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Purpose: Mobile-assisted language learning (MALL) apps such as Duolingo have great potential for promoting learners' motivation to learn a second language (L2). However, little research has investigated how this motivational impact takes place. Additionally, despite the flexibility of mobile learning, most existing studies are conducted in classroom settings, with less attention paid to out-of-school technology usage. Design/Approach/Methods: To address these gaps, we present a model based on self-determination theory and propose the idea of "motivational transfer" to explain the psychological mechanism underpinning the impact of technology. To examine the model, we conducted a case study with 20 Year 8 Chinese junior school students who used Duolingo to learn English as a foreign language (EFL) after school for 6 weeks. Findings: Questionnaire and group interview data support our hypothesized mechanism--learners' activity-specific intrinsic motivation (IM) for using Duolingo and their underlying psychological need for autonomy and competence can be transferred to a more general level, thereby enhancing learners' global IM for L2. Originality/Value: The proposed theoretical model expands our understanding of how digital technology stimulates learners' L2 motivation; it can help L2 educators design better technological affordances to promote learners' motivation both in and outside the classroom.

Background: In addition to attention and hyperactivity problems, children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have poorer organizational skills needed to manage time and materials. This study examines the improvement of organizational skills in children with ADHD by studying organizational skills training (OST). Methods: This was a prospective, randomized controlled trial. Between September 2023 and January 2024, 70 children with a diagnosis of ADHD and at least one domain of executive dysfunction (EF) were divided into two groups. The conventional group was treated with medication, biofeedback, and behavioral interventions based on the children's actual condition. The OST group received OST in addition to the conventional group. Results: The mean age of the children was 8.33 ± 1.62 years. A total of 66 children completed the intervention and follow-up, 32 in the conventional group and 34 in the OST group. There were no differences between the two groups of children in terms of their preintervention scores on the BRIEF, SNAP-IV, or IVA-CPT. Postintervention scores on the behavioral scales decreased (p < 0.05), and IVA-CPT scores increased (p < 0.05) in both groups compared with those in the preintervention period. The OST group had a lower BRIEF (p = 0.019) and SNAPIV Attention deficit subscale (p = 0.046) and a higher IVA-CPT Attention deficit Index (p = 0.032) than the conventional group after the intervention. The percentage of children with a normal BRIEF total score in the OST group was 79.41% (27/34) after the intervention, which was greater than the 37.50% (12/32) in the conventional group (p = 0.001). Compared with the OST group, children in the conventional group were at greater risk of having BRIEF scores that remained abnormal after the intervention. Analysis of covariance revealed a statistically significant effect of group (p = 0.008), preintervention BRIEF (p < 0.001), and participation score (p = 0.036) on postintervention BRIEF. Conclusion: OST can further improve organizational skills in daily life in children with ADHD while improving core symptoms of attention deficit in addition to conventional treatment. The effect of OST on BRIEF is also influenced by the child's BRIEF status at the baseline level and the level of cooperation during the intervention. Trial registration: The randomized controlled trial registration number was ChiCTR2300075744.

In the global context, male participation in early childhood education is notably low, with only 3% of the workforce in mainland China comprising male professionals. This study delves into the intrinsic motivation of male kindergarten teachers, employing the framework of self-determination theory. Qualitative research, comprising face-to-face interviews with seven Chinese kindergarten teachers, aims to uncover the factors influencing their intrinsic motivation at work. By understanding their perspectives on intrinsic motivation, this research offers valuable insights to professionals in the field of early childhood education.

ICAP is a framework that classifies learning processes based on students' explicit behaviors. The framework is developed for testing the hypothesis that interactive exercises are better than constructive exercises, and active exercises are better than the passive exercises for higher cognitive engagement and better learning outcomes. The ICAP Framework is intended to assist researchers, instruction designers and instructors in determining the activities appropriate for the aimed research and teaching. This study aims to evaluate articles based on or supported by the ICAP Framework from various aspects. In the study, employing the descriptive survey method, data collection was conducted through document analysis, while content analysis was utilized to analyze the data. The 71 articles reviewed within the study's scope were examined through the "data collection form" developed by the authors. In this context, the articles' general and methodological characteristics and themes and the findings related to ICAP contexts are presented. As a result of the research, no study regarding the ICAP Framework was conducted in Turkey. It was revealed that most of the studies, which have increased in number since 2017 in various countries, utilize the ICAP framework at the analytical level or create models-modules and develop toolsscales based on the ICAP Framework. Additionally, it was observed that mostly undergraduate and K12 students were studied in face-to-face education, with social sciences as the leading disciplinary field and teaching-learning approaches and design-development-evaluation as the most frequently studied topics, while in studies in which mixed and qualitative methods were the leading methods, exploratory and experimental approaches were more preferred. In line with these results, recommendations are presented to contribute to the field.

This research aimed to 1) study the factors that affect third-year undergraduate students' creative thinking ability at Baise University, 2) develop an instructional model based on design thinking and brainstorming, 3) compare third-year undergraduate students' creative thinking ability before and after using the instructional model based on design thinking and brainstorming. The sample group was 45 third-year undergraduate students at Baise University. The research Instruments were 1) an interview form about factors that affect the development of third-year undergraduate students' creative thinking ability, 2) a questionnaire about factors that affect the development of third-year undergraduate students' creative thinking ability, 3) lesson plans, 4) a creative thinking ability test 5) an interview form about opinions on teaching 6) an observation form about students' behavior. This study analyzed quantitative data through descriptive statistics, frequency, percentage, means, and standard deviation. For dependent samples, t-tests were used to analyze the different scores of undergraduate students before and after using the instructional model. Qualitative data were analyzed through content analysis. The research results were 1) the factors affecting undergraduate students' creative thinking ability include environmental factors (family, school, and society) and personal factors (personality traits, motivation, attitude, and emotional state), 2) the four components of the instructional model are principle, objective, learning process, and result, 3) after implementing the instructional model, the post-test scores of undergraduate students' creative thinking ability significantly increased, with a statistical significance of 0.01.

This study examined the Technological, Pedagogical, and Content Knowledge (TPACK) professional development needs of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) Teachers. EFL teachers participated in semi-structured interviews from seven primary schools in a middle-sized urban school district in the east part of China. Content analysis with frequency tables and quotations from the interview transcription were conducted. The results indicated that though primary EFL teachers in China have the basic technological knowledge to support teaching, they lack appropriate knowledge and training particularly in areas of TPACK related to EFL teaching. Results from the present study indicate that there is a need for professional development (PD) that helps EFL teachers integrate technology in teaching reading, speaking, and writing.

Bystanders play an essential role in school bullying prevention. This study examines student bystanders' perceptions of severity and willingness to intervene in scenarios involving physical, verbal, relational, and cyberbullying. It focuses on five distinct victim reactions: pretending nothing happened, seeking help, fighting back, crying, and no description as a control group. Using a combination of four bullying types and five victim reaction forms, a survey experiment comprising 20 scenarios (4 × 5) was designed and conducted among primary, middle, and high school students in China (N = 5,075), aged between 8 and 19 years (M = 14.07; SD = 2.10) in 2019. The reactions of victims significantly influenced how bystanders perceived the severity of bullying events and their willingness to intervene. Overall, victims who responded with "crying" evoked a greater intention to intervene among bystanders, while those who "fighting back" or "pretending nothing happened" were seen as less severe. These findings enhance our understanding of bystanders' perspectives on victim responses across different types of school bullying. The outcomes of this study can contribute to the development of more specific antibullying program strategies in practical applications.

From the perspective of historical institutionalism, based on several critical junctures of the past half-century in China, this paper divides over 40-year history of China's teacher certification institution into four stages and elaborates on mechanisms and processes of critical junctures that impact even determine teacher certification institution reforms. The features of China's teacher certification institution are as follows: Its examination system is increasingly perfect; its direct accreditation depends more on graduates' quality rather than major categories; its history is a seesaw effect history between pedagogic and academic orientation of teacher education; teacher certification institution and normal specialty students' quality is the bottom line of teacher workforce performance under the open teacher education system; and the intersection between pedagogic and academic orientation of teacher education leads to the standardization and professionalization of teacher education in all respects.

Students' perceived social support from important others may be an important protective factor in science self-handicapping. This study examined the extent to which science self-handicapping mediates the relationship between perceived social support and science academic outcomes (engagement and achievement). The study used a cross-sectional survey design with self-report data from 2654 participants in elementary schools and 2781 participants in high school from China. The results indicated that (1) perceived social support had an effect on students' science academic engagement and achievement; (2) self-handicapping in science mediated the entire process; (3) at different stages, different social support would not be equally important for the effects of adolescents' self-handicapping in science. The findings indicate that social support can create a positive academic environment to weaken the effect of self-handicapping on students' science academic outcomes, and educators need to consider the entire influence process differently in different academic stages of their students.

In the context of rapid urbanization, the school merger policy has been widely implemented in rural China since the early twenty-first century, generating significant augment in the demand for boarding at school. Using 738 samples from a national sample database (China Family Panel Studies) in 2016 and 2018, this exploratory study employed a difference-in-differences (DID) model to explore the impact of boarding on the academic pressure of students in rural primary and secondary schools after the implementation of school merger policy from the emotional and spatial distance perspective. The results are robust when subject to propensity score matching and difference-in-differences (PSM-DID) and random sampling tests. Further analysis reveals that forced boarding would intensify academic pressure by impairing students' emotional experiences. The increase in parent-child emotional distance will negatively strengthen the impact of boarding on students' learning pressure, while from the perspective of spatial distance, students who live far away from their parents due to boarding face greater learning pressure. This study has important policy implications for school mental health practice of boarding schools.

In the classroom setting, social context and self-systems affect student engagement for school success. Students' perceived goal orientation of their teachers and grit influence their engagement in academic learning. However, adolescents' efforts for academic success related to teachers' goal orientation and grit remains under-researched in the context of China. The current study aims to investigate the effect of students' perceptions of their teacher's mastery goal orientation on their engagement, specifically considering the mediating effect of grit (pursuing long-term goals with consistency of interest and perseverance of effort). We surveyed 653 eighth-grade students (mean age = 14.4 years) from 13 secondary schools in rural areas of China. The results of structural equation modeling indicated that perceived mastery goal orientation, consistency of interest, and perseverance of effort had significant positive direct effects on student engagement. Additionally, the relationship between perceived mastery goal orientation and student engagement was partially mediated by consistency of interest and perseverance of effort (consistency of interest showed a stronger effect than perseverance of effort). The study contributes to the understanding of the potential mediating effect of grit in classroom settings.

Background: The world is moving towards digitalization and intelligence. Programming has become an essential development competency. Even though many countries are currently making great efforts to expand programming education, the programming education in these countries shows an imbalance in geographical and gender dimensions. We found that few studies paid attention to rural girls' programming learning in developing countries. Objectives: This study focuses on programming learning among rural girls in a developing country (China) from an educational equity perspective. We investigated the level and the changes in these girls' self-efficacy and interest in programming. Methods: We conducted a three-month (12-week) semester of programming teaching for rural fifth-grade girls. Two rounds of data collection were conducted at the mid-semester (first-measure) and the end of the semester (second-measure), with semi-structured interviews at the end of the semester. Results and conclusions: The results showed that rural girls' programming self-efficacy was at a moderate-to-high level and remained stable, but there were no gender differences in programming self-efficacy between boys and girls in the second-measure. Girls' self-efficacy was positively correlated with interest, and programming education could help girls to increase their interest in programming, but boys and girls did not show gender differences in their programming interest in second-measure. Interestingly, we found that girls' perceived programming knowledge acquisition was significantly higher than overall programming efficacy. Takeaways: These findings provide meaningful implications for programming education in less developed areas and female early programming education.

This study explored the differences in the effects of directive versus reflective feedback on elementary school students' conceptual understanding and epistemological beliefs in a simulation-based online science inquiry environment, by comparing more fine-grained differences in the inquiry behaviors of students who received the two types of feedback during the online scientific inquiry activity. Seventy-one 5th graders from a public elementary school in China participated in the study (38 students receiving directive feedback and 33 receiving reflective feedback). The results showed no significant difference between the two types of feedback on the students' conceptual understanding and epistemological beliefs. However, reflective feedback outperformed directive feedback on the subdimension of source of epistemological beliefs, and directive feedback outperformed reflective feedback on the argumentation subdimension. In addition, the average inquiry time of the students receiving reflective feedback during the review session was significantly longer than that of the students receiving directive feedback. These results provide important insights for elementary teachers to implement feedback in science classrooms.

The study assessed the relationship between career preparation, beliefs, attitudes, in-service training, and peer communication of primary school mathematics teachers and their knowledge of students' misconceptions. Seven hundred one Chinese teachers were selected for the test and questionnaire survey. The mathematics teacher test paper had good reliability and content validity. The coefficient omega ([lower case omega]) and the confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were used to test the reliability and validity of the questionnaire items on mathematics teachers' beliefs, attitudes, in-service training, and peer communication. The structural equation model (SEM) was used to explain the relationship between factors. SEM results showed that career preparation had no significant influence on mathematics teachers' knowledge of students' misconceptions. Mathematics teachers' attitudes towards students' misconceptions, student-centered beliefs, and peer communication positively influenced their knowledge of students' misconceptions. Furthermore, peer communication was the mediating variable between mathematics teachers' attitudes and knowledge of students' misconceptions, meanwhile between the student-centered beliefs and the knowledge of students' misconceptions. These results of the study have indicated the direction for education departments and schools to improve teacher education courses and teacher activities in classroom practice.

Background and Aims: This study examined how parenting styles influence children's language skills and reading comprehension. Materials and Methods: Six hundred and eighty-five Chinese-speaking third graders (M[subscript age] = 9.23 years, SD = 0.66; 341 girls) were randomly recruited from eight primary schools. We measured students' primary caregivers' parenting styles, parental education, family income, migration status, number of children's extracurricular books in the home and family cohesion at Wave 1 (i.e. grade 3). We also assessed students' reading motivation, language skills (i.e. vocabulary knowledge and syntactic awareness) and reading comprehension at Wave 2 (i.e. grade 4). Results: The structural equation model analysis revealed that parenting styles indirectly affect language and reading comprehension development, with authoritative and authoritarian parenting exerting different influences on the two outcomes. Specifically, authoritative parenting was positively related to the number of children's books, which in turn was directly, or indirectly through reading motivation, associated with children's language skills and reading comprehension. In contrast, authoritarian parenting was negatively related to family cohesion, which was associated with children's reading motivation, and consequently, their language skills and reading comprehension. The multigroup analysis showed that the indirect pathways varied slightly across parental migration statuses. Discussion and Conclusion: These findings enhance the global understanding of the pathways linking parenting styles to children's language skills and reading comprehension, suggesting that educators and researchers should not overly emphasize the direct role of parenting styles in children's academic performance.

The importance of prosocial behavior in helping migrant youths overcome challenges associated with relocating to urban settings has been emphasized. However, the trajectory of prosocial behavior in this population and the factors influencing it remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate the influence of cumulative family risk on the growth trajectory of prosocial behavior among Chinese rural-to-urban migrant adolescents from 7th grade to 8th grade. Additionally, it delved into the moderating role of school belonging in the relationship between cumulative family risk and prosocial development. The participants in this study included rural-to-urban migrant adolescents (Mean age = 13.52, SD = 1.23, N = 844) and their parents. Outcomes from latent growth curve modeling revealed that migrant adolescents displayed intra-individual increases in prosocial behavior during the transition from 7th grade to 8th grade, while cumulative family risk had a negative influence on these changes. Nevertheless, the adverse impact of cumulative family risk on prosocial development was alleviated for adolescents who reported a heightened sense of belonging within the school environment. These findings underscore the protective role of school belonging in the prosocial development of migrant adolescents, especially for those facing elevated cumulative family risk.

Global concerns about low levels of teacher job satisfaction (JS) have brought the significance of understanding factors and mechanisms that contribute to this issue. In educational research, the role of emotional intelligence (EI), a critical personal resource, in relation to teachers' JS has emerged as an important topic. Utilizing the Job Demands-Resources model, the present study proposed a chain mediation model to explore the relationship between teachers' EI and their JS. It specifically examined the roles of expression of naturally felt emotion (ENFE) and perceived teacher-student closeness as mediators. Data from 503 Chinese primary and secondary school teachers revealed significant correlations among teachers' EI, ENFE, perceived teacher-student closeness, and JS. Structural equation modeling indicated that EI can significantly predict JS through a sequential mediating effect involving ENFE and perceived teacher-student closeness. The findings provide insight into the underlying mechanism between teachers' EI and JS. Implications for teacher education practices and directions for future research are discussed.

Reading comprehension and arithmetic skills are essential abilities for children, particularly at the early career. Examine the link between language proficiency and numeral information process amongst primary school children. This study examines numeral comprehension in 600 Chinese primary second graders with different levels of decoding and linguistic comprehension skills. Four groups of children were compared, including typical readers (TR), poor decoders (PD), poor comprehenders (PC) and general poor readers (GPR). Results showed that the four groups had similar performances in numeral comprehension when the answer options to a question on the quantity of numerals were presented in Arabic numbers. However, when the answer options to a question on the quantity of numeral information were presented in analogue nonsymbolic magnitude representations, the PC group outperformed the PD and GPR group. The findings of this study has demonstrated the link between language proficiency and numerical information process in reading comprehension.

This study provides evidence connecting two aspects of visual-orthographic skills (orthographic awareness and delayed copying) to the common variance shared by Chinese word reading and arithmetic calculation, as well as in identifying positional knowledge of numbers as a potential mediator of these connections in Chinese primary school students (N = 155, 81 boys). Nonverbal Intelligent Quotient (IQ), socioeconomic status (SES), working memory, and attentional control were included as covariates. Path analyses demonstrated that both orthographic awareness and delayed copying significantly explained the covariance of word reading and arithmetic calculation. Furthermore, there is an indirect effect via positional knowledge of numbers as indicated by number line estimation and strategic counting on the relations between orthographic awareness and the common variance shared by word reading and arithmetic calculation. In contrast, delayed copying had a direct effect on the common variance. Results suggest that early visual-orthographic skills may be helpful in the development of both word reading and arithmetic ability among Chinese students.

Background: To better understand the intricate science of reading development, both cognitive and affective factors must be taken into consideration. This developmental study aims to enrich the literature by exploring how reading motivation -- an affective factor -- contributes to reading comprehension in Chinese elementary schoolers, beyond well-accepted cognitive-based reading skills, such as decoding and vocabulary. Methods: We used a cross-sectional design with 420 native Mandarin-Chinese-speaking students (Grade 2: N = 95; Grade 3: N = 216; Grade 4: N = 109), with age-appropriate materials to measure their decoding skills, vocabulary knowledge, reading motivation, and reading comprehension. Three sets of hierarchical regression analyses were run for the three grade samples to examine the unique contributions of reading motivation to reading comprehension while controlling children's demographic profiles, such as age and gender, and two cognitive-based reading skills. Results: We replicated previous findings: children's decoding and vocabulary are robust predictors of reading achievement across Grades 2 to 4. Importantly, reading motivation contributed uniquely to reading comprehension in all three grades and explained an increasing amount of the variances in reading comprehension from Grades 2 to 4. Intrinsic reading motivation was critical in Grade 3, while extrinsic reading motivation became important in Grade 4. Conclusions: Taken together, our findings reveal the complexity of reading development and advance the existing cognitive-based reading theories by including affective dimensions.

The aim was to explore the literature for instruments that assess school well-being, identifying their design features and construct appropriateness. A systematic review was conducted using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) 2020, and the PICO strategy to formulate the research questions. Fifty-two articles on instruments to assess pupils' school well-being were analysed using an interpretive approach. The results showed that school well-being is a topic of global interest, with China standing out, with non-uniform growth since 2007, being most notable in 2018 and 2019. Longitudinal and qualitative studies have appeared more frequently in recent years. The presence of multidimensional instruments stood out, with no consensus on the identification of the items to be assessed from a holistic perspective. This study paves the way for the design of a questionnaire that operationalise school well-being, considering not only the literature, but also the direct perceptions of pupils.

This study was conducted with Zhuang and Miao students and Mandarin teachers in grades four to six in four township elementary schools in Dehou Township, Wenshan City, Yunnan Province. The purposes of this study were:1) to study the influences of the native language that affect Zhuang and Miao students when they learn Mandarin,2) to study teachers' opinions about their students' native language affects their learning when teaching Mandarin to Zhuang and Miao students. Based on Krejcie and Morgan's table, 186 students for questionnaires and 14 teachers were selected for interviews. The study is a mixed method of quantitative and qualitative research, which was statistically analyzed using percentages, means (X), standard deviation (S.D.), and narrative analysis by coding the interview information. The research instruments were questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. The results revealed that 1) the influences of the native language that affect Zhuang and Miao students when they learn Mandarin consisted of four aspects: (1) social context, (2) learner characteristics, (3) learning conditions, and (4) learning process: Social Context was high level (X)=2.70 and S.D=0.36; Learner Characteristics was moderate level (X)=2.43 and S.D=0.35; Learning Conditions was moderate level (X)=2.46 and S.D=0.2936; Learning Process was high level (X)=2.51 and S.D=0.30. All four aspects had a high level (X)=2.52 and S.D=0.33; on Zhuang and Miao students' Mandarin learning, and 2) teachers' opinions about their students' native language affect their learning when teaching Mandarin to Zhuang and Miao students. It showed that Zhuang and Miao's students had difficulty pronouncing Mandarin when they learned it because of the influence of their language; the difference between Mandarin and the expression habits of the ethnic language also affects the learning of Mandarin by Zhuang and Miao students. This study suggests that the study should emphasize the creation of a Mandarin language environment for Zhuang and Miao students, enhance students' interest in learning Mandarin, improve the conditions for learning Mandarin, and innovate teaching methods.

The purposes of this study were (1) to examine the components and indicators for promoting the professional development abilities of psychology teachers in rural primary schools within Guangxi Province; (2) to investigate the current state, the desirable state, and the necessity for promoting professional development abilities among psychology teachers in rural primary schools within Guangxi Province; and (3) to explore guidelines for the development of professional development abilities among psychology teachers in rural primary schools within Guangxi Province. The study utilized a multi-stage sampling method to select a sample group of 169 participants. The study was divided into 3 steps: Step 1 involved a study of the components and indicators, evaluated by 9 qualified individuals. Step 2 entailed an examination of the current and desirable state, and Step 3 focused on studying guidelines for developing the technological leadership qualities of teachers, with data provided by 8 participants. The research instruments used for data collection included questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, and assessments. The statistical methods used for data analysis include mean, standard deviation, and the analysis of necessary requirements (PNI[subscript modified]). The research findings exhibited that 1. the components and indicators of the technological leadership qualities of teachers in educational management comprised 4 components with 40 indicators, namely: (1) Professional knowledge with 4 indicators, (2) Professional ability with 4 indicators, (3) Professional affection with 4 indicators, and (4) Professional autonomy with 2 indicators. These are highly appropriate, accurate, and feasible overall and individually, to the highest extent. 2. The necessary requirements for the professional development of psychology teachers indicated the necessity for development in every component, considering the development needs as follows: (1) Professional knowledge, (2) Professional ability, (3) Professional affection, and (4) Professional autonomy, respectively. 3. Guidelines for the ability development of psychology teachers in rural primary schools in Guangxi Province revealed a total of 14 development guidelines. Overall, the assessment of these guidelines for the ability development of psychology teachers in rural primary schools indicated a high level of suitability and feasibility, with the highest level of feasibility.

Few existing research examines the relationship between transformational leadership and professional learning communities. This study aims to explore the relationship between transformational leadership and professional learning community components from the perspective of teachers in the Chinese context. A total of 385 primary school teachers participated in the questionnaire survey. This quantitative study used the 12-item Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire and the16-item PLC scale. The structural equation model showed a good fit. The results showed that transformational leadership had a significant positive effect on professional learning community. Moreover, it has a significant impact on all four components of PLC, namely, organizational learning, shared responsibility, reflective dialogue, de-privatized practice. Transformational leadership conflicts with Chinese Confucian culture on some core features, which provides valuable cases for research on the applicability of transformational leadership in different contexts. At the same time, it also provides empirical evidence for the study of the relationship between transformational leadership and professional learning communities.

This study aims to explore the overlapping influences of the home and school on peer victimization in adolescents under the notion of home-school partnership and to investigate how the parent-child relationship, teacher-student relationship, teenage depressive symptoms are related to peer victimization by constructing a moderated mediation model. It surveyed 1,710 students in 5-8 grades, using the Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment, Student-Teacher Relationship Scale (brief version), Multidimensional Peer Victimization Scale, and Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (brief version). Research findings show that the parent-child relationship had a direct impact on peer victimization and indirectly affected peer victimization via the mediation of teenage depressive symptoms; and that teacher-student relationships had moderating effects on the three paths in the mediation model, playing roles in enhancing the protection effect of the parent-child relationship against peer victimization, weakening the possible impact of the parent-child relationship on teenager depression, and alleviating the predictive effect of depressive symptoms on peer victimization. The research suggests that home-school partnership is a viable avenue for the prevention of school bullying.

Virtual reality (VR) is used across the educational spectrum (higher education, high school, primary school, and even pre-school); however, primary school teachers' perceptions of using VR in their classrooms require further research. A brief review of the literature of 100 existing articles related to teaching within the primary school context was conducted. The articles were obtained by performing a word search within Google Scholar, with the keywords 'virtual reality primary school teachers 2018 - 2023'. Teachers indicated both hesitance and enthusiasm for incorporating VR. The findings of this study indicated that only a low number of articles (n = 11) addressed VR and primary school teachers, compared to the total number of articles reviewed (n=100). Researching VR and teaching assists in supporting the wider fringe aspects of e-learning practices, such as VR. It advances the compass of e-learning knowledge by integrating immersive learning tools into the primary school classroom.

The Dong Grand Songs, renowned for their polyphonic choral arrangements, are a vital cultural heritage of the Dong ethnic group. This study investigates the contemporary educational approaches to the literacy and development of the Dong Grand Songs in Guangxi, China. Employing a qualitative design, the research includes fieldwork, in-depth interviews, participant observation, and document analysis. Key informants comprise school administrators, teachers, song teachers, cultural inheritors, students, and community members. The findings reveal that integrating Dong Grand Song courses into primary and secondary school curricula, with support from song teachers and cultural inheritors, effectively enhances musical literacy and preserves this tradition. However, challenges such as youth migration, modern entertainment influences, and the aging population of song masters threaten the continuity of this cultural heritage. The study suggests comprehensive approaches, including economic support for rural areas, increased public awareness, and sustainable cultural programs, are necessary to address these challenges. This research provides valuable insights for policymakers, educators, and cultural practitioners on preserving intangible cultural heritage and promoting musical literacy through education.

Group sandplay therapy is a useful instrument for healing family rifts. This article is a case study where the group sandplay therapy method was used to address the client's conflicts with his family members. The therapy outcomes show that group sandplay therapy is efficacious in enhancing communication and interaction between family members, improving interpersonal relationships within a family, particularly the parent-child relationship, and alleviating parent-child tensions as barriers to effective home education.

Teacher support significantly affects student learning and directly relates to their academic development. Learning satisfaction is the subjective perception and evaluation of learning quality on the part of the student, which represents, to certain extent, the quality of education. Based on data from a questionnaire survey of 1251 migrant children in grades three throughout six, this study analyzed how teacher support impacted the learning satisfaction of migrant children. Research findings indicated that teacher support had a significantly positive effect on migrant children's learning satisfaction; and that teacher support indirectly and positively affects their learning satisfaction through the separate mediating effect of their learning engagement as well as via the chain mediating effects of their academic adjustment and learning engagement.

The study explores the effects of a hybrid instructional approach combining Situated Learning (SL) and Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT) on the executive functions and cognitive abilities of fourth-grade students learning English as a second language (ESL). Method: An experimental design was employed, with students divided into control and experimental groups. The experimental group participated in four weeks of SL and TBLT, while the control group received traditional instruction. Pre-test and post-test measures were taken using the Executive Function Assessment Scale (EFPS) and the Cognitive Abilities Scale (CAS). Results: Although the executive function (M=158.16, t=-14.224, p<0.05) and cognitive ability (M=133.28, t=-11.835, p<0.05) of the students in the control group were improved, the improvement was small. However, the executive function (M=161.88, t=-18.047, p<0.05) and cognitive ability (M=137.04, t=-19.591, p<0.05) of the students in the experimental group were significantly improved. Conclusions: The combination of SL and TBLT significantly enhances both executive functions and cognitive abilities in primary students, indicating the effectiveness of this instructional approach in promoting cognitive development through real-world, task-based activities.

Purpose: Chinese Educators, referred to as "Jiaoyujia" [Chinese characters omitted] in Chinese, are esteemed individuals dedicated to education with extensive expertise in theory and practice. Despite their influential pedagogical research, they have received limited scholarly attention. This study aimed to fill the gap by focusing on Jilin Li's [Chinese characters omitted] contextualized teaching research informed by Chinese educational traditions. Design/Approach/Methods: A case study format was adopted, and data were thematically analyzed using NVivo 12. In light of Kuan-Hsing Chen's "Asia as method" idea, the analysis drew particular attention to the Asian resources employed in the pedagogical studies of interest. Findings: Focusing on how Educators utilize diverse educational traditions, this paper presents three functions of Chinese educational traditions applicable to Li's case. The chosen case study demonstrates that elements of Chinese educational traditions still actively inform Educators working in a modern Western-style education system. This paper analyzes how Li combined Chinese and foreign traditions and reveals an element of subjectivity with its own strengths and deficiencies. Originality/Value: This study is the first to present and analyze the phenomenon of Chinese educational traditions informing pedagogical studies conducted by Chinese Educators, an influential group that scholars usually overlook in modern China.

The objective of this study is to investigate the effects of implementing the Collaborative Strategic Reading (CIRC) approach in reading instruction on the development of reading and writing abilities among third-grade children in primary schools. Utilizing a unified pre-test and post-test experimental design. The study's sample consists of 43 students that are enrolled in Class 1 of Grade 3. The study involved the implementation of Collaborative Integrated Reading and Composition (CIRC) methodology in Chinese reading instruction. Additionally, self-designed assessments were administered to measure the students' reading and writing proficiency levels. These assessments were conducted both before to and after the experimental intervention, allowing for the examination of any variations in the students' scores. The data underwent analysis utilizing the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), which involved calculating the mean, standard deviation, and conducting a T-test. The findings of the study suggest that the use of CIRC (Cognitive Instructional Reading Comprehension) in Chinese reading instruction yields a substantial enhancement in the reading and writing proficiencies of elementary school children. Moreover, there is a notable increase in the scores across several dimensions of reading and writing skills. Based on the findings of this study, the researchers propose the implementation of CIRC technology in Chinese reading instruction across several grade levels as a means to augment students' proficiency in reading and writing.

This cross-sectional study examined materials adaptation within an English-Chinese bilingual storytelling curriculum for first graders to identify the potential factors influencing adaptation choice. It delved into the relationship between curriculum objectives, perceptions of picture books, and the use of tense and narrative. A survey (N=352) gathered demographic data of English teachers from China, and the data was analyzed using Partial Least Square (PLS) structural equation modeling. Findings illuminate how teachers' perception of picture books fully mediate the interplay between bilingual storytelling curriculum objectives and teachers' narrative in a picture book adaptation. Analyzing the results by narrative theory, it found that the essence of storytelling and narrative is making meanings; stories play a leading role in the curriculum for first graders to develop their bilingual narrative through sharing, reading, and telling stories. Consequently, teachers' understanding of picture books' possibilities as teaching materials, benefits for fostering students' bilingual development, and perception of the intertextuality of illustration and words can significantly facilitate teachers' narrative in a picture book adaptation. This study contributes by elucidating the mediating role of picture books, emphasizing the importance of linking curriculum objectives with teaching materials adaptation in practice. Furthermore, longitudinal research is to overcome the limitations of this cross-sectional correlation analysis.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of instructional methods based on Constructivist theory and cooperative learning on first-grade students' mathematical learning achievement and social awareness. Method: A natural sample of 30 children aged 6-7 years old was cluster-randomized into an experimental group. Mathematical Learning Achievement Tests and Social Awareness Assessment Scale were used to assess mathematical learning achievement and social awareness before and after 15 sessions of instruction based on Constructivist theory and cooperative learning. Results: 1) After a certain period of learning or training, the experimental group showed improvement in Mathematical Learning Achievement (M=20.6, SD=1.40). Compared to the pretest, there was a significant improvement in students' performance in the posttest (t (29) = 12.51, p < 0.05). 2) After a certain period of learning or training, the experimental group showed improvement in Social Awareness (M=16.5, SD=1.14). Compared to the pretest, there was a significant improvement in students' performance in the posttest (t (29) = 17.88, p < 0.05). Conclusion: The instructional methods based on Constructivist theory and cooperative learning can enhance first-grade students' mathematical learning achievement and social awareness.

There has been a global consensus to develop computational thinking (CT) in primary education, but the biggest obstacle to promoting CT is teachers' lack of sufficient CT. This study explored the effects of micro: bit educational robotics (MER) programming activities on primary teachers' CT and programming attitudes (PA) while considering the teachers' gender effects. We implemented a single-group pre-test and post-test experiment with 56 primary teachers in China. We also measured teachers' CT and PA levels before and after the MER activities intervention. The results showed that MER activities significantly enhanced teachers' CT and PA and had different effects on each dimension of their CT and PA. The analysis of variance by gender showed that male teachers had significantly higher overall CT and PA scores than female teachers. However, female teachers performed better on collaborative skills in CT, indicating that female teachers also have the potential to develop CT. In addition, we found the mediating effects of PA, which means that MER activities affect CT through PA. Furthermore, PA predicted CT positively, suggesting that PA could be a key factor in enhancing CT. This study clarified the mechanism of gender and PA influence on CT during the MER activities intervention, which provides references for future researchers to conduct teacher training.

Students' homework emotions greatly influence the quality of homework, learning activities, and even academic achievement and burden. Therefore, encouraging students' positive homework emotions is essential for their development. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between three types of teachers' homework feedback (checking homework on the board, grading homework, and constructive comments), students' positive and negative homework emotions in Chinese subjects while taking into account the mediating effect of academic self-esteem and gender differences in these underlying relationships. 928 elementary school students of 4-6th grade participated in this survey and completed scales. Results showed that (1) checking homework on the board and constructive comments positively impacted students' positive emotions, while checking homework on the board negatively influenced students' negative emotions. In contrast, constructive comments did not impact students' negative emotions. Furthermore, grading homework had no significant effect on students' emotions; (2) academic self-esteem mediated the relationship between teachers' homework feedback and students' homework emotions, and (3) gender moderated some underlying relationships between teachers' homework feedback, students' homework emotions, and academic self-esteem. This study has implications for teachers in designing and choosing high-quality homework feedback, encouraging students' positive homework emotions, and reducing students' negative homework emotions.

In the context of digital technologies, computational thinking (CT) is considered a key competence of primary school teachers. However, assessment tools to measure in-service teachers' CT competence are rare. The current study explains the design, development, and validation of a scale to determine the in-service teachers' mastery level of their Computational Thinking Competence (CTC) in the Chinese context. The validity and reliability of the scale have been studied by conducting exploratory factor analysis (EFA), confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and calculating internal consistency coefficients. The sample of this study consisted of 631 in-service teachers from different Chinese primary schools (EFA N = 189; CFA N = 442). The 31-item scale mirrors five factors: cognitive knowledge of CT, practices and skills of CT, attitudes and perspectives of CT, CT teaching design, and CT teaching implementation. The discussion of the results looks at the future use of the CT scale in Chinese educational settings that mirror a specific national education policy, talent demand, and educational culture.

Previous research has not adequately explored students' behavioral processes when addressing computational thinking (CT) problems of varying difficulty, limiting insights into students' detailed CT development characteristics. This study seeks to fill this gap by employing gamified CT items across multiple difficulty levels to calculate comprehensive behavioral sequence quality indicators. And then, through latent profile analysis, we identified four distinct latent classes of behavioral process. We then examined the in-game performance differences among these classes, uncovering each class's unique attributes. Class 1 students consistently demonstrated high-quality, efficient behavioral sequences regardless of item difficulty. In contrast, class 2 students applied significant cognitive effort and trial-and-error strategies, achieving acceptable scores despite low behavioral sequence quality. Class 3 students excelled in simpler items but faltered with more complex ones. Class 4 students displayed low motivation for challenging items, often guessing answers quickly. Additionally, we investigated the predictive value of students' performance in gamified items and their behavioral process classes for their external CT test scores. The study finally elaborated on the theoretical implications for researchers and the practical suggestions for teachers in CT cultivation.

Given the significant influence of managerial reforms in education fields, how to promote teacher professionalism appears to be a priority task for school leaders. This study examined the mediation role of teacher recognition on the association between transformative leadership and teacher professionalism. From a sample of 1196 primary and secondary school teachers nested in 98 schools from mainland China, this study used the multilevel structuration equation model to explore the associations among the study variables on both the teacher level and school level simultaneously. On the teacher level, the results showed that transformative leadership was positively related to teacher professionalism and verified the mediation role of teacher recognition for social esteem. On the school level, transformative leadership was associated with teacher professionalism through the mediation role of recognition for care. This study suggests that transformative leadership may influence teacher professionalism via teacher recognition on both individual and school levels, while the influence mechanism could be different.

Objective: To examine the manifestation of cognitive control deficit of children with different levels of hyperactivity, an "at risk" dimension for ADHD. Method: A group of children with high hyperactivity (N = 40) and another group of children with low levels of hyperactivity (N = 38) performed a modified stop-signal anticipation task, a revised Go/NoGo task, and the AX-continuous performance test (AX-CPT). Results: Children with higher levels of hyperactivity displayed: (1) significantly prolonged stop signal reaction time (SSRT) in the modified stop-signal anticipation task; (2) no notable differences in commission errors in the revised Go/NoGo task; (3) increased reaction time (RT) in stop-signal task and Go/NoGo task with increased probabilities of stop or NoGo signal; and (4) positive proactive behavioral index scores in AXCPT. Conclusion: The results suggested that children with heightened hyperactivity exhibited impaired reactive control, especially for responses already underway, but preserved proactive control. Further studies concerning these children are warranted.

Recent studies have accumulated to suggest that children, akin to adults, exhibit a processing advantage for formulaic language (e.g. "save energy") over novel language (e.g. "sell energy"), as well as sensitivity to phrase frequencies. The majority of these studies are based on formulaic sequences in their canonical form. In natural language use, however, many formulaic sequences, collocations in particular, can be modified with words intervening in between the individual constituents (e.g. "save energy [right arrow] save all forms of energy"). For some collocations, their nonadjacent forms are equally, and even more frequently used than their adjacent form. Despite this, it remains almost unknown whether the processing advantage and sensitivity to phrase frequencies persist in nonadjacent collocations in children. Based on reading times in a self-paced reading experiment, the current study found that two age groups -- third and sixth graders -- exhibited a processing advantage for Chinese collocations and sensitivity to phrase frequencies, with two and even four Chinese characters inserted in the middle. The persistence of processing advantage and sensitivity was affected by insertion length as well as age. These results are in line with a usage-based theoretical approach to language learning, processing and use.

The present study examined whether and how early cognitive flexibility, metalinguistic awareness, including phonological awareness (PA) and morphological awareness (MA), Chinese word reading (CWR), and listening comprehension (LC) influenced Chinese children's later reading comprehension. In total, 153 Chinese children were recruited. Path analysis showed that cognitive flexibility measured when the children were in Grade 1 (M[subscript age] = 85.92 months, SD = 4.36) significantly explained the variance of later reading comprehension at Grade 3 (M[subscript age] = 103.03 months, SD = 3.80) and all concurrent domain-specific precursors of reading comprehension, except LC. Multiple mediation analyses further demonstrated that MA and CWR partially mediated the effect of cognitive flexibility on reading comprehension. Also, the effect of cognitive flexibility on reading comprehension was mediated partially by two two-mediator paths, PA-LC and MA-CWR. These findings demonstrated that cognitive flexibility could be related to reading comprehension directly and indirectly through multiple pathways involving metalinguistic awareness, word reading, and language comprehension. These findings particularly highlighted the roles of MA and word reading in the association between Chinese readers' cognitive flexibility and their reading comprehension.

With an educational issue that has caught the attention of many countries in the world (study load), a population of 8th graders from a typical Chinese metropolitan city (40,536 from 118 schools), and an advanced statistical strategy (multilevel piecewise regression), we examined whether there was a turning point in terms of the effects of study load on science achievement. We did identify a turning point for each and every measure of study load. For weekday learning on science achievement, we identified a turning point of 22.50 hr for the effects of in-school learning, 7.50 hr for the effects of homework, and 12 hr for the effects of after-school learning. For weekend learning on science achievement, we identified a turning point of 1.50 hr for the effects of in-school learning, 5 hr for the effects of homework, and 1 hr for the effects of after-school learning. In each case, the difference in effects before and after the turning point was statistically significant, indicating that the effects of study load on science achievement were nonlinear. All of these turning points offered important implications for science education.

Digital technology is profoundly transforming various aspects of life, thus highlighting the need to enhance digital literacy on a national scale. In primary and secondary schools, artificial intelligence (AI) education plays a pivotal role in fostering digital literacy. To comprehensively investigate the variables influencing AI education in primary and secondary schools, a dynamic system model was constructed based on the CIPP (Context, Input, Process, and Product) education evaluation model. We employed a mixed-method research approach, combining both qualitative and quantitative methods, to thoroughly investigate the influencing factors and perform predictive and simulation experiments. Firstly, we construct a system framework for AI education in primary and secondary schools based on CIPP model, utilizing qualitative methods such as literature review and expert interviews to identify influencing factors and define the system's boundaries. Secondly, we collect 814 questionnaire responses from 12 primary and secondary schools and employ Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) for quantitative analysis to explore the relationships between these influencing factors. Finally, these relationships are utilized to construct a System Dynamics model, allowing for an in-depth exploration of the development trends in AI education in primary and secondary schools through predictive analysis and control simulation. Controlled simulations allow us to predict and validate factors that influence the level of AI education development, aiding in the identification of high-leverage elements. Our findings underscore that AI education in Chinese primary and secondary schools is still in its initial stage with insufficient developmental momentum. Through controlled simulation results, it is found that the development of AI education in primary and secondary schools is influenced by both external systems and internal student systems, with national policy serving as the fundamental driving force. Among these influencing factors, societal factors play a predominant role in the external environment, followed by school factors, while the students' level of learning engagement is identified as the most crucial factor within the internal system. Based on the results of prediction and simulation studies, recommendations for improvement are proposed, including policy reforms and collaboration between schools and enterprises.

With the introduction and implementation of core literacy, scientific thinking (ST) has become an essential goal and key dimension of science teaching. At present, there is no agreement on how to cultivate students' ST. This study took 238 sixth grade students from a public primary school in urban China as research sample, built a theoretical model of scientific thinking development based on the theory of the Bronfenbrenner' ecological systems theory, and used multiple data to explore and analyze the impact path of ST development of primary school students using the fuzzy sets of qualitative comparative analysis method (fsQCA). The development of urban primary school students' ST is the result of multiple factors at the level of individual drive, family environment, school teaching, and social resources. The result of data analysis showed that the influence path of ST development of urban primary school students driven by multiple factors includes three paths: parent participation leading, scientific practice leading, and home-school-community integration. We have interpreted the influence mechanism of each path in detail and put forward the enlightenment for science education policy and practice.

In English teaching, developing students' reading habits has been emphasized for its critical role in promoting overall core competencies. However, in practice, many teachers and parents are not informed of the effective approaches to developing good English reading habits, hindering the overall development of students' core competencies. In light of this, an empirical study was carried out to explore the developmental features of students' English reading habits and individual, family and school factors that affect its development. A questionnaire was adopted to collect quantitative data. A total of 2,130 primary and secondary school students from China participated in the study. The results indicated that their English reading habits varied with age and gender. In terms of age, secondary school students, especially middle school students, performed better than primary school students. In terms of gender, females performed better in reading frequency, reading time and ways of reading, while males had a larger reading volume. Reading habits were found to be impacted by individual, school and family factors. Among them, age had the strongest influence on the development of English reading habits. These findings shed light on effective ways to develop English reading habits, especially in foreign-language-learning contexts.

Aims: To determine the associations between COVID-19 school closures and school readiness skills for Chinese kindergarteners. Design: We utilized the natural experimental condition created by local COVID-19 outbreaks in 2022 (Study 1) to compare school readiness skills of children whose kindergartens were closed for 5 months (Group 1) with children whose kindergartens stayed open (Group 2). We further compared the school readiness skills of one pre-COVID-19 cohort (Cohort 2019) with one COVID-19 cohort (Cohort 2021) from a fifth kindergarten (Study 2). Samples: For Study 1, Group 1 included 445 children and Group 2 included 584 children aged 4-6 years. For Study 2, Cohort 2019 included 156 children and Cohort 2021 included 228 children aged 3-6 years. Measures: For both studies, survey data on four school readiness skills were collected from parents. Additionally, Study 1 collected parental locus of control data from parents. Results: Controlling for covariates, Study 1 revealed that Group 1 and Group 2 did not differ in terms of language and emergent literacy or approaches to learning. However, Group 1 scored lower than Group 2 on health and well-being and arts and imagination. Study 2 revealed that Cohort 2021 scored higher than Cohort 2019 on language and emergent literacy but lower on the other three skills. Conclusions: The associations of COVID-19 school closures with Chinese children's school readiness skills were not uniform, with a positive relation with language and emergent literacy and negative associations with health and well-being, approaches to learning, as well as arts and imagination.

Background: Recent research suggested fluent processing as an explanation on why number sense contributes to simple arithmetic tasks--'Fluency hypothesis'. Aims: The current study investigates whether number sense contributes to such arithmetic tasks when other cognitive factors are controlled for (including those that mediate the link); and whether this contribution varies as a function of participants' individual maths fluency levels. Sample: Four hundred and thirty-seven Chinese schoolchildren (186 females; Mage = 83.49 months) completed a range of cognitive measures in Grade 1 (no previous classroom training) and in Grade 2 (a year later). Methods: Number sense, arithmetic (addition and subtraction), spatial ability, visuo-spatial working memory, perception, reaction time, character reading and general intelligence were measured. Results: Our data showed that the link between number sense and arithmetic was weaker in Grade 1 (Beta = 0.15 for addition and 0.06 (ns) for subtraction) compared to Grade 2 (0.23--0.28), but still persisted in children with no previous maths training. Further, math's performance in Grade 1 did not affect the link between number sense and maths performance in Grade 2. Conclusion: Our data extended previous findings by showing that number sense is linked with simple maths task performance even after controlling for multiple cognitive factors. Our results brought some evidence that number sense-arithmetic link is somewhat sensitive to previous formal maths education. Further research is needed, as the differences in effects between grades were quite small, and arithmetic in Grade 1 did not moderate the link at question in Grade 2.

Background: The importance of parent-teacher relationships has been well-discussed in Western contexts. It's still unclear whether and how parent-teacher relationships affect students' academic development, especially in the context of China's uneven development between urban and suburban areas. Aims: This study examined the urban--suburban differences in the influence of the parent--teacher relationships on students' learning engagement during the last 3 years of primary school to contribute to related policy and practice. Sample and Methods: Data were collected annually during the summer period in three waves from Grades 4 to 6. The sample included 1408 students (M[subscript age] = 10.35, SD = 0.48; 49.1% boys) paired with their mothers (M[subscript age] = 38.82, SD = 3.54), with 643 pairs from urban areas and 765 pairs from suburban areas in China. In each wave, the parents reported the frequency of contact with their child's teacher during the previous school year as well as the quality of their relationship, and the students reported their learning engagement. Latent growth models were used to examine the hypotheses. Results: A statistically significant decline in learning engagement was seen only in suburban students, while the parent--teacher relationships seemed to increase for both suburban and urban participants. Latent growth modelling showed that the increasing levels of relationship quality reduced the decline in the suburban students' learning engagement, although the contact between parents and teachers did not play such a positive role for both urban and suburban students. Conclusions: The findings reveal a compensatory effect of the quality of the parent--teacher relationship on suburban students' learning engagement. Considering the difference in students' learning engagement between urban and suburban students, increased effort on high-quality parent--teacher relationships for suburban students is required to better support their academic development.