In order to fully implement Xi Jinping's new socialist ideology with Chinese characteristics and the spirit of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, thoroughly study and implement the spirit of the Conference on Ideological and Political Work in National Colleges and Universities and the National Education Conference, advance the comprehensive implementation of moral education, thoroughly put into practice the requirements of "Three Types of Education,”
namely, education for all members of society, education with comprehensive procedures, and all-round education, and maintain the simultaneous development of ideological and political education in courses and construction of ideological and political courses, from 11-20 May 2020, the Open University of China (OUC) held a series of special live lectures on "strengthening the construction of ideological and political courses in open education in the new era.”
The special live lectures focused on research into the innovation of Chinese ideological and political education, as well as the approaches to and methods of the integration of ideological and political education into the whole process of the teaching of specialty courses in colleges and Universities in the context of the new era. Well-known experts in the field of ideological and political education in courses in China’s colleges and universities were invited to deliver online live streamed courses oriented towards all teachers in the OUC system.
The open classes included four live lectures. The first lecture was Innovation of Ideological and Political Education under the Vision of the Governance and Administration of the CPC Central Committee since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, given by Professor Han Hua from Capital Normal University. Han Hua interpreted the spirit of general secretary Xi Jinping's important speeches since the 18th National Congress of the CPC and analysed innovations in the field of ideological and political education in higher education in China in the new era. The second lecture was given by Professor Guo Jianxiao of Tianjin Foreign Studies University. Professor Guo clarified the concept of ideological and political education in courses from multiple perspectives. The third lecture was delivered by Professor Li Yanbing from Beijing Union University. Li Yanbing referred to innovation in ideological and political education and introduced the theoretical basis, working ideas, and teaching methods of integrating ideological and political education content into specialty courses. The fourth lecture was given by Professor Zhang Lisheng from Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine. He talked about his practical experience of teaching anatomy and discussed the deep integration of ideological and political work into specialty course teaching.
The open classes, with an average duration of about 110 minutes, attracted 4,041 simultaneous participants at their peak, with the average number of participants in each lecture reaching 6,416.
During the lectures, all OUC branches organised group watching sessions and offline discussion and communication sessions. After watching the lectures, many teachers said that they were accurately positioned, innovative, down to earth, and oriented towards practical operation, have which benefitted themselves and their learning. In the context of implementing the requirement to "suspend classes without stopping learning" as part of epidemic prevention and control and actively exploring the combination of ideological and political education in courses and online teaching, the open lectures have an important guiding significance in improving the teaching level of specialty courses and play an important leading role in the construction and implementation of ideological and political education courses in distance open education. Many teachers hope to re-watch the lectures after the live broadcast. In this way, they can combine what they have learnt from the lectures with their own specialty course teaching, carefully figure out the implications of the content, and strive to integrate ideological and political education into their teaching process.
By Jia Yuchao ,OUC