuring the efficiency of Chinese “985 project” universities

Evaluating the efficiency of universities is essential to gain sustained competitive advantage for regional/national development, especially from the long-run perspective. In this paper, we develop an improved game cross-efficiency (GCE) approach to assess Chinese “985 Project” universities considering dual-role factors. First, building on the concept of “joint technology” and the GCE approach, we provide a new approach for efficiency analysis with dual-role factors. In addition, we identify a potential inconsistency problem while searching the Nash equilibrium point from a computational perspective. Importantly, we propose an improved searching process that is consistent with the original GCE paradigm. Finally, we illustrate the proposed approach by applying it to “985 Project” universities in China. The findings validate the importance of adopting the proposed improved approach.

Engaging in dialogic peer feedback in L2 writing development: A microgenetic approach

Recent research on the multifaceted nature of student engagement indicating that students engaged with peer feedback dynamically, varying with the interaction of individuals and the environment, while neglecting the impact of engagement with peer feedback on L2 learners’ writing development. Grounded in sociocultural theory, this longitudinal case study aimed to investigate the roles of dialogic peer feedback as a mediating tool for promoting L2 writing development. Four first-year English major students participated in eight tutorials over 16 weeks in a university in China. Data were collected from peer feedback dialogue, pre- and post-mediation drafts, retrospective verbal reports, self-reflection, and focus groups through microgenesis. The findings revealed that dialogic peer feedback enhanced student engagement from various dimensions. Engaging in dialogic peer feedback facilitated the diagnosis of writing problems and appropriate mediation through interaction. Mediation rather than correction in dialogic peer feedback was critical in assisting learners in achieving L2 writing goals.

The Integration of Traditional Chinese Culture into the English Grammar Course in Regular Higher Education: A Practical Case Study

In the interconnected global society today, the significance of integrating traditional Chinese culture into English grammar education cannot be overstated, but it is often ignored in the practical teaching and theoretical research. Hence, this study aims to explore this integration in regular higher education to promote ideological and political education and their intercultural competence. Research questions include how traditional Chinese culture is practically integrated into the English grammar course in regular higher education and whether this integration is effectively achieved as well as what suggestions can be proposed for the future English grammar course and research. Considering this, a practical case study in the context of Xianda College of Economics and Humanities, Shanghai International Studies University in China is employed to address these questions. Twenty-nine first-year English majors, both females and males, voluntarily participate as research subjects. The specific research methods mainly involve a two-round questionnaire survey and a one-round interview. One of the conclusion is that traditional Chinese culture can be practically integrated into the English grammar course in regular education by the the strategy of “4-R”, namely “Revise Teaching Goals and Objectives, Refine Teaching Content, Revitalize Teaching Methods and Reform Teaching Evaluation”. This study focuses on adopting Chinese ancient poetry, Chinese opera, Chinese architecture, and Chinese festival customs as the main materials for traditional Chinese culture related to grammar points in this course. Moreover, based on the participants’ feedback from the second-round questionnaire survey and one-round interview, it is effectively carried out and attains the quality goals in the overall teaching syllabus to a large extent. Another conclusion is that some suggestions from students and the teacher are provided for the future English grammar course and relevant research.

Knowledge of aging, attitudes toward older people and willingness to engage in geriatric rehabilitation among rehabilitation students in southwestern China: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundAs the global elderly population rises, providing quality care for older adults is increasingly challenging. Rehabilitation technicians are crucial in this effort. Their knowledge and attitudes significantly impact care quality and their willingness to work with the elderly. While many studies have examined healthcare professionals’ attitudes toward older adults, few focus on rehabilitation students. This study assesses Chinese rehabilitation students’ knowledge of aging, attitudes toward older individuals, willingness to care for them, and the factors influencing these aspects.MethodsA sample of 890 rehabilitation students from three colleges and universities in southwestern China was investigated with a self-administered questionnaire, which included socio-demographic information, the Palmore Facts on Aging Quiz, the Kogan’s Attitude towards Older People Scale and the Chinese Version of the Interpersonal Reactivity Index. Data analyses were conducted using SPSS version 25.0. Descriptive statistics were used to illustrate the demographic characteristics of the respondents. The frequency and percentage of responses was calculated. Means and standard deviations were computed for general knowledge of aging, attitudes toward older people, and empathy. Independent t-tests and one-way ANOVA assessed differences in FAQ, KAOP, and IRI-C scores between groups. Pearson’s correlation examined correlations among general knowledge of aging, attitudes toward older people and empathy ability. Chi-square or Fisher’s exact tests compared willingness to engage in geriatric rehabilitation across different respondent characteristics. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis explored the independent effect of different variables on attitudes toward older people.ResultsThe Chinese rehabilitation students from three colleges and universities in southwestern China displayed a relatively low level of knowledge about aging, but a generally positive attitude towards older people. Females had significantly more positive attitudes toward older people than males(p<0.01). The students who had previous experience of being cared for by (maternal) grandparents, living with the elderly, and taking care of the elderly showed significantly more positive attitudes toward older people (p = 0.001, 0.007 and 0.007, respectively) and a significantly stronger willingness to engage in geriatric rehabilitation(p = 0.013, <0.01 and <0.01, respectively) than those who had not had these experiences. Students with good relationships with older people had more positive attitudes toward the elderly (p < 0.01) and greater willingness to engage in geriatric rehabilitation (p < 0.01). Those with frequent contact with the elderly also showed more positive attitudes (p < 0.01) and a stronger willingness to engage in geriatric rehabilitation (p = 0.002) compared to those with less contact. Knowledge of aging and empathy ability were both significantly positively related to attitudes toward older people and both independent predictors of attitudes toward older people(r = 0.143, p<0.01 and r = 0.337, p<0.01).ConclusionsIt is crucial to prepare rehabilitation students with adequate knowledge and positive attitudes to ensure the quality of rehabilitation and care provided to older people. Educators should adopt effective strategies to promote rehabilitation students’ geriatric rehabilitation knowledge and increase their positive attitudes toward older people.

Study on the Problems and Countermeasures of Socialized Reform of Higher Education Logistics

The logistics of colleges and universities involves the clothing, food, housing and transportation of teachers and students, and is an important guarantee for the normal operation of colleges and universities and for teachers and students to work, study and live without fear. After nearly 40 years of socialization reform, China's colleges and universities have explored diversified logistics management models, mainly self-built logistics model, outsourcing logistics model and corporate logistics model. This paper analyzes the problems of “insufficient reform drive”, “lack of function of the main body of governance” and “poor mechanism” in the process of socialized reform of college logistics, and puts forward the countermeasures for the deepening and development of socialized reform of college logistics, which are: change the concept of strengthening the management of logistics, and improving the management of logistics. The countermeasures for the development of the socialization reform of college logistics are: to change the concept to enhance the driving force, to improve the governance capacity of multiple subjects in the logistics reform, to effectively play the role of governance, and to improve the synergistic mechanism.