The 2020 Forum on Research into Network-based Online Education at the Open University of China (OUC) took place from 10-13 November with the aim of building a network-based multi-domain, multi-perspective academic-exchange platform, and of helping young and middle-aged scholars at the OUC to publish, broaden their academic horizons, and undertake new research.

With the careful preparation of the OUC Faculties of Economics and Management, Education, and Agroforestry and Medicine, as well as the Open University for Older Adults, the Lifelong Education Research Institute, and the Academic Affairs Department, 25 scholars, 6 moderators, and 7 experts from outside the university took part in 6 content-rich discussions.

The forum the Faculty of Economics and Management held on the afternoon of 10 November was titled “Innovations in Economic Research and Methods for the 14th Five-year Plan”. Liu Zhifang, Faculty of Economics and Management professor and vice dean, served as moderator, and Gong Di, a doctoral supervisor from the University of International Business and Economics, served as external expert. Four young teachers - Ge Junyi, Wang Jia and Xu Jinhai from the OUC, and Ma Wei from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences - gave presentations respectively titled Principles and Applications of Hierarchical Linear Models, Data Observation and Model Applications, Methods of Study and Research, and Rediscovery of Classical Theory.

The forum the Academic Affairs Department held on the afternoon of 10 November was titled “Building Online-teaching Teams”. Chen Kun, vice dean of the Academic Affairs Department, acted as moderator, and Chen Shiping, vice president of the School of Continuing Education at the Central University of Finance and Economics, as external expert. Four young or middle-aged scholars, including Cheng Qian and Zhang Ling from the OUC, Shi Liwei of the China University of Mining and Technology, and Yang Fan from the OUC Chengdu branch, presented wonderful lectures, respectively titled How to Build Excellent Teaching Teams, Review and Prospects of Online-teaching Teams, Reform of “Minor Major” Teaching, and New Requirements for the Construction of Online “Internet Plus” Teaching Teams.

The forum of the Open University for Older Adults held on the afternoon of 11 November was titled “Aging and the Development of Education for Older Adults”.Li Zhihong, director of the Policy Research Department of the China National Committee on Aging, acted as external expert. Four young or middle-aged scholars, including the OUC’s Liu Caimei and Jiang Haiyan, Zhang Songhui from the Henan branch, and Zhao Yufeng from the Academy of Macroeconomic Research, gave wonderful presentations titled respectively New Model of Education for Older Adults, Integrating Health Preservation and Studies in Education of Older Adults, Research on the Makino School, and Aging Populations and Internationalisation.

The forum of the Faculty of Education held on the morning of 12 November was titled “Education Science in the New Era”. Zhang Xia, vice dean of the Faculty of Education, acted as moderator, and Zhao Wei, a doctoral supervisor from Northeast Normal University, as external expert. Four young or middle-aged scholars, including the OUC’s Wang Haiping, Jia Yuchao and Wang Yu, along with Jiang Qiang from Northeast Normal University, gave four wonderful lectures, respectively titled The Past and Present of Children’s Palaces, What is a Good Argument?, The Use of Deep Learning in the Classroom, and Elements and Analysis of Group Creative Processes in Maker Classes.

The forum of the Lifelong Education Research Institute held on the afternoon of 12 November was titled “Research and Practices in Lifelong Education”. Doctor Li Ying of the Lifelong Education Research Institute acted as moderator, and Wu Zunmin, a doctoral supervisor and professor at East China Normal University, as external expert. Five young or middle-aged scholars -  the OUC’s Jiang Yilu, Liu Shu, Yin Shuangxu and Wang Xiangxu, along with and Tan Mingjie from the Sichuan branch - gave wonderful presentations respectively titled Building a Learning City, Education of Older Adults in Hong Kong, Lifelong Education and Open Universities, International Open Education: a Comparison, and How to Research Distance Open Education.

The forum held on the afternoon of 13 November was titled "How to Serve the National Strategy of Rural Revitalisation”. Zhao Tingting and Fu Jinfeng, teachers in the Faculty of Agroforestry and Medicine, acted as moderators, and two scholars, Zhu Junfeng, a senior consultant with the Asia Development Bank and professor at China Agricultural University, and Wang Xunjian, a professor from the Hubei branch, acted as external experts. Four young or middle-aged scholars - the OUC’s Zhao Tingting and Hu Lifeng, Wen Lan from the Hunan branch, and Xu Guangcai from the Beijing University of Agriculture - gave wonderful lectures respectively titled Developing Characteristic Industries to Boost Rural Revitalisation, Bast Fiber Crops Assisting Rural Revitalisation, Differentiation by Location of Demand for Online Educational Resources for Rural Revitalisation, Construction and Operation of Rural Online Education and Teaching Resources for Rural Revitalisation.

As part of the 2020 Teaching and Scientific Research Work Conference of the Open University of China, the forum advocated network-based research into online education as an innovative way to deal with Covid-19 and to enhance the influence of scientific research at the OUC. Statistics show that 4,124 online viewers from OUC headquarters, its branches, and industrial colleges watched the live broadcast of the forum, and that it received 3,640 likes or comments. By the morning of 16 November, the video had been watched 1,111 times.

All agree that the success of the forum will stimulate innovative online scientific research at the university.

By Chen Min,OUC