21
Nov2023
Children's Solitude Preference and Academic Stress: The Mediation of Depression and the Buffering Effect of Interpersonal Emotional Regulation

Source

The "double reduction" policy focuses on cultivating morality and cultivating people, adheres to the student-oriented, and takes the protection of students' rights and interests as the fundamental starting point. A 2022 empirical survey based on six provinces in the eastern, central and western regions of China shows that primary and secondary school students in China still have a certain degree of academic pressure, and factors from individuals and schools can have a significant impact on academic pressure. Academic pressure refers to students' reflection or subjective feelings that may threaten their academic internal and external environmental requirements or exceed their personal coping ability, in today's increasingly prominent phenomenon of "involution", how to alleviate students' excessive academic pressure or homework burden has become an urgent problem to be solved in the field of education in China, especially in the field of basic education. Based on this, a study published in the China Journal of Health Psychology surveyed 1248 primary school students in four primary schools in Jinan, Shandong Province, focusing on the factors influencing children's perceived academic stress.Preliminary studies have found that:

1. There are significant gender differences in the academic pressure of primary school children, and the academic pressure of boys is significantly higher than that of girls.

2. There was a significant grade difference in the solitude preference of primary school children, and the preference for solitude in the upper grades was significantly higher than that of the lower grades. Among them, solitude preference refers to the individual's preference for solitude, which belongs to a subtype of social withdrawal, and the preference for solitude is composed of low proximity motivation and high avoidance motivation, and individuals who prefer solitude withdraw due to their preference for solitary activities.

3. There are also significant differences in depression levels and academic stress among children of different grades; Among them, the depression level of third-grade children was significantly lower than that of other grades, and the academic pressure of fifth-grade children was significantly higher than that of other grades.

4. Children of different grades have no significant differences in interpersonal emotional regulation. Among them, interpersonal emotion regulation is a universal and important form of emotion regulation, and people pursue emotional goals by participating in the social process of interpersonal emotion regulation.

The preference for solitude was the independent variable, depression was the mediating variable, interpersonal emotion regulation was the moderator variable, academic stress was the dependent variable, and the influence of gender and grade level was controlled. The results of the study are as follows:

1. Solitude preference positively predicts perception of academic pressure, i.e., children who prefer to be alone are more likely to experience academic stress in the face of excessive academic burden or academic performance.

2. The level of depression plays a partial mediating role between children's preference for solitude and academic pressure, that is, individuals who prefer to be alone are depressed due to lack of understanding in social situations, which further affects children's perception of academic pressure. Although moderate solitude is better for adolescents, prolonged solitude may have adverse effects on children in the depressive stages of elementary school who are still unable to use alone time rationally.

3. Interpersonal emotion regulation can buffer the relationship between solitary preference and depression level, that is, when individuals have a higher tendency to interpersonal emotion regulation, the impact of solitary preference on depression will be weakened. Children with high interpersonal emotional regulation tendencies can effectively reduce the possibility of depression by seeking the companionship of others in the face of stressful events, and actively expressing and sharing their emotional experiences, and improving their emotions through the help and support given by others. Good family relationships and peer relationships can significantly alleviate the occurrence of depression in children, provide emotional support, instrumental support, etc. for individuals, while lack of appropriate communication can lead to problems such as depression or maladjustment, affecting their perception of academic pressure.

 

Source:Xiong, M. H., Liu, J. S. & Xu, C. X. (2023). Children's Solitude Preference and Academic Stress: The Mediation of Depression and the Buffering Effect of Interpersonal Emotional Regulation. China Journal of Health Psychology,1-12.
20
Nov2023
Occurrence Mechanism, Model Construction and Empirical Research of LearningEnvironment Design to Promote Interdisciplinary Learning

Interdisciplinary learning has become an important learning method advocated in the compulsory education stage, but there are still many problems in current interdisciplinary learning, such as "shallow, alienation, blind crossing", etc. Recently, an article published in China Educational Technology, analyzed the mechanisms that promote interdisciplinary learning from the connotation of interdisciplinary learning, and based on this, proposed corresponding implementation strategies by constructing a learning environment design model that promotes interdisciplinary learning.

Through research, the author found that there are several mechanisms that promote interdisciplinary learning :

1. In order to develop students' higher-order thinking skills and achieve deep learning, learners' learning needs to go through organized and structured activities, which can stimulate students' deep investment in the learning content and provide diverse learning environment support for students' deep thinking.

2. In order to facilitate students' construction of their own disciplinary cognitive structure, the main task of interdisciplinary learning is to connect knowledge from different disciplines, and then open, internalize, and construct them to generate new knowledge.

3. In order to enable learners to integrate and deeply process knowledge, the visual thinking and imaginative thinking constructed by interdisciplinary learning are beneficial for learners to integrate and connect different disciplines.

By constructing a learning environment design model that promotes interdisciplinary learning, the following conclusions can be drawn:

1. The design of a learning environment model that promotes interdisciplinary learning effectively reduces students' external and internal cognitive load, and increases the associated cognitive load, demonstrating a good flow experience and enhancing students' higher-order thinking skills.

2. In the process of interdisciplinary learning, flow experience has a positive and positive impact on students' higher-order thinking skills, while external cognitive load has a negative impact on flow experience, and associated cognitive load has a positive impact on flow experience.

3. In the process of interdisciplinary learning, learners' cognitive load and flow experience, as well as flow experience and higher-order thinking skills, all interact with each other.

        Based on the above research, the author proposes the following implementation strategies : Creating a rich and diverse learning environment and resources; Building a harmonious interpersonal environment and promoting students' proactive and collaborative learning; Building a mental environment led by big concepts; The goal is to promote the implementation of students' core literacy; Design real problem sequences and carry out problem chain teaching; Design high-level and challenging learning tasks as the content; Integrating knowledge from different disciplines through big concepts as a method; Creating real situations to promote proactive learning; Teachers shift from teaching executors to interdisciplinary course designers.

Source:Wan, K. & Rao, A. J. (2023) Occurrence Mechanism, Model Construction and Empirical Research of Learning Environment Design to Promote Interdisciplinary Learning. China Educational Technology,(08):59-67.
17
Nov2023
Has the Burden of Students’ Homework Eased in the Context of "Double Reduction"

With the continuous improvement of education level and the deepening of education reform in our country, the burden of student homework has become an important issue of national concern. Homework is the basic link of school education and teaching activities, is an important channel to consolidate and deepen what is learned in class, and reducing homework burden is an important means to promote students' all-round development under the background of "double reduction". Recently, an article published in China Educational Technology by using the data from the 2022 Shaanxi Provincial Basic Education Quality Test explored the current situation of students' homework in western China after the implementation of the "double reduction" policy. The study found:

1. After the implementation of "double reduction", students' homework burden can be reduced, but the quality of students' homework still needs to be improved. Teachers seldom assign individualized, flexible and stratified homework according to students' learning situation and personality characteristics, and students' homework status is faced with the dilemma of "small quantity and low quality".

2. The students with learning difficulties in the key classes of junior high school are the "marginal ones" who reduce the burden of homework. In the process of assigning assignments, teachers of key classes generally follow the guidance of improvement, and the amount and difficulty of homework will be more and more difficult than that of non-key classes or classes that do not distinguish between key classes. As a result, students with relatively low academic performance in key classes need to invest more time and energy.

3. There is a binary imbalance between job load reduction and job quality improvement. Among them, the quality of homework of senior students studying in key schools in central urban areas of provincial cities is the highest, and the quality of homework of junior students studying in non-key schools in townships, towns and villages is the lowest.

4. The degree of parental involvement in homework is contrary to policy requirements, and there is suspicion that the burden of students is shifted to parents. The study found that more than 30% of parents need to correct their children's homework every day, and more than 70% of parents need to check their children's homework every day. Parents of students in private schools and lower grades of primary schools are significantly more involved in homework than parents of students in public schools and junior middle schools.

Based on this, under the background of the normalization of "double reduction", all stakeholders should establish the operation concept of people-oriented and advancing with The Times, build a scientific system and a diversified and comprehensive operation system, and practice the operation management that takes into account fairness and comprehensive regulation, so as to help improve the operation quality and optimize the operation management under the background of "double reduction".

Source:Qi, Z. Y., Yu, Q. Y. & Zhang, J. Y. (2023). Has the Burden of Students’ Homework Eased in the Context of "Double Reduction"—An Empirical Survey Based on 1786 Students in 11 Provinces in Western China. China Educational Technology, (10):73-81+88.
10
Nov2023
Left-behind Adversity and Children’s Academic Performance: the Chain Mediating Role of Character Strengths and Future Orientation

The academic performance of left behind children is significantly lower than that of non left behind children, which may be related to the growth difficulties faced by left behind children. The growth difficulties of left behind children mainly include seven family raising risk factors such as lack of parental care, poor learning and guidance from guardians, and lack of communication, as well as social environmental risk factors such as discrimination perception. A study published in the Chinese Journal of Clinical Psychology explores the impact and mechanism of left behind dilemma on children's academic performance, with the aim of providing reference for promoting the academic development of left behind children. The left behind dilemma refers to the source of pressure that left behind children need to face in their daily lives.The research results found that:

1. Left behind children and former left behind children reported significantly lower academic performance than non left behind children, indicating that the phenomenon of left behind has a negative impact on children's academic performance.

2. The left behind dilemma has a significant negative predictive effect on children's academic performance. The deeper a child perceives a disadvantaged situation, the poorer their academic performance. The negative predictive effect of left behind dilemma on the character advantage of primary school left behind children is significantly greater than the negative predictive effect on the character advantage of middle school left behind children. The series of risk factors faced by left behind children in the fields of family, school, and society have a negative impact on their curiosity, persistence, and self-efficacy, which is not conducive to their academic development.

3. The dilemma of staying behind hinders the normal development of their positive psychological resources such as character advantages and future orientations. Character advantages mainly include six core virtues: wisdom and knowledge, courage, humanity, justice, moderation, and transcendence, which are specifically divided into 24 types of advantageous qualities. Future orientation refers to the direction in which an individual strives for future development in both thought and behavior, as well as their cognitive preferences, emotional experiences, and behavioral tendencies towards future time. Left behind children with lower levels of character advantage lack interest in learning and self-control, as well as poor creativity and thinking abilities, making them prone to academic maladaptation. Left behind children with impaired future orientation lack confidence and planning for the future, lack clear learning goals, and find it difficult to effectively manage themselves, leading to a decline in academic performance.

 

4. The left behind dilemma has an impact on children's academic performance through the chain mediated pathway of "positive prediction of future orientation through character advantage". The dilemma of being left behind reduces the level of future orientation through the loss of character advantages, ultimately leading to the impairment of children's academic performance.

The academic performance of left behind children is significantly lower than that of non left behind children, which may be related to the growth difficulties faced by left behind children. The growth difficulties of left behind children mainly include seven family raising risk factors such as lack of parental care, poor learning and guidance from guardians, and lack of communication, as well as social environmental risk factors such as discrimination perception. A study published in the Chinese Journal of Clinical Psychology explores the impact and mechanism of left behind dilemma on children's academic performance, with the aim of providing reference for promoting the academic development of left behind children. The left behind dilemma refers to the source of pressure that left behind children need to face in their daily lives.The research results found that:

1. Left behind children and former left behind children reported significantly lower academic performance than non left behind children, indicating that the phenomenon of left behind has a negative impact on children's academic performance.

2. The left behind dilemma has a significant negative predictive effect on children's academic performance. The deeper a child perceives a disadvantaged situation, the poorer their academic performance. The negative predictive effect of left behind dilemma on the character advantage of primary school left behind children is significantly greater than the negative predictive effect on the character advantage of middle school left behind children. The series of risk factors faced by left behind children in the fields of family, school, and society have a negative impact on their curiosity, persistence, and self-efficacy, which is not conducive to their academic development.

3. The dilemma of staying behind hinders the normal development of their positive psychological resources such as character advantages and future orientations. Character advantages mainly include six core virtues: wisdom and knowledge, courage, humanity, justice, moderation, and transcendence, which are specifically divided into 24 types of advantageous qualities. Future orientation refers to the direction in which an individual strives for future development in both thought and behavior, as well as their cognitive preferences, emotional experiences, and behavioral tendencies towards future time. Left behind children with lower levels of character advantage lack interest in learning and self-control, as well as poor creativity and thinking abilities, making them prone to academic maladaptation. Left behind children with impaired future orientation lack confidence and planning for the future, lack clear learning goals, and find it difficult to effectively manage themselves, leading to a decline in academic performance.

4. The left behind dilemma has an impact on children's academic performance through the chain mediated pathway of "positive prediction of future orientation through character advantage". The dilemma of being left behind reduces the level of future orientation through the loss of character advantages, ultimately leading to the impairment of children's academic performance.

Source: Wang, Y. C., Fan, X.H. & Chen. J.J. (2023) Left behind dilemma and children's academic performance: the chain mediating effect of character advantage and future orientation. Chinese Journal of Clinical Psychology, 31 (04): 984-988+870.
08
Nov2023
Can "double reduction" eliminate the demand for subject based off campus training

Since July 2021, the "double reduction" policy has strictly governed out-of-school training, but disciplinary out-of-school training continues to exist, and some parents still insist on seeking disciplinary out-of-school training for their children. A study published in the Journal of East China Normal University tries to answer the question of how the demand side will change when the supply side of "double reduction" work is strictly reduced and off-campus training is standardized. Can "double reduction" eliminate the need for off-campus training in disciplines? And so on. In this study, a hybrid research method in which quantitative research is carried out first, followed by qualitative research to explain and deepen the findings of the quantitative research part was adopted to collect data of parents in compulsory education stage across the country to understand parents' attitude towards out-of-school training governance and the general situation of adjustment of children's out-of-school training arrangements under the situation of "double reduction", and further interpret the interview data and deepen the analysis results of questionnaire data. The study found that:

1. The two major contradictions facing the development of students' education are the important sources of the effectiveness of off-campus training. On the one hand, parents are faced with the contradiction between the desire to get their children into a good school and the reality of attending an ordinary school. On the other hand, after going to school, children and their parents will face the contradiction between the school education process and the cutthroat competition of the high school entrance examination.

2. The need to insist on out-of-school training is a decision made by parents based on limited rationality. Off-campus training has the effect of compensating for on-campus burden reduction and winning the high school entrance examination. Therefore, the "double reduction" of actively seeking training services and expanding the burden reduction from on-campus to off-campus is bound to fail to get the support of all parents.

3. Under the "double reduction", the state focuses on the supply side, and disciplinary off-campus training institutions are greatly reduced, the time period is greatly limited, and the supply of training services is sharply reduced. However, it has no substantial impact on students' educational growth path, and the two major contradictions have not been substantially alleviated. Therefore, the effectiveness of off-campus training in supplementing school education, creating competitive advantages, assisting school choice or future development is not diminished.

Based on the above research findings, suggestions on governance of disciplinary off-campus training based on demand side are given:

1.We should face up to the reasonable needs of families for off-campus training, and allow them to have compliance channels to seek open and standardized training services, so that training can take place in the sunshine. Strengthen parent education to help them raise risk awareness, rational choice and use of training services.

2. Make active use of public education resources to meet part of the demand for off-campus training. Schools can provide higher quality after-school services to increase the attractiveness of students, while supporting a variety of youth off-campus activity places to provide diversified activities to meet the needs of students' comprehensive development and reduce families' demand for market-oriented training services.

3. To fundamentally improve children's educational growth path to reduce parents' demand for out-of-school training. This includes improving the level of balance between compulsory education schools, promoting the reform of the high school entrance examination, opening up the channels for vocational education, and improving the attractiveness of vocational education.

Source: L, J. Y. (2023). Can "double reduction" eliminate the demand for subject based off campus training—— Empirical Research Based on the Perspective of Limited Rationality Journal of East China Normal University (Education Sciences), 41(09): 71-84.