More Than Remote Possibilities: A Systematic Literature Review on Rural Students’ Educational Aspirations in China

• In Event: Saturday Roundtable Session 3:05 pm
  In Roundtable Session: Exploring Aspiration and Community Wealth in Rural Places (Table 27)

Abstract

Despite increasing attention to rural students’ access and success in higher education, research on their aspirations remain limited. This paper utilizes Perna’s (2006) college choice model to examine rural students’ educational aspirations in China. Analyzing 22 articles from 2006 to 2022, it investigates four interrelated contexts shaping their aspirations: social, economic and policy; higher education; school and community; and habitus. The study further explores how individuals form and transform aspirations through cost-benefit calculations. Results highlight the need for understanding diverse experiences, influences, and rural contexts, and suggest avenues for future research and practice. By accentuating individual perceptions, this review deepens our understanding of how rural students develop aspirations amidst changing circumstances, thus contributing to addressing higher education inequity.

Author

• Yulu Hou, Michigan State University