Solution for the unbalanced access to higher education caused by the difference of family cultural capital in China.

Background Information

China operates on a nine-year compulsory education system culminating in Grade 9. At this stage, students face their first major exam, the High School Entrance Examination, also known as the Academic Test for Junior High School Students in China. Although not as critical as the National College Entrance Examination (Gaokao), this exam is a significant stressor for families and students alike. It determines whether students can proceed to regular high schools or are redirected towards vocational education or the workforce. The High School Entrance Examination serves as the first major selection process in students' educational journey, influencing their future academic and career paths. Approximately half of the students advance to ordinary high schools, while the remainder either enter vocational schools or start working, missing out on university education opportunities. Therefore, this examination is a crucial turning point, significantly impacting students' prospects of attending university. Furthermore, students who enter regular high schools (Grades 10-12) face the highly competitive college entrance examination, commonly referred to as "thousands of troops crossing a single-plank bridge." The intense competition and high stakes of the Gaokao cause significant anxiety for both students and parents, making the planning and preparation during high school critically important. To summarize, to effectively address educational inequality caused by differences in family cultural capital, it is essential to intervene early and support parents who have weak family cultural capital. Therefore, this research focuses on curriculum development plans for parents of students in Grade 9 and high school, aiming to impart crucial educational knowledge to parents and provide access to a broader range of educational information to better support their children's educational journeys.

Solution

Schools are often set up in such a way that affluent parents' practices are both valued and effective. Affluent parents are also often successful in demanding forms of internal stratification that benefit their children, such as tracking or ability grouping (Hamilton, Roksa, & Nielsen, 2018). This may be unsettling for parents who possess less cultural capital. Through interactions with schools, the intervention aims to attract or recruit them by offering the following incentives. Schools can announce in advance that prizes will be awarded based on parents' participation frequency after completing the parent courses. Prizes may include trophies, certificates, honorary titles, student test workbooks, and extracurricular textbooks. These incentives can stimulate parental involvement. Schools can also draw lots through the parent committee to grant some parents the status of "Off-campus Class Teacher," "One-Day Principal," or "Parent Researcher," aiming to motivate more parents to participate in the courses. The parent committee should also establish a course communication group. Following each parent course, the speaker is invited to join the group chat to provide continuous responses to parents' concerns, ensuring prompt and effective answers to their questions. This provides a convenient channel for parents with limited family cultural capital to bridge the information gap and build confidence.

Parent course timing must align closely with the learning characteristics and needs of students across different grades. Grade 9 is a crucial year for students preparing for the High School Entrance Examination, so parent courses should be offered at several key points such as the beginning of the school year, mid-term, holidays, and just before the exams. In the high school stage, parent courses are particularly essential for parents with lower cultural capital. This stage spans three years, and parent courses can be structured according to grade levels. Corresponding courses should be offered during the tenth, eleventh, and twelfth grades, as well as during holidays.

Parents attend parent courses at school with the goal of enhancing their children's educational outcomes at home. Students across various grades confront distinct challenges attributable to their diverse psychological and physical developmental characteristics. Therefore, the content of parent courses should be targeted and concise, tailored to the specific stages of students.

Based on previous research on families with lower cultural capital, the curriculum content should address the most pressing needs at different stages. Table 1 outlines some topics proposed for the design of parent courses.

Parent courses should employ a flexible teaching format customized to the course content, incorporating three primary formats: lectures, discussions, and online courses. The lecture format entails inviting experts, teachers, or experienced parents to present on topics such as proper family education concepts, case studies, and effective strategies. The advantage of this format lies in its ability to impart a comprehensive amount of educational knowledge and skills within a limited timeframe. Lectures can be conducted through online or offline sessions. Offline sessions can be hosted at school venues, encouraging interactive engagement and real-time Q&A sessions. Synchronous online lectures should be recorded for playback, ensuring accessibility for parents unable to attend or those preferring to review at their own pace. Secondly, the discussion style can facilitate symposiums or group discussions, allowing teachers or parents of successful graduates to engage in dialogue with participants. This interactive approach allows for a deeper understanding of parental educational concerns and enables tailored guidance for specific cases. Discussions can take place in versatile venues such as school facilities or conference rooms, proving especially effective for smaller groups of parents. Finally, online courses can complement traditional teaching methods by offering further enrichment through recorded lectures and interactive sessions. Online platforms provide access to a wealth of educational resources, overcoming limitations of time and space. By referencing platforms such as Khan Academy, schools can effectively integrate high-quality online courses and personalized learning paths into a dedicated parent course platform. This integration enhances the complementarity of offline and online learning, enriching the educational resources available to parents.

Parent Curriculum Planning

(Note: Courses that are marked with (Required) are required courses that all parents must participate in. Courses that are marked with (Selectable) are elective courses, from which each parent can choose according to their own interests and needs. However, each parent is required to select a minimum number of courses each year, with the selection of these courses to be determined based on the results of our survey. Furthermore, the themes of the parent courses for Grade 9 and the high school stage will be promptly supplemented and adjusted based on feedback received from parents through surveys.)

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Table 1 Parent Curriculum Planning