A Motivation Perspective on College Admission Reform in Shanghai - The Effect of Providing More Choices and Multiple Evaluation Criteria

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by hdkawk

This study examines how Chinese college admission reform in Shanghai shapes school practices and influences students’ motivation and learning behaviors. Observations covered homeroom activities and class breaks in four classes at a public high school, supported by purposive interviews with selected students and teachers. Reform changes included broader subject options, career courses and internships for subject guidance, and a class shifting system. Findings show mixed impacts on intrinsic motivation versus strategic choices that can neglect personal interests.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages20

Reading Time50 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Purpose

Design/Approach/Methods

Findings

Originality/Value

Introduction

Background on the NCEE

Reform initiatives in Shanghai and Zhejiang

Research aims

Literature review

The pivotal NCEE

A Motivation Perspective on College Admission Reform in Shanghai: The Effect of Providing More Choices and Multiple Evaluation Criteria Jing Wang (汪靖) The Chinese University of Hong Kong ECNU Review of Education 2022, Vol. 5(4) 741–760 ª The Author(s) 2020 Article reuse guidelines: [sagepub.com/journals-permissions](sagepub.com/journals-permissions)[ ](sagepub.com/journals-permissions)[DOI: 10.1177/2096531120940327](DOI: 10.1177/2096531120940327)[ ](DOI: 10.1177/2096531120940327)[journals.sagepub.com/home/roe](journals.sagepub.com/home/roe) Abstract Purpose: This study offered insights into how Chinese college admission reform brought about school changes and influenced students’ motivation and learning behaviors. Design/Approach/Methods: Four classes in one public high school in the Shanghai Municipality were observed in their homeroom activities and during class breaks. Students and teachers were purposively selected and interviewed. Findings: Due to the more choices on national college entrance examination-examined subjects, career development courses and internships were offered to give students guidance on subjectselection. A class shifting system was adopted. In response to the comprehensive evaluation criteria, more free time and club activities were offered so that students can develop their own interests in nonacademic areas. While the reform promoted some students’ intrinsic motivation and mastery goals—that is, students reported their intention to develop interests and improve competences—some students made strategic decisions (e.g., avoiding choosing Physics, intensive preparation, and extracurricular academic tutoring) to maximize college admission possibilities atthe cost of ignoring their personal interests. Corresponding author: Jing Wang, Faculty of Education, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China. Email: [xiaoyuer19921023@126.com](xiaoyuer19921023@126.com) Creative Commons Non Commercial CC BY-NC: This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 License ([https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/)) which permits non-commercial use, reproduction and distribution of the work without further permission provided the original work is attributed as specified on the SAGE and Open Access pages ([https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/open-access-at-sage](https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/open-access-at-sage)). Originality/Value: This is a timely study that provides insights into school changes and impactson students’ learning in a changing educational context. Implications for future research and practices are discussed. Keywords Academic motivation, autonomy support, Chinese students, choices, college admission reform, interest Date received: 11 October 2019; revised: 17 March 2020, 26 May 2020; accepted: 12 June 2020 Introduction China has a pyramidal education system, and students need to succeed in a highly competitive college entrance examination to enter higher education institutions. The national college entrance examination (NCEE;Gaokao)is the most influential examination for students in Chinese mainland. It is historically a one-shot examination in which students are evaluated based overwhelmingly on their scores and rankings in academic subjects. The college admission policy has been criticized for giving students few choices, stifling interest and creativity, and causing anxiety (Dello-Iacovo, 2009; Wong, 2017) . In response to these criticisms, Shanghai and Zhejiang governments announced a pilot program of major reforms to college admission procedures in 2014. Although the college admission policy experienced many small changes in thepassing decades, this round ofreform has been the most fundamental and comprehensive, which outlined the blueprint of China’s new Gaokao. One central goal of the reform isto offer students more choices and develop their i

FAQs

What does the study aim to understand about college admission reform in Shanghai?

It aims to understand the school changes triggered by the reform and how these changes affect students’ motivation and learning behaviors.

How was the research conducted?

The study observed four classes in one public high school, focusing on homeroom activities and class breaks, and used purposive interviews with selected students and teachers.

What were the key findings regarding student motivation?

The reform supported some students’ intrinsic motivation and mastery goals, but some students made strategic decisions to maximize admission possibilities while ignoring personal interests.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by hdkawk