Interpretation, autonomy, and transformation: Chinese pedagogic discourse in a cross-cultural perspective

The complexity of Chinese pedagogic discourse

“…He suggests 607 RESPONSES TO WU'S INTERPRETATION, AUTONOMY, AND TRANSFORMATION that the Chinese people might not be aware of the hidden impact of Western discourse on the formation of Chinese pedagogic practices, and have normalized these practices as their own. Wu (2011) is concerned that this lack of awareness can lead to a misconception of Chinese traditional pedagogy as inanimate and sterile, resulting in the dissolution of a genuine cultural diversity. He invites us to explore the vigorous and productive elements of traditional Confucian pedagogy and expose the deficits of a contemporary pedagogy that is alienated from its indigenous tradition and dominated by Western discourse.…”

“…In his paper, Wu (2011) discusses the Chinese-Western/traditional-modern issue within Chinese pedagogic discourse. He makes a significant contribution to the contemporary debates as he recovers the meaning of the Confucian pedagogy as rooted in Chinese authentic language and he demystifies contemporary pedagogic discourse by underlining the Westernized language that pervades that discourse.…”

Constant and emerging characteristics of Chinese learners in changing school contexts

“…Such a situation nevertheless calls for a better understanding of the emerging characteristics of Chinese students and teachers in social, cultural and school transformations and their influences on students' learning 281 CHINESE LEARNERS' CHARACTERISTICS IN CHANGING SCHOOL CONTEXTS outcome (Chan 2008), and the impacts of these transformations on these emerging characteristics (Cheng 2011, Deng 2011, Wu 2011. Since existing research in the field of Chinese learners offers little empirical evidence for developing such an understanding, this collection has been developed specifically to examine how Chinese students and teachers respond to their school and teaching reforms, and the consequences of these reforms for Chinese learners' learning (Chan and Rao 2009).…”

Rebuilding the Chinese Soul: Some Considerations for Education

“…The strategies of using science to save China and science for China's prosperity were once again perceived as the key to China's nation-building and the renewal of its glory (Bai, 2013). According to Wu (2011), Deng's pragmatism, "Whatever color a cat is, so long as it can catch a mouse, it is a good cat," and the opening of the national entrance examination system in 1977 "promoted and consolidated" an instrumental and "calculative mode of thinking" in Chinese education that has made a great impact on the "shaping of students' souls" (p. 583). In recent years a government-initiated movement to revitalize Confucianism has also been launched, despite the criticism that such a movement is superficial and misleading.…”