| Author | Tingwu Yang, Camilla Highfield, Molly Mullen |
| tingwu.yang@auckland.ac.nz | |
| Affiliation | University of Auckland |
| Article Language | English |
APA Citation
Yang, T., Highfield, C., Mullen, M. (2026). Urban-rural disparities in drama education in China: A review towards educational equity. The Journal of Drama and Theatre Education in Asia, 14(1), 35-64.
Abstract
This review provides a synthesis of recent research (2019 – 2024) examining urban-rural disparities in drama education across China’s compulsory education system. Drawing on 25 articles, the analysis reveals that urban-rural disparities in Chinese drama education primarily exist in students’ consistent access to drama education, professional development opportunities for teachers, teachers’ attitudes towards drama education, and drama pedagogical effects on students. The findings are critically discussed through a multi-dimensional educational equity framework using a comparative perspective within Asian educational contexts, and an integrative framework that synthesises principles of effective Professional Learning and Development (PLD) and Professional Learning Community (PLC) models, offering a culturally responsive and systematically cohesive mechanism to address the multifaceted equity issues. The review urges educators and policymakers to prioritise this integrative model to bridge urban-rural divides, ensuring drama education is a universal right for all students, not a privilege for some.
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