Biography: Dr. Jun Cui is an Associate Professor at Nanjing Normal University. His current research interests include the entrepreneurial education, technology and engineering education. He was a Visiting Research Fellow at the Department of Education, Oxford University, and is currently in charge of a national fund project on entrepreneurial education in China.

Topic: The Impact of Entrepreneurship Education on the Entrepreneurial Mindset of College Students in China: The Mediating Role of Inspiration and the Role of Educational Attributes

Abstract: Using a mediating model, this article highlights entrepreneurial mindset (EM) as a novel impact of entrepreneurship education (EE) and addresses the scarcity of research on the relationship between EE and EM. Based on 1428 valid samples from higher education students in China, the results revealed that the impact of EE on EM is complex. EE significantly enhanced students’ entrepreneurial inspiration, which, in turn, promoted formation of students’ EM. Entrepreneurial inspiration also mediated the impact of EE on EM at a significant level. In addition, the role of educational attributes, including the type of learning experience, type of course, and type of activity were highlighted. Finally, the direct effect of extracurricular activity was found to be significantly positive whilst that of curriculum attendance was significantly negative. Our findings contribute to theories of both EE and EM and particularly to the understanding of not only whether, but also how EE affects EM in higher education settings. The findings of this research can help to inform the future design and assessment of EE programs.

Biography: Dr. Haimin Dai has received her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees at Sun Yat-sen University and her doctoral degree from Murdoch University, Australia. She is currently an assistant professor at the School of Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University. Her primary research interest focuses on the use of technology in education. As a lead/corresponding author, she has published several articles in highly ranked journals across various fields of research, including including Computers & Education (rated top 1% in Education), Computers in Human Behavior (ranked top 3% in Psychology, Experimental), Interactive Learning Environments (JCR, Q1), Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, and Higher Education(JCR, Q1). She also led and participated in research projects in mainland China, Macau and Australia. Her achievements were also recognized by Murdoch University. She received the “Best Publication Award for HDR students 2020” and the “2021 Vice Chancellor's Excellence in Research — Best Research Output Award” from Murdoch University. In October 2021, she was awarded the prize of “Excellent Chinese Overseas Students” by the Chinese Ministry of Education.

Topic: Learning Persistence in MOOCs

Abstract: Addressing the high dropout rate is a critical issue in the discourses of MOOCs, as (a) providers need to motivate more learners to persist in MOOC learning to sustain the MOOC community, and (b) learners with an initial intention to complete MOOCs need support and assistance in the learning process. The high dropout rate is also a pressing issue hindering the development of Chinese MOOCs. More importantly, Chinese MOOCs have been assigned the mission to facilitate equal access to quality education, especially to eliminate regional and intercollegiate disparities in educational resources distribution (MOE, 2019). In this situation, Chinese MOOC learners are expected to persist in learning the courses to reap the most from this learning environment and complement the shortage of quality education in their local regions or affiliated universities. This speech will introduce the findings of three empirical studies investigating the factors underlying learners’ continuance intention to learn in a Chinese MOOC, thereafter, a comprehensive model is proposed, hoping to deepen the understanding of the high dropout issue in MOOCs.