Paradigm evolution in educational digitalisation in China: a policy analysis based on Hall's model (1978–2025)
Paradigm evolution in educational digitalisation in China: a policy analysis based on Hall's model (1978–2025)

Summary/Abstract: Educational digitalisation has become central to China's higher education reform, yet existing studies often portray this process as a linear expansion of technology, overlooking deeper shifts in policy logic. This study aims to systematically examine how China's educational digitalisation policies have evolved over time and to identify the depth and nature of policy change using Hall's policy paradigm model. To achieve this, the study analyses the evolution of China's educational digitalisation policies from 1978 to 2025 through qualitative policy content analysis of key national policy documents, and distinguishes between first-order technical adjustments, second-order instrumental changes and third-order paradigm transformation. The findings identify three major stages: an initial phase of technical introduction (1978–1999), a period of large-scale ICT integration (2000–2017) and a paradigm shift towards smart, data-driven education (2018–present). The Education Informatization 13th Five-Year Plan (2016–2020) is identified as a transitional stage bridging second- and third-order change. Overall, this study shows that educational digitalisation in China has evolved from a supplementary teaching tool into a core driver of governance reform, pedagogical innovation and lifelong learning in higher education.

• Details
• Contents