From Knowledge Mastery to Knowledge Application： A Contemporary Shift in the Value Orientation of Knowledge Teaching
Chen Youqing1 Mao Qiming2
(1.Research Center for Primary and Secondary School Development， Central China Normal University， Wuhan 430079；2.Institute of Teacher Education， Central China Normal University， Wuhan 430079)
Abstract：Knowledge teaching has different value orientations and corresponding education functions. For decades， school education in China has primarily emphasized knowledge mastery as the central value of knowledge teaching. In response to the demands of national modernization for cultivating talent capable of creatively solving practical problems，we argue that the value orientation of knowledge teaching in China's school education should be shifted from knowledge acquisition to knowledge application. The application of knowledge involves two distinct processes： general task execution and problem-solving. General task execution entails straightforward knowledge utilization， where learners directly apply acquired knowledge to transcend individual experiential limitations， achieving greater effectiveness and quality in goal selection， process design and implementation. Problem-solving， however， requires complex knowledge application—learners must creatively adapt or reconstruct their knowledge base to address novel situations and practical challenges. Knowledge that learners can flexibly apply differs fundamentally from disciplinary knowledge as an academic object or merely memorized content. Instead， it represents internalized， proficient， integrated， and contextually adaptive knowledge shaped through learners' active engagement with specific scenarios. Emphasizing knowledge application necessitates multi-dimensional reforms in knowledge instruction： in value orientation， it is necessary to prioritize learning to apply knowledge for action or problem-solving as the core educational objective； in content selection， it is necessary to transform knowledge acquisition by emphasizing complexity， contextualization， and structuration of learning materials； in process organization， it is necessary to foster learner agency through pedagogical innovations that establish student-centered teaching-learning dynamics， ensuring alignment with application-oriented goals.
陈佑清 毛齐明. 从掌握知识本身到运用知识做事：知识教学价值的当代转向[J]. 华中师范大学学报（人文社会科学版）, 2025, 64(4): 166-179.
Chen Youqing Mao Qiming. From Knowledge Mastery to Knowledge Application： A Contemporary Shift in the Value Orientation of Knowledge Teaching. journal1, 2025, 64(4): 166-179.
2025, Vol. 64 
