To uphold and implement the guiding principles of the Communist Party of China, and steadfastly promote the national education digitization strategy, as well as advance the pursuit of excellence and the enhancement of quality, the Faculty of Foreign Languages at the Open University of China (OUC) organised a seminar for English teaching work and the central teaching and research group.
The event took place in Kunming, Yunnan Province from 12th June to 14th June 2023. More than 100 English teachers from the OUC system participated in the seminar, which encompassed various sessions including focused discussions, sharing of experiences in teaching reform, expert lectures, exchanges and communications, and training on smart teaching applications.
Zheng Jipeng, vice dean of the Faculty of Foreign Languages, delivered a thematic report on the key objectives for the year. The report encompassed various topics, including the reform of smart teaching methods for public foreign languages, the development of a question bank for degree-conferral English exams, the design and implementation of a self-adaptive system based on knowledge graphs, teacher training, research paper selection, and digital teaching. The primary focus was on the construction of a question bank for degree-conferral English exams, the restructuring of English programmes, and the creation of English programmes specifically tailored for older adults. Zheng also provided guidance and outlined future plans for the upcoming stages of work.
During the seminar, Mi Haimin, a teacher from the Hebei Branch, and Ding Xia, a teacher from the Gansu Branch, shared their experiences in designing and implementing smart teaching reforms, as well as the progress of their research work within pilot teams. They discussed the influential and transformative role of digital technology in teaching management, curriculum reform, and teaching methodologies, emphasizing the importance of technology and its ability to empower educational teams.
Furthermore, Wang Xiaohong, a teacher from the Fujian Branch, shared her expertise in teaching degree-conferral English exams, with a particular focus on tutoring methods utilizing various teaching and learning support resources, such as self-adaptive systems, vocabulary apps tailored for the exam, and resource integration.
Professor Zhou Hongbing, from Hubei University, delivered a lecture entitled "From Intelligent Technology to Smart Teaching Competence." The lecture aimed to provide guidance to teachers on effectively harnessing AI technology and empowering students to take a central role in the classroom through smart teaching approaches, including blended online and offline teaching, as well as flipped classes.
The event boasts a wealth of content and a diverse range of formats, carrying significant implications. It serves to further propel the advancement of digital-enabled open education in English programmes, contributing to the university's strategy of pursuing excellence and enhancing quality. Additionally, it provides clear work objectives and goals for the next phase. Moreover, the event fosters meaningful dialogues among teachers within the OUC system, fostering mutual growth in their abilities and establishing a solid groundwork for OUC teachers to embark on their journey into digital education, thus achieving a new paradigm for high-quality development.
Written by Zhao Jianrong, photographed by Miao Miao, Yang Xiaoyue, OUC