Pre-service geography teachers from normal universities in China: what do their master's degree theses focus on and imply?

Pre-service teachers are crucial for shaping secondary education, and research on their professional development is globally significant. While international research explores pre-service teachers' professional development, ethical growth, and psychological well-being, there's a gap in understanding their research capabilities through their academic theses. In China, normal universities are key to teacher training, but variations exist across institutions. Graduates, particularly in basic disciplines, often pursue teaching, facing challenges in securing ideal positions. The increasing number of professional master's degrees, while vital, hasn't been accompanied by training system reforms. Geography is unique in China's educational framework, mainly taught in normal universities. The 2014 National College Entrance Examination (NCEE) reforms changed geography's status, making it accessible to all students. This study aims to investigate the research capacity of pre-service geography teachers (STG) at normal universities by examining their master's theses, comparing training across different regions and assessment levels, and proposing solutions to improve quality.

The introduction cites various studies examining pre-service teachers' professional development (Dijkema et al., 2019), ethical growth (Ye and Law, 2019; Lutovac, 2020), and psychological well-being (Birchinall et al., 2019). However, it notes a lack of research focusing on pre-service teachers' research capabilities through thesis analysis (Van Katwijk et al., 2021). The introduction also mentions Chinese educational policies and the role of normal universities, citing sources like the Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China (2022a) and other relevant works (Du 2011; Wang 2020; Zhou 2023) to contextualize the study within the Chinese education system. The introduction further distinguishes between professional and academic master's programs in China, explaining the 'Double Tutor System' and its challenges (Wang 2020; Shi et al. 2011; Liu and Qin 2016; Zhang 2019; Hu 2006). Finally, it highlights the unique position of geography in Chinese education and the impact of the 2014 NCEE reforms (State Council of the People's Republic of China 2014; Gao et al. 2021; Guo et al. 2022).

The study examined master's theses from 26 normal universities (excluding Northeast Normal University due to data unavailability) selected from the 43 universities listed in the fourth round of the national subject assessment for Geography in 2017. Universities were categorized into three regions (Eastern, Central, and Western China) based on economic development and nine assessment levels (A+, A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-), later grouped into A, B, and C. A total of 4510 theses from 2016 to 2022 were analyzed. CiteSpace and Gephi software were used for bibliometric and network visualization analyses of keywords from the theses. Keyword clustering, keyword frequency assessments, and burst keyword monitoring were conducted to identify research trends and variations across regions and assessment levels. Price's Formula was used to identify high-frequency keywords. Finally, a comparison was made between the findings from the thesis analysis and the current literature to assess whether the research topics align with the forefront of geography education research.

The number of STG master's theses increased steadily from 2016 to 2022, with Level B universities contributing the most. Keyword analysis revealed a focus on secondary education, particularly senior secondary, with keywords like 'senior secondary geography,' 'teaching strategy,' and 'key competency' dominating. There was a gradual concentration of research themes over time, with a shift from traditional topics to emerging themes like 'curriculum standards' and 'key competency'. Burst keyword analysis highlighted changes in research focus over time, from traditional topics to student-centered and politically relevant themes. Hierarchical heterogeneity showed differences in research foci across universities with different assessment levels: Level A universities focused on core issues and emerging topics; Level B universities showed greater diversification; and Level C universities emphasized strategies to enhance student learning and local context. High-frequency keyword analysis using Price's Formula confirmed variations in research priorities across assessment levels, with Level C universities showing less innovation. Spatial heterogeneity analysis showed regional variations, with eastern universities leading in innovation and ocean-related research, central universities integrating various research approaches, and western universities focusing on local contexts and ethnic minority issues. Comparison with international and domestic research revealed that STG master's theses lagged in depth and breadth, focusing on microscopic scales.

The findings reveal a focus on traditional and emerging themes in geography education in STG master's theses, but significant variations exist across assessment levels and regions. Higher-level universities in developed regions show more research-oriented theses aligned with teacher concerns. However, compared to international and domestic research, the theses are less innovative and lack depth. The proposed three-pronged collaborative mechanism aims to address these issues: strengthening cooperation with off-campus tutors, enhancing university-secondary school partnerships, and fostering inter-university cooperation. This will improve thesis topic selection, guide postgraduate research, and ensure alignment with frontline teaching needs. The discussion highlights the need to bridge the gap between university research and secondary school practice.

This study reveals the research trends and gaps in STG master's theses at Chinese normal universities. A three-pronged collaborative framework is suggested to improve the quality of pre-service teachers. Future research should expand the timeframe, incorporate qualitative analysis, and deepen the analysis of individual universities. The integration of AI in geography education is a promising area for future study.

The study's limitations include the relatively short timeframe of the data and the focus on keywords instead of a full textual analysis of the theses. Future research should expand the time period and include qualitative analysis for a more complete understanding of research trends. The study also acknowledges the limited access to data, limiting the potential scope of its analysis.