Abstract
It has been argued that in order for the economic growth seen over the
past few decades in the People’s Republic of China (PRC) to continue,
a change from a manufacturing to a service economy may be required.
One problem with this, however, is a foreseen shortage of university and
vocationally trained workers. In response to this, a number of reforms and
initiatives have been introduced, including enhancements to the quality
and quantity of locally-provided higher education, and the development
of local-foreign partnerships for higher education delivery. However, these
reforms and initiatives, it is argued, will still fall short of the target numbers, prompting the question: how can the PRC meet the foreseen shortages? This paper offers some reflections on how open and flexible learning
(OFL), including massive open online courses (MOOCs), may offer an alternative to traditional higher education in the Chinese context.
past few decades in the People’s Republic of China (PRC) to continue,
a change from a manufacturing to a service economy may be required.
One problem with this, however, is a foreseen shortage of university and
vocationally trained workers. In response to this, a number of reforms and
initiatives have been introduced, including enhancements to the quality
and quantity of locally-provided higher education, and the development
of local-foreign partnerships for higher education delivery. However, these
reforms and initiatives, it is argued, will still fall short of the target numbers, prompting the question: how can the PRC meet the foreseen shortages? This paper offers some reflections on how open and flexible learning
(OFL), including massive open online courses (MOOCs), may offer an alternative to traditional higher education in the Chinese context.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Inaugural International Conference on Open and Flexible Education (ICOFE 2014) |
| Editors | Kin Sun Yuen, Kam Cheong Li |
| Place of Publication | Hong Kong |
| Publisher | The Open University of Hong Kong |
| Pages | 322-332 |
| Number of pages | 11 |
| ISBN (Electronic) | 9789627707998 |
| ISBN (Print) | 9789627707998 |
| Publication status | Published - 2014 |
| Event | The Inaugural International Conference on Open and Flexible Education - The Open University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong Duration: 16 Jan 2014 → 17 Jan 2014 http://icofe2014.ouhk.edu.hk/ |
Conference
| Conference | The Inaugural International Conference on Open and Flexible Education |
|---|---|
| Abbreviated title | ICOFE 2014 |
| Country/Territory | Hong Kong |
| City | Hong Kong |
| Period | 16/01/14 → 17/01/14 |
| Internet address |
Keywords
- Mainland China
- Higher Education
- Open and Flexible Learning (OFL)
- MOOCs