Sias University
China
The purpose of this study is to critically review how open educational resources (OER) and open educational practice (OEP) infrastructures have been built and performed in China (excluding Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan) at the macro and micro levels, especially in the MOOC format. This paper also aims to suggest some possible ways for future OER development based on the research findings.
Aiming to investigate the current state of the OER and OEP infrastructures by tracing the trajectories of their development of OER in China, this project was carried out via desk research methodology, collecting data by browsing the publications about government policies, initiatives, and directives on OER; institutional policies and curricula, focusing chiefly on the proactive participation of the relevant stakeholders in making policies; and the creation, delivery and application in terms of 5R activities, i.e. retain, reuse, revise, remix, and redistribute (Wiley, 2014). A half structured interview was designed to survey the faculty members and learners to better understand the process of how the OER was actually implemented.
The results revealed some characteristics of OER and OEP in China, which distinguish it from other countries in Asia and the world. The findings can be listed in the following sequence: governments funding; awards for selected quality courses; public and private sector involvement and cooperation; inter-constitutional collaboration; open courses in MOOCs format; credits for on-campus higher education and no credits/credentials for lifelong learning; one-stop platforms; quality first; and integration into the curricula of the universities. The results showed a burgeoning increase in openness in the academic journals. The results also showed that, at the macro level, the OER demonstrated effectiveness and efficiency in linking traditional teaching and learning and online learning, and suggested hopeful prospects for lifelong learning in the future.
The research findings suggested that diverse stakeholders at different levels of government, education authorities, educators and audiences should realize the full benefits of OER infrastructure and focus more on OEP. Hopefully, the creation of OER can find its way into the more practical OEP and thus integrate them into secondary education, higher education and lifelong learning in the near future.