"Chinese teachers' conceptualization of ""what is a good child"""

This study examines contemporary Chinese teachers’ beliefs of what constitutes a good child. It explores the meanings that underlie these conceptions and scrutinizes the changes that have transpired in the classrooms as well as in teachers’ beliefs over the past ten years. The study employs a combination of observations, interviews, and a survey to examine the research questions. I identified seven principal attributes in a good child: Individuality, Independence, Optimism, Collaboration, Collectivity, Responsibility, and Honesty. The meaning of these attributes is exemplified through vignettes and interview excerpts. Based on these principal attributes, a survey was developed and distributed to a larger population of teachers in attempt to confirm the findings of the interviews and observations and to further explore the research question. Three hundred and forty nine teachers participated in the survey. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the questionnaires. The overall findings indicate a shift of values and beliefs of Chinese teachers that has simultaneously occurred with changes that have taken place in their classrooms as well as in Chinese society.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Elementary Education

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2014

Author dc:creator

• Liu, Wei

Contributors dc:contributor

• Walsh, Daniel J.
• Daniel J. Walsh
• Anderson, Richard C.
• Bresler, Liora
• Greene, Jennifer C.

• Chinese teachers values
• Chinese preschool
• Chinese teachers beliefs
• Chinese culture changes
• Chinese education
• Chinese children
• Chinese morality

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 2014 Wei Liu

Language dc:language

en

Handle dc:identifier

http://hdl.handle.net/2142/49666

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/49666