Digital Dilemmas and Practical Paths of Vocational Education

Digital transformation has emerged as a core strategy for advancing high-quality development in China’s vocational education and reshaping the global competitive landscape of human resources. By integrating cutting-edge findings from domestic research, this paper systematically explores the theoretical foundations, international experiences, realistic dilemmas, and implementation paths of digital transformation in vocational education. First, it elucidates the evolution of digital transformation from a technical tool to a systemic paradigm shift and analyzes the connotation of vocational education digitalization based on the "dual-element, four-dimensional" drive and the "Unity of Dao and Qi" (Essence and Tools) philosophy. Second, it discusses the research significance of digital transformation in promoting the "Integration of the Four Chains" and constructing a new educational ecosystem. Furthermore, it provides an in-depth analysis of localized challenges in China, including cognitive biases, cost pressures, low utilization of resource libraries, and insufficient faculty competency. Finally, the paper proposes strategies such as upgrading digital infrastructure, reshaping competency-oriented modular curricula, implementing industry-education collaborative smart governance, and establishing a digital competency system for faculty. This study aims to provide theoretical support for building a new ecosystem of digital vocational education with Chinese characteristics, facilitating a holistic leap from traditional educational models to modern governance systems.