The development and implementation of the Teachers Network-Based Training Programme (TNBTP) (2015-2017), as part of the Training Plan for Primary and Secondary School Teachers (TPPSST) of the Open University of China (OUC) has improved the information technology application abilities of teachers in 13,163 kindergartens, primary, and secondary schools in Sichuan province.

On this basis, the teachers’ network study community was put into use. The teachers' teaching patterns were innovated based on the "Internet Plus" era and a teachers’ study community was built within an environment of information technology. The OUC has led teachers from five counties to embark on the road to research and innovation, in order to achieve ideal education through the ideals of education.

On 1st April 2016, the Training Integrating OUC Network Study and School-Based Studies and Teachers’ Workshop pilot programmes kicked off in primary and secondary schools and kindergartens in five counties in Sichuan Province. A seed, carrying the hope of the OUC training teachers to serve basic education, has started to sprout.

The Training Integrating OUC Network Study and School-Based Studies focused on classrooms in order to explore the research and practice of a model form for teacher teaching with the support of information technology. The Teachers’ Workshop was made up of backbone teachers with the aim of encouraging teachers from rural areas to attend the training workshops, building a teachers’ study community based on information technology, and promoting normalised training for all led by backbone teachers. The OUC, along with teachers from five counties — Wenchuan, Luxian, Gulin, Xuyong, and Mianzhu — has embarked on the road to learning and innovation.

Project launched in a down-to-earth manner

A special seminar was organised for 16 key managerial staff from five counties. A plan was put in place in order to realise the localisation and implementation of the programs in the five counties mentioned above based on the needs of the study. A comprehensive study was conducted into the overall implementation of the programme.

However, starting two programmes simultaneously has created a series of problems. For example, there are a great number of teachers involved, there is a lot of overlap in job arrangement, and the teachers have heavy teaching and research responsibilities. "I know the job is very difficult. But I also know that it is doing something wonderful for our five counties. With the state government providing training funds and the OUC providing high-quality training resources and patterns, we can only improve education." This speech by Wan Bin, director of Xuyong Teacher Training School, made everyone think.

The OUC has developed a centralised training programme for backbone teachers by “delivering training” to the counties. Based on the actual situation in the counties, the OUC further discussed the training plan, and developed and improved a Training and Management Implementation Plan for Counties Undertaking the TNBTP Project, Training Activities, and Application Evaluation Implementation Plan for Schools Undertaking the TNBTP Project, in order to establish a smooth connection between the OUC’s Network Study and School-Based Studies programmes.

Research and practice activities in full swing

“The synchronisation of online and offline courses is a process of continuous improvement and innovation. By constantly refining the courses, all of the courses will end up as quality courses,” said by Huang Yuanhua, who participated in the online training programme.

Developing teaching research and organically combining schools from north and south China, from urban and rural areas, and with weak or strong educational records in order to form a regional study community with a common development goal and construct a regional training alliance, are all goals of the teacher training model in Wumeng mountainous area.

In 2016, the Education Bureau of Xuyong County endeavoured to balance development between schools in the north and south and establish coordination between strong and weak schools. It divided the primary and secondary schools within the county into 15 training areas, using homogeneous and heterogeneous grouping methods. Each training area consists of five to six schools and forms a training alliance. Schools with high quality education, achieved good results in teacher training, and played a demonstrative role in school-based study were established as training bases, with the rest of the schools becoming alliance schools.

Based on gradually refined courses and a workshop training mechanism led by backbone teachers, the OUC’s network and school-based training has helped to establish a Regional Training Alliance in Xuyong County, making up for the shortcomings of school-based training and encouraging teachers to step out of the university and start a new training model. A relationship of equality, cooperation, and mutual aid between the training schools has been established. The enthusiasm of the schools and teachers for independent study has been enhanced. The construction of a training team has been boosted. The quality and effect of training has been enhanced and the level and quality of regional training have been improved.

Shouldering their responsibilities silently and diligently

Having internalised these ideals and responsibilities, the key managerial team of the OUC and the five counties and the subject teachers advanced the programme in a down-to-earth manner. Despite facing a challenging task, they did not show fear. They quietly worked in the classes in the small towns of the five counties, breeding, planting, and cultivating ideas. They worked with each other, reflected on their problems, summarised their experiences, held discussions, and put their ideas into practice.

Over the past two years, the education and teaching skills of 13,163 rural teachers have been greatly improved and a standard operating mechanism for school-based study and training has been established. Rural teachers can learn and practice while continuously improving their teaching and learning ability. Through the guidance of the TPPSST and the instruction of the OUC, the existing education and teaching problems in the five counties were solved, and a positive, healthy, and normalised training mechanism was constructed.

Written by Dong Sujuan, Xue Jiayi, Edited by Yan Jingzhen, www.china.org.cn