Abstract:

The construction and improvement of self-independent knowledge system in preschool education have significant implications for promoting scientific decision-making, high-quality development, and the realization of the goal of becoming a strong educational nation in preschool education. A review of the century-long journey of preschool education research in China reveals that focusing on the evolution of practical issues and conducting empirical research have always been the original foundation and important characteristics of research in this field. This study revolves around three core themes: “child development” “preschool education” and “development of preschool education” and selects empirical research literature on Chinese preschool education since 1919, totaling 1,619papers and 17 books. Through systematic review and analysis of the literature, the main knowledge outputs of empirical research are extracted, and from the perspective of self-independent knowledge system construction, the contributions and issues of existing empirical research are analyzed and reflected upon. Based on this, the future prospects for empirical research in preschool education are proposed, aiming to provide references for the continuous development and innovation in this field.

Key words: self-independent knowledge system, preschool education, empirical research, knowledge production