The Nature of Teacher-Student Relationships in Provincial Chinese Primary Schools in a Period of Uncertainty

Conducted during the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic, this doctoral study investigates the factors that contributed to positive teacher-student relationships (TSR) in provincial Chinese primary schools. It includes two independent but related studies. Study 1 investigates the online education situation during the pandemic when a primary school (student age 7-12) and junior middle school (student age 13-15) were forced to suddenly transition away from face-to-face teaching to a fully online education for a whole semester (five months). Study 2 seeks to explore the reasons for positive TSR and the process of TSR construction in two different primary schools (student age 7-12) in the same locality.

Study 1 presents a qualitative investigation of online education during the pandemic. Based on analysis of online classroom observations, teacher interviews and student interviews from two schools, the study describes the online learning conditions and identifies the main challenges faced by learners and teachers. Learner motivation is found to have significantly declined in this period, while teacher-student communication and interaction are obstructed. Learning outcomes are unsatisfactory to both parties. Study 2 adopts mixed methods to explore the research questions which are focused directly on what makes for positive TSR. Firstly, a survey of TSR is conducted to identify teachers who have constructed excellent TSR with the majority of the students in their class. Two outstanding teachers and their classes are then identified from two schools. After that, student focus groups, teacher interviews, classroom observations and subject painting are conducted with these two teachers and their students. The results show that students like their teachers for their humour, caring attitudes, giving reasonable criticism, good interpersonal communication, personal teacher characteristics and professional dedication. The teachers have altruistic career motivation and attach importance to whole class level teacher-student interaction. For the students, positive TSR benefits the students’ academic emotions and appears to improve their engagement and motivation to a great extent.

Both studies reinforced the importance of positive TSR in successful primary education. The main implication of study 1 is that online education has to find a way to maintain these relationships or learners’ motivation will suffer. Study 2 confirmed the great benefits of positive TSR on students’ engagement, motivation and academic emotions, indicating whole class level positive TSR could be successfully constructed with certain teacher perceptions and strategies. While the studies highlighted the great value of TSR construction in both online education and face-to-face education, it also points to certain issues which are in urgent need of further research.