For the Future Project Holds Meeting on Positive Psychology Course for Vocational School Students
The China Development Research Foundation's "For the Future: Vocational Education Enhancement Program" (hereinafter referred to as "FTF") has long been focusing on key issues in vocational education and aims to cultivate new technical skills talents, to improve the mental health and wellbeing of vocational school students, and help pilot school form better mental health support system, the project team is working with Tsinghua University's Positive Psychology Research Center (hereinafter referred to as the "Tsinghua Center") to develop autonomous learning program based on positive psychology theory and the current development status of vocational school students.
After several months of course discussion and revisions, the project team completed the initial draft revision work in January 2023. On January 13, an expert review conference was held by the CDRF. More than ten experts and scholars from Tsinghua University, Beijing Normal University, Tianjin Normal University, Shenzhen Polytechnic, Yuncheng Vocational and Technical University and Guangzhou City Finance and Trade Vocational School, as well as front-line teachers, participated in the review.
Dr. Zhang Peng, the Vice Director of the Tsinghua Center, introduced the three main concepts of the research and development of autonomous classrooms in vocational schools. Firstly, it aims to co-develop students' positive psychology and knowledge and skills. Secondly, it aims to cultivate students' character advantages and virtues. Finally, the course focuses on preventing negative psychology and promoting positive psychology as its main goal, adhering to the concept of treating illnesses before they occur, and promoting students' physical and mental health.
Other experts also proposed constructive suggestions and improvement in many aspects such as course planning, course content, course materials, course forms, etc.
Du Zhixin, the Deputy Director of the Children's Development Research Institute of CDRF, pointed out that the current course needs to be revised and implemented according to the expert's suggestions as soon as possible and continuously improve in practice. Successful explorations can be further extended to the pre-school stage, compulsory education stage, and higher vocational stage, in order to establish a more comprehensive positive psychological education system and better protect the healthy development of children and teenagers in China.
