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Responses of Chinese Higher Education to the Challenged of Information Society. Wenge Guo Graduate School of Education Beijing University, China. Main Topic. Information Society and Challenges for Higher Education Responses of Chinese Higher Education Policy Responses
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Responses of Chinese Higher Education to the Challenged of Information Society Wenge Guo Graduate School of Education Beijing University, China
Main Topic • Information Society and Challenges for Higher Education • Responses of Chinese Higher Education • Policy Responses • National Infrastructure Building • Use of ICT at Institutional Level • Network Academy • Issues and Implication
The feature of Information society • ICT accelerates the process of the globalization, affect the labor division, determine the competitiveness of economies and corporations, and generate new growth patterns of social life. • “networks constitute the new social morphology of our society, and the diffusion of networking logic substantially modifies the operation and outcomes in processes of production, experience, power, and culture” (Castells, 2000)
Challenges for Higher Education • Information explode • New education delivery vehicle • Anywhere/anyone/anytime communication and collaboration • Globalization
Policy responses • 1993, Outline for Education Reform and Development in China, as meta-policy • addressed the needs for Chinese education to reform in face of the challenges of information society • stressed the importance of use of information and communication technology (ICT) in education
Informationalization of education was explicitly stressed as basic national education policy, with an intention to leap some gap, extend access to post-secondary education, and provide equity opportunities for diversity population. ICT was believed the main instrument for this vision.
1999, Action Plan for Vitalizing Education for the 21st Century, launched six projects: • qualification-oriented education • enhancement of teacher quality • developing high level and creative talents • Modern distance learning • “211” project • World class university project • Program is the financial instrument in China.
“211” Project • MOE of China shifted finance to selective 100 universities and 100 discipline to improve their infrastructure and research and teaching environment • During 1996-2000, central and local government has spent 18 billion yuan RMB to improve the ICT infrastructure, especially support two system: • CERNET: China Education and Research Network • CALIS: Chine Academic Library Information System
Network Academy • During the periods of 1998-2003, the government had invested over 500 million yuan RMB on this project, to: • update and improve China Education Research Network (CERNET), Chinese Education TV and campus networks in the west China; • set out a research project on the key technology of modern distance education • Up to 2004, 67+1 higher education institutions has engaged in distance education and enrolled 2.3 million online students (1 is Chinese Open University)
“211” Program Modern Distance Learning CALIS CERNET Net-course CETV Research Campus ICT Infrastructure Distance Learning System Finance for ICT in Higher Education Support Support
National Infrastructure Building • CERNET: China Education and Research Network • CALIS: China Academic Library & Information System
CERNET Project • China Education and Research Network was started in 1994 • Funded by the State Planning Commission and the Ministry of Education • Managed by the Ministry of Education
Major Tasks • Establish a nationwide backbone which connects eight regional networks and connect them to the global Internet • Set up a national network center • Set up ten regional network nodes • Establish network management systems • Provide Internet applications and develop China information resources and applications.
CERNET Backbone Topology(by end of Jun. 2004) To UK 哈尔滨 To USA 乌鲁木齐 长春 沈阳 呼和浩特 北京 大连 太原 银川 天津 青岛 石家庄 西宁 To Japan 济南 兰州 郑州 南京 西安 合肥 上海 拉萨 成都 武汉 杭州 贵阳 长沙 南昌 福州 622 622 M M POS POS 重庆 2.5G~10G 昆明 台北 广州 南宁 厦门 155M~2.5G 155M 155M POS POS 桂林 512K~7M Satellite+DDN 深圳 4M satellite 4M satellite Satellite DDN 海口
CERNET Statistics by the end of June,2004 • Users 18,000,000+ • Provinces 31 • Cities 200+ • Universities and Colleges 1300+
CALIS • China Academic Library & Information System was started in 1998. • By the end of Nov.2004, the member of libraries had exceeded 500.
Major Tasks • A shared resources network based on the CERNET will be developed using leading edge technology • The document resources and information services will be brought to a higher level for the teaching and research activities in higher education institutions in China. • A set of databases both by purchase and self-development will be developed.
Catalog • Digital Dissertation (Chinese) • Digital Dissertation (English) • Digital Journals (Chinese & English) • Digital Conference Papers • Cooperation with ERIC, UMI, EBSCO, SAGA etc.
Use of ICT at institutional level • Infrastructure • Management of Information system • ICT in teaching • Budget and maintenance
Interestingly, • 58.2% higher education institutions said, they prefer developing MIS themselves or cooperating with other institutions • 32.6% purchase the off-shelf software system developed by other institutions • Only 9.3% institutions will purchase system from commercial company
ICT in teaching • Since 2000, the Ministry of Education has launched teacher-training project • 38.1% institutions provide training course regularly, 54.7% provide training course on demand • 65.2% institutions have established Educational Technology Centers
Issues • Lack of qualified learning Resources • Invest to maintain and upgrade ICT Infrastructure • Teaching in ICT environment: Challenge for faculties • Arguments about the distance learning • intellectual property issues
Policy Process Model • Up-down model • Vision-Driven Policy Development Process • High Efficiency • Low Effect State Council MOE MOST Local Government Top Universities Universities and Colleges Lobby Policy and Finance
Implication • Simple change easy take place • Complex change is more difficult • Participatory policy process • Application-driven investment
Thank you! My Contact Information: wgguo@gse.pku.edu.cn +86-10-62767723