Table of Content

01 April 2026, Volume 44 Issue 4 Previous Issue   

For Selected:

Download Citations EndNote Reference Manager ProCite BibTeX RefWorks

Toggle Thumbnails

Select

On the Intermediacy of Secondary Education Weihe Xie 2026, 44 (4):  1-9.  doi: 10.16382/j.cnki.1000-5560.2026.04.001 Abstract ( 16 )   HTML ( 1 )   PDF (576KB) ( 7 )   Save Secondary education serves as a pivotal link in the entire school system, wherein a slight adjustment can affect the system as a whole. Simultaneously, secondary education represents an intermediate stage with the most complex contradictions and challenges within the educational structure of any nation or society, often regarded as a “globally unsolved puzzle.” The concept of the “intermediacy” of secondary education is formulated to address this puzzle; it summarizes and articulates the fundamental characteristics, major assumptions, internal contradictions, and developmental approaches of this stage. This paper describes and analyzes the complexity of secondary education and the specific characteristics of the Chinese context. It proposes three major assumptions regarding secondary education and provides an in-depth elaboration of its fundamental contradictions and internal tensions. In particular, the study systematically examines the content, function, and significance of self-identity. The article argues that within the internal contradictions concerning secondary education and the growth process of students, self-identity represents the principal aspect. It is a key factor directly influencing the high-quality development of secondary education and the healthy growth of students. Moreover, self-identity constitutes the theoretical variable with the strongest explanatory power for various phenomena in secondary education and embodies the core connotation of its “intermediacy”. Therefore, helping and guiding students to achieve the phased goals of self-identity in a timely manner is the primary task of secondary education reform and development. References | Related Articles | Metrics

Select

Research on the Overall Idea and Scheme of College Entrance Examination Reform Lei Mo, Xunqi Yao 2026, 44 (4):  10-21.  doi: 10.16382/j.cnki.1000-5560.2026.04.002 Abstract ( 61 )   HTML ( 10 )   PDF (1445KB) ( 39 )   Save As a crucial component of China’s education system, the National College Entrance Examination (Gaokao) not only serves the functions of talent selection and educational evaluation but also acts as an effective approach and a significant educational method for cultivating morality and fostering talent. Gaokao reform has long been a focal point in the field of educational research. In particular, the Gaokao evaluation system, as the core implementation basis for deepening the content reform of Gaokao in the new era, plays a pivotal role in guiding Gaokao test design, making it a critical topic in current research. Based on the Chinese Gaokao evaluation system, this study systematically explores the fundamental concepts and overall framework of Gaokao reform from an upstream research, proposing a new concept for Gaokao content reform guided by subject competencies. In midstream research, it further investigates how to construct an overall test design framework for Gaokao reform based on the subject competency system. Finally, in downstream research, it provides an in-depth analysis of the design of subject-specific test design plans based on subject competencies, thereby completing a closed-loop study of the overall concept and implementation pathways of Gaokao reform. Figures and Tables | References | Related Articles | Metrics

Select

Does High-Stakes Testing Hinder the Cultivation of Creative Thinking? An International Comparison from the Perspective of Institutional Logics Yuan Cui, Kit-tai Hau, Qian Zhao 2026, 44 (4):  22-39.  doi: 10.16382/j.cnki.1000-5560.2026.04.003 Abstract ( 25 )   HTML ( 1 )   PDF (1145KB) ( 17 )   Save Creating an institutional environment that supports the development of students’ creative thinking is a critical foundation for building an education powerhouse. High-stakes testing (HST) has played an important role in improving educational quality and ensuring fairness, but it is also widely seen as a major constraint on creativity. Yet its actual effects on students’ creative thinking and the mechanisms behind them remain unclear. Drawing on the perspective of multiple institutional logics and data from PISA 2022, this study examined the effects and mechanisms of HST on students’ creative thinking by applying three-level hierarchical linear modeling, quantile regression, cross-level interaction, and mediation analysis.The findings revealed that (1) systems with more HST were more likely to have lower creativity scores; (2) the impact of HST was strongly differentiated across student groups, with more negative effects for students with lower cognitive ability, weaker creative thinking, and disadvantaged family backgrounds; (3) the negative impact of HST was also more pronounced for schools with lower educational quality and relatively scarce resources; (4) as intermediate organizations that transmitted institutional pressure, schools in high-stakes environments tended to increase “creative” activities, yet these activities were often formalistic and symbolic, and thus did not substantively enhance students’ creative thinking—even well-resourced schools tended to engage in such symbolic innovation practices. For China, these results underline the importance of advancing education evaluation reform, reducing the dominance of single-metric HST, and building a more diversified evaluation system that creates an environment supportive of cultivating innovative talents. Figures and Tables | References | Related Articles | Metrics

Select

Economic Analysis of the Integration of Industry and Education in Vocational Education Hao Zhang, Shu Hu, Mingxuan Liang 2026, 44 (4):  40-55.  doi: 10.16382/j.cnki.1000-5560.2026.04.004 Abstract ( 13 )   HTML ( 1 )   PDF (847KB) ( 2 )   Save From the perspective of economic history, the deep integration of industry and education, driven by active participation from enterprises, has optimized vocational education outcomes, improved the quality of skilled talent, and promoted industrial development. In the current context of intensified international competition and accelerated industrial and technological transformation, the methods and degree of integration between industry and education struggle to meet the strategic demands of national industrial policies.Theoretically, the deep integration of industry and education in vocational education can balance talent supply and demand, enhance enterprise utility, and increase social welfare. However, in practice, the various stakeholders involved—government, educational institutions, industries, and enterprises—often have conflicting interests, making it difficult to achieve synergy. The underlying issue lies in the lack of a clear accountability mechanism. The positive externalities of vocational education as a public good result in inefficient resource allocation, while market failures hinder effective regulation.To address these challenges, policies should focus on clarifying stakeholder interests and employing scientific accounting methods to allocate the educational costs that talent users should bear. Establishing new contracts and fostering new social expectations can facilitate cost-sharing mechanisms to correct market failures, thereby preventing the cyclical issues of localized talent shortages and surpluses. Figures and Tables | References | Related Articles | Metrics

Select

What Kind of “Integration Between Vocational Education and General Education” Do We Need for Building a Leading Country in Education Xiao Liu, Jiannan Qian 2026, 44 (4):  56-65.  doi: 10.16382/j.cnki.1000-5560.2026.04.005 Abstract ( 12 )   HTML ( 2 )   PDF (706KB) ( 5 )   Save China's promotion of integration between vocational education and general education is by no means a compromise with social opinion, the control of vocational education and general education ratio, not to mention the internal reform of the vocational education system itself, but the active adaptation of education to the national economic and social development, is the key means to enhance the quality of independent training of talents, and is the need for all levels of various types of education collaborative efforts in the systematic project. At present, the essence of promoting the integration of vocational and general education in China is the readjustment of the starting point of professional talent cultivation. The key is to integrate the cognitive value of knowledge into high school education, with the focus on opening up the growth paths of engineering and technical talents. In this regard, China should deepen the integration of vocational and general education through an overall transformation of the education system, re-establish the positioning of vocational and general education in the high school stage, return to the original intention of preparing for higher education, optimize the dual channels of academic and vocational development in higher education, highlight the mission of professional talent cultivation, establish a talent evaluation system that allows the intercommunication of knowledge and experience, and meet the needs of diverse talent growth. References | Related Articles | Metrics

Select

Cultivating National-Level Master Craftsmen: Research on Craftsmen Technological Innovation under the Background of A Strong Country in Education Xiwen Wang, Guoqing Xu 2026, 44 (4):  66-78.  doi: 10.16382/j.cnki.1000-5560.2026.04.006 Abstract ( 9 )   HTML ( 1 )   PDF (729KB) ( 4 )   Save Without technological innovation from the craftsmen working on the front lines of production, it is difficult to achieve a fundamental breakthrough in the problem of “big but not strong” made in China. The cultivation of craftsmen’s technological innovation ability is the key content of the current construction of a strong country in education. Technological innovation as an essential part of craftsmen has not always been the case. The development of industrial technology has continuously deconstructed and reconstructed the connotation of craftsmen. After undergoing the connotation evolution from “the artistry of skill” in the development stage of physical experience technology in ancient times to “proficiency in action” in the development stage of mechanical technology in modern times, technological innovation has become the core essence of contemporary craftsmen under the background of the development of intelligent manufacturing technology. The cultivation of craftsmen’s technological innovation ability has its realistic basis, including the theoretical logic of the independent status of craftsmen’s technological innovation, the division of labor model basis from vertical to integrated, and the ability guarantee that craftsmen have the potential for technological innovation. The key characteristics of cultivation of craftsmen’s technological innovation ability can be summarized as follows: the type of responsibility points to practical experience, the scope of responsibility focuses on technical details, and the growth path emphasizes “reflection-practice”. Based on this, the cultivation of craftsmen’s technological innovation ability should focus on three issues: in terms of the cultivation subject, a talent cultivation pattern with vocational education as the core and the participation of multiple subjects should be formed; in terms of the cultivation content, technical knowledge should be taken as the knowledge theory basis of talent cultivation; in terms of the cultivation strategy, the methodological support of reflective practice should be emphasized. Figures and Tables | References | Related Articles | Metrics

Select

Prediction of Higher Education-Age Population Changes at the Provincial Level in China and the Optimization of Higher Education Layout Structure Juan Hu, Haoyun Gong, Boyuan Duan 2026, 44 (4):  79-90.  doi: 10.16382/j.cnki.1000-5560.2026.04.007 Abstract ( 10 )   HTML ( 2 )   PDF (1078KB) ( 5 )   Save The sustained decline in China’s birth rate will significantly impact the higher education sector. Disparities among provinces in demographic shifts and higher education resource endowments further complicate the system’s response. This study employs a multi-factor population projection model to forecast the scale of the higher education-age population at both national and provincial levels for 2025—2040. Results indicate that provincial trends in higher education-age populations diverge from the national trajectory, exhibiting distinct patterns that can be categorized into four types: rapid rise followed by sharp decline, steady rise followed by abrupt drop, steady rise with gradual decline, and fluctuating decline. Based on provincial-level data on age-group population shifts and higher education resources, the study categorizes China’s 31 provinces and municipalities into six policy pressure zones according to their future adjustment pressures, regulatory flexibility, and adjustment priorities. It proposes establishing a nationwide, multi-generational long-term mechanism for allocating higher education resources alongside dynamic, differentiated provincial policy responses. Optimizing the spatial distribution of institutions is essential to effectively address challenges arising from shifts in the higher education age-group population. Figures and Tables | References | Related Articles | Metrics

Select

Can Career Development and Childbearing Be Balanced? Exploring the Influence Mechanism and Possible Solutions to Workplace Fear of Missing Out on Highly-Educated Women's Fertility Intention Ping Zhao, Yongmei Hu 2026, 44 (4):  91-105.  doi: 10.16382/j.cnki.1000-5560.2026.04.008 Abstract ( 16 )   HTML ( 1 )   PDF (895KB) ( 9 )   Save Amidst rising individualism and the rapid expansion of higher education, effectively supporting highly-educated women in balancing career development and childbearing has emerged as a crucial challenge for advancing both the construction of a leading country of education and fostering high-quality population development. Grounded in preference theory and the conservation of resources theory, this study develops a theoretical framework to explore how workplace Fear of Missing Out (FoMO) influences fertility intentions among highly-educated women. Using empirical data from the “Highly Educated Women’s Fertility Intentions” survey, the analysis reveals that career development is a priority for these women, with workplace FoMO exerting a significant negative effect on their willingness to have more children. Furthermore, the study identifies work-life balance as a mediator in this relationship, while spousal involvement in childcare mitigates the negative impact of workplace FoMO on work-life balance. However, intergenerational support shows only a limited buffering effect. Workplace FoMO exerts a statistically significant negative impact on fertility intentions among highly educated women aged 38 and below, whereas no such effect is observed in women over 38. Based on these insights, the study recommends policies to foster a supportive environment for working women that balances career development with caregiving responsibilities, establish a policy system for father parenting incentives and effectively increase their participation in parenting, and optimize alternative caregiving mechanisms through strengthening high-quality institutional childcare support networks. Figures and Tables | References | Related Articles | Metrics

Select

An Outline of the Theory of the Independent Knowledge System of the Discipline of Educational Law Huanling Ma, Min Yang 2026, 44 (4):  106-115.  doi: 10.16382/j.cnki.1000-5560.2026.04.009 Abstract ( 11 )   HTML ( 1 )   PDF (613KB) ( 3 )   Save The construction of an independent knowledge system of educational jurisprudence in China is a major academic proposition, arising from the deep integration of China’s educational rule-of-law practices with the development of the discipline itself. Understanding this proposition requires starting from both historical inevitability and realistic motivations, thereby addressing the fundamental question: why must it be independent? Independence represents the intrinsic unity of autonomy and localization. The independence of educational jurisprudence as a discipline is embodied within the process of localization, and ultimately achieved through the realization of localization as their inner unity. In the construction of an independent knowledge system of educational jurisprudence, “real problems” in China’s educational practice should serve as the primary materials, while the “core propositions” distilled from them serve as the direct materials. Therefore, the construction of such a knowledge system must respond to China’s real problems and integrate into China’s cultural context. At the same time, this is a dynamic developmental process that requires both self-reflection within the knowledge system and critical reflection that transcends it, so as to continuously advance toward refinement and maturity. References | Related Articles | Metrics

Select

Institutional Characteristics and Governance Pathways of the Rank Structure for Primary and Secondary School Principals Tingjin Zhi, Wenping Liu 2026, 44 (4):  116-126.  doi: 10.16382/j.cnki.1000-5560.2026.04.010 Abstract ( 17 )   HTML ( 1 )   PDF (763KB) ( 6 )   Save The rank institution for primary and secondary school principals serves as an institutional arrangement aimed at promoting professional development among principals and modernizing school governance. However, its implementation faces challenges such as fragmented regional practices and insufficient scientific grounding. This study systematically analyzes the design features, regional practice models, and inherent governance logic of the rank structure, the core institutional vehicle within China’s reform, to address the deep-seated tensions between standardization and differentiation, as well as between motivation and sustainability. Adopting a mixed-methods approach, this research integrates a comparative analysis of policy documents from 30 regions, a questionnaire survey of 1,172 principals nationwide, and field interviews in several pioneering reform areas, enabling cross-validation from multiple data sources. The findings reveal that the rank structure exhibits dual institutional characteristics of vertical stratification and horizontal differentiation. Existing practices can be categorized into three regional models: “multi-tier grading systems,” “basic hierarchy systems,” and “separate-track position sequences.” The system’s rationale is built on a triple institutional logic—facilitating professional development, implementing fiscally sustainable incentives, and integrating bureaucratic and professional elements. Accordingly, this study proposes a differentiated central-local governance framework: the central government should establish a four-tier benchmark structure, a composite ratio control mechanism, and a fiscally graded security system; local governments should conduct differentiated adaptations, and multi-stakeholder collaboration mechanisms should be introduced. The ultimate aim is to deeply integrate the rank structure into the educational governance system, transforming it from a mere personnel management tool into an institutional cornerstone for realizing educator-led school innovation. Figures and Tables | References | Related Articles | Metrics