Persistence and Change:Evolution of the Definitions of“Education”in the Past 40 Years After China’s Reform and Opening-Up

• 作者: Fan Ning-xue
• 来源期刊: 美中教育评论:B
• 学科: 教育
• 关键词: education definitions SCHOOLING 40 YEARS of China’s REFORM and opening-up
• 年，卷（期）: 2019,（2）
• 页码范围: 53-68
• 页数: 16页
• 分类号: G633.2

摘要

In 1978,China began its reform and opening-up,the year 2018 marked the 40th anniversary of China’s reform and opening-up.During 40 years,significant changes have taken place in all areas of society,including education.In China,the different definitions of“education”in important bibliographies and textbooks are important reflection of the changes in national educational policies.This paper lists and explains the representative definitions of“education”which appeared in the history of Chinese education in the past 40 years in chronological order.The study finds that although each definition has something different in expression,the value orientation of education as a social activity for cultivating people has been retained.At the same time,the definition of“education”has also changed:First,it reduces the“banking”in teaching moment.Meanwhile,the idea that students are the subject of education has been strengthened.In addition,the different understanding of education has formed local pedagogy schools.Although the understanding of education in Chinese society and the obvious inappropriateness in definitions of“education”have been changed over the past 40 years,this paper argues that there are still profound and complex educational problems need to be solved,such as the relationship among school,education,and society need to be deeply discussed;we should further realize the nature of pluralistic development,the unconscious oppression of children,and deprivation of people’s freedom of learning in schooling;how to make pedagogy more scientific to guide the development of people;and attention should be paid to the transformation from“Made in China”to“Created in China”in educational theory.