Through the conceptual lens of 'education-as-moulding' and 'education-as-drawing-out,' this article expounds the Confucian concept of trustworthiness (xin) and its relation with communitarian education. Informed by the "Analects," it is argued that Confucius envisions a community of trustworthy members who are motivated and characterised…

This article critically discusses the concept of future-ready learning by drawing on the educational thought of Confucius as recorded in the "Analects." Two main arguments are made in this paper. First, Confucius views future-readiness as the preparedness to broaden "dao" (Way), which is a vision of human excellence. Secondly,…

This article explores a Confucian interpretation of creativity with reference to two classics--"Analects" and "Mencius." A Confucian understanding of creativity centers on "yi" (appropriateness) and is motivated by "shu" (empathy) for the purpose of broadening "dao" (Way). Confucian creativity is…

Addressing a research gap on the relationship between mindfulness and morality, this paper draws insights from Confucius' notion of "jing." I explain how "jing" essentially refers to maintaining a full, respectful and humanity-centred attention towards others. To illustrate the application of Confucius' conception of…

Offering an ethical foundation for global citizenship education, this paper draws upon the ideas of neo-Confucian thinker Wang Yangming. Focussing on UNESCO's goal to help learners acquire a sense of belonging to a broader community and humanity, this paper elucidates Wang's concept of innate knowledge ("liangzhi"). The article explains…

In this essay, I draw upon Ellen J. Langer's notions of mindlessness and mindfulness to identify and delineate Confucius' views on mindfulness. Langer's theory exemplifies a social-cognitive approach to mindfulness which is a prominent orientation in the extant research. I argue that Confucius, like Langer, rejects mindlessness that is…

This article expounds on a neo-Confucian approach to mindfulness by drawing upon the writings of Zhu Xi. I argue that Zhu Xi's notion of mindfulness is encapsulated in the concept of 'jing' that refers to the single-minded and reverential attention to self-cultivation through 'gewu' (investigation of things). The desired outcome of mindfulness is…

This paper compares the educational thought of Paulo Freire and Confucius on what it means to be more fully human. Both Freire and Confucius object to the dehumanisation of human beings through the banking concept of education and other oppressive practices. They argue for the ontological vocation of becoming more fully human through humanisation…

This article challenges the dominant notion of the 'high-performing education system' and offers an alternative interpretation from a Daoist perspective. The paper highlights two salient characteristics of such a system: its ability to outperform other education systems in international large-scale assessments; and its status as a positive or…

Teacher-directed learning is often perceived to be detrimental to student learning and incompatible with learner-centered approaches. This essay challenges this perception by referring to Freirean and Confucian insights. It is argued that Freire, Confucius, and Xunzi advocated the active involvement of the teacher in student learning through…

This article explores Mencius' extension of moral feelings and its potential to address a key challenge in cosmopolitan education: how to motivate students to expand their existing affection and obligations towards their family and community to the rest of the world. Rather than strong universalism, a Mencian orientation is aligned with rooted…

This article seeks to clarify the purpose of high-stakes exam and its relationship with teaching and learning by elucidating the educational thought of the eminent neo-Confucian thinker Zhu Xi. The paper contends that Zhu Xi views standardised testing as an essential means to evaluate the learning outcomes, honour exemplary scholars and select…

This article explores and compares the salient characteristics and educational influences of humanism in both Islam and Confucianism. It is argued that the humanist tradition in both belief systems upholds the development and transforming ability of human beings. A common aim of education is to nurture God/Way-conscious and virtuous individuals…

This article explores a Confucian perspective of self-cultivation in learning and its implications for self-directed learning. Focussing on two key Confucian texts, "Xueji" (Record of Learning) and "Xunzi," this essay expounds the purpose, content, process and essence of self-cultivation in learning. From a Confucian viewpoint,…

Spirituality encourages the individual to make sense of oneself within a wider framework of meaning and see oneself as part of some larger whole. This article discusses Confucian spirituality by focusing on the spiritual ideals of "dao" (Way) and "he" (harmony). It is explained that the Way represents a shared vision of human…