Research On The Acquisition And Compensation Strategies Of Shadow Education For Children Of Migrant Workers

The education of the migrant workers’ children who migrate to cities is a major concern for society,and solving the educational difficulties they face is essential for educational equity.Due to the low quality of schools attended by migrant children and the weak cultural capital of their families,an increasing number of migrant workers have chosen shadow education for their children as a means to compensate for the "double disadvantages" of school education and home education.Compared to urban children,the actual situation of shadow education opportunities and achievements for migrant children,as well as the mechanisms behind the significant achievements in shadow education for migrant children,need to be examined.This research aims to explore the value and compensation paths of shadow education for migrant children from the perspective of educational equity,and to examine the empirical research on the achievements of shadow education for migrant children under the background of "double reduction".To clarify the issue of shadow education achievement for migrant children of urban migrant workers,this study adopts a mixed research method combining quantitative and qualitative approaches.In terms of quantitative research,a "Shadow Education Achievement Questionnaire" was used to survey and analyze 3,846 junior high school students(including 1,153 migrant children)in typical western cities.In terms of qualitative research,in-depth interviews were conducted with migrant children and relevant individuals,and participatory observations were carried out on the educational activities of shadow education institutions,in-school after-school services,community-based extracurricular services,and online after-school services.Based on these investigations,a systematic analysis was conducted on the current situation and influencing factors of educational opportunities for migrant children,the effects and mechanisms of shadow education achievements,the value perspective of shadow education achievements,and the compensation paths of shadow education achievements for migrant children.The topic selection,data collection,and initial drafting of this research paper were completed before the implementation of the "Double Reduction" policy.After the policy was implemented,the direction and structure of the paper were adjusted multiple times,and additional data on after-school services and related materials were collected,ultimately forming this research paper that responds to and aligns with the "Double Reduction" policy.The main content and conclusions of this research are as follows:The first aspect is the status of shadow education opportunities for migrant children.In terms of access to shadow education opportunities,the shadow education participation rate of migrant children(27.17%)is significantly lower than that of urban children(47.54%).Additionally,employing a binary logit regression analysis,the impact of family capital on the acquisition of shadow education opportunities for migrant children was explored.The research findings indicate that economic capital,cultural capital,and social capital affect the acquisition of shadow education opportunities for migrant children and urban children to varying degrees,thereby objectively revealing the "opportunity threshold" of shadow education.Furthermore,in terms of the attainment of shadow education outcomes,the shadow education achievement of migrant children is significantly higher than that of urban children.Migrant children exhibit higher mean differences in academic performance,subject scores,and academic self-efficacy between the groups of whether they have access to shadow education opportunities,compared to urban children.Additionally,using OLS regression analysis and robustness testing through PSM,the impact of access to shadow education opportunities on the attainment of shadow education outcomes for migrant children was examined.Research findings indicate that access to shadow education opportunities promotes the enhancement of cognitive abilities(academic performance)and non-cognitive abilities(academic self-efficacy)for migrant children.The second aspect is the mechanism by which shadow education yields educational outcomes for migrant children.From the perspective of the provider,namely,an internal perspective of shadow education,shadow education is consistent with the humanistic educational philosophy whereby the curriculum emphasizes individual needs rather than being subject-centered.Teaching methods are customized to suit individual needs,and teachers act as facilitators of learning who not only prioritize knowledge and skills but also take into account the emotions and attitudes of learners.The ultimate aim of this approach is to achieve student self-realization.From the recipient’s perspective,namely,the migrant children’s individuals’ viewpoint,migrant children can acquire advantageous cultural capital through important individuals or other means,which helps to compensate for their deficiencies in cultural capital.Simultaneously,the disadvantaged background that migrant children come from fosters bottom-up cultural capital,which provides them with innate motivation to change their destinies.The moral thinking pattern encourages migrant children to treat learning as a moral affair,while the school-oriented mentality helps them to achieve excellent academic performance by relying on qualities such as perseverance and hard work.The third aspect is the value perspective of shadow education for migrant children.Firstly,the essence of exam-oriented education in shadow education and the weak cultural capital of migrant children’s families are the fundamental reasons why shadow education significantly enhances the academic performance of migrant children.Secondly,the universality of shadow education reflects the limitations of school education,such as the lack of personalized and differentiated teaching methods,unequal teaching quality,and insufficient attention to vulnerable groups like migrant children.Thirdly,in the process of acquiring shadow education,migrant children face unfair starting points,unfair processes,and unfair outcomes,which undermine the efforts of public education in China to provide equal education for all students and turn into advantageous tools for maintaining or even exacerbating educational inequality by the privileged class.Finally,migrant children face multiple difficulties from social,economic,and educational aspects,and their educational compensation is an important embodiment of educational equity.However,there is insufficient attention and implementation regarding educational compensation for migrant children,and it requires stronger cooperation among the government,schools,families,and society to ensure the educational rights and achievements of migrant children.The fourth aspect is the compensation strategies obtained by shadow education for migrant children.Under the background of the "double reduction" policy,after-school services can meet students’ needs for subject-specific knowledge and serve as an effective compensation strategies for shadow education for migrant children.The positive role of school-based after-school services in the academic development of migrant children needs to be enhanced,and the content and forms of after-school services need to be enriched.Community-based out-of-school services have greatly benefited the academic development of migrant children.Basic academic tutoring and specialized classes tailored to the needs of migrant children have had a positive impact on their academic performance.Online after-school services in virtual spaces have the advantages of universality,personalization,and unrestricted teacher-student communication,making them an effective pathway for compensating for shadow education for migrant children.