Toward High-Quality and Equitable Compulsory Education: Value Implications and Mechanism Development of Teachers' Boundary-Crossing Learning in School Groups

Abstract

As China advances the high-quality development of basic education by expanding access to high-quality provision and enhancing educational quality, compulsory education is transitioning from basic equity to high-quality equity, with the quality and effectiveness of teacher workforce development emerging as a pivotal variable in this process. Focusing on the practical problem of the structural decoupling of teacher allocation under school-group development, this study draws on boundary-crossing theory to elucidate the value implications of boundary-crossing learning for teachers' professional development. The research identifies that boundary-crossing learning enables teachers to transcend institutional, disciplinary, and cultural boundaries within school groups, thereby fostering collaborative knowledge construction, enhancing pedagogical innovation, and promoting equitable distribution of educational resources. It further proposes four interrelated strategies for developing mechanisms of teachers' boundary-crossing learning: identifying the boundaries of cross-boundary learning, coordinating relationships for cross-boundary collaboration, activating multiple cross-boundary perspectives, and deepening system-wide cross-boundary action. These strategies collectively aim to establish sustainable professional development ecosystems that support both individual teacher growth and collective institutional improvement. The study concludes that effective boundary-crossing learning mechanisms are essential for achieving high-quality and equitable compulsory education, offering theoretical insights and practical guidance for educational policymakers, school administrators, and teacher educators seeking to optimize teacher development within school-group contexts.