Week 7- Task One China's DL

These are some of the key points I found interesting and informative about distance learning teaching in China. These points are taken from this weeks reading of Zhao Yuhui's article, China: Its Distance Higher Education System, this can be located at the following address:

http://www1.worldbank.org/disted/Technology/broadcast/tv-02.html

• China was one of the first countries to use radio and Tv for distance learning. IN THE 1960s the first TV Universities were established.
• After the Cultual revolution ended in 1976, enrollment in higher education was low despite the education level being higher than most developing countries.
• TVUs were practical because they required fewer funding and took a sorter amount of time to train.
• CRTVU- Central Radio and TV university-1978 Radio and TV uni's run at 5 levels; CRTVU-highest level, PTVUS- Second level, Branch Schools- third level, Work Stations-fourth level, Television classes- lowest level.
• CRTVU offers 150 courses, from Mathematics to Library Science.
• TVU- Multimedia, radio+tv+ printed materials
• Audio/Video cassettes are also used to aid distance learning.
• Textbooks that conventional universities use are also used in CRTVU
• "At present, radio and televisins teaching programmes are to a large extent a direct transcription of conventional university classroom teaching"
• Face to face tutoring is also available.
• Students have to obtain credits to pass units. If they do not complete an 'experiment' etc they will not get the credits for the degree
• Period of Schooling is similiar to that of conventional universities, 2-3 years for full time students
• Students are required to obtain 160 credits for 2 years, 240 credit for 3 years.
• TVU students are free from tution fees!!!!!!!!
• "It has been estimated that on average one-third of the cost can be saved to produce a TVU graduate who studies full-time and continues to receive full wages; two-thirds can be saved to turn out a part-time graduate"
• China's radio and TV universities will play an important role in the economy, the development of higher education and social development.

I think what is interesting about the expansion of distance learning in China, is that it has obviously had a huge effect on higher education as around half of the students there graduate with degrees they might not necessarily have got if there was no access to learning in their area.

I also wonder about the state of bias in the type of education they are learning, remember they are only sourcing information from one output. They could be taught entirely biased views and the CRTVU can get away with it.

There is also the issue of interactivity. Through learning information from the radio and TV, you are not able to interact with other students. I think that this is an important part of studying to be allowed to listen and express your own and others views. It also helps to develop social skills and confidence.

Can anyone else think of any importants points to this weeks reading?