The "One-Way" Predicament and Strategic Research on the Two-Way Transition of Art Education between Kindergarten and Primary School in China: A Grounded Theory Study

HRMARS - In China, the primary responsibility for the kindergarten-to-primary school transition (K-2 transition) falls predominantly on kindergartens, while primary schools do not play an active role in the process. Many students fail to adapt to the new teaching environment and methods upon entering primary school, leading to issues such as loss of interest in learning and even dropping out. This paper investigates the practical predicament of the "one-way" nature of the two-way transition in Chinese art education and proposes promotion strategies for art education within the K-2 transition context. To comprehensively analyze this issue, this study employs Grounded Theory methodology. Through line-by-line coding of materials including academic literature, news reports, expert lectures, and public WeChat account articles, the study identifies that the "one-way" predicament in the two-way transition of art education is primarily focused on four dimensions: lax supervision by education departments, insufficient guidance from schools, lack of comprehensive teacher competency, and lack of parental awareness regarding the transition. Based on these findings, the paper proposes targeted strategies to address the "one-way" predicament. These four dimensions not only reflect the root causes of the "one-way" predicament in the K-2 art education transition but also provide valuable references for enhancing the accuracy of future analyses of the transition issue and for formulating effective transition strategies.