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 In
the information-oriented society, the need for lifelong education
and its corresponding educational model has increased swiftly. Modern
distance education at Tsinghua University was created to meet just
this need. In February 1996, Tsinghua President Wang Dazhong first
put forward the suggestion to develop a modern distance education
program at the University. In 1999, Tsinghua was one of the experimental
universities approved by the ministry of Education to start a pilot
project. After four years of exploration and practice, Modern Distance
Education of Tsinghua University has so far set up more than 100 off-campus
teaching centers covering 31 provinces, cities, autonomous regions
and Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, with total enrollment
of 15,000 students. In addition, Modern Distance Education of Tsinghua
University was elected as the supervisory unit at the inaugurating
conference of National Modern Distance Education Cooperation Organization
of Experimental Colleges and Universities in 2000.
To date, Modern Distance Education at Tsinghua has constructed a distance
education transmitting system covering the whole country, combining
the internet, satellite digital network and cable TV broadcasting
network. Tsinghua On-line Lyceum is the platform used for on-line
activities such as registration, course-selection, answering questions,
courseware loading and assignment submitting. Via satellite, ISDN,
and IP Wideband, it is able to transmit lectures given at the University
to Tsinghua¡¯s off-campus teaching centers nationwide. In this way,
real-time two-way communication is conducted through ¡°virtual¡± classrooms.
In addition, the digital broadcasts shown on the cable TV network
can transmit numerous teaching programs to various users.
As far as the teaching administration and disciplinary orientations
are concerned, Tsinghua¡¯s Modern Distance Education program, taking
the educational principle of ¡°meeting the market demands and fostering
the applicable personnel,¡± sets buildup of core courses as the primary
task and utilizes the credit system as well as a flexible learning
schedule to meet the needs of working students. Meanwhile, taking
into consideration of the reality of the job market and the future
employment potential for students, the Modern Distance Education program
offers courses in the popular fields of finance and insurance, business
English, computer graphics and Art design, etc. Furthermore, the ¡°dual-diploma¡±
educational (i.e. a combined model of diploma education and certificate
education in which both degree certificate and qualification certificate
will be granted) is expected to nurture the highly qualified workers
urgently needed.
The Department of Distance Education, as the authorized management
branch for modern distance education of Tsinghua University, is
responsible for the establishment of off-campus teaching centers,
enrolment of new students, carrying out teaching plans, education
administration, administration of network resources, making and
distribution of multimedia courseware, and maintenance and updating
of the LAN for distance education.
Key Events
In the 21st century, distance education has grown rapidly in developed
countries, and people in China are in great need of opportunities
for higher education. This need has accelerated the buildup of modern
distance education in the country.
In February 1996, Tsinghua President Wang Dazhong first put forward
the suggestion of developing a modern distance education program
at the University. In November of the same year, Tsinghua got approval
to launch the pilot project respectively from the Office Supervising
Key Chinese Universities and the Office of Postgraduate Affairs
of the former State Education Commission.
In September 1997, an early version of the distance education program
was offered, with more than ten off-campus teaching centers providing
ten courses and some lectures.
In November 1997 and again in November 2000, Vice Premier Li Lanqing
inspected the program's progress, and gave important instructions
for the development of distance education in China.
In 1998 the system of distance education in Tsinghua University
received generous financial support from Cao Guangbiao, chairman
of the Hong Kong Novel Group Corporation. Mr. Cao's gift guaranteed
the smooth construction of the new program.
In 1999 the Ministry of Education gave Tsinghua the go-ahead to
spread its pilot project of modern distance education nationwide.
Off-campus teaching centers
In keeping with the guidelines of the Ministry of Education that
by 2010 China should have a modern distance education network of
multi-standards, multi-levels, multi-forms and multi-functions with
Chinese features, distance education offered by SCE has followed
the guideline of integrating Internet, satellite digital networks
and cable TV broadcasting networks together to establish the transmission
system for distance education. To date, more than 100 off-campus
teaching centers have been set up in 31 provinces, autonomous regions
and municipalities. A preliminary distance education network system
which has the combined advantages of three networks has been set
up, which covers the whole country and fits the situation in China.
Tsinghua On-line Lyceum
July 2000 marked the establishment of the Tsinghua On-line Lyceum,
which is the teaching and administration platform of distance education.
The popular Lyceum has taken full advantage of the Internet to develop
on-line teaching. At present, more than 100 courses have been offered,
and the distance-learning students can register, select courses, ask
questions, download courseware and hand in homework through the system.
Currently, more than 10,000 students use the On-line Lyceum, and its
web site has logged more than 2,050,000 clicks since the program started.
Teaching management and education administration are carried out via
the network.
Distance Education Technological Platform
With the development of information technology and network technology,
the mode of modern distance education of Tsinghua University has been
continually improved. Now, a nationwide transmission system of distance
education combining of IP Wideband, satellite digital network, and
cable TV network has been formed. All courses are made available to
the off-campus teaching centers all over the country through 6M bandwidth
of KU wave band of Comsat. And the transmission system provides the
means for either real-time two-way communication simultaneously among
several users or non-real-time two-way communication.
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