Quantitative Analysis of Policy Texts on Teacher Education Reform in China from the Perspective of Policy Instruments

Abstract

Background. The study of policy instruments in China's teacher education reform is of particular relevance within the context of implementing a series of key state programme documents aimed at the systemic modernization of the national education system and the development of a highly professional teaching corps for the new era. The scientific novelty of the study is associated with the application of the policy instruments analysis approach, which fills a gap in existing research on policy texts of the teacher education reform in China.

Objective. The purpose of the study is to conduct a systematic analysis of substantive characteristics in policy texts regarding China's teacher education reform and preferences in the selection of educational policy instruments, as well as to develop evidence-based recommendations to optimize the teacher training system.

Study Participants. The article analyses 20 policy documents on teacher education reform published by the Chinese government from 2020 to the present. The analysis is conducted by constructing a two-dimensional analytical framework including policy instruments and their content, using the theoretical approach to the policy instruments.

Methods. To achieve the outlined aim, the research applies a set of complementary methods: the method of quantitative analysis of policy texts, content analysis of normative documents and the method of descriptive statistics using Microsoft Excel software (version 16.0).

Results. The selection and application of policy instruments in these texts need to be more balanced and accurate in order to promote the comprehensive development of the teacher education reform.

Conclusions. The selection of policy instruments for teacher education reform in China is characterized by the following features: firstly, the use of policy instruments shows the trend of 'system change', and it is necessary to strengthen the instruments of 'inducement' and 'persuasion'; secondly, the use of policy instruments focuses on educator's professional development, so, it is necessary to pay attention to ensuring educator's working conditions and forming educator's ethics; thirdly, the combination of policy instruments and content is diverse, though the compatibility of these combinations as well as their scientific value need to be improved.