ECNU Review of Education

We are the first open-access Chinese education research journal in English, publishing impactful and cutting-edge education research in China and the world.

[ECNU Review of Education @EcnuE]

Can virtual exchange partnerships last?
Enkhtur and colleagues studied a Japanese university's online programs with four Chinese partners @osaka_univ_e.
Strong online support and clear communication helped. Commitment from both sides mattered most.

[ECNU Review of Education @EcnuE]

AI is reshaping educational leadership, not just teaching.
Chen and Ma's review of global research from 2015 to 2024 finds empowerment alongside costs and risks.
National approaches vary without clear consensus.
They argue for a responsible, human-centered partnership with AI.

[ECNU Review of Education @EcnuE]

A classroom filmed in every direction lets teachers observe and reflect without being there.
@BinduThiru @OpenUniversity @ThinkUHI offer a practical vision for 360° video in scaled teacher professional development.
It asks what "scale" means for in-service teachers' work.

[ECNU Review of Education @EcnuE]

Who owns and controls the tech teachers use?
Two Indian language-learning cases show free and open EdTech can help scale teacher professional development @ITforChange .
They also flag vendor lock-in and control risks in proprietary tools.
Teacher agency matters.

[ECNU Review of Education @EcnuE]

Do service scholarships attract better teachers?
Shi and colleagues @UWMadison @BrownUniversity studied China’s Free Teacher Education program.
Yes—recipients were more likely to become teachers and showed stronger effectiveness, though slightly more burnout.

[ECNU Review of Education @EcnuE]

What after-school activities are linked to creativity and curiosity?
Zhang, Fan, and Huang study more than 7,000 students in China.
Arts, sports, reading, and time with friends show positive links, while Internet-based activities negatively predict both outcomes.

[ECNU Review of Education @EcnuE]

AI is changing leadership, not just classroom practice.
Chen and Ma @FEHD_EdUHK @HKUniversityreviewed global research from 2015 to 2024.
They found benefits and risks, and no clear consensus on use.
Future leadership still needs responsible, human-centered partnership with AI.

[ECNU Review of Education @EcnuE]

Are school leaders ready for the AI era?
Xiong and colleagues @FEHD_EdUHK surveyed 1,426 Chinese educational administrators.
Attitudes and understanding were positive, but practical capability lagged—a clear implementation gap between digital ambition and daily practice.

[ECNU Review of Education @EcnuE]

Technology can widen access to teacher learning, but scale isn't everything.
Si and Han @ECNUER reviewed 46 studies and eight digital tool types.
Tools often supported teacher competence, yet autonomy and equity remained hard.

[ECNU Review of Education @EcnuE]

What supports creativity in science?
Xu @ECNUER and colleagues @ucl asked Chinese secondary students.
Inquiry, experiments and peer discussion helped.
Exam pressure, limited time and heavy guidance still narrowed creative space.

[ECNU Review of Education @EcnuE]

How much do Chinese families spend on education?
Yi Wei’s 2019 national survey found the average was RMB 8,139 per child each year @PKU1898.
Tutoring was common, yet years of public investment have narrowed school funding gaps across income groups.

[ECNU Review of Education @EcnuE]

Can universities lose their elite status? China's second Double First-Class round says yes.
Zheng and Li @Tongji_Uni find selected universities gained more academic freedom, with interdisciplinary research encouraged.
It also reflects a Chinese approach to internationalization

[ECNU Review of Education @EcnuE]

AI can now do much of what experts once did. Does human capital still explain education?
Yilei Shao @ECNUER proposes Intelligence Surplus. The new scarcity is translating human experience for AI.
Schools should cultivate judgment and meaningful action today.

[ECNU Review of Education @EcnuE]

What if teachers learned at their own pace?
Ansari studied a Pakistani NGO school system with audio-visual modules and school studios @AKUGlobal @durham_uni.
Teachers built subject knowledge and teaching skills on their own schedule, cutting reliance on centralized training.

[ECNU Review of Education @EcnuE]

Can technology help rural teachers in Tanzania?
Swai et al. @SaraHennessy7 @TaskeenAdam found WhatsApp and modules aided peer support, but poor connectivity and costs blocked many.
Offline tools and school support show promise.

[ECNU Review of Education @EcnuE]

Can online English training reach rural teachers?
Barayagwiza et al. @rubagiza studied Rwanda women and disabled teachers @Uni_Rwanda @SussexUni.
Many gained spoken-English confidence, but the program missed real life.
Adaptations marginalized them or required cost-sharing.

[ECNU Review of Education @EcnuE]

Can short certificates help teachers grow?
Mnzile and Ceylan @Anadolu_Univ reviewed 26 studies.
Micro-credentials: flexible, practice-focused, but need school support and digital readiness.
AI personalizes learning but raises fairness, quality concerns. Both need protection.

[ECNU Review of Education @EcnuE]

Practice and reflection often sit apart in teacher education.
Wei and Wang show a Chinese service-learning program that brings them together.
With mentors, pre-service teachers designed online after-school courses.
It built real teaching skills and personal growth.

[ECNU Review of Education @EcnuE]

What changes when math teachers teach across subjects?
Researchers followed six Chinese teachers for four months.
After adding more inquiry work, students solved problems together.
Teachers saw new value in this approach and shifted toward facilitating learning.

[ECNU Review of Education @EcnuE]

What can schools learn from England’s bold experiment in testing what works? Edovald and Nevill explain how the EEF ran many large school trials, kept them independent, and published every result.
UK government @GOVUK and OECD @OECD policy papers already cite this workWhat can schools learn from England’s bold experiment in testing what works? Edovald and Nevill explain how the EEF ran many large school trials, kept them independent, and published every result.
UK government @GOVUK and OECD @OECD policy papers already cite this work.