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This study reports on English-as-a-foreign-language teachers' beliefs about coursebooks and their adaptation profiles; it also unveils the demographic characteristics that differentiate the profiles. Responses from 3654 Chinese English-as-a-foreign-language teachers were analyzed using Latent Profile Analysis, descriptive statistics and Scheffé's method. Results indicate four distinct coursebook adaptation profiles: Highly Active, Moderately Active, Lowly Active and Adding-Deleting-Oriented. The four profiles differed significantly in the distribution of teachers by professional titles, administrative posts, types of students they teach, and participation in coursebook writing and coursebook use training. The teachers tended to regard coursebooks as resources rather than scripts.

In this study, high school physics textbooks published by People's Education Press (PEP) and Educational Science Publishing House (ESP) (a total of 6 books) in China were analyzed via a self-developed scale measuring nature of science (NOS) including three first-level indicators of scientific knowledge, scientific process, and scientific enterprise and 12 secondary indicators, and the content level, presenting position, and representation form are adopted to analyze the NOS of textbooks. First of all, the contents of the three first-level indicators are more presented in the main text, generally expressed in the form of conceptual laws and text examples. There are obvious differences between PEP and ESP textbooks in the three dimensions of scientific knowledge, scientific process, and scientific enterprise. Secondly, there are many contents of observation and inference, theories and laws, and scientific culture in the two editions of textbooks, while there are very few contents of scientific ethics. There are obvious differences between the two editions in terms of empirical basis, diversity of scientific methods, scientific spirit, and theories and laws. Third, results of longitudinal comparison showed that the growth of grades, the relevance of NOS in PEP with a gradual downward trend, while the ESP with an "inverted U" curve. The results of horizontal comparison showed that NOS in PEP of grade 10 is better than the ESP, while it is the opposite in grade 12. The content of NOS in the two editions of grade 11 textbooks is equivalent. At the same time, there are differences in the content level, presenting position and representation form between the two editions in different grades.

Teachers' knowledge of the socially shared regulation of learning (SSRL) process of learners, which consists of the task analysis, planning, elaboration, and monitoring, can help teachers intervene when students face difficulties during the collaborative learning. Students' academic emotions have major effects on their learning motivation, cognition, and performance. This study investigated the changes in SSRL, academic emotions, and product performance of high-, medium-, and low-level groups students after they visited an educational technology center and collaboratively designed a learning environment. We recruited 36 juniors majoring in educational technology. Online group discussions were recorded using online chat tools, and a heuristic mining algorithm was employed on this chat data to determine SSRL processes. The participants were asked to express opinions on their major, and this feedback was used to obtain academic emotion information. Additionally, a scoring was employed to measure the participants' product performance. The high-level group was discovered to exhibit all four SSRL phases and exhibit positive emotions, with activating emotions more common than deactivating emotions. SSRL was discovered to be related to academic performance; higher academic performance correlated with a more standardized SSRL process. Additionally, the higher a participants' academic performance, the more frequently the participant had positive academic emotions. Overall, the learners in the high-level group paid more attention to the collaborative learning task.

This research paper investigates the intersection of the maker movement and educational innovation, using the China-U.S. Young Maker Competition as a foundational example. It examines how maker education, fueled by hands-on learning and a curiosity-driven approach, can evolve and influence. The study explores the roles and impacts of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Design-Driven Innovation (DDI), and Cross-Cultural Perspectives (CCP) within maker education. It highlights HCI's connection of technology with learning, DDI's focus on user-centered solutions, and the significance of CCP in enhancing cultural collaboration, vital for fostering an innovative and creative future. This paper offers a detailed perspective on the current state and future potential of maker education. It proposes a roadmap for the coming decade, emphasizing collaborative learning and creative endeavors, all set within the engaging environment of the competition.

This study examines university teachers' beliefs and practices related to task-based language teaching while teaching English as a foreign language. Task-based language teaching (TBLT) has become a prominent topic for researchers and practitioners in recent decades. It is also advocated by the Chinese Ministry of Education for college English teaching. However, few studies have investigated local EFL (English as a foreign language) teachers' perceptions of and difficulties in implementing TBLT. This study aims to fill this gap. Data were collected via 12 semi-structured interviews, and the results revealed that the Chinese EFL teachers employed a weak version of the approach, i.e. the task-supported language teaching approach. They tended towards a student-centred teacher-student relationship. These findings suggest that the role of traditional Chinese values in influencing the implementation of TBLT has been overemphasized. Implications for the sustainable development of teaching pedagogy and professional learning are discussed.

Most of the current literature on the experiences of Chinese international students tends to adopt a deficit-based approach, focusing on the weaknesses, problems, and challenges Chinese students face while studying overseas. In other words, they tend to focus on struggling Chinese students, "problem" Chinese students, and Chinese students who are failing their overseas studies. Though the intention may be good, these studies may strengthen a negative stereotypical image of Chinese international students that is problem ridden. This study aims to introduce some positive psychology in international student development by focusing on successful Chinese students, their success stories, and what success secrets they can share with future Chinese students studying abroad. With the completion of an undergraduate program adopted as a minimum threshold of student success, this study aims to glean the experiences of successful Chinese students in the United Kingdom and disseminate them as lessons for future students. The study finds that proactiveness in networking and seeking support, open and adaptive attitude toward learning and life, and metacognitive skills in self-management are the most important factors contributing to Chinese students' success in overseas studies.

International student mobility is a complex phenomenon influenced by numerous factors. This study examines the prospect of China as a destination country for international students in the post-COVID-19 era. With qualitative data from 30 frontline international educators (support staff in international student recruitment and services) from 30 Chinese universities, this study has determined a set of "pull" factors that serve to attract international students to study in China and a set of "repel" factors that discourage students from going. On the basis of both the "pull" and "repel" factors identified, the participants anticipate important challenges for China's international enrollment in the short term, but stay optimistic about the long-term prospect. The "pull and repel" factors analysis is found to be a useful approach to examining the attractiveness of a host country to international students in a focused manner.

This study delves into the status quo, variations based on demographic information, and the relationship between job stress, burnout, and Psychological Capital (PsyCap) among Chinese English as Foreign Language (EFL) teachers in higher institutions. The investigation utilized a questionnaire for data collection and analysis. 297 EFL teachers from various institutions in China were recruited between July and October 2023. The data underscores that Chinese EFL instructors in higher institutions experience moderately high levels of stress, burnout, and PsyCap. However, when compared to stress and burnout levels, PsyCap emerges as relatively lower. The statistical results revealed that male teachers report significantly higher stress levels than their female counterparts; no difference was identified in job burnout indicators; among four indicators in PsyCap, male teachers exhibit significantly higher self-efficacy compared to female teachers. Private school teachers face elevated levels of stress and increased burnout compared to their public school counterparts, alongside possessing lower levels of PsyCap than those in public schools. Positive correlations exist between job stress and burnout, and negative correlations with PsyCap. PsyCap partially mediates the stress-burnout relationship, with indicators like hope and resilience playing a mediating role. This research may offer some guidance for educators, institutions, policymakers, and researchers to enhance the well-being of Chinese EFL teachers in various educational settings.

The transformative impact of advancements in educational technology, particularly those powered by artificial intelligence (AI), on the landscape of education and the teaching profession has been substantial. This study explores the repercussions of AI-powered technologies on teachers' autonomous behavior, digital burnout, and professional development. The study involved a cohort of 320 high school teachers in China segregated into control and experimental groups. The experimental group received instructions on AI-integrated applications and how they might be used in education. However, the teachers assigned to the control group did not receive information on the use of AI educational applications. Three distinct questionnaires probing autonomous behaviors, digital burnout, and online professional development were administered, and the ensuing data were analyzed using independent sample t-tests. The findings elucidate a discernible positive impact of AI-integrated technology intervention on teachers' professional development and autonomous behaviors. The incorporation of AI-enhanced tools facilitated an augmentation in teachers' professional growth and bolstered their independent and self-directed instructional practices. Notably, using AI-integrated technology significantly reduced teachers' susceptibility to digital burnout, signifying a potential alleviation of stressors associated with technology- mediated teaching. This research provides valuable insights into the multifaceted effects of AI-powered technologies on educators, shedding light on enhancing professional competencies and mitigating digital burnout. The implications extend beyond the confines of this study, resonating with the broader discourse on leveraging technology to augment the teaching profession and optimize the learning environment.

The large-scale online teaching amid the pandemic triggered increasing concern over online teaching management and quality assurance. Take the theory of Total Quality Management (TQM) as guidance, a Chinese higher education institution (CHEI) built a multi-level, multi-link, and multi-dimensional teaching quality monitoring system (Online Teaching Quality Assurance Measures) with full participation, whole process, and all-round development by innovating teaching quality management and monitoring mechanism, aiming to ensure the continuous improvement of talent training quality to realize the sustainable development of application-oriented undergraduate universities with quality improvement as the core. The effectiveness of online teaching quality was demonstrated through the Questionnaire of Student Evaluation of Online Teaching Faculty and students' academic performance (GPA) before and after the implementation of Online Teaching Quality Assurance Measures, guided by the principles of Total Quality Management theory. The results indicated that Online Teaching Quality Assurance Measures have a series of positive effects on online teaching in CHEI, and systematically guide online instructors as evidenced by outstanding ratings and feedback in course evaluations and students' academic performance. This study also revealed that CHEI's online teaching is facing some challenges, especially in the effort to promote learning interaction and teaching cooperation. The study underscored the importance of continuous improvement and provided some interventions in enhancing online educational practices, aligning with TQM principles. The findings are expected to make an important contribution to the field of online teaching quality management in higher education.

Purpose: This study uses data from the 2019 China Institute for Educational Finance Research Household Survey to investigate expenditure on children's education in China. Design/Approach/Methods: Using descriptive and regression analysis, this study analyzes the level and structure of household expenditure on children's education, the associated disparities, and household financial burden. Findings: The average household expenditure on regular full-time education nationwide was RMB 8,139 per child, accounting for 10.8% of total household expenditure. On average, 24.4% and 15.5% of elementary and high school students participated in out-of-school subject- and interest-oriented tutoring in AY 2018-2019, respectively. On an average, it costs a household approximately RMB 233,000 to educate a child from preschool to the undergraduate level. The total investments in regular full-time education nationwide were estimated to be RMB 6.2 billion--6.87% of the national Gross Domestic product. Moreover, based on an overview of various statistics on school funding, this study found that several years of public investments in compulsory education and rural schools have significantly reduced the disparities in school funding among income groups. Originality/Value: This research is the first report giving a comprehensive picture of household expenditures on education nationwide in China. It provides empirical evidence for exploring policy tools to realize the balanced development of education.

A central objective of science education is to foster a profound comprehension of fundamental scientific principles among students. Research has shown that a highly integrated knowledge structure is a key factor in achieving a deep understanding. This research has developed a friction force conceptual framework to model students' different understandings of friction force from a knowledge integration perspective. Utilizing the established conceptual framework, this study devised and implemented an evaluation of friction force among a cohort of 598 grade-10 students in China. The assessment outcomes were then analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively. The results show that the conceptual framework model effectively represents the knowledge structures of students at different levels of knowledge integration, and the students' understanding of friction force can be divided into three levels: novice, intermediate, and expert. Furthermore, emphasizing the passivity of friction force can help students gain a deeper understanding of the concept of friction force, thereby forming a more comprehensive knowledge structure. This study provides an effective strategy for students to progress from novices to experts.

This study examines the interplay between academic anxiety, emotional intelligence management, and academic resilience in Chinese international postgraduate students in Thailand. Using a correlational design and a sample of 353 valid participants, the study employed the Weighted Emotional Intelligence Scale (WEIS), Academic Anxiety Scale (AAS), and Academic Resilience Scale-30 (ARS). Contrary to expectations, the analysis revealed no significant differences in academic anxiety, emotional intelligence management, or academic resilience across demographic cohorts (gender, academic major, and occupation). Weak and non-significant correlations were also observed between academic anxiety, emotional intelligence management, and academic resilience. These findings challenge assumptions about demographic influences on these constructs and suggest a broader challenge for international students. Despite the prevalence of academic anxiety and deficiencies in emotional intelligence management and resilience, these constructs were not influenced by demographic factors. The study highlights the importance of holistic educational approaches that prioritize cultural and contextual factors and underscores the need for further research to unravel the complex dynamics of academic anxiety, emotional intelligence, and resilience.

The study explored how the quality of Internet access influenced students' online learning experiences during the pandemic-imposed large-scale adoption of online education. Drawing upon digital inequality research, we analyzed data collected from 894 higher education international students in China. We found that both access devices and Internet stability exerted significant impacts on international students' satisfaction with and performance of synchronous online learning (SOL). The path model further revealed that the underlying mechanisms through which the two dimensions of access inequality affected learning outcomes were different. While the effects of access devices on learning satisfaction and course performance were only mediated by adaptability to online pedagogy, Internet stability affected the two outcome variables via both interaction and adaptability. The study highlights the implications of these findings in the context of online education.

Psychoemotional well-being factors have been recognized to have a significant impact on students' reading literacy. However, identifying which key psychoemotional well-being factors most significantly influence students' reading performance is still not fully explored. This research examines the psychoemotional well-being factors that distinguish the reading literacy of high-level students from low-level ones using machine learning methods in four regions of China, including Beijing, Shanghai, Jiangsu, and Zhejiang. In total, 3497 samples were drawn from the public database of the PISA 2018, including 2935 high-level students (with proficiency level at or above Level 5) and 562 low-achieving students (at Level 2 or below). By applying Recursive Feature Elimination with Cross-Validation feature selection and Support Vector Machine classifiers approach, this study successfully identifies 15 key factors (e.g., students' socioeconomic status and learning goals) from the total 25 psychoemotional well-being factors that synergistically distinguish high-level students from low-level students with a high accuracy score (0.905). Further, using the Shapley Additive exPlanations method, the feature importance of the features set is shown, and 10 factors relevant to the psychoemotional well-being show the feature importance of reading literacy of high-level students. This study provides important insights into the factors of psychoemotional well-being that influence students' reading literacy development.

This paper describes a scoping review of China's academic resource databases, relevant official websites, news reports and public accounts spanning a period from the end of 2019 to the end of 2022, to investigate the challenges in scientific integrity and ethical soundness of research conducted during and immediately after the COVID-19 pandemic in China. By conducting the scoping review with keywords related to the research questions in Chinese, relevant data were extracted and classified into four categories: challenges in research, challenges in ethics review, challenges in publishing academic work, and research ethics guidelines during and after the pandemic. The paper points out that problematic studies and findings increased with the escalation in medical research projects during the pandemic in China. The situation faced by researchers was more difficult than before the pandemic. The mode of informed consent, and ethics review and oversight systems also underwent changes. In addition, Traditional Chinese Medicine as an alternative medical treatment for COVID-19, attracted attention from the research community and became a topic of discussion. We conclude that the various challenges and concerns identified indicate a need for a proper and timely response system be formulated in preparation for possible future occurrences of new pandemics or other critical situations.

Cultivating innovative talents in the humanities and social sciences is a pivotal element in the development of high-level innovative talents with a direct impact on a nation's superstructure and economy. Nevertheless, this area has often been a weak link in the talent market. In response to this challenge, Chinese universities have initiated the "New Humanities and Social Sciences" reform, emphasizing interdisciplinary education to nurture high-quality talents. However, the impact of interdisciplinary education within this context on the creativity of humanities and social science students, along with the intricate underlying mechanisms, remains a question yet to be fully answered. To address these issues, using survey data from 184 students majoring in humanities and social sciences in Sichuan Province of China, we employed structural equation modeling to explore the impact of interdisciplinary education on the creativity of humanities and social science students, the moderating effect of metacognitive awareness and the mediating role of knowledge integration ability. The research findings unequivocally affirm the significantly positive influence of interdisciplinary education on the creativity of humanities and social science students. Knowledge integration ability mediates the relationship between interdisciplinary education and creativity. Furthermore, metacognitive awareness plays a moderating role in the relationship between knowledge integration ability and creativity.

The study examines a corpus of 306 request emails written by 32 English-speaking (ES) teachers and 121 L2 learners from distinctive L1 backgrounds (i.e., Chinese, French, Spanish) and with different levels of L2 proficiency. Pragmatic competence is analyzed through the coding of direct and indirect request strategies used in formal and informal email writing. Findings reveal the influences of communicative situation, L1 background, and L2 proficiency on pragmatic competence in email writing. First, L2 learners show a significantly lower degree of situational variability compared with ES teachers. Second, L1 backgrounds have a significant impact on L2 writing performance. Third, L2 learners with higher English proficiency tend to use more indirect request strategies, but they have not developed pragmatic competence to adjust their usage across written contexts. Findings are discussed in relation to pedagogical implications for developing writing competence of L2 learners, which should be attuned to diverse rhetorical expectations and individual needs.

Suicide is a serious public health problem and is the fourth leading cause of death among adolescents. Suicide ideation is the most significant predictor of suicide. However, few empirical studies have examined the relationship between stressful life events, insomnia, depression symptoms, self-esteem, and suicide ideation among college students. This study builds on O'Connor's The integrated motivational-volitional model of suicidal behavior theory will verify the relationship between these five factors through a large data study among college students, and further reveal the mechanisms and interventions of suicide ideation among college students. A total of 2717 (mean age = 19.81 years, 22.49% male) college students from South China participated in this behavioral and health survey. Using self-reported questionnaires which were Adolescent Self Rating Life Events Check-list, MINI-C, Insomnia Severity Index, PHQ-9, and Self-Esteem Scale to assess the subjects' demographic information, suicide ideation, stressful life events, insomnia, depressive symptoms, and self-esteem levels as comprehensively as possible. A moderated chain mediation model was used to validate their relationship. The results showed that stressful life events significant positively predicted insomnia symptoms, depressive symptoms, and suicide ideation. The mediating effect of depression between stressful life events and suicide ideation was significant. The chain mediating effect of insomnia and depression between stressful life events and suicide ideation was significant. However, the mediating effect of insomnia between stressful life events and suicide ideation was not significant. Also, the positive prediction of stressful life events and depression on suicide ideation was weaker when the individual's self-esteem level was higher, and the moderated chain mediating effect was significant. This study developed a moderated chain mediation model, and proposes a new integrated stress coping-self-perception model of suicide ideation to discover the important role of self-esteem levels in adolescent suicide prevention.

The study investigated the effect of task complexity (TC) on second language (L2) learners' affective responses and writing performance and how these were modulated by cognitive and affective individual difference (ID) factors. A total of 412 Chinese 8th-grade English-as-a-foreign-language learners completed a working memory (WM) test, a scale measuring trait-like L2 writing enjoyment, a simple (n = 206) or complex (n = 206) argumentative writing task, and posttask scales measuring task-specific enjoyment and motivation. Independent t-test results showed that increased TC contributed to a slight but significant enhancement in task motivation and enjoyment and a significant performance improvement in content and organization but not in language. Structural equation modeling results showed that the cognitive and affective ID factors predicted writing performance jointly: WM and task motivation predicted writing performance consistently in both simple and complex tasks, task-specific enjoyment only played its role in the complex task, and trait-like enjoyment became insignificant in predicting task performance. These findings support the integrated task-mediated cognitive-affective model of L2 writing we propose by synthesizing and extending existing models. This study highlights the need to pay attention to the affective dimension of tasks and suggests TC as an intervention strategy to make a task more motivating and enjoyable.

Before adopting a scale for a new culture, researchers should conduct systematic translation procedures and evaluations to ensure its psychometric quality. The Pediatric Symptom Checklist-17 (PSC-17) is a brief and valid scale developed by U.S. researchers to evaluate children's emotional, attentional, and behavioral problems. This study aimed to adapt the PSC-17 to a Chinese version for use in elementary school settings. In this process, 74 teachers rated 666 students using the PSC-17. These students were also assessed using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) and additional questions (e.g., teachers' referral status and demographic information). The scale was successfully translated into simplified Chinese using a standard procedure. Factor analysis supported a general factor model for the PSC-17. Furthermore, decent criterion validity and internal consistency were verified. Finally, a cut-off score of 17 was established, slightly higher than the original cut-off score of 15. We concluded that the PSC-17 is a high-quality screening tool in Chinese elementary schools. The findings are particularly relevant to researchers investigating children's emotional, attentional, and behavioral development within the Chinese cultural context.

In the current socio-digital epoch, the intricate interplay between social media addiction and its potential ramifications on romantic relationships remains largely enigmatic, especially within specific demographic subsets. This study aims to elucidate the repercussions of social media addiction on love relationship closeness and satisfaction among Chinese undergraduates. A cohort of 583 Chinese undergraduates was meticulously analyzed, encompassing an almost equal gender distribution and spanning across diverse academic ranks and relationship durations. Utilizing the "Social Media Addiction Scale -- Adult Form (SMAS-AF)" and validated scales for assessing relationship intimacy and satisfaction, the research painted a multifaceted picture. Findings revealed a high inclination towards social media addiction (X=4.20), with specific aspects of engagement demonstrating profound agreement among participants. An analytic exploration of the addiction demonstrated a pronounced influence on cognitive faculties and emotional regulation while revealing less consistent challenges in curtailing usage. In the romantic realm, while relationship closeness yielded a moderate mean score of 3.38, love relationship satisfaction signaled a moderate-to-high satisfaction degree (X=3.83). Interestingly, while gender and academic progression remained non-determinants for addiction levels, relationship length emerged as a significant variable. Correlational analyses showcased a stark negative association between social media addiction and relationship closeness (r=-0.491) but, surprisingly, a positive correlation with relationship satisfaction (r=0.129). Such dichotomous outcomes advocate for deeper investigation, perhaps suggesting a paradigm wherein intensified digital engagement might enhance superficial relationship contentment at the potential cost of depth and closeness.

This mixed-method analysis investigates thesis-writing burnout among 117 Chinese postgraduates, probing the patterns, magnitude, and influencing factors. A measurable burnout trend emerges across thesis-writing stages - Thesis-Writing Proposal (TTP), Thesis-Writing 3-Chapter (TW3C), and Thesis-Writing 5-Chapter (TW5C) - peaking (X=4.41) during TW3C, reflecting heightened exhaustion and cynicism. Notably, burnout varies with demographic attributes, specifically gender and marital status. Concurrently, exhaustion and cynicism levels fluctuate with thesis-writing progression, while professional efficacy gradually escalates. Participants convey a shift from profound exhaustion and cynicism in TTP and TW3C stages to resilience, manageable fatigue, and self-assuredness during TW5C. Predisposing factors encompass uncertainty, anxiety, and advisory attributes, spanning styles, diligence, and personality traits. These aspects, especially autocratic and laissez-faire approaches, exacerbate stress and impact motivation and research methods. These findings underscore the multifaceted nature of academic burnout during thesis-writing among Chinese postgraduates, necessitating stage-specific interventions. Such tailored strategies facilitate burnout prevention, promote thesis completion, and yield profound implications for Chinese conventional postgraduate education. The research also establishes the vital role of advisors in modulating stress levels, underscoring the need for proactive support measures and fostering a conducive academic environment. This study augments understanding of academic burnout, offering valuable insights to counteract its detrimental effects and bolster postgraduate students' academic journey.

Anxiety has a significant effect on oral communication, particularly when it occurs in the form of a public address. The quality of a public academic speaker's oral presentation may highly be determined by a variety of emotive elements. However, this has received much too little attention in the realm of academic dissertation oral defense presentations, despite the fact that this process may be incredibly nerve-wracking for both novice and experienced postgraduates, EFL learners in particular. In the current study, 68 Chinese EFL Ph.D. candidates consented to complete a revamped version of the Personal Report of Public Speaking Anxiety (PRPSA). Chinese EFL postgraduates reported an average high level of public speaking anxiety (X=4.34) during their doctoral dissertation defense presentations, as measured by three categorical variables: public speaking apprehension (X=4.40), self-behavior management (X=4.35), and fear of negative evaluation (X=4.26). Throughout Ph.D. candidate participants' dissertation defense, fifteen anxiety-related questionnaire items were recognized to be the most anxiety-provoking conditions in terms of public speaking anxiety. In addition, differences in gender and graduate study specialization were not significantly associated with Chinese EFL Ph.D. candidates' experiences with public speaking anxiety. Despite the findings, research has revealed that Ph.D. candidates in English as a Foreign Language from China exhibit statistically significant levels of anxiety related to public speaking, and as a result, pedagogical recommendations have been proposed.

In this mixed-method investigation, the researchers delved into the intricate dynamics underlying Chinese postgraduates' procrastination behavior, academic engagement, and self-confidence, unveiling a multifaceted interplay among these factors. Quantitative findings revealed an intermediate-high level of procrastination, particularly in relation to writing assignments, exam preparations, and weekly reading tasks, while attendance tasks and general school activities elicited lower procrastination levels. Further analysis elucidated a substantial negative correlation between procrastination behaviors and both academic engagement and self-confidence, indicating the pernicious influence of this pervasive phenomenon on students' academic experiences. Qualitative insights garnered through thematic analysis explicated the complex reasons behind procrastination, including being overwhelmed by intricate tasks, lack of genuine interest, competitive milieu, insecurities, distractions, cultural and familial pressures, and struggles with time management, prioritization, and perfectionism. Furthermore, inadequate mentorship and anxiety surrounding future career prospects emerged as significant contributors to procrastination. Evidently, this detrimental factor not only impeded postgraduates' academic immersion but also eroded their self-confidence, exacerbating the detrimental repercussions on their scholarly performance. Thus, the findings underscore the imperative for targeted interventions, encompassing mentorship, time management skills, and emotional support, to mitigate the deleterious effects of procrastination on Chinese postgraduates' academic engagement and self-confidence.

After the implementation of "double reduction" policy, parental education anxiety becomes a hit subject in the society. Aimed to figure out formation logic and countermeasures of it, this paper adopts literature survey method, through numerous researches, discovers that on the one hand, the policy has comprehensively standardized cram schooling market, optimized the homework design and relieved students' burden, which renders the overall educational ecology sustainable. But on the other hand, affected by multiple factors, such as the weakening function of family education, the imbalance between the supply and demand of educational resources, single selection criterion and unpredictable educational deviation, parents' educational anxiety keeps swelling, bearing several features like the heterogeneity of anxiety, classification of anxious crowds, different stages of anxiety and intergenerational mobility. Therefore, only by synchronous implementation of multiple measures, reconstructing education ecological system, standardizing the policy and continuing to strengthen faculty force, can we relieve parental education anxiety and give a push to the genuine implementation of "double reduction" policy.

The perennial challenge of reading fluency, notably profound among Asian EFL learners, stems largely from linguistic disparities, conventional teaching paradigms, and ingrained cognitive practices. This study critically investigates the challenges Chinese undergraduates face with English reading fluency, notably due to linguistic disparities and historically rooted teaching methodologies. Leveraging the Read-Aloud Instructional Strategy (RAIS), this quasi-experimental study sampled 73 students from a private university in Thailand. Baseline assessments depicted similar fluency levels across groups. Post-intervention, the instructor-centered approach demonstrated profound efficacy, with the mean fluency score soaring to 4.35, compared to the student-centered mean of 2.69 and the near-static comparison group at 2.04. Additionally, confidence metrics evinced a remarkable ascent to 3.46 for the instructor-led group, a notable rise to 2.19 for the student-centered cohort, juxtaposed against the comparison group's minimal shift to 1.71. Furthermore, the instructor-centered method substantially ameliorated reading anxiety (d=1.378) and showcased stronger, albeit weak to moderate, post-intervention correlations between fluency, confidence, and anxiety. This comprehensive study underscores the transformative potential of RAIS, particularly the instructor-centered paradigm, in concurrently augmenting reading fluency, confidence, and reducing anxiety among Chinese EFL undergraduates. The implications herein suggest the exigency of reassessing prevalent pedagogical methodologies in Asian EFL environments.

The interruption of regular physical exercise among Chinese college students is a key cause of the lack of motivation to exercise. Therefore, on the basis of self-efficacy theory, this study analysed the interrelationships between the perception of transformational leadership in physical education (PE) by teachers, physical self-efficacy, and exercise adherence among Chinese college students. A questionnaire survey was conducted using a convenience sample of 448 students from five universities in Hebei Province, China. They perceived transformational leadership by PE teachers to significantly positively influence exercise adherence. In addition, physical self-efficacy partially mediated the relationship between college students' perceptions of transformational leadership by PE teachers and exercise adherence. These findings suggest that university administrators could encourage PE teachers to make greater use of transformational leadership and improve education and guidance regarding physical self-efficacy for college students to promote exercise adherence.

Mathematical modeling plays an important role in improving students' interests and attitudes in reasoning, communicating and solving problems. In order to understand modeling in the popular mathematics textbooks for primary schools in China, this study developed a modeling framework for K-12 mathematics textbooks, and used content analysis method to analyze China's current textbooks of primary mathematics in grades 3 to 6. The results showed that the samples follow a gradual development principle in terms of "content level,""appearing location," and "representation mode," but the scientificity of model content level needs to be enhanced. In the four stages of modeling, the contents for cultivating students' high-order thinking ability need to be further enriched. It is also suggested that more mathematical background knowledge should be covered in future textbook compilations.

Considerable research has been dedicated to studying teachers' digital competence, yet limited insights have been gained regarding its impact on online teacher autonomy support. Based on the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) framework, this study utilized a multiple regression analysis model to explore how teachers' digital competence affects online teacher autonomy support. Drawing on data from 652 Chinese primary school teachers, the study revealed that teachers' digital competence positively influenced online teacher autonomy support via teachers' cognitive empathy. Teachers' emotional empathy strengthened the direct effect of cognitive empathy on online teacher autonomy support, and its indirect effect on teachers' digital competence on online teacher autonomy support. The findings inform TPACK framework development and practical considerations in online teaching, deepening understanding of the impact of digital competence on online teacher autonomy support.

The allocation of financial resources in higher education has always been a hot topic of concern in academia and society. The measurement and evaluation of the allocation efficiency of higher education financial resources from the perspective of 'Double first-class' construction is the most important initiative to improve the quality of higher education development and promote the construction of a community with a shared future for mankind. The author constructs a resource allocation efficiency evaluation index system, including two input factors: basic expenditure and project expenditure, and four primary indicators: personnel cultivation, scientific research, international repercussions and social contribution, in addition, ten secondary culture results, results Awarded, education of students abroad, achievement transformation, etc., are considered as output factors. The three-stage Global Super Slacks-Based Measure (SBM) model is applied to accurately measure and scientifically evaluate the allocation efficiency of financial resources in China's higher education. Results show that: first, the true efficiency level can be revealed by eliminating the influence of external environmental factors and random noise. Only 2.82% of universities are located on the effective frontier, indicating that there is significant room for improvement in universities' financial resource allocation capacity and fund utilization efficiency. Second, influenced by factors such as external dependence, R&D intensity, industrial structure and fiscal decentralization, the financial resources allocation efficiency is significantly overestimated, many universities rely heavily on external policy environments for financial resource allocation, and the support from the external environment for efficiency improvement in a few universities still needs to be strengthened. The third, promoting the classification evaluation of universities can meet the needs of 'Double first-class' construction and guarantee the development of university characteristics and diversification. The research shows that first-class universities, comprehensive universities, eastern universities have relatively mature management capabilities, and first-class universities, comprehensive universities and central universities are the most suitable for operation scale; while first-class disciplines, liberal arts universities and western universities have the most significant improvement in the efficiency. Additionally, in view of the research questions and empirical analysis results, this paper also discusses the construction of evaluation index system, the impact of environmental factors and efficiency measurement, classification evaluation, and the effectiveness and promotion of the three-stage Global Super-SBM model, presenting the supporting literature, the uniqueness of this study and the areas for further research. Finally, conclusions are summarized, and suggestions are proposed to provide theoretical guidance and methodological references for dynamic adjustments in the allocation of resources in the new round of 'Double first-class' construction and the strategic planning of higher education resource allocation.

This narrative inquiry explores three Chinese university leaders' intercultural competence as a key dimension of their leadership that overseas leadership development programmes enabled them to develop. The leaders visited three different countries -- namely, the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada -- storied their experiences in the programmes and connected their reflections to leadership in the Chinese higher education system. Our narrative analyses show that the overseas leadership development programmes were mediators in the construction of leadership, for which there were two focal themes: (1) leadership as a personal and contextual construction process and (2) intercultural competence as a key dimension of university leaders' leadership. Betwixt and between different higher education systems in different cultural contexts, the reconceptualisation of leadership with intercultural competence is unfurled in the liminal space, which goes beyond the functionalist paradigm of leadership and is also of international interest and value in the global communication of higher education.

Background. Health-promoting behaviors and positive lifestyle changes are crucial for effective stroke prevention. However, individuals at high risk of stroke exhibit poor health behavior due to a deficiency of individual motivation. Moreover, there are only a few studies on health-promoting behaviors that have applied behavior change theories in individuals at high risk of stroke. Objective. This study aimed to use the theory of the planned behavior (TPB) model to investigate determinants of health-promoting behaviors for stroke prevention and control. Method. In this cross-sectional study, 263 participants were recruited from five community health centers in Qingdao. Confirmatory factor analysis was performed to assess the reliability and validity of the constructs, and structural equation modeling was used to analyze the proposed relationships between the TPB-related variables. Results. The attitudes, subjective norms, and perceptions of behavioral control positively influenced behavioral intention. The behavioral intention had a positive effect on health-promoting behaviors. Attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control were influenced primarily by the mediating variable behavioral intention to affect health-promoting behaviors. Stroke knowledge was an influential facilitator of behavioral attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavior control. Conclusion. The TPB-based model is suitable for explaining health-promoting behaviors in individuals at risk of stroke and for guiding the development of effective health management programs. A comprehensive person-centered motivation behavior strategy that is based on health education and complemented by social support and health resource optimization is critical in promoting health behavior motivation and health promotion behaviors in stroke high-risk groups.

There is a growing awareness of the importance of financial management skills. However, few studies have systematically examined this topic in China's current higher education (HE) system. In this study, we examine whether enrolling in a finance-related program, either as a degree program or as an elective, improves students' financial literacy and habits. We conducted a mixed-method study with a sample of 1334 students from seven universities in central China. Multivariate regression, matching methods, and the inverse-probability-weighting methods were used for quantitative analysis. The results indicate that college students are generally dissatisfied with their financial situation. Enrolling in finance-related majors has little effect on improving students' financial habits, despite a substantial improvement in their financial literacy. In the current HE system, there is a significant lack of personal finance management training. Therefore, curriculum design and field practices regarding students' personal finance management skills should be introduced to enhance their financial habits.

The relationship between Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and academic performance is a controversial issue that has attracted increasing attention from administrators, policymakers, and researchers. The relationship between perceived ICT competence and the academic performance of rural students deserves particular attention. Although a small but growing body of research has examined the relationship between perceived ICT competence and student academic performance, few studies have viewed perceived ICT competence as a multilevel construct. This study aimed to fill this gap by examining the relationship between multilevel perceived ICT competence (i.e., student- and school-level perceived ICT competence) and student academic performance using a sample of 5530 students from 156 schools in rural China. Two-level hierarchical linear modeling results indicated that student- and school-level perceived ICT competence could predict academic performance. Furthermore, school-level perceived ICT competence could moderate the relationship between student-level ICT competence and academic outcomes. Specifically, the role of student-level perceived ICT competence showed heterogeneity across schools. Academic performance was strongly correlated with student-level perceived ICT competence in schools with a low level of perceived ICT competence; in contrast, this outcome was not observed in schools with a high level of perceived ICT competence. The findings suggest that administrators and policymakers in China should pay special attention to rural schools where perceived ICT competence is low and consider providing services for students in these schools to promote educational equity.

This study examined parental perception of the importance of friendship and five other educational outcomes from 101 Chinese parents of children with autism spectrum disorders between the ages of 3 and 12 years. Results showed Chinese parents considered friendship less important than social skills, emotional development, and physical skills and motor development. Unlike the results from previous studies, Chinese parents ranked friendship as the second least important outcome. Children's age rather than educational setting impacted parental perceptions. The findings suggested cultural contexts may have influenced parental perceptions of the importance of different educational outcomes, and future research on the influence of cultural contexts is warranted.

This study examines how novice teachers engage with the emotion of anger in their professional work. We generated 155 Chinese teachers' written reflections on how they felt, expressed, and regulated anger. The study revealed three findings: (1) the primary sources of the teachers' anger were related to students; (2) the majority of teachers tended to express anger destructively; (3) some teachers lacked emotional competence to regulate anger. The intensifying emotional labour in the teaching profession, the professional prematurity of novice teachers, and the stringent emotional rules in Chinese schools jointly contributed to the identified patterns. This study generates new insights into novice teachers' anger-related experiences, highlights the socio-cultural dimension of teacher anger, and suggests practical implications for supporting teachers in making sense of and acting on anger more consciously and effectively.

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

A national survey of basic education teaching-research institutions was conducted as the first nationwide comprehensive survey that involved teaching-research officers and institutions in China. The structures and functions of the provincial, prefectural, and county teaching-research institutions, as well as their role differentiation, were analyzed. The future position and development of teaching-research institutions remain important for teachers' professional development, as well as the development of teaching and research.

The after-school program is a crucial initiative for implementing the Double Reduction policy; however, prior research has not provided conclusive evidence on whether extended school hours contribute to students' cognitive and non-cognitive development or on which types of after-school services are more beneficial for student development. This study analyzed 37 after-school programs from 18 publications using meta-analytic techniques, and the results indicated that participation in after-school programs had positive effects on student cognitive and non-cognitive development despite the small effect size (d = 0.327, p = 0.000). The decomposition of the effects of after-school programs revealed that they had modestly positive effects on academic achievement (d = 0.369) and social-emotional competence (d = 0.220). In addition, the analysis of moderating variables revealed that socioeconomic status, educational phase, number of after-school service days per week, sample size, and testing instrument all influenced the after-school program effects. This study concludes, based on the results of the meta-analysis, that there should be a balanced consideration of the development of student cognitive and non-cognitive abilities in planning after-school service, a substantial variety of activities in afterschool programs, a flexible adoption of diverse after-school programs, and a reasonable participation frequency in after-school service.

Mental Health of primary and secondary school students has drawn wide public attention against the backdrop of the implementation of the Double Reduction policy. This article aims to analyze the effects of non-subject-based off-campus training on student mental health based on an investigation among primary and secondary school students from 30 counties (cities, districts) in six eastern, central, and western provinces of China.

The burden of homework correction is a major stress factor for junior high school teachers and has received significant academic attention. This study aimed to understand the perspectives of junior high school English teachers on homework correction, the challenges they face, and strategies to address these challenges. Thirteen junior high school English teachers from Guangxi, China, were interviewed. Thematic analysis revealed that homework correction benefits teachers by enhancing their understanding of student learning, promoting student engagement, and facilitating classroom management. It also discovered drawbacks such as inefficient or hurried homework correction, and students' dependence on teachers as well. Time constraints and limited energy emerge as primary difficulties junior high school English teachers face. Participants recommended utilization of intelligent assignment management platforms and zero correction practices to alleviate the burden. Additionally, school supports in professional and personal life contribute to teachers' well-being. These findings provide valuable insights and practical strategies for educational management departments to mitigate the homework correction burden experienced by junior high school English teachers.

Within the sphere of educational psychology, the impact of perfectionism on academic anxiety and flexibility has been closely examined, especially in the context of Chinese postgraduates. The current study analyzed these phenomena within a cohort of 218 postgraduates from a private international Chinese college in Thailand, reflecting an amalgam of Eastern academic culture and postgraduate educational expectations. Results indicated a notable degree of academic anxiety (X=3.70, SD=0.75), alongside moderate levels of flexibility (X=2.94, SD=0.84) and perfectionist behavior (X=3.23, SD=1.01). Disaggregating data by educational level, Masters students presented with moderate anxiety (X=3.38, SD=0.87), low flexibility (X=2.53, SD=0.74), and low perfectionism (X=2.74, SD=0.66), whereas Ph.D. students exhibited significantly higher anxiety and perfectionism (X=4.51 and X=4.48, SD=0.84 respectively), yet demonstrated greater flexibility (X=3.99, SD=0.71). Gender and profession proved to be insubstantial factors in influencing these constructs. Contrastingly, educational level was a potent differentiator, with significant disparities evident. The interrelations highlighted a negative correlation between academic anxiety and flexibility (r=-0.121), but a positive correlation between academic anxiety and perfectionist tendencies (r=0.424). Flexibility and perfectionist behavior were also positively correlated (r=0.153). To mitigate the adverse impacts of perfectionism, the study advocates for cognitive-behavioral interventions to reshape perfectionist thought patterns and bolster adaptive coping strategies. It encourages cultivating an educational ethos that emphasizes learning and psychological welfare over impeccable achievement and suggests normalizing mental health discourse within academic environments to alleviate the stigma surrounding perfectionism and anxiety.

Purpose: This study aims to answer the following questions: (1) Why have attempts to transplant Western vocational education models failed? (2) Is there anything we can learn from the experiences of Eastern Asian countries when developing their own vocational education models? Design/Approach/Methods: This study reviews the history of transplanting Western skill formation schemes into developing countries, an often-failed die-hard practice supported by both bilateral and multilateral donors. Findings: Our findings suggest that developing countries should design their technical and vocational education and training systems based on their unique cultural, sociological, and economic contexts. It offers two alternative pathways based on the experiences of the People's Republic of China and the Republic of Korea. Originality/Value: These East Asian examples could broaden the perspectives of policymakers in developing countries aspiring to develop functional skill formation schemes.