A Cross-Strait Perspective: A Study on the Development of New-Generation Vocational Education Teacher Training and Faculty Team Building — A Comparative Analysis between Mainland China and Taiwan, China

Abstract

This study examines the development of vocational education teachers and the construction of teaching staff across the Taiwan Strait. Utilizing expert interviews and a structural equation model (SEM) for mixed-method analysis, it seeks to uncover the causal relationships among policy support, teacher training, teacher professionalism, and school-enterprise collaboration. The research reveals that while both sides of the Taiwan Strait emphasize “dual abilities” and the “integration of industry and education”, they differ in institutional logics regarding teacher qualification recognition, training models, and resource allocation. The SEM model results indicate that policy support significantly enhances the effectiveness of teacher training and development. Teacher training serves as a mediator between teacher professionalism and overall effectiveness. However, the direct link between teacher professionalism and school-enterprise collaboration is not significant, suggesting that organizational structure and environmental factors are crucial moderating variables. Theoretically, this study addresses Schultz’s “human capital theory” and Rauner’s “dual-ability model”, further developing a comparative analysis framework of “policy-ability-effectiveness”. Practically, it is recommended that both sides of the Taiwan Strait establish cross-border teacher certification and digital teaching and research platforms to foster regional knowledge exchange and teacher mobility. This approach aims to achieve the digital transformation and sustainable empowerment of vocational education teachers, ultimately realizing the educational vision of common prosperity in industry and education and the co-creation of value.