Revisiting educational equity and quality in China through Confucianism, policy, research, and practice

Journal article

Mu, Guanglun Michael, Zheng, Xinrong, Jia, Ning, Li, Xiaohua, Wang, Shaoyi, Chen, Yanchuan, He, Ying, May, Lyn, Carter, Merilyn, Dooley, Karen, Berwick, Adon, Sobyra, Angela and Diezmann, Carmel. (2013). Revisiting educational equity and quality in China through Confucianism, policy, research, and practice. The Australian Educational Researcher. 40(3), pp. 373 - 389. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13384-013-0113-0
AuthorsMu, Guanglun Michael, Zheng, Xinrong, Jia, Ning, Li, Xiaohua, Wang, Shaoyi, Chen, Yanchuan, He, Ying, May, Lyn, Carter, Merilyn, Dooley, Karen, Berwick, Adon, Sobyra, Angela and Diezmann, Carmel
Abstract

The promotion of educational equity and improvement of educational quality in China are contextualised in tenets of Confucianism and policy directives, inspiring educational research and practice. In this paper, we first explore the historical and cultural roots of educational equity and quality through Confucianism and elaborate on the current policy priority that aims to address educational equity and quality. We then present an overview of research on equity and quality in Chinese education. Informed by Confucianism, policy, and research, we pose a framework to structure our investigation and analysis of three illustrative examples, namely the Special Post Teacher Plan, amalgamation of rural schools, and schooling of floating children. Drawing insights from Confucianism, policy, research, and practice, we conclude that the promotion of educational equity through high quality provision of education for disadvantaged groups can help to narrow the gap in educational quality currently existing in China.

Keywordseducational equity; educational quality; Confucianism; The State Guidelines; Chinese education
Year2013
JournalThe Australian Educational Researcher
Journal citation40 (3), pp. 373 - 389
PublisherSpringer Netherlands
ISSN0311-6999
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1007/s13384-013-0113-0
Scopus EID2-s2.0-84881565432
Page range373 - 389
Research GroupSchool of Education
Publisher's version
File Access Level
Controlled
Place of publicationNetherlands
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