Global Social Science and Humanities Journal

Digitalization in Chinese Education: Implications for Management and Administration

Xue Pengfei — 2025-11-12

China's education system has witnessed a rapid acceleration in digitalization, driven by national digital transformation strategies and further intensified by the COVID-19 pandemic. While considerable focus has been placed on the expansion of online learning platforms and technological infrastructure, there is a growing imperative to examine how digitalization is reshaping the management and administrative dimensions of education. This paper investigates the implications of digital transformation for school governance, leadership, strategic planning, data management, and decision-making processes within Chinese educational institutions. Employing a narrative literature review methodology, the study synthesizes findings from national policy documents, peer-reviewed academic literature, and case studies published between 2010 and 2024. The review highlights that digitalization has contributed to improved operational efficiency, more transparent administrative procedures, and the rise of data-informed decision-making practices. At the same time, significant challenges have emerged, including disparities in digital access between urban and rural regions, concerns regarding data privacy and security, the centralization of digital control, and increased complexity in the managerial roles of school leaders. The evolving nature of educational administration in China now demands a shift from traditional oversight to the strategic coordination of digitally mediated ecosystems. To fully leverage the benefits of digital transformation, policy frameworks must prioritize equity, support digital capacity-building at the institutional level, and ensure the ethical governance of data systems. This study provides practical and theoretical insights for education administrators, policymakers, and scholars navigating the evolving digital governance landscape in Chinese education.

Trends and Challenges in Education Management Reform in China: A Policy Review

Xue Pengfei — 2025-11-12

China has pursued extensive education management reforms to modernize its education system and improve administrative efficiency. Although many initiatives have been launched over the past four decades, the overall effectiveness and sustainability of these reforms remain uneven. This study aims to provide a comprehensive review of major policy directions, emerging management trends, and ongoing challenges in the context of China’s evolving education governance. A qualitative policy and literature review was conducted using national education reform documents, ministerial reports, and peer‑reviewed publications from 1985 to 2024. Key sources were analyzed to identify dominant policy themes, administrative strategies, and systemic constraints affecting education management implementation. The analysis reveals three major trends: (1) gradual decentralization of administrative authority to schools and local governments, (2) increased emphasis on data‑driven and performance‑based decision making, and (3) expansion of digital and technological tools for management and evaluation. Despite these advances, significant challenges persist, including rural‑urban disparities in administrative capacity, limited professional development for school leaders, and gaps between policy design and local‑level implementation. China has achieved notable progress in modernizing its education management system, yet systemic and structural constraints continue to limit policy impact. Strengthening capacity‑building for local administrators, improving resource equity, and developing more adaptable reform frameworks are critical for achieving sustainable governance improvement. The review contributes evidence‑based insights for scholars and policymakers seeking to understand and enhance education management reform in China.

The Role of Education Policy in Shaping Rural Schooling: A Comparative Literature Review

Tian Sha — 2025-11-12

Rural education systems face persistent and multifaceted challenges stemming from geographic isolation, resource constraints, and sociocultural marginalization. Education policy plays a critical role in either mitigating or compounding these inequities. This paper presents a comparative literature review of how education policies have influenced rural schooling across a range of national contexts, including both developed and developing countries. The analysis focuses on key policy dimensions such as access, quality, teacher deployment, and curriculum relevance. Through a cross-contextual examination, the paper identifies common patterns and divergences in policy design and implementation, highlighting both structural limitations and adaptive strategies. The findings underscore the need for more context-sensitive, equity-oriented policy approaches that account for the specific realities of rural learners and communities. The paper concludes with recommendations for policy reform and areas for further research, aiming to inform more inclusive and sustainable rural education systems.

Rural Education and Social Justice: Analyzing the Theoretical Foundations

Tian Sha — 2025-11-12

Rural education is frequently addressed through the lens of material disadvantage highlighting issues such as inadequate infrastructure, limited teacher availability, and restricted access. While these concerns are valid, they often obscure the deeper structural injustices that shape educational experiences in rural contexts. This paper examines the theoretical foundations connecting rural education and social justice, arguing that equity must be understood not only in terms of redistribution, but also in relation to recognition and representation. Drawing on the work of Fraser, Sen, and Young, the paper applies a multidimensional justice framework comprising distributive, recognitional, and representational justice to analyze how rural learners are marginalized in policy, curriculum, and governance. Through engagement with critical education theory, rural sociology, and place-based pedagogies, the paper highlights the need for context-sensitive, culturally sustaining, and participatory approaches to rural education. Reframing rural schooling as a site of agency, knowledge, and possibility, the paper calls for a justice-oriented reimagining of education systems that center the voices and values of rural communities.