TheLifelongEducationPlatformoftheOpenUniversityofChina(OUC)isabrand-newleaningplatformdevelopedonthefoundationofitsexistingsystems,aimingatpromotingeducationalequityandbridgingthedigitaldivide.Itiscommittedtomeetingthediverseandindividualisedlearningneedsofthepublic,aswellasempoweringlifelongeducationthroughdigitalisation.
TheOUCLifelongEducationPlatform,withover6.8millionregisteredusers,hasservednearly60millionvisitsfromlifelonglearnersacrossover200countriesandregionsworldwidesinceitslaunchinMay2022.Thisplatformhasachievedsignificantresultsincontributingtothedevelopmentofalearning-orientedsocietythroughdigitalisation.
TheOUCLifelongEducationPlatformnowboastsover1.03millionresources,accumulatingmorethan1.1millionlearninghours.Specialprogrammessuchas"LecturesbyCompetentPeople"and"SmartElderlyAssistance"havebeenlaunched,makingavailablearound80,000high-qualityelectronicmicro-lectures.Anonlinelearningspecialzoneforthe"NationalReadingCampaign"hasreleasedover10,000electronicbooks.Additionally,theplatformhasundergoneage-friendlyandaccessibilityupgradestomeetthediverselearningneedsofallusers,creatingamoreinclusiveanduser-friendlylearningenvironment.
TenMajorActions:
On20May2024,theOpenUniversityofChina(OUC)celebratedthetwo-yearanniversaryofitsLifelongEducationPlatformonline.Thisplatformisdesignedtoservethelifelonglearningneedsofallandtopromotethedevelopmentofalearningsociety.In2023,theOUCimplemented10majorinitiativescentredaround"EmpoweringLifelongEducationthroughDigitalisation."Theseinitiativesaimtofacilitatethejointcontributionandsharingofhigh-qualityresources,promotetechnologicalinnovationandapplication,andfostertherealisationthat"everyonecanlearnanytimeandanywhere."Theyalsoactivelysupportthecomprehensivedevelopmentofindividualsandthecreationofacountrycommittedtolifelonglearningforall.
I.AITechnologyEmpoweringPersonalised,Targeted,andFlexibleLearning
ActionOne:DevelopingtheSmartLearningCompanion"BaiZe"
WithAIlargelanguagemodelsasthefoundationalcapability,thesmartlearningcompanion"BaiZe"ontheLifelongEducationPlatformcanengageininteractiveconversationswithlearners.Itanswerslearners'questionsbasedoncoursecontentandaccuratelyindicatesthesourceoftheinformationandcorrespondingvideoclips.Thisfacilitatesconvenient,in-depthstudyofrelevantknowledgepointsforlearners.
Sofar,thesmartlearningcompanion"BaiZe"hascoveredover100coursesontheplatform,providingAI-assistedlearningfeaturessuchascoursesummaries,knowledgepointsummaries,knowledgeQ&A,andrecommendationsforcoursessuitableforlifelonglearningscenarios.Inthefuture,itwillalsosupportintelligentQ&Acustomerservicewithmorecoursesbeingdeployed.
ActionTwo:GenerativeAIAssistingLifelongLearning
Theplatformhaslaunchedan"AI+"courseanalysisandintelligentlearningnavigationengine.ThissystemleveragesgenerativeAIcapabilitiestoextractknowledgepointsandintelligentlysummarisevideos,enablingquickidentificationofkeyknowledgepointsandone-clicknavigationtorelevantvideoclips.Inthenearfuture,itwillalsointroducefeaturessuchasintelligentcoursevoicerecognition,automaticgenerationofvideosubtitles,andintelligentmultilingualtranslation,andwilldeploytheseacrossallcourses.
II.MassiveHigh-QualityThemedResourcesSupportingAll-RoundDevelopment
ActionThree:ServingRuralRevitalisation
Toimplementtheruralrevitalisationstrategyandacceleratethemodernizationoftheagriculturalsectorandruralareas,theLifelongEducationPlatformhaslaunchedtheRuralRevitalisationChannel.Thisinitiativeaimstoenhanceagriculture,improveruralareas,andadvancethedevelopmentofruralpeopleineveryaspect.Thechannelfeaturesfourmajorsections:CurrentAffairsTracking,LearningandGrowth,PracticeBase,andAchievementShowcase.Overthepastyear,ithasuploaded1038high-qualityresources,hosted5onlinelectures,andorganisedonethemedevent.ThisinitiativesupportstherevitalizationofruraltalentandcontributestheOUC'sstrengthtothehigh-qualitytrainingoflocaltalentforruralrevitalisationefforts.
ActionFour:SupportingInnovationandEntrepreneurship
TofurtherexpandthesocialinfluenceoftheOUC’sinnovationandentrepreneurshipeducationandfulfillitssocialresponsibility,theInnovationandEntrepreneurshipChannelhasbeenlaunchedontheLifelongEducationPlatform.Thisinitiativeaimstocultivatemoretalentwithinnovativespiritandpracticalcapabilitiesforsociety.
TheInnovationandEntrepreneurshipChannelisdividedintofourmainsections:education,competition,charm,andadigitallibraryforinnovationandentrepreneurship.Theeducationsectionoffers1238specialisedcoursesand98books,formingafoundationalresourceforlearningprofessionalentrepreneurialknowledgeandskills.Thecompetitionsectionfocusesonspecialisedtrainingfor"Internet+"competitionsandinnovationandentrepreneurshipcompetitionsinemergingbusinessfields.Itincludespre-competitionlivebroadcastguidance,competition-relatedannouncements,andintroductionstowinningprojectsandteams,providinguserswithcomprehensivepre-competitionsupport.Thecharmsectionhighlightsinnovativeprojectsandpracticalachievements,servingasaplatformforexchangeandsharing.Finally,thedigitallibrarysectionprovidese-booksonindustryinformation,helpingusersstayinformedaboutthelatestdevelopments,markettrends,andfuturedirectionsofvariousindustries.
ActionFive:EmpoweringFemaleGrowth
Tobetterservethelifelonglearningneedsofwomenandenhancetheiraccesstocontinuingeducation,theplatformhaspartneredwiththeOUCandtheAll-ChinaWomen'sFederationtolaunch"BrilliantLife,ALifelongLearningPlanforWomen."Thisinitiativeincludesthecreationofawomen'schannel,facilitatingtheintegrationandalignmentofresourcesbetweenthe"LearningEnjoymentBarforFemales"andtheLifelongEducationPlatform,allaimedatempoweringwomen'sgrowththroughdigitalisation.
The"Women'sChannel"haslaunched500specialisedcourseresourcescoveringtopicssuchasSmartWomen,HappyFamilies,HealthyLiving,Emotional&IntelligenceCultivation,andMakeupArtClasses.Thesecoursesfeatureuniquecharacteristicsdesignedtomeetthevariedlearningneedsofwomenindifferentfields.
Educationexperts,psychologists,anddistinguishedteachersareinvitedtoparticipateinlivebroadcastsontheplatform,focusingonfamilyeducation.Thesesessionsaimtoshareconcepts,techniques,andmethodsoffamilyeducation,helpingwomentobetterunderstandparentingknowledge,enhancetheireducationalskills,andmoreeffectivelyguidetheirchildren'sdevelopment,therebycontributingtofamilygrowth.
ActionSix:EnhancingAestheticEducationforAll
Associetyevolves,thepursuitofspiritualandculturalenrichmentintensifies.Art,avitalcomponentofhumanculture,playsanessentialroleinelevatingindividualliteracyandfosteringsocialharmony.Tocatertothegrowingdemandforarteducation,theplatformhasintroduced"ArtMasterLectures,"meticulouslycraftedbytheOUCSchoolofArts.Throughtop-notcharteducationresources,itsupportsnationalaestheticeducationandbooststheartisticliteracyandaestheticabilitiesofthecommunity.
Overthepastyear,theplatformhaslaunchedten"ArtMasterLectures,"featuringrenownedartistsasleadlecturers.Thesesessionsaredeliveredthroughliveonlinebroadcastsandrecordedformats,enablingtheartiststosharetheirknowledge,experiences,andachievementswithawideaudience.Thelecturescoverarangeoftopics,includingChinesefreehandbrushworkpainting,sealscript,freehandflower-and-birdpainting,clericalscript,culturalaesthetics,regularscripttechniques,landscapepaintingcreation,thestudyofrunningscript,anddetaileddiscussionsofcursivescript.
ActionSeven:PromotingLifelongLearninginCommunities
Buildingonthesuccessofcreatingalearningsocietythroughdigitalempowerment,theOUCharnessesitsresearchexpertiseinlifelonglearningwithincommunities.IthasintroducedtheCommunityLifelongLearningCapacityEnhancementChannelonitslifelongeducationplatform,accessibletoallcommunitymembers.
TheCommunityLifelongLearningCapacityEnhancementChannelcomprisesfourmajorsections:LecturesbyCompetentPeople,TenThousandOpenCoursesforCommunityandElderlyEducation,LivestreamSeriesonLifelongLearningforAll,andCountyLearningCentres.Inthe"LecturesbyCompetentPeople"section,approximately10,000resourcesareofferedonline,covering10learningtopicssuchasscientificliteracy,internetlearning,intelligenttechnologyapplicationfortheelderly,andcommunitygovernanceandemergencymanagement.The"TenThousandOpenCoursesforCommunityandElderlyEducation"sectionfeaturesnearly100,000onlineresources,subdividedintoover50learningtopicstailoredforlifelonglearnersofallages.The"LivestreamSeriesonLifelongLearningforAll"sectionpresents16livestreamsessions.Inthe"CountyLearningCentres"section,brandcasesandcoursescollectedfromvariouscountiesareshowcased,providingaplatformforpublicityanddisplayforcommunitylearningcentresineachcounty,andofferinghigh-qualityresourcestoservecommunities.
III.InnovativeInterconnectionEstablishesaNewPatternofLifelongLearning
ActionEight:SustainingInterconnection
Overthepastyear,theLifelongEducationPlatformhasactivelyengagedindeepcollaborationwithprovincial-levellifelongeducationplatforms,aimingtofacilitatedatadockingandtheexchangeofcoursesandrelatedinformationbetweentheOUCLifelongEducationPlatformandotherplatforms.Sofar,preliminaryinterconnectionhasbeenachievedwith13provincesandmunicipalities,includingBeijing,Tianjin,Jilin,Hebei,Qingdao,Shandong,Zhejiang,Shanxi,Shaanxi,Gansu,Hubei,Chengdu,andChongqing.In-depthintegrationhasbeensuccessfullycompletedwithHubei.Movingforward,furtherinterconnectionwillbepursuedwithadditionalprovincesandmunicipalitiestoachieveuserinterconnection,datalinkage,mutualrecognitionofachievements,andresourcesharing.
ActionNine:EstablishinglifelongLearningRecords
TheplatformhasestablishedconnectivitywiththeNationalCreditBankforVocationalEducation,providinguserswithlifelonglearningrecords.TheserecordsdocumentandretainalllearningachievementsofusersontheLifelongEducationPlatform.Theplatformhaslaunchedgraduationcertificates,whichthoroughlyaccreditusers'learningoutcomes,enhancingtheirsenseofself-identityandaccomplishment,andstimulatingtheirmotivationtolearn.
Movingforward,plansareinplacetoestablishacomprehensivelinkbetweenlifelonglearningrecordsinitiativesandthecreditbank.Thisintegrationwillprovideuserswithlifelonglearningrecordsthatencompassbothformaldegree-basedandinformalnon-degreeeducationthroughouttheirlives.
ActionTen:DevelopingExquisiteCourses
Theplatformhasfurtherenhanceditscommitmenttolifelonglearningandinternetconnectivity.Ithasupgradeditscourseofferings,teachingdesigns,visualstyles,contentpresentation,andlearningsupportacrosstheboard,creatingaseriesofhigh-qualitycourses.Overthepastyear,courseslikeOfficialDocumentWritingandTenLecturesonAestheticMedicinehavebeenintroduced,spanningthefieldsoftheworkplaceandmedicine.Thesehigh-qualitydigitalresourceshavebeenpivotalintheplatform'stransformationandupgrade.
Inthefuture,theOUCLifelongEducationPlatformwillcontinuetodevelopandgatherhigh-qualitylearningresourcesinavarietyofformatsandfields.ItwillintroduceAI-assistedlearningfeaturestailoredforlifelonglearningscenarios,promotecollaborativecontributions,andthesharingandinterconnectionofhigh-qualitydigitalresources,andenhancedigitalmanagementcapabilities.Upholdingthegoalof"serviceforall,flexiblemethods,abundantresources,andeasyaccessibility,"theplatformaimstocreateanalways-onlineclassroomandprovidelifelongeducationthatiscomprehensive,in-depth,andheartwarming.