This study examines ecological imbalances in blended College English instruction within Chinese higher vocational education through an integrated theoretical framework combining educational ecology and Garrison’s Community of Inquiry model [4, 5]. We identify three critical limiting factors: significant challenges in pedagogical integration, pronounced digital literacy disparities between instructors and students, and deeply entrenched traditional teaching beliefs [2, 14]. Our analysis further reveals a marked “flowerpot effect” where constrained educational environments systematically inhibit professional development [3, 12]. In response, we propose a reconstructed teaching model guided by four ecological principles: holistic harmony across system elements, individualized learning diversity, dynamic openness to external environments, and long-term sustainable development [1, 9, 15]. This framework aims to establish a balanced teaching ecosystem that supports continuous enhancement of English language education while addressing both immediate challenges and long-term sustainability [16, 19].
