In order to further strengthen the construction of the young teaching team of the Open University of China (OUC), cultivate the professional spirit of the teachers, improve the quality of education and teaching, and improve the management ability of the teaching team, the OUC decided to carry out workshops for teachers in four areas: "professional development", "resource construction", "online teaching”, and "academic research".
On 7 November 2019, a teachers’ workshop at the OUC headquarters, with the theme of “Teachers' Professional Development and Personal Growth,” was held at the OUC Wukesong campus. Cao Guoyong, executive deputy secretary of the Party committee of the OUC, attended the event and delivered a speech. Thirty-nine faculty members from the teaching departments, experimental schools, and other management departments participated in the workshop.
Cao Guoyong pointed out that, over the OUC’s 40 years of operation, its goal has always to been to be a world-class Open University through long-term and unremitting efforts. In order to achieve this goal, it is more important and urgent than ever to strengthen the training of teachers, improve the quality of education and teaching, and promote the reform and innovation of teaching. Efforts should be made to build a vibrant, vigorous teaching team that meets the needs of "Internet + University" development. Earnest measures should be taken in the construction of the teaching staff at the OUC headquarters, which plays a leading role in the teaching staff construction of the OUC system. It is of great significance for the healthy growth of young teachers to hold teacher workshop activities at the headquarters, and build a platform for senior teachers to share their experiences so that younger teachers can learn from them. He hopes that all young teachers will adhere to the principles of morality, lifelong learning, and service to society, and make greater contributions to the development of open education.
Professor Liu Zhimin, a nationally-recognised teacher with 35 years of work experience at the OUC who is also director of the Faculty of Economics and Management, discussed how to become an excellent open university teacher with the young teachers. She systematically explained the work and development path of a host teacher from three aspects: "Understanding Host Teachers", "Main Work of Host Teachers”, and "Growth of Host Teachers". She encouraged young teachers to love the cause of distance open education, become good teachers with "Four Good Qualities" (namely, teachers with ideals and beliefs, high moral integrity, solid knowledge, and a benevolent heart), closely connect teaching with scientific research, conscientiously perform the responsibilities of a host teacher, actively explore the curriculum construction and teaching model of open universities in the new era, strive to improve the quality of teaching, and enhance the learning experience for students.
Liu Ying, deputy director of the Department of Student Affairs and Teacher Development, summarised the workshop and said that the OUC headquarters will continue to hold similar workshops and that more experts from inside and outside the OUC system will be invited to pave the way for the growth of young teachers and help with their professional development, in order to build a talent pool for the sustainable development of the OUC.
By Zhang Hongrui, OUC