Page 113 - Open and Distance Education In Asia : Good Practice From AAOU Members

Asian Association of Open Universities (AAOU) 93

Action Declaration of China MOOCs The above section introduced a number of
In April 2019, China’s Ministry of Education research projects and action plans in the field
issued the Action Declaration of China of open and distance education in China over
MOOCs at the China MOOC Conference, the past five years. These projects and plans
demonstrating that the Chinese government reflect the development trends of China’s
is determined to advance the development of open and distance education. On the one
MOOCs in China together with all institutions hand, the construction of relevant systems
of higher learning to ensure equal access to and mechanisms of open and distance
education and to improve quality education education has continued to improve,
(Department of Higher Education of the laying a foundation for the innovation
Ministry of Education, 2019). The declaration and development of open and distance
reviews the six years of development of education. On the other hand, open and
MOOCs in China and also put forward the distance education has gradually broadened
five major visions for MOOC development in its influence, demonstrating a remarkable
China. The first is to gain access to equality increase in social benefits.
through MOOC development, promoting
educational equality between regions and CONCLUSION
universities. The second is to gain access After nearly a century of ups and downs, in
to education resources sharing by solving particular, the 40 years of rapid development
the restrictions, promoting the sustainable since the reform and opening up, China has
development of MOOCs. The third is to made great progress in open and distance
provide all-round learning support for the education. The structure and system of
deep learning of learners, improving the open and distance education in China has
competitiveness of MOOCs. The fourth is continued to improve, playing an important
to build a road to innovation by practicing role on the world stage. Looking to the future,
new educational philosophy and integrating it is necessary to learn from the experience
the latest technologies. The fifth is to build a of the problems encountered during the
road to cooperation by strengthening multi- development of open and distance education
party cooperation, promoting international in China to create mainstream platforms of
exchanges on MOOC construction, and lifelong education and online education. At
offering a Chinese approach to global the same time, it is also necessary to pay
MOOC development. The above five major attention to assimilating outstanding aspects
visions embody a consensus on the future of foreign open and distance education
development of MOOCs, offering guidance for theories and practice to help China realize a
the sustainable and systematic development leapfrog development from a big open and
of MOOCs in China. distance education country to a powerful
open and distance education country.

The Open University of China (OUC)