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Distance Education in China

Distance Education in China. James Willcox Joanne Kline Yoko Nagashima. Education System Overview . Centralized Control Ministry of Education Formulate laws Set policies for curriculum Provide funding and funding guidelines Funding support from controlling authority

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Distance Education in China

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  1. Distance Education in China James Willcox Joanne Kline Yoko Nagashima

  2. Education System Overview • Centralized Control • Ministry of Education • Formulate laws • Set policies for curriculum • Provide funding and funding guidelines • Funding support from controlling authority • Local primary schools, local support • Higher education, national support

  3. Education System (cont) • Funding shared locally with social partners • Job training, work-study partnerships • Extends to higher ed with employer sponsorship • Compulsory education laws since 1986 • 9 year target: universal in areas w/90% population • Varying standards based on development • More a goal than a reality for rural areas

  4. Education levels within China • Basic Education • Combination or primary and junior middle school (either 5:4 or 6:3 mix) • 135 million students • Occupational/Polytechnic Education • Some professional schools, technical training • Short-term vocational lo-tech training as well • 19 million students in 1999

  5. Education levels (cont) • Higher Education • About 30% pursue academic track and take NCEE • Options plentiful, varying levels of support • All but the most talented now pay some portion • Student loan concept in early stages • China must educate workforce at minimal cost • 1978-1987: 842k to over 2 mill college students

  6. Education levels (cont) • Adult Education • Overlaps all previous categories • Includes both long and short term instruction • Ranges from adult literacy to short and regular term college instruction • Targeted for older adults not on academic “track” or unavailable for instruction (or vice versa)

  7. History of Distance Ed in China • Existed for nearly 100 years • Combat literacy in rural China • Largest distance learning network in the world • Comprehensive: snail mail to online courses • 3 types of distance education today: • Correspondence University System • Self-study; University Exam • Dianda (CRTVU/PRTVU) • Stage 1: 1914-1949 • Literacy correspondence courses started by the Commercial Press • Correspondence colleges took over in 1940s • Establishment of communist regime: 1949

  8. Stage 2: Mix media Stage 2: 1949-1966 • Ideal vehicle for economic development and socialist modernization • Large colleges and universities continued correspondence courses (eg: People’s University of China, Northeast Teacher’s University) • Radio: professional teachers broadcast to different regions • TV: hybrid model of video instruction, textbooks and face-to-face instruction (Beijing TV Univ.) • 1960-1966 • Over 50,000 finished single subject studies (10,000 at BTU) • Cultural Revolution: all TVUs dissolved

  9. Stage 3: Radio & TV Universities • Stage 3: 1979-1994 • CRTVU (Central Radio & Television University) & PRTVUs • National curricula, teaching and testing • By 1983, 44.3% of students registered in Chinese higher education were in distance education courses • 1986: Satellite TV network established (CETV) • 1991: 5000 hrs of broadcasting a year • 1994: 850,000 enrolled students

  10. Stage 4: Online Initiative • 1988: Ministry of Education pilot programs • CERNET: country wide internet backbone • managed by Education Commission • High speed distance education program • Connects primary-adult education institutions • Goal is to connect western part of country (285 mil. People, 23% of population) • By 2010: modern distance ed program completed • 8.9mil Internet users in China (mostly eastern) • 20mil by 2003

  11. Case Study: China Radio & TV Universities • Mission“serving socialist construction, producing qualified manpower needed for the socialist construction and raising the scientific and cultural level of the whole nation” • Centralized system • Before 1986 Centralized policy: Unified system • After 1986 Decentralized policy: 60% CRTVU vs. 40% RTVUs

  12. CRTVUs’ Five level structure Ministries & Organizations Administrative leadership Academic Guidance State Education Commission CRTVU Provincial Education Commission Industry Work Stations PRTVUs (44) Civic/Prefectural Education Commission Branch Schools (690) Rural County/Urban District Education Bureaus Work Stations (1,600) RTVU Classes (13,000)

  13. CRTVU Programs & Technology • Programs: • Degree – Diploma & Bachelor degree • Non-degree – In-service training & Continuing education • Humanities and technical degrees/courses • Technology: • Multimedia (radio and television broadcasting, audio and visual recordings, and print materials). • Teaching & Learning • Radio and TV broadcasting • Class lectures • Tutoring • Effectiveness?

  14. CRTVUs’ Funding China Central Television & China Education Television (Funded by ministries & SEDC) Financial Support Industries, companies, & enterprises State Education Commission CRTVU Provincial Education Commission Industry Work Stations PRTVUs Civic/Prefectural Education Commission • RTVU Classes • For sec. school grads & school leavers • For work unit Branch Schools Rural County/Urban District Education Bureaus Work Stations Factories, shops, gov. bureaus

  15. CRTVU Accomplishments • up to 1996 • Almost 3 million enrolled (degree program courses) • 2.1 million graduated • At present over one million undergraduates of all types at entire RTVU system • Over 600,000 primary and secondary school teachers have completed the in-service teacher training programs • About 500,000 in-service adults have gone through the courses offered by CRTV Specialized Secondary School and received certificates

  16. Implications of Distance Education for China • More educated population, dispersed • Higher productivity, Economic growth • Further development of domestic industry • Less dependence on MNC investment • More attractive for foreign investment—more plentiful local managerial talent and more educated workforce

  17. Implications of Distance Education for China (cont) • Higher payoffs from economic growth provide incentives for open markets • Population better able to support local industry and development • Economic growth more likely outside of major cities • Less dependence on traditional core areas/industry of Chinese economy

  18. Implications of Distance Education for China (cont) • Requires ongoing maintenance and technical support • More difficult control of information • A crisis of rising expectations for the general population • Less dependence on central economic and political hubs

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