School of Distance Learning
Since 2002 South China Normal University has been approved by the China Ministry of Education launched an experimental university on developing the Modern Distance Education. At the same time, school of distance learning was founded on July 2002.After seven years of construction and development, school of distance learning strives to achieve four characteristics, which are taking positive effect on South China area even throughout the country, including “Teacher Education Characteristics”, “Region Radiation characteristics”, “Experimental Research Characteristics”, “Education Aid Characteristics”.
Programs
Exchange and Cooperation program
Specialties at four Characteristics:
1. “Teacher Education Characteristics”
A. School of distance learning was taking advantage of network distance learning strongly exploring diploma programs for primary and secondary teachers. According to the statistic, there have 60% primary and secondary teachers and the trained teachers in over 70,000 students have graduated already in school of distance learning.
B. More than thirty thousands of primary and secondary substitute teachers training program in Guangdong province is launched between July and August 2009, finally accomplishing successfully, which had been appreciated by the Education Department of Guangdong province.
C. Open University of UK and Distance Learning School of South China Normal University signed the memorandum of understanding, which agrees to explore the possibility of jointly offering a Masters of Education using credit transfer and curriculum framework development.
2. “Education Aid Characteristics”
A. Since 2006, according to the spirit and relative requirement of central ministry of Education, combining with “National Teachers Education Network Alliance Program” and “Academic upgrading programs in Guangdong Province”, in terms of teacher continue education needs, relying on 54 local learning centers of the school, in order to explore a series of non-academic distance learning training program for teachers in Guangdong province, especially in undeveloped and poor area, which is including new curriculum assessment for secondary school training program, the backbone of the class teacher distance learning training in primary and secondary school, primary and secondary schoolmaster training course and so on, covering Longchuan、Yingde、Taishan、Dapu、Heshan、Fengkai、Suixi etc in Guangdong province, over thousands number of training member totally, the training outcome had been high appraised by locate education department and training members.
B. “English Action in China” aims to train primary and secondary English teachers in underdeveloped area of Guangdong province and West China area, which is explored by both Distance Learning School of South China Normal University and United Kingdom Open University, in order to fulfill social justice and education aid as well.
C. Distance Learning Programs for disable people. More than three hundreds of disable people have studied in the school. Since 2002, the school has provided the disable people with high quality of educational resources and services. It has been proved that it is the best way for the disable people to study high education degree programs and non-degree training programs by E-learning.
3. “Region Radiation Characteristics”
Asia (Macao) International Open University and Distance Learning School of South China Normal University agree to cooperate, referring to student build up, teacher and administrators’ communication, scientific research and so on.
4. “Experimental Research Characteristics”
Since 2002, the school of distance learning has organized some national and international conferences on distance learning, such as “Symposium on distance learning 2005”, “Distance Learning on Campus”, “Primary and Secondary substitute teachers training program in Guangdong province”, “Workshop on teachers international professional development project”, “Cooperate on Master of Education program between Open University UK and School of distance learning, South China Normal University”, “Workshop on Improving Quality of Distance Learning” , “Symposium on college English education” etc.
Recently, Open University Worldwide Limited and Distance Learning School of South China Normal University together hold a workshop on Improving Quality of Distance Learning, which mainly referred to two aspects, including teacher education and international cooperation.
