To enhance their grasp of information technology and ability to integrate it into their teaching, the Open University of China (OUC) provided its teachers an information-technology workshop on 17 May 2022. Professor Chen Jiang of the School of Electronics Engineering and Computer Science of Peking University, and a trainer in its Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning, lectured at the event.

Professor Chen taught the principles of courseware in terms of “efficiency, architecture, beauty, expression, animation, interaction, and live-streaming” in a lecture titled “Seven Aspects of Information Technology for Teachers”. 22,004 teachers attended online.

According to Professor Chen, courseware needs to be produced with greater efficiency in order to be optimally effective in teaching. He introduced various skills that could enhance efficiency, and help teachers create fast prototypes and put efficiency first in producing courseware.

Courseware should also feature high-quality text and illustrations to maximize attractiveness and effectiveness. Professor Chen showed how to search for appropriate materials and how to design beautiful and natural pictures and icons for a creative and imaginative result.

The ultimate goal of courseware is to enhance learning, and Professor Chen gave a vivid demonstration of how it could accomplish this.

Yuan Yiping, a young teacher at the headquarters, said that Professor Chen showed that creating courseware is an art, and greatly enhanced the enthusiasm of teachers for it. Above all, it is highly effective at conveying class material.

Gan Xiaomin, a teacher at Chengdu Open University, called the lecture “practical” and “wonderful”, expressing confidence that it would help teachers make PPT presentations that spur learning.

The workshop enhanced the ability of OUC teachers to use information technology in general and conduct distance teaching in particular, giving impetus to the construction of a world-class open university with Chinese characteristics.

By OUC