A workshop on “Massive Online Open Courses and the OUC Online Learning Development (MOOCs•OUC)” was held at Wukesong campus of the Open University of China (OUC) on July 25, 2013. The workshop was attended by Yang Zhijian, president of the OUC, and more than 30 representatives from 15 OUC schools and departments.
The emergence of MOOCs is regarded as one of the most influential American educational events of 2012, attracting major attention from professionals in (online) higher education in China. Many reports and research papers on MOOCs have been published. Tsinghua University and Shanghai Jiao Tong University have held workshops on MOOCs. The OUC also attaches importance to the growing trend of MOOCs, focusing on issues such as what are the implications of MOOCs and how to develop MOOCs?. The workshop introduced the latest development trends in online education to the OUC staff. The workshop was designed to help them understand the challenges facing the OUC and how to turn these challenges into an advantage and contribute to the OUC’s reform and development.
OUC President Yang Zhijian made a keynote speech at the workshop. He outlined the basic concept of MOOCs, along with their significance, development trends and the initiatives made by the OUC. Eight teachers from the Library, School of Foreign Languages, Information Technology Department, CRTVU Online Educational Technology Ltd., Learner Support Center, Department of Teaching Resources Management, School of Education, and the Research Institute of Open and Distance Education also expressed their opinions on issues such as “What are MOOCs?”, “What is the connection between micro-lectures, online courses and MOOCs?”, “How can the OUC develop MOOCs?” and “How can big data analytics be used to improve MOOCs?” from the perspectives of a director, a technician, a teacher and a researcher.
According to the attendees, the OUC should take the development of MOOCs seriously, conduct in-depth research, and leverage the OUC’s advantages to improve MOOCs based on online core courses, five-minute lectures and the entire RTVU system in China. The OUC’s focus on the development of MOOCs demonstrates its commitment to social responsibility and its mission to spread knowledge, carry forward culture and promote lifelong learning. It also highlights the core values of the OUC.
By Wang Ying, Wei Shunping, Lu Feng, the OUC