Intellectual Circles' Perspectives Of Vocational Education During The Republic Of China

"Education and Vocation" Magazine is an official publication under the Institution of Chinese Vocational Education founded by Huang Yanpei, a specialized periodical on the theory and practice of vocational education in modern China.It is exceptional,considerably influential both at home and abroad,as well as the longest in the publication history of the world vocational education over the same period.During the 32 years from 1917 to 1949,a group of elites such as Huang Yanpei,Tao Xingzhi,Lu Feikui,Gu Shusen,Chiang Menglin,Jiang Wenyu,Yang Weiyu,Zhong Daozan,Zou Taofen,Qin Hancai,PanWen'an,Wang Zhishen,He Qinru, and zheng Wenhan left plenty of wisdom,research experience and foreign theories on vocational education and development through using the "Education and Vocation" Magazine as a platform,making vocational education an important social trend.Guided by the purpose of "advocating,studying,implementing vocational education,and enhancing the link of education with career",the magazine actively promoted the study and better understanding of vocational education among the people,enhanced the support of vocational education from the government and pushed forward the practical development of it.Hence,it should have a Very important place in the history of vocational education in modern China.However,up to now,the academic circles have not had a systematic and thorough study of this magazine.Therefore,the study of the vocational education philosophies of the intellectual circles during the Republic of China with a special focus on "Education and Vocation" Magazine can help to deepen researches on the history of education, vocational education in particular,to open up new areas in the study of publication history and to provide research reference for the development of contemporary vocational education with Chinese characteristics.Starting from a historical perspective of materialism,this research paper tries to make an exposition of the origin and operation of "Education and Vocation" Magazine,to interpret the perspectives of vocational continuing education,vocational guidance and women's vocational education of the intellectual circles,to bring to light the historical status of "Education and Vocation",and to sum up the features, historical roles and practical inspirations that the vocational education philosophies of the intellectual circles have had for us.Specifically,this paper falls into 7 parts,an introduction,5 chapters and a conclusion.Main points of each part are summed up as follows:Introduction:it sets forth the origin of the research,its significance, concepts,definition of the areas of study,data used,profiles,framework and methods of the research.Chapterâ… ,the Origin and Operation of "Education and Vocation". This chapter centers on reviewing and commenting on the origin,purpose, editing and distribution of the magazine.It analyses the background in which the magazine was started,sorts out the three stages of its development,reveals its purpose of "advocating,studying,implementing vocational education,and enhancing the link of education with career", clarifies its 19 editors,its many columns,the changes in cover design and layout as well as the situation of its 50^th Special Issue,and sets forth the way,and means of its distribution and circulation.Chapterâ…¡,the Perspectives of Vocational Continuing Education.This chapter discusses the special form of the Chinese Intellectual circles' in the promotion of vocational education in modern China reflections on vocational continuing education such as its advantages and roles,the establishment of subjects of study and preparation,teaching materials and methodologies,problems and solutions,reasons and methods for promoting vocational education in rural areas,the role and implementation of vocational continuing education in war times and vocational continuing education for disabled veterans.On this basis,it sums up such roles of vocational continuing education in its history as improving understanding of the status and value of vocational continuing education by all walks of life,pushing forward its standardization and localization in modern China,and its great contribution to the building up of the vocational continuing education theorectical system with Chinese characteristics. Chapterâ…¢,the Perspectives of Vocational Guidance.This chapter focuses on the contents,principles,functions,steps,methods,problems and solutions of vocational guidance as seen by the intellectual circles and on reflections of vocational guidance over the three stages from primary school,through middle school up to college,and reveals three features of the theory on vocational guidance,namely,the consistency of its goals with the objectives of vocational education,its emphasis on the sustainable development of both physique and mind,and its methods as being scientific.After that,it arrives at the conclusion that vocational guidance during the Republic of China reached a considerably high level, while leaving some limitations such as exaggerating the role of vocational guidance and overlooking vocational guidance of college students.Chapterâ…£,the Perspectives of Women's Vocational Education.This chapter divides the intellectual circles' reflections of and debates over women's vocational education into two stages,before and after the year of 1930.Firstly,it expounds views of the intellectual circles' in the 1920s on the importance,the establishment of subjects of study,teaching methods,implemetation conditions,and difficulties of women's vocational education,and analyses the dynamic factors leading to the transition of women's vocational education to household management education.Secondly,starting from the evolution of women's household management education and the resistance it faced,this chapter discusses the views of the intellectual circles' on the role of household management education for individuals,families,the society,and the nation/state,the objectives and strategies of household management education,the setting of curricula,the coursebooks,teaching methods,problems and solutions, from which an increasingly conservative and narrow-minded trend "Education and Vocation" Magazine had over women's vocational education can be seen.Chapterâ…¤,the Historical Status of "Education and Vocation" Magazine.Based on the papers published in the "Education and Vocation" Magazine,this chapter analyses the Magazine's historical status in the development of vocational education in modern China.It was found out that this magazine served as "a special dock" for foreign vocational education theories to set food on China,as "the best forum" for the development of vocational education trend of thought and as "an important platform" for the academic exchanges between vocational education institutions.Conclusion.In light of the clarifications and analysis of the perspectives of vocational continuing education,vocational guidance and women's vocational education,it summarizes the features,historical roles and practical inspirations that the perspectives of the intellectual circles during the Republic of China have.