China's distance learning programme

China has always been renowned for its technological advances and having a culture like no other. The 1960's saw the rise of television universities in China, originating from Bejing. "During the period from 1960 to 1966, more than 8,000 students graduated from the Beijing Television University and over 50,000 students finished single-course studies through its teaching programmes." This shows what a huge cultural impact TVU's had on China.

It is apparent that part of the appeal of these TVU's, from a government perspective, surrounds issues of funding. The cost of these television universities are relatively cheap to run in comparison to having multiple universities. TVU's can train more people in a shorter space of time, which meant that China had more educated people benefiting it's society, making valuable contributions to industrial and agricultural enterprises or to cultural and educational institutes.

As a result, the sixth Five-year Plan for National Economic and Social Development (1981-85) stated, 'There will be considerable expansion of higher education through radio, television, correspondence and evening courses. Students taking these courses will number 1.5 million by 1985'. This plan forceast a rapid development for radio and television universities in China.

There are 5 levels of TVU's as a result of this expansion; The CRTVU, The PTVUs, Branch schools, Work stations and The teaching and learning classes (usually called television classes).

There are obvious problems with this in my view however. Firstly, everyone who undertook one of these TVU courses would surely come out with the same viewpoint, which is extremely capitalist and very one-sided! Also, I was one of those who at GCSE level, stayed up to watch those bitesize programmes that were on a ridiclous o' clock in an attempt to learn more. In my experiences of television learning, I like the concept, but have severe doubts that television is a medium which gives people license to ignore the educational stuff and be entertained. I can see how it could work, but I remain under the tradionalist viewpoint that going into a lecture hall helps me learn more.

I also feel that I am a 'hands-on' learner, meaning I have to experience something if I really want to engage with a subject. If we were to have 2 hours a week say, of television and radio directed learning, this might work, but to do it for 39 wouldn't benefit me.

Having said this, it has obviously had a beneficial affect on China, and long distance learning clearly works. At present, radio and television teaching programmes are, to a large extent, a direct transcription of conventional university classroom teaching. I am guessing that as technology advances, learning through ipods and so on will become the norm.