Journal of East China Normal University(Educational Sciences) ›› 2020, Vol. 38 ›› Issue (11): 21-38.doi: 10.16382/j.cnki.1000-5560.2020.11.002

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Comparative Research on Shadow Education: Historical Developments and Future Directions

Zhang Wei1, Mark Bray2   

  1. 1. Institute of Curriculum and Instruction, Faculty of Education, East China Normal University;
    2. Faculty of Education, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200062, China
  • Published:2020-11-16

Abstract: This paper reviews research on private supplementary tutoring, widely known as shadow education during the first two decades of the present century. It takes as its starting point the first global study of the phenomenon, published in 1999, despite some scattered national and subnational literature before 1999. During the initial two decades, great expansion of the research on shadow education brought more depth and stronger awareness of commonalities and differences in different cultures. From initial mapping and identification of factors shaping demand came work on ecosystems with deeper sociological and economic analyses, together with greater attention to research methods. The agenda ahead will need to keep up with the changing times, e.g., through the impact of technology, and develop stronger interdisciplinarity to explore additional domains. It will also need continued attention to definitions and methods.

Key words: comparative analysis, shadow education, private supplementary tutoring, history, future education