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The application of visual art and other extracurricular activities to children's sustainable development is predominantly discussed in Western countries. Consequently, non-Western society could not cherish the benefit of visual art on their children's cognitive and non-cognitive skill development due to a lack of evidence that would revive the community, educators, and policy-makers' impressions about visual art activities, in addition to its amusement use. Thus, the present study adopted a cross-sectional study comprised of a large-scale survey (N = 1624) taken from the southwest part of China to assess the impact of out-of-school visual art activities on children's academic attainment across economically advantaged and disadvantaged children. Astonishingly, the study's findings shed light on current Chinese parents' dedication to purchasing out-of-school activities regardless of their social class difference; notwithstanding, lower-class parents ought to learn that spending time with their children during their activities is more beneficial. The study's implication calls for curriculum policy reform involving aesthetic education and expanding community youth centers for different extracurricular activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parental migration from rural to cities in China is causing millions of children to be left behind or to live without parental care, support, and guidance, which violates the Convention on the Rights of the Child. This national phenomenon has consequences for the household registration system, known as the hukou system, which is meant to restrain internal migration. These consequences may result in economic and social imbalances. However, a noticeable number of children have been completely or partially left behind by their parents in villages, and as a result, their relationship with their parents and their academic attainment are weak. In particular, this study examines whether migrant parents can improve the academic performance of their Left-Behind Children (LBC) by strengthening their relationship with their children or by sending adequate remittances to the village household. Astonishingly, the structural equation model (SEM) results indicate that LBCs from both parents migrating households are the more privileged groups, although the study underlines that still, all LBC are disadvantaged compared to non-LBC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unlike in Western countries, scholars and the Chinese government pay less attention to the role of extracurricular activities (ECAs) in fostering children’s cognitive and non-cognitive well-being. Accordingly, essential ECAs such as visual arts programs are serviced by expensive privately owned schools, creating social injustice. The primary aim of the current study is to examine whether children benefit from ECAs if parental support and guidance for managing time spent on ECAs and academics exist based on the threshold model. The study comprised over 2,400 primary school students in one Chinese province and considered the SES of the area. Surprisingly, the present study’s findings illustrate that contemporary Chinese parents differ from traditionally aggressive and overbearing parents who do not value their children’s interests. However, the current study finding suggested that children’s participation in out-of-school visual art activities doesn’t have a substantial value in promoting children’s academic performance in the face of genuine interest and supportive parenting, which negates the threshold model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• In China, VET programs are seen as the only resort for academically lazy, slow, and economically disadvantaged students. • Lack of motivation is the root cause of low VET enrollment, dropouts, and poor skill acquisition and performance. • The mediating role of Gaokao and seniority was observed between VET students' SES and self-determined motivation. Vocational Education Training (VET)in China is considered the last resort for low academic achievers or economically desperate students who wish to join the job market after a short educational period. In addition, a large volume of evidence has claimed that China's government is putting a blindfold on VET outcomes, which results in incompetent graduates who do not fit in with the current industrial workforce need. Hence, a self-determination theory furnished this study to underpin the effectiveness of the training and derive plans or strategies which foster the training program. Thus, the present study administered a national survey of (N = 5083) to vocational students to examine their self-determined learning motivation by determining the specific times, places, and individuals who need a feasible intervention to engage in VET work and help make the country's industrial production competent at the world market level. Hence, our study findings shed light on vocational students in China who lose their learning motivation over time; those with other alternatives drop out of the program. Those who are desperate continue without an adequate practical skill level, given that they have to get a job to help their poor parents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]