To carry forward the essence of traditional culture, popularize knowledge of traditional sinology, and meet the national demand for sinology learning, the Research and Training Centre for Community Education under the Ministry of Education (MOE) launched the "i – Sinology Experiment " (hereafter short for i-Experiment) construction work in June 2015.
Undertaken by (Hubei) Shiyan Radio and TV University, "i - Experiment" is an online platform where national residents can enjoy online learning and exchange views on sinology learning. It is also an offline teaching and communication platform for the dissemination and application of sinology. With the online and offline interaction, the platform enables the national people to experience the extensive and profound Chinese traditional culture, arousing their interest in traditional Chinese culture and affection for sinology; recognizing the role of traditional Chinese culture in teaching us how to behave well, do good, and seek knowledge; providing intellectual support for social harmony and economic development in a sound humanistic environment.
"i - Experiment" platform has set up many columns, including "news bulletin, sinology overview, celebrity class, activity zone, history exhibition, folk exhibition, filial piety demonstration, antique porcelain exhibition, Hanjiang River rare stone exhibition, creative design studio, Chinese classical showroom with reciting, singing, and dancing as the main classical show item". The platform also allows the users to upload their book reviews and exhibit their achievements with the expert section, on-demand courses, and the accumulation of learning outcomes is available. The classics, experience, and practices from all over the country can be demonstrated through the platform. At the same time, we organized "i - Chinese learning" Chinese characters competition, "enrolling readers of Chinese classics reading" and other activities.
In offline activities, we implement routine work and demonstrate the activities with unique characteristics, striving to build a Shiyan’s local traditional sinology education brand. First, we cultivate and support pilot organizations to motivate their potentials to spontaneously study sinology, and actively promote sinology education. For example, with two main lines ("bring sinology to school, to classroom, to community"; "cultivate students' sinology quality, influence parents with students' acts, and then drive the community's aspiration for sinology by the act of parents"), we eventually form an atmosphere of normalized learning for traditional Chinese culture among the community residents. Second, through various forms of rich and colorful activities, such as "reciting, writing, singing, dancing, painting, and playing classic works", we integrate the traditional Chinese learning and sinology into the life of teachers and students, eventually enabling students to drive the parents and community to implement traditional Chinese education. Third, through the culture wall, the publicity column, the culture corner, and celebrity epigram at the communities and schools, we build unique traditional Chinese community culture. Fourth, we compile Chinese classic books; open traditional sinology education courses; organize calligraphy competitions, classical poetry recitation contest, Chinese knowledge competition, and celebrity lectures on sinology series of education activities.
In the future, "i - experiment" will strengthen cooperation with more regions nationwide, build more offline experience bases across the country, hoping that the national RTVU system will work together to launch online and offline interactive activities for the residents. We should explore, sort out, and inherit local cultures, striving to bring the local traditional culture abroad, introduce the culture with respective characteristics to the local, promote exchanges and learning, and take the "i - experiment" activities as an opportunity to influence parents, households, and even the community by the acts of the students, so as to promote the development of community education, boost national learning, and building a learning society for China.
By Chen Fukun and Li Huiqin, Chinese TV News Executive Editor: Yan Jingzhen