Followers of Confucianism or a new generation? learning culture of mainland Chinese : in pursuit of western-based business education away from mainland China

Abstract

The mainland Chinese learning culture has evolved due to the rapid changes in the economic, political, cultural and demographic demands. The changing characteristics of the Chinese students’ learning behavioral styles and preferences, as well as the challenges faced in pursuit of Western based education, are discussed with suggested recommendations to address these issues. The similarities and differences between Western-based and Chinese education over the decades and at the present are reviewed to enable educators to appreciate a deeper understanding, hence enabling effective facilitation and engagement of students. This enables the usage of a suitable mixture of instructional approaches to facilitate optimal learning process for the students by understanding the learning styles, preferences, and behavioral issues of mainland Chinese students.