The China Association for Educational Technology (CAET) 2013 Annual Conference, along with a seminar on The Construction of Digital Campuses and Massive Online Open Classes (MOOCs), was held in Haikou City a few days ago. The theme for this year’s annual conference was “Information Technology Deepening Enables the Balanced Regional Development of Education”.Doctor Yang Zhijian, President of the CAET and President of the Open University of China (OUC), gave a work report on behalf of the Fifth Council. At the seminar, experts in the field of education digitization, including Professor Cheng Gang from Tsinghua University, OUC Vice President and researcher Zhang Shaogang, and Professor Jiao Jianli from South China Normal University, spoke about the international development trends in education digitization, top-level design and the development of major national projects. Academic debates on current hot topics were held, such as online learning, the theory and production of mini-courses, intelligent learning, and mobile learning.
Zhang Shaogang gave a speech entitled: “MOOCs Inspire the Integration of the Real and the Virtual: Major Trends in the Transformation of Education”. By describing the integration of traditional universities in the real world and virtual universities in the Internet era, as well as the changes to traditional education and online education brought about by their relationship, he raised the view that the application of technology-based educational ideas and teaching methods to traditional education (including vocational training and community education) has made the transition from unconscious influence to positive acceptance. Through blended learning, online learning is quietly changing the model for traditional classes, campus-based teaching management, teaching research and practice, and teaching assessment. The participants agreed that this will ultimately merge into an interconnected lifelong learning system. Professor Shan Congkai, Executive Deputy Director of the OUC Digital Learning Resources Centre, was invited to attend the seminar on the construction of mini-courses. He gave a speech on the significance of the construction of mini-course resources and how the construction of top quality mini-course resources is key to advancing the reform of education digitization and enabling the balanced regional development of education.
The results of the 2013 National Competition for Works on the Theory and Practice of Educational Technology and the Fourth National Competition for Outstanding Education Photography (http://www.etr.com.cn/zscx/) were also announced at the conference. Eight works entered into the competitions, including the OUC’s Standing at a New Starting Point and The Radio and TV Education in Tibet: Review of the CCRTVU Tibet School at its Tenth Anniversary, the OUC Multimedia Press’s Vehicles from Ancient Time, Tibetan Painting Materials and Techniques, A-B-C Theoretical Personality Models, How to Harness Grassland Degradation, and Sunshine Physical Education, and E-Business Creates New Wealth for Farmers by Mrs Yin Xiaojuan, a faculty member of the OUC School of Economics and Management, won the first prize in the monographic film group and the video and film teaching materials group. Another seven works, including the OUC’s Empowering the Disabled to Fly High Even with Broken Wings, the OUC’s mini-film series Be with You, and the OUC Multimedia Press’s Beijing’s Time-Honored Shops: From the Record of Chinese Facts, and Business Mastercard: Director Liu’s Enthusiasm for Chinese Language and Culture, won second prize for monographic films, original DVs, and video and film teaching materials. The OUC Multimedia Press was also awarded a prize for organizing the competitions.
Approximately 700 people, including leaders of educational departments, international and domestic academic experts in the field of educational technology, leaders from the radio and TV university system and renowned education companies, as well as representatives from the association’s research institutions, attended the seminar, which marks a grand annual event in the educational technology industry. The event was sponsored by the CAET, organized by Hainan RTVU and Educational Technology of Nainan Provinance, and chaired by Wang Zhuzhu, Director of the National Center for Educational Technology.
By Xiong Yingjin from the OUC