Briefly outlines the historical backgrounds of Confucianism, the Chinese educational system, and adventure education. Points out a common ideal of Confucianism and adventure education: "jen," or humanity and benevolence leading to teamwork. Summarizes contributions that adventure education can make to Chinese education, as well as…

This article reports recent foraging for ideas in action research among the lives and intellects of Chinese society. It began and is reported as a personal journey, initially following the trail of the activist scholar Wang Yang-Ming. The method is a roam through some of the resources that have so far been discovered. The style is…

As our understanding of learning focuses on the whole person rather than individual aspects of learning, so the process of learning is beginning to be studied from a wide variety of perspectives and disciplines. This handbook presents a comprehensive overview of the contemporary research into learning: it brings together a diverse range of…

The formation and implementation of U.S. moral/political educational policy is highly problematic, due to certain long-held beliefs and embedded understandings that affect the policy-making process. China's situation has been less problematic. This discussion explores three areas of contrast between the societies involving morality/religion,…

An official of the Korean Education Department Institute analyzes the effect of historic factors on current educational administration in Korea. He suggests that Confucianism, Shinto-Confucianism, Christianity, and Western ideas mainly dominate current Korean educational administration's organizational structure, culture, and leadership, while…

The education profession in Hong Kong has been experiencing waves of educational reforms since the early 1990s. A system of school-based management has been imported from Western countries without undergoing thorough discussion about the roles that teachers might play in facilitating it. The purpose of this article is to suggest a strategic mix…

This article presents a discussion of the new kindergarten framework in Singapore. The recent launch of the framework indicates a step forward in the field of early years, with a clear recognition of the importance of the early childhood experience. However, it also raises pertinent issues about the social, cultural, and political maxims that…

Cultural heritage preservation has become a much-debated topic in recent decades. This paper contributes to the call for educational approaches that take a society's cultural diversity into account. It also attempts to draw attention to non-Western societies, where educational theories and practices from elsewhere (the West) have been imported and…

In this unit students examine the four most influential Chinese philosophical traditions developed during the Zhou period (roughly 6th-3rd centuries B.C.E.). The four philosophies students study include: (1) Confucianism; (2) Mohism; (3) Daoism (Taoism); and (4) Legalism. In three lessons, students compare the ideas of these schools and explore…

Describes Confucianism, identifying it as a major cultural factor explaining the economic success of Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, and Taiwan. Explores the impact of Confucianism on the organizational communication in these nations, based on four key principles of Confucian teachings: the hierarchial relationship, the family system,…

The Commission on International Adult Education (CIAE) of the American Association for Adult and Continuing Education (AAACE) provides a forum for the discussion of international issues related to adult education in general, as well as adult education in various countries around the globe. The following purposes summarize the work of the…

With an increasing number of Chinese learners pursuing higher education in Western universities, the characteristics of Chinese students have raised many discussions and debates (e.g. Carson, 1992; Watkins & Biggs, 2001). Two contradictory views are commonly reflected in the existing literature: being passive, quiet, submissive, or disciplined…

Purpose: To explore the implications of internationalisation for "guanxi" and "wasta" and the role of trust, family and favours in underpinning these traditional models of networking. The paper also draws some implications for management development professionals and trainers. Design/methodology/approach: The argument is based…

To avoid the Anglo-Saxon culture mode, which dominates the current study of human communication in all contexts, the concept of communication competence can be examined from the perspective of Chinese culture. The conceptualization and empirical indicators used for the measurement of communication competence strongly reflect a Western cultural…

Describes the Japanese education system's unique characteristics. Japanese schools provide a prescribed curriculum, with pupils confined to desks. Teachers identify with their schools and are committed to service. Teachers and students try to improve schools by working harder. Understanding school effectiveness requires frameworks deeply rooted in…