China Has 67 Online Universities
Social development demands more and more talents in all walks of
life. It seems that the traditional way of education is no longer
able to meet people's increasing desire for knowledge. With the
rapid development of information technology and its penetration and
application in all aspects, an online university sprang up in China
four year ago. Now, it has become a parallel system to traditional
classroom education.
China has been enlarging university enrollment in recent years.
However, the lack of teachers, teaching facilities and dormitories
still prevent a lot of high-school graduates from entering
universities or colleges. How to enable more persons to receive
higher education?
In
1998, Hunan University pioneered online education. The following
year, it was joined by Tsinghua University, Zhejiang University and
Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, and they were
approved by the Ministry of Education as the first batch of pilot
universities to provide online education courses. To date, China
has set up 67 online universities, enrolling over 800,000 students.
Thirteen universities in Beijing have opened online education
colleges.
Since online education is still at its early stage, China
encourages the coexistence of multiple forms: First, the
independent operation by the university itself, such as Tsinghua
University. This requires great comprehensive strength and
large capital. Second, joint management between universities and
enterprises, which brings advantages for each side into full play;
so this model is most frequently employed. The third stage is
integration between universities and telecommunication
institutions. The first university on the Internet was jointly
sponsored by Hunan University and Hunan Telecoms, which reduced
infrastructure input but covered only a limited area, so it didn't
completely embody the advantages of "distance learning."
Why Go to Online University?
Each year, about half of high-school graduates are left outside
college school gates. They are still eager to learn, so some then
opt for the online university.
In
the online college of South China University of
Technology, people see neither blackboard nor teachers, but
only computers and teaching software. No lectures from teachers,
but only the sound of beating keyboard. Students can open any web
page they want to learn and arrange their study freely. "Learning
is interesting here," said one girl student.
"Compared with traditional way of teaching, online learning is more
convenient," said Luo Xuechao, deputy director of the online
college, "Anyone can start learning anything through the Internet
from any chapter at any time, any place. Even if you are on a
business trip, a portable computer and a piece of teaching software
will enable you to learn. You needn't worry about any interruption
of your studies."
Online education is the only teaching method in which mutual
contacts are realized between teachers and students or among
students themselves. Teachers are no longer dominators of classes,
but counselors, and students study positively rather than
passively. The teaching materials are not merely dull words, but a
multi-media demonstration of words, sound, tables, videos and
cartoons.
Cheng Huanwen, director of the online college of Zhongshan
University in Guangzhou, capital of southeast China's Guangdong
Province, said that online teaching is more helpful to suit
instruction to student level. As complete records of each student's
study progress and examination scores are available on the
Internet, the teaching system will accordingly put forward
suggestions to the student based on his personal data.
Future Development Depends on Social Recognition
As
a new thing, the online university concept had its doubters. Some
say: "Is it a class if there's no teacher?" Others say: "Will the
diploma be accepted by the state and by institutions wanting an
employee?"
The problems have aroused wide concern among educators in this
field. As the first key university in China to open online
education, Tsinghua has felt the lack of support from the public
service mechanism. Though its online education is closely related
with the competitive teaching staff, popular courses and strict
management, it has no experience at all. "If we can learn from
Western developed countries and set up a public service system,
then online education will be rapidly developed," said Yan Jichang,
deputy director of the School of Continuing Education of Tsinghua
University.
Beijing Lanse (Blue) Market Investigation Company conducted a
survey last year among 40 employing units, equally divided with 10
each from state-owned enterprises, private enterprises,
foreign-funded enterprises and administrative institutions. The
result shows that 72.5 percent, or 29 of them expressed willingness
to accept online university graduates. Only three units were
doubtful.
For private and foreign-funded enterprises, diploma seems to be not
that important. They pay more attention to employee's capability
and experiences. In comparison, state-owned enterprises and
administrative institutions are more unwilling to receive such
students. A person in charge of the personnel department said,
"Though online university is a kind of higher education
acknowledged by the state, it is a new thing. We cannot judge the
real worth of each diploma. So if we must accept such kind of
students, we will select from those graduated from online colleges
of Tsinghua and Renmin University of China."
This poses a new problem. Online university must first set up
famous brand names and focus on teaching quality if it wants to
develop. That's why the Ministry of Education decided to set up
pilot online colleges in key universities. Though the online
university diploma has been recognized by the state, the students
of this kind must get social acknowledgement with their own
abilities.
Professor Xie Weihe, director of the Networking Education College
of Beijing Normal
University, said that the online university must perfect its
teaching and management system to be highly acknowledged by the
society, adding that formal online colleges must guarantee their
quality of teaching and attach great importance to the real value
of their diplomas.
Only when excellent talents are cultivated, can online universities
be accepted by society and employing units. This will help form a
favorable circulation in the future.
Zhang Yaoxue, head of the Higher Education Department of the
Ministry of Education, confirmed that the state acknowledged the
diploma issued by online colleges run by universities approved by
the Ministry of Education. People doubt the online university
diploma because they haven't got accustomed to something so new.
Once the Internet gets enough bandwidth, quickens its transmission
speed and Internet usage improves, the online university will
become an important way of getting degrees and diploma.
Now, more enterprises are planning to invest in online education.
They will bring capital, technology and necessary services. Online
education is forging ahead vigorously.
(china.org.cn by Li Jinhui, July 26, 2002)