Dilemmas and Breakthroughs in Online Chinese Language Teaching during Digital Transformation: An Analysis Based on Activity Theory

Abstract

In the wave of educational reform and digital transformation, online teaching is an indispensable teaching form in international Chinese language education. However, the effect of international Chinese language online teaching is not ideal. Teaching is a complex and dynamic activity system. Activity theory provides technical tools to clarify the internal factors of the online Chinese language teaching system and their interrelationships, and to analyze teachers' instructional practices. It also offers a new perspective for conducting teaching research and practice. This study analyzes online Chinese language teaching based on activity theory and finds that current online Chinese language teaching is facing predicaments such as insufficient highlighting of students' subjectivity, single application scenarios of technical tools, solidification of activity task models, and excessive burden on online Chinese language teachers. From the perspective of activity theory, the cause of these predicaments is that the activity system is influenced by the external environment, resulting in contradictions among its internal elements. In view of the existing problems in current online Chinese language teaching, efforts should be made to effectively promote teaching innovation from four aspects: activity community, technical tools, task rules and labor division, optimize online Chinese teaching and improve the quality of international Chinese education.