Education and Lifelong Development Research
Welcome to Education and Lifelong Development Research (Abbreviated title: "Educ. Lifelong Dev. Res."), which is an Open Access, peer-reviewed international scientific journal quarterly published by Yandy Scientific Press. Education and Lifelong Development Research (ELDER) publishes theoretical and practical papers on education, human development, and the interplay between these two aspects throughout the lifespan. The journal primarily accepts empirical papers while occasionally considering theoretical and review papers. These contributions present the latest research findings on educational innovation and psychological development, encompassing the following fields (but not limited to): i) Education policy, governance and sustainable development ii) Engineering education and educational psychology iii) Student development and mental health iv) Online education and lifelong learning v) Measurement and assessment in education and psychology vi) Application of information technology in education Vii) Student mobility and international Education Editor-in-Chief: Zhefeng An (Founder) Associate Editor: Youliang Zhang (Co-Founder), Kun Dai Journal information ISSN: 3006-9599 eISSN: 3006-9602 Peer Review Integrity All submissions undergo rigorous editorial screening. Those selected proceed to anonymous expert peer review. We employ a double-blind system to ensure fair evaluation.
Adult learning in the United Kingdom: Participation trends, changing learning practices and structural challenges
Drawing on the 2023-2025 Adult Participation in Learning Survey conducted by the Learning and Work Institute in the United Kingdom, this study examines recent participation trends, changing learning practices, and structural challenges in adult learning. The findings indicate that participation recovered after the pandemic but remained fragile, with the decline in 2025 suggesting the vulnerability of adult learning when employer investment, public support, and household resources come under pressure. Access to learning opportunities continues to be shaped by age, social class, prior educational experience, and employment status, indicating that the compensatory potential of adult learning has not yet been fully realised. In practice, adult learning is becoming more flexible, digitally mediated, and diverse in its motivations and perceived benefits, extending beyond skills development to include well-being, social connection, and wider forms of participation. The UK case shows that countries seeking to build inclusive lifelong learning systems, particularly developing countries and transition economies, may need to strengthen targeted support for disadvantaged groups, promote collaborative provision among government, employers, educational institutions, and communities, address digital learning divides, and recognise the broader social functions of adult learning. Document Type: Original article Cited as: Bai, B., Nie, R. Z., Li, Y. T., & Wu, Q. C. (2026). Adult learning in the United Kingdom: Participation trends, changing learning practices and structural challenges. Education and Lifelong Development Research, 3(2): 60-70. https://doi.org/10.46690/elder.2026.02.01 References Billett, S. (2001). Learning through work: Workplace affordances and individual engagement. Journal of Workplace Learning, 13(5), 209-214. Billett, S., Le, A. H., Smith, R., & Choy, S. (2021). The kinds and character of changes adults negotiate across worklife transitions. International Journal of Lifelong Education, 40(5-6), 499-513. Boeren, E. (2017). Understanding adult lifelong learning participation as a layered problem. Studies in Continuing Education, 39(2), 161-175. Boeren, E., Nicaise, I., & Baert, H. (2010). Theoretical models of participation in adult education: The need for an integrated model. International Journal of Lifelong Education, 29(1), 45-61. Broek, S., Kuijpers, M. A. C. T., Semeijn, J. H., & Van Der Linden, J. (2024). Conditions for successful adult learning systems at local level: Creating a conducive socio-spatial environment for adults to engage in learning. International Journal of Lifelong Education, 43(2-3), 200-223. Broek, S., van der Linden, J., Kuijpers, M. A. C. T., & Semeijn, J. H. (2023). What makes adults choose to learn: Factors that stimulate or prevent adults from learning. Journal of Adult and Continuing Education, 29(2), 620-642. Decius, J., Schaper, N., & Seifert, A. (2021). Work characteristics or workers’ characteristics? An input-process-output perspective on informal workplace learning of blue-collar workers. Vocations and Learning, 14(2), 285-326. Department for Education. (2018). Decisions of adult learners. Eraut, M. (2004). Informal learning in the workplace. Studies in Continuing Education, 26(2), 247-273. Feinstein, L., & Hammond, C. (2004). The contribution of adult learning to health and social capital. Oxford Review of Education, 30(2), 199-221. Field, J. (2009). Good for your soul? Adult learning and mental well‐being. International Journal of Lifelong Education, 28(2), 175-191. Fischer, G. (2000). Lifelong learning—More than training. Journal of Interactive Learning Research, 11(3-4), 265-294. Fuller, A., & Unwin, L. (2003). Learning as apprentices in the contemporary UK workplace: Creating and managing expansive and restrictive participation. Journal of Education and Work, 16(4), 407-426. Hall, S., Jones, E., & Evans, S. (2023). Adult participation in learning survey 2023. Learning and Work Institute. James, N., & Thériault, V. (2020). Adult education in times of the COVID-19 pandemic: Inequalities, changes, and resilience. Studies in the Education of Adults, 52(2), 129-133. Kankaraš, M. (2021). Workplace learning: Determinants and consequences: Insights from the 2019 European Company Survey. Cedefop. Karger, T., Kalenda, J., Vaculíková, J., & Kočvarová, I. (2024). Online learning platforms and resources in adult education and training: New findings from four European countries. International Journal of Lifelong Education, 43(4), 417-431. Karmaeva, N., & Kosyakova, Y. (2022). Perpetuating inequality through participation in adult learning and education in Russia. International Journal of Lifelong Education, 41(4-5), 513-532. Kilpi-Jakonen, E., Vono de Vilhena, D., & Blossfeld, H.-P. (2015). Adult learning and social inequalities: Processes of equalisation or cumulative disadvantage? International Review of Education, 61(4), 529-546. Kosyakova, Y., & Bills, D. B. (2021). Formal adult education and socioeconomic inequality: Second chances or Matthew effects? Sociology Compass, 15(9), Article e12920. Kraiger, K., & Ford, J. K. (2021). The science of workplace instruction: Learning and development applied to work. Annual Review of Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior, 8(1), 45-72. Kyndt, E., & Baert, H. (2013). Antecedents of employees’ involvement in work-related learning: A systematic review. Review of Educational Research, 83(2), 273-313. Lee, J. (2018). Conceptual foundations for understanding inequality in participation in adult learning and education (ALE) for international comparisons. International Journal of Lifelong Education, 37(3), 297-314. Marshall, A., Dezuanni, M., Osman, K., Schoonens, A., & Mitchell, P. (2024). Measuring digital skills in community adult learning settings–implications for Australian policy development. Communication Research and Practice, 10(1), 23-44. Merriam, S. B., & Kee, Y. (2014). Promoting community wellbeing: The case for lifelong learning for older adults. Adult Education Quarterly, 64(2), 128-144. Milana, M., Brandi, U., Hodge, S., & Hoggan-Kloubert, T. (2024). Artificial intelligence (AI), conversational agents, and generative AI: implications for adult education practice and research. International Journal of Lifelong Education, 43(1), 1-7. Nermond, O., Egglestone, C., Manetti, L., & Jones, E. (2024). Adult participation in learning survey 2024. Learning and Work Institute. Nygren, H., Nissinen, K., Hämäläinen, R., & De Wever, B. (2019). Lifelong learning: Formal, non‐formal and informal learning in the context of the use of problem‐solving skills in technology‐rich environments. British Journal of Educational Technology, 50(4), 1759-1770. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. (2021). Adult learning and COVID-19: How much informal and non-formal learning are workers missing? OECD Publishing. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. (2023). Flexible adult learning provision: What it is, why it matters, and how to make it work. OECD Publishing. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. (2025). Trends in adult learning: New data from the 2023 Survey of Adult Skills. OECD Publishing. Osborne, M. (2024). The benefits of university adult learning. International Review of Applied Economics, 38(4), 395-409. Phipps, B., Nermond, O., Revel, A., Egglestone, C., Jones, E., & Evans, S. (2025). The workforce learning slowdown? Adult participation in learning survey 2025. Learning and Work Institute. Pirkkalainen, H., Sood, I., Padrón Nápoles, C. L., Kukkonen, A., & Camilleri, A. (2023). How might micro-credentials influence institutions and empower learners in higher education? Educational Research, 65(1), 40-63. Pöyliö, H., & McMullin, P. (2025). Participation in formal adult education and family life—a gendered story. European Sociological Review, 41(2), 248-264. Rott, K. J., & Schmidt-Hertha, B. (2024). Transforming adult learning in the digital age: Exploring environmental, content, and technological changes. International Journal of Lifelong Education, 43(4), 319-323. Rubenson, K., & Desjardins, R. (2009). The impact of welfare state regimes on barriers to participation in adult education: A bounded agency model. Adult Education Quarterly, 59(3), 187-207. Scheerder, A., Van Deursen, A., & Van Dijk, J. (2017). Determinants of Internet skills, use and outcomes: A systematic review of the second- and third-level digital divide. Telematics and Informatics, 34(8), 1607-1624. Scheidig, F. (2024). Online courses for adults: Do they replace or supplement on-site courses? International Journal of Lifelong Education, 43(6), 682-693. Shi, Y., & Lin, X. (2021). Exploring the characteristics of adults’ online learning activities: A case study of EdX online institute. Research in Learning Technology, 29. Storey, V. A., & Wagner, A. (2024). Integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into adult education: Opportunities, challenges, and future directions. International Journal of Adult Education and Technology, 15(1), 1-15. Tuckett, A., & Field, J. (2016). Factors and motivations affecting attitudes towards and propensity to learn through the life course. Government Office for Science. Wallis, E., Nacua, L., & Winterton, J. (2022). Vulnerable workers and the demise of adult education in England. Education + Training, 64(2), 244-258. Wijga, M., Beausaert, S., & Kyndt, E. (2025). What drives workplace learning: A systematic review of key antecedents. Journal of Workplace Learning, 37(9), 90-113. Xu, K. (2021). Current adult education reform in the United Kingdom: Background, measures, and characteristics. China Adult Education, (16), 47-55. (In Chinese)
Intergenerational reproduction of educational advantage: Parental educational assortative mating, cultural capital, and academic achievement among Chinese secondary school students
Parental education is widely recognized as a key predictor of children’s academic achievement, yet most research treats it as an individual characteristic rather than a combined family-level resource. This study examines the association between parental educational assortative mating and adolescents’ academic performance, with particular attention to the mediating role of family cultural capital in the Chinese context. Employing data from the China Education Panel Survey and a sample of N=8,873 middle and high school students, this study applies structural equation modelling (SEM) to test the proposed relationships. The findings reveal that students from families where both parents possess higher educational qualifications exhibit demonstrably superior academic performance compared to those from less educated or educationally heterogeneous families. Family cultural capital partially mediates this association, indicating that alignment in parental educational backgrounds contributes to academic advantage by cultivating home environments that are both culturally and educationally conducive. This research extends the scholarly conversation by shifting the focus from individual parental attainment to couple-level educational matching and by illuminating a potential pathway through which educational advantage is transmitted across generations. Document Type: Original article Cited as: Tian, Z., & Liu, Y. (2026). Intergenerational reproduction of educational advantage: Parental educational assortative mating, cultural capital, and academic achievement among Chinese secondary school students. Education and Lifelong Development Research, 3(2): 71-80. https://doi.org/10.46690/elder.2026.02.02 References Bhandari, R. B., & Timsina, T. P. (2024). Examining the impact of parents' education on students' academic achievements. Shanlax International Journal of Arts, Science and Humanities, 11(4), 102-110. Blossfeld, H.-P. (2009). Educational assortative marriage in comparative perspective. Annual Review of Sociology, 35(1), 513-530. Bourdieu, P. (2005). The social structures of the economy. Polity. Bourdieu, P. (2018). The forms of capital. In M. Granovetter (Ed), The sociology of economic life (pp. 78-92). Routledge. Bourdieu, P., & Passeron, J.-C. (1990). Reproduction in education, society and culture (Vol. 4). Sage. Bowen, N. K., & Guo, S. (2011). Structural equation modeling. Oxford University Press. Brandt, N. D., Lechner, C. M., Tetzner, J., & Rammstedt, B. (2020). Personality, cognitive ability, and academic performance: Differential associations across school subjects and school tracks. Journal of personality, 88(2), 249-265. Byrne, B. M. (2001). Structural equation modeling with AMOS, EQS, and LISREL: Comparative approaches to testing for the factorial validity of a measuring instrument. International journal of testing, 1(1), 55-86. Byun, S.-y., Schofer, E., & Kim, K.-k. (2012). Revisiting the role of cultural capital in East Asian educational systems: The case of South Korea. Sociology of education, 85(3), 219-239. Cabus, S. J., & Ariës, R. J. (2017). What do parents teach their children?–The effects of parental involvement on student performance in Dutch compulsory education. Educational review, 69(3), 285-302. Canaan, S., Mouganie, P., & Zhang, P. (2025). The long‐run educational benefits of high‐achieving classrooms. Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, 44(4), 1347-1373. Costa, A., Moreira, D., Casanova, J., Azevedo, Â., Gonçalves, A., Oliveira, Í., Azevedo, R., & Dias, P. C. (2024). Determinants of academic achievement from the middle to secondary school education: A systematic review. Social Psychology of Education, 27(6), 3533-3572. Jheng, Y.-j., Lin, C.-w., & Liao, Y.-k. (2023). The way cultural capital works: A meta-analysis of the effects of cultural capital on student's reading performance. International Journal of Educational Research, 122, 102259. Lehrl, S., Evangelou, M., & Sammons, P. (2020). The home learning environment and its role in shaping children’s educational development. School Effectiveness and School Improvement, 31(1), 1-6. Li, W., & Xie, Y. (2020). The influence of family background on educational expectations: A comparative study. Chinese Sociological Review, 52(3), 269-294. Liu, J. M. (2008). Opportunity Inequality and Its Changes in Basic Education in China. Social Sciences in China, (5), 101-116+206-207. (in Chinese) Liu, J. M. (2014). Ability and Background: An Analysis of the Mechanism of Higher Education Enrollment Opportunities. Social Sciences in China, (8), 109-128+206. (in Chinese) Luo, Y., Liu, D., & Qu, Y. (2022). Revisiting social reproduction theory: Exploring the influence of economic and cultural capital on students’ achievement in China. International Journal of Educational Research, 116, 102082. Mare, R. D., & Schwartz, C. R. (2006). Educational assortative mating and the family background of the next generation. Sociological Theory and Methods, 21(2), 253–278. Mu, Z., & Hu, S. (2024). Parental education and children’s subjective wellbeing in China: The roles of educational attainment and educational assortative mating. Chinese Sociological Review, 56(4), 466-495. Nihal Lindberg, E., Yıldırım, E., Elvan, Ö., Öztürk, D., & Recepoğlu, S. (2019). Parents' educational expectations: Does it matter for academic success? SDU International Journal of Educational Studies, 6(2), 150-160. Ortiz-Gervasi, L. (2021). The advantage of daughters in hypogamous families: Parental heterogamy and educational outcomes among children of highly educated parents. European Societies, 23(5), 644-674. Pomerantz, E. M., & Dong, W. (2006). Effects of mothers' perceptions of children's competence: The moderating role of mothers' theories of competence. Developmental Psychology, 42(5), 950. Qin, X., Wang, Y., & Zhang, H. (2026). Number one girl: Female top scorers and peer academic performance in junior high schools. Journal of Development Economics, 103801. Schwartz, C. R. (2013). Trends and variation in assortative mating: Causes and consequences. Annual Review of Sociology, 39(1), 451-470. Schwartz, C. R., & Mare, R. D. (2005). Trends in educational assortative marriage from 1940 to 2003. Demography, 42(4), 621-646. Tan, Q., Li, C., Wu, P., Abbas, S., & Teng, L. (2023). Family capital, social stratification, and access to higher education: An empirical study in mainland China. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 1035715. Tian, W., Cao, D., & Zhuang, X. (2026). Tradition or tragedy: Arranged marriages and domestic violence. International Review of Law and Economics, 87, 106343. Tikhomirova, T., Malykh, A., & Malykh, S. (2020). Predicting academic achievement with cognitive abilities: Cross-sectional study across school education. Behavioral Sciences, 10(10), 158. Wang, W., Dong, Y., Liu, X., Bai, Y., & Zhang, L. (2020). The effect of parents’ education on the academic and non-cognitive outcomes of their children: Evidence from China. Children and Youth Services Review, 117, 105307. Wang, Y. (2023). Analysis of the influence of academic anxiety and family capital on students’ academic performance from the perspective of peer effect in China. Humanities and Social Sciences, 15, 111-118. Xie, Y., Cheng, S., & Zhou, X. (2015). Assortative mating without assortative preference. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 112(19), 5974-5978. Yeung, W.-J. J. (2013). Higher education expansion and social stratification in China. Chinese Sociological Review, 45(4), 54-80. Yu, S., Liu, Y., & Guo, R. (2022). “How does my family affect me?” The family cultural capital impact on Chinese junior high school students’ academic achievement. Thinking Skills and Creativity, 46, 101146. Zang, J., & Chen, P. (2026). The influence of family cultural capital on student learning engagement: A study on the mediating role of parental educational involvement. Frontiers in Psychology, 17, 1802893. Zou, S., & Wu, X. (2020). Coparenting conflict behavior, parent–adolescent attachment, and social competence with peers: An investigation of developmental differences. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 49(1), 267-282.
The evolution of Sino-foreign cooperative education policies from the perspective of theory of institutional change
This study employs the Theory of Institutional Change (TIC) as the analytical framework to systematically examine the evolution, mechanism, and future reform pathways of China’s Sino-foreign cooperative education (SFCE) policies. The findings reveal that these policies have undergone four stages: initial exploration, standardized development, quality enhancement, and deepening reform. The policy content has progressively evolved from fragmented exploration to a systematic and standardized institutional system. The policy change is driven by the government, higher education institutions, and societal forces, among which the government plays a leading role, while higher education institutions and societal forces supplement policy adjustments through practical exploration and demand feedback. The impetus for change originates from the China’s national strategy of educational opening-up to the world, the demand for connotative development of higher education, and the external pressure of the international competitive environment. The SFCE policy change presents a compound model characterized by the predominance of mandatory changes and complementary role of induced changes, with institutional optimization through an incremental pathway. Future policy reforms for SFCE should focus on improving institutional system, optimizing regulatory mechanisms, strengthening quality assurance and enhancing risk prevention and control, so as to promote the high-quality and sustainable development of the SFCE. Document Type: Original article Cited as: Song, K. W., Wu, Y., & Wang, X. Q. (2026). The evolution of Sino-foreign cooperative education policies from the perspective of theory of institutional change. 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Historical institutionalism analysis of policy change in Chinese-foreign cooperative education. Higher Education of Sciences, 6, 20-29. (in Chinese)
Physical play activities for young children's motor development: An action research study
This action research study examines the design and organization of physical play activities for junior kindergarten children (aged 3–4 years) in a Chinese kindergarten context. Grounded in constructivist learning theory, dynamic systems theory, ecological perception theory, and differentiated instruction theory, the study identifies six interrelated design principles for play materials: (1) visual appeal integrated with safety features; (2) material texture aligned with children's psychological need for emotional security; (3) playfulness and dynamic interaction that generate multi-modal feedback; (4) variability and combinational functions enabling diverse movement possibilities; (5) hierarchical design accommodating individual differences in motor competence; and (6) structural properties supporting proprioceptive and spatial perception development. The findings further outline three organizational strategies for structuring physical play activities: a dual-structure arrangement balancing collective games with individual free-play stations, scientific regulation of exercise intensity, and progressive skill development scaffolded through graded material configurations. The study contributes an integrated material-environment-organization framework that extends prior research by embedding differentiation into material structure and positioning responsive materials as autonomous learning agents. Practical implications include the use of low-cost recycled resources, simple material variations for hierarchical difficulty, and the prioritization of dynamic feedback over static equipment. Document Type: Original article Cited as: Liu, F., Wang, X. Y., Yu, J. H., & Peng, C. L. (2026). Physical play activities for young children’s motor development: An action research study. Education and Lifelong Development Research, 3(2): 94-103. https://doi.org/10.46690/elder.2026.02.04 References Brussoni, M., Olsen, L. L., Pike, I., & Sleet, D. A. (2012). Risky play and children's safety: Balancing priorities for optimal child development. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 9(9), 3134-3148. Darling-Hammond, L., Flook, L., Cook-Harvey, C., Barron, B., & Osher, D. (2019). Implications for educational practice of the science of learning and development. Applied Developmental Science, 24(2), 97-140. Fraser, M., Wotring, A., Green, C. A., & Eady, M. J. (2022). Designing a framework to improve critical reflection writing in teacher education using action research. Educational Action Research, 32(1), 43-59. Gibson, J. J. (1979). The ecological approach to visual perception. Houghton Mifflin. Gibson, J. L., Cornell, M., & Gill, T. (2017). A systematic review of research into the impact of loose parts play on children's cognitive, social and emotional development. School Mental Health, 9(4), 295-309. Hu, B. Y., Dieker, L., Yang, Y., & Yang, N. (2016). The quality of classroom experiences in Chinese kindergarten classrooms across settings and learning activities: Implications for teacher preparation. Teaching and Teacher Education, 57, 39-50. Hulteen, R. M., Morgan, P. J., Barnett, L. M., Stodden, D. F., & Lubans, D. R. (2018). Development of foundational movement skills: A conceptual model for physical activity across the lifespan. Sports Medicine, 48(7), 1533-1540. Huo, L. (2022). Building kindergarten teachers' curriculum implementation competence: A collaborative innovation model. Creative Education, 13(04), 1170-1192. Li, H., & Chen, J. J. (2016). Evolution of the early childhood curriculum in China: The impact of social and cultural factors on revolution and innovation. Early Child Development and Care, 187(10), 1471-1483. Pan, Y., Liu, Y., & Lau, E. Y. H. (2010). Evaluation of the kindergarten quality rating system in Beijing. Early Education and Development, 21(2), 186-204. Pellegrini, A. D., & Smith, P. K. (1998). Physical activity play: The nature and function of a neglected aspect of play. Child Development, 69(3), 577-598. Ruff, H. A., & Rothbart, M. K. (1996). Attention in early development: Themes and variations. Oxford University Press. Sandseter, E. B. H. (2009). Affordances for risky play in preschool: The importance of features in the play environment. Early Childhood Education Journal, 36(5), 439-446. Suprayogi, M. N., Valcke, M., & Godwin, R. (2017). Teachers and their implementation of differentiated instruction in the classroom. Teaching and Teacher Education, 67, 291-301. Thelen, E., & Smith, L. B. (1994). A dynamic systems approach to the development of cognition and action. The MIT Press. Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society：Development of higher psychological processes. Harvard University Press.
The relationship between teacher professional learning communities (PLCs) development and teacher professional capital building : A case study of a school in an undeveloped area of China
Teachers play a crucial role in school reform and students’ learning. Therefore, the improvement of teaching quality has been a topic of much study. This article aims to explore the relationship between the development of professional learning communities (PLCs) and the building of teacher professional capital in an undeveloped area of China. A case study was conducted at a high school known for student success on the College Entrance Examination (gao kao). The data analysis shows that the characteristics of the PLCs at this school include school vision, school support, shared leadership, scientific evaluation standards, a culture of trust and respect, collective responsibility, information and resource sharing, continuous interactions, and individual practice and reflection. Positive factors related to psychological capital also made a great difference in the development of these PLCs and in the building of teachers’ professional capital within the school. 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