Status analysis and Promotion Strategies of Teaching Reform at Universities-A Survey Based on Front-line Teachers

The modernization of Chinese education requires high quality and high-level higher education. The university teaching reform is a key link to achieve this goal. This study adopts the synergic method of questionnaire survey and in-depth interview to investigate the reality of the university teaching reform from the perspective of front-line teacher. The results indicate that there is a big distance between teachers’ implementation of teaching reform and the advocacy policy. Besides, the academic value of teaching reform are generally ignored, and have not been considered so important as academic research. There is a mismatch between the evaluation of teaching work and the participation in teaching reform. Moreover, a general cognitive bias still exists in teachers’ conception of teaching reform due to the relevant policies and their personal research interests. Therefore, teachers’ awareness and willingness to participate in teaching reform are generally low. The following suggestions are made for university teachers’ participation in undergraduate teaching reform. First, it is urgent to create a culture of highlighting teaching reform and respecting teachers’ dedication to talent cultivation. Second, it is significant to implement the recognition mechanism of teaching reform in the promotion of professional title. Third, it is essential to strengthen the incentives for teachers’ participation in teaching reform. Fourth, it is indispensable to improve the management function and build a platform for communication and learning. Fifth, it is important to transform the paradigm and let teachers establish student-oriented education.