On 30 January 2024, the parallel session titled "Education Digitalisation and the Construction of a Learning Society" was successfully held as part of the 2024 World Digital Education Conference.
A notable highlight of the conference was the first-time presentation of the "Report on the Development of a Learning-Oriented Society in China during the Digitalisation Process" to the international audience.
Rooted in the global trend of digitalisation and the philosophy of creating a learning society where "everyone can learn whenever and wherever they want," the Report thoroughly explores the significant transformations and challenges associated with digital technology. It carefully analyses the latest advancements, achievements, and exemplary cases that have driven the development of a learning society in China through the digitalisation of education. This Report introduces a unique "Chinese approach" to nurturing a learning society and country through digital innovations in a nation of over 1.4 billion people.
The report is structured into four main sections: "Digital Transformation and Learning Society Construction," "Crucial Domains Enhanced by Digitalisation in Learning Society Construction," "Enhancing Educational Standards on All Fronts and Facilitating Lifelong Learning Through Digital Technologies," and "Future Prospects for Constructing a Learning Society in the Digital Era."
The opening section highlights the global trends of "digital transformation" and "learning society construction," showing how digital transformation acts as a catalyst for the development of a learning society. It also explores new application scenarios for digital transformation that a learning society provides. This reciprocal relationship aims to promote a sustainable, convenient, and eco-friendly future for humanity. Moreover, it clarifies China's national strategy on educational digitalisation, outlining the blueprint and goals for furthering the development of a learning society within the country.
The following sections illustrate the invaluable contributions of educational digitalisation within a learning society, showcasing over 40 vibrant case studies. These studies span a wide array of educational organisations, including learning cities, communities, and households, and cover various forms of education such as tertiary, continuing, vocational, community, and education for the elderly. In addition, they explore technological platforms, open-access resources, credit bank systems, and international collaborations. These cases highlight how educational digitalisation is seamlessly integrating into every facet of a learning society, meeting the distinct needs of each education type in an inclusive, forward-thinking, and personalised way. This transformative process is driving us toward a significantly improved learning environment.
In addressing challenges such as the rapid evolution of digital technologies, existing digital divides, unequal resource allocation, and crucial concerns about cybersecurity and data privacy, the concluding section outlines the path toward building a learning society in the digital era. It calls for collaborative efforts to create a lifelong learning environment, synchronize efforts to develop resource-sharing mechanisms, jointly tackle ethical risks arising from digitalisation, and promote international exchanges and partnerships.
Guided and coordinated by the Department of Vocational and Adult Education of the Chinese Ministry of Education, the compilation of the Report was achieved with significant contributions from numerous scholars at prestigious institutions such as Tsinghua University, Beijing Normal University, Zhejiang University, the Open University of China (OUC), East China Normal University, South China Normal University, the MOE’s Education Examinations Authority, the Chinese Society of Education Development Strategy, and the OUC Publishing and Media Group. Notably, this Report not only encapsulates China's tangible achievements but also provides a forward-looking perspective on global educational advancements, offering invaluable insights and perspectives for the digitalisation of education and the cultivation of learning societies worldwide.
Reprinted by OUC News Network from CNR