Gaokao and Harmful Competition: Examining Educational Equity and Interpersonal Effects
Overview
This paper examines the Gaokao (Chinese college entrance examination) as an exam-based education system, analyzing both its benefits for underprivileged students and its negative effects through harmful interpersonal competition. The author argues that while the Gaokao provides educational equality and opportunity for low-income students, it simultaneously creates stress and unethical competitive behaviors that may damage long-term career outcomes.
What this literature review covers
- Problem Articulation: Discussion of Gaokao advantages (equality, opportunity for rural students) and disadvantages (stress, harmful competition)
- Research Question: How to reduce harmful competition while maintaining benefits for disadvantaged students
- Research Plan: Systematic literature review using governmental reports, NGO sources, and news reports to evaluate Gaokao structure and competition effects
- Annotated Bibliography: Sources including studies on learning outcomes, critical thinking, and exam-oriented education's negative influences
Preview
Gaokao and Harmful Competition
Tao Wu
WRDS150B 563
2021/07/31
Problem Articulation
The Gaokao (Chinese college entrance examination) exemplifies an exam-based education system. It represents how competition acts in the education system, which has both advantages and disadvantages (Kirkpatrick et al., 2011; Weiming, 2012). The main advantage is that Gaokao offers equality in testing students. But, on the other hand, Gaokao does not offer students the opportunity to capitalize on their strengths or choose specific subjects.
The competition created by the Gaokao is an opportunity for children from low-income households. "In China, obtaining a university education is seen as the primary path to escaping the life of a rural peasant or low-wage factory laborer" (Liu et al., 2020). Moreover, there is a positive correlation between education and salary or job satisfaction (Xiao, 2002). Therefore, many children from rural areas have gained a better education and life through the Gaokao. For example, Shenzhen absorbed many capable workers but had poor family backgrounds in 2000 (Xiao, 2002).
On the other hand, some students will interpret the exam in the wrong ways. For example, because the Gaokao is ultimately based on ranking to determine which university to enter (You, 2013) and fellow students are also competitors, causing additional stress and anxiety (Liu et al., 2020), some students will secretly study hard at home and compel others not to study at school thus lowering their ranking. The purpose of their exams changes from improving themselves to a ranking game.