China Distance Learning Activities Updates

Jie An

Tsinghua University

CERNETAug 27, 2002

Opportunities and Challenges

China is a developing country with the largest population

There is an unbalanced development in different regions

Plan for Education Reform towards the 21st Century

In the next three years the central government

will contribute a considerable amount of

capital for this purpose, and will draw capital

and effort from regions, enterprises and

individuals so as to complete the construction

of modern long-distance education system.

Remote Education in China

First Generation via ordinary mail system (50s-70s)

Second generation via radio and television (80s-90s) teacher centric one-way broadcasting, low cost, wide coverage in

rural areas

Third generation via Internet, interactive and multimedia (2000-) Student centric Digital, interactive, multimedia

Projects

CERNET ProjectProjects supported by the Ministry of EducationProjects supported by the Ministry of Science & TechnologyProjects supported by State Planning CommissionLocal Government EffortsCommercial Efforts

CERNET Topology

CERNET Statistics

GigaPoPs 8

MigaPoPs 36

City Connected 160+

Members 900+

End Users 8M+

Key Projects by MoE

”National Education Vitalizing Plan” started since Feb, 1999, thenModern Distance Learning Project Established a standardization committee to

draft out “Modern Distance Learning Standard of China”

“The key technologies and supporting systems for modern distance learning combining satellite, wireless and line infrastructure project”, started 2002.1, with 33 subprojects

Key Projects by MoE

MoE provided the licenses to 67 universities for network education, call it “network college”

“Building College Campus Networks in western area” started this year

152 colleges distributed among 50-60

cities in western area will be connected with

CERNET 800M RMB

Projects Supported by the Ministry of Science &

TechnologyKey project in communication area: “Multimedia Distance Learning Model System based on High Speed IP Network ”

To implement a CERNET-based multimedia distance learning system,which includes distance real-time teaching and distance asynchronous learning system and tools. 7 million RMB

This project was led by Fudan university, 7 other famous universities.

Projects Supported by the Ministry of Science &

TechnologyThe 10th 5-year National Technology Plan

Project: “ the key technology and model system of network education”

To solve the key technical difficulties which restricts the development of China network education, to explore the new teaching modes and standards adapting to Chinese situation, to provide an integrated, inter-operational, scaleable model education platform.

11 groups for 11 sub-projects, 44 million RMB

Projects by the State Planning Committee

China & Japan Distance Learning Model Project

One of the 6 big cooperation projects in IT field between China and Japan towards 21 century

Other Efforts

Local government efforts

Commercial efforts Software and Hardware

Education Resources

Web Site for Self-learning materials

VCDs for Different Level Education

Tests on Networks

……

Observations

Different projects supported by different government branches

Many universities and many activities

Research activities and commercial activities

…..

Objectives and strategies

Principles

Unity in planning

Promotion by demand

Enhancing openness

Quality improvement

Goal

By 2010, establish a life-long educational system with Chinese characteristics which is diverse in its norms, levels, forms and functions.

The Further Development Strategy

Great efforts have been made for providing more opportunities for people to be educated

More efforts should be made for the unity in planning

More efforts should be made for the distance education resourses and methods

Educational Revolution -MoE

What is more important is to research on the changes which will be inevitably brought about in educational ideology, pattern and method. These changes are fundamental in the educational revolution and they are also most important in guaranteeing quality education, cultivating creativity, and meeting the challenges of the next century.

ResourcesCourseware database Internet, Web based courseware

Q&A System FAQ Remote Tutor

Digital Library Search/Index, Text, Audio, Image, Video

Mirrors Distribute Resources

Distance Education Methods

Real time network based multimedia Teaching System One main classroom, several remote classrooms Interaction between teacher and the students Multicast

Virtual Classroom Video on Demand Teaching Web Based Textbook Digital Library Teaching, Homework, Q&A, Examination Multi Thread Learning

Technical Requirements

High Speed Backbone and Access Network

CA and PKI Service

Security Service

Time Service

Directory Service

Quality of Service

Multicast Service

Network Management Service

IP v6 Service

The Problems

Expensive bandwidth

Traditional education model

Lack of innovative resources

Lack of the teachers with networked mind

Conclusion

Facing the large population, we still have a long way to go.

Thank you!