On November 17, 2017 a conference was held in High School Attached to Shandong Normal University (AHS), introducing “the Construction of Self-Directed Learning Support System and its Practice”, a research program on elementary education designated through the certification ofShandong Provincial Institute of Education Sciences. Present at the conference were Xu Aihong, the program expert as well as Researcher of Shandong Provincial Institute of Education Sciences, Zeng Jiyun, Sun Kuanning and Che Lina, Professor of Shandong Normal University. Hosted by Li Guiling, Director of AHS Education Research Department, the conference was also attended by Wang Yuzhang, AHS Principal, Chen Dehai, Vice Principal of AHS, Wang Bin, Director of AHS Department of Teaching and Students’ Affairs, Du Mingcheng, Head of AHS Chemistry Teaching Research Center, and Meng Wei, Head of AHS History Teaching Research Center.

Li Guiling, after briefly introducing to the experts the background and the research process of the program, made a detailed elaboration on the target problems, the process and methods to solving them, the contents of the research outcome and its application, and the research summary and the related reflections.

Following Li’s report, experts granted high evaluation on those explorations made by AHS on how to motivate students to do self-directed learning and undertook heated discussions centering on the research frame and its outcome. Basic agreement was achieved in that the self-directed learning system should be constructed in aspects including courses, teaching and school management, all guided by the school’s culture and educational philosophy. Experts conducted deep communications with research group members and an initial scheme was accomplished.

Wang Yuzhang expressed his gratitude to the experts present at the conference, who had been providing high-level and farsighted guidance and on behalf of the research group presented the determination to set about the following work in accordance with the scheme. Invitations were also sent to the experts to provide further guidance.

Starting from the research program “Practice on Improving the Effectiveness of Class Teaching”conducted by AHS and based on the research achievements made through the work on “The Construction and Practice on Teaching Models for Cultivating Students’ Self-Directed Learning Capacity”-a key research program of the 12^thFive-Year Plan of Education Science in Shandong Province, the research program of “the Construction of Self-Directed Learning Support System and its Practice” is intended to nurture and upgrade the capacity of self-directed learning of high school students through systematically exploring the construction and practice of high-level self-directed learning support. The achievements made from the early research stage of this program had been presented to attend the Competitions for Jinan Educational Research Program. It was recognized in August, 2017 as a key educational research program for wide application in Jinan, then recommended in September , 2017 to apply for the key educational research program of Shandong Elementary Education and in October, 2017 approved as a province-level research program after anoral examination, the only one of its kind in Jinan.

Reported by Li Guiling

Translated by Feng Zhao

Pictured by Yang Hua

English Editor: Feng Zhao

Net Editor: Yang Hua