Tailored for China: did it work? Reflections on an intensive study abroad programme for Chinese student teachers

The behavioral mechanism of Chinese college teachers' teaching engagement: A qualitative study based on the grounded theory

“…This study found that Chinese college teachers generally have the problem of low professional knowledge and ability to teach, which leads to their low self-efficacy about teaching work, and further negatively affects their corresponding intention and behavior of teaching engagement. This is consistent with Wang's research findings mentioned above, that is, the lack of teaching knowledge and ability of college teachers is an important reason for their lack of teaching engagement (Wang, 2006). Unfortunately, relevant surveys have shown that the current teaching training for college teachers in China has a serious tendency toward formalism and has little effect, and most Chinese college teachers have also been passive in dealing with such training and have not invested their due time and energy (Cui & Yang, 2007;Yang, 2004;Zhang, 2017).…”

“…Second, the professional title evaluation of college teachers is mostly based on scientific research output in China. But in recent years, professional title evaluation has increasingly attached importance to teaching work, which has some positive effect on college teachers' teaching engagement (Wang, 2006;Zhai, 2015;Zhang, 2017). Third, the professional fields of college teachers determine the characteristics of their daily work.…”

“…Although self-efficacy is important, the actual ability is more critical, which is the source of self-efficacy (Deway, 1902;Shulman, 1986;Sun, 2009;Wang, 2006;Zhu, 2013). This study found that Chinese college teachers generally have the problem of low professional knowledge and ability to teach, which leads to their low self-efficacy about teaching work, and further negatively affects their corresponding intention and behavior of teaching engagement.…”

“…Meanwhile, the individual characteristics of college teachers are also important factors affecting their teaching engagement. Wang found that the lack of teaching knowledge and ability of college teachers is an important reason for their lack of teaching engagement (Wang, 2006). Some related studies also have pointed out that the process of specialization and socialization experienced by college teachers is usually aimed at scholars, and teaching is more a free practice for them.…”

“…Therefore, college teachers usually do not seriously and prudently pay attention to the appropriateness and effectiveness of teaching ideas, teaching contents, teaching methods, etc., and usually do not deliberately develop professional teaching practice skills (Wang, 2006;Zhu, 2013). Some other studies have found that the teaching engagement of college teachers is related to the characteristics of teachers' emotional structure.…”