STATE INITIATIVES FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF BLENDED LEARNING IN HIGHER EDUCATION IN CHINA
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31110/2616-650X-vol14i5-013Keywords:
blended learning, digitalization of education, higher education in China, state educational policy, MOOCAbstract
The article provides a comprehensive analysis of China’s state initiatives for the development of blended learning in higher education and the ways of their integration into the global educational strategy within the framework of the Digital Silk Road program. Their goals, objectives, implementation mechanisms, scale of dissemination, and international impact are identified.
The current state of research on the issue is examined, particularly regarding global processes of education digitalization, China’s state policy on educational digitalization, and the characteristics of state initiatives in the field of blended learning as an instrument of state policy for educational modernization.
The role of education digitalization and blended learning as prerequisites for the formation of state educational policy is substantiated. China’s state policy in the field of educational digitalization is characterized as a systematic and centralized process that ensures the integration of digital technologies into the educational process.
Key state initiatives are analyzed, including the National MOOC Initiative, the Education Informatization 2.0 Action Plan, the “First-Class Undergraduate Courses” (“Golden Courses”) Initiative, and the Smart Education of China Platform. Their goals, objectives, subjects and objects of implementation, as well as stages of development, are identified. It is proven that these initiatives form a holistic evolutionary model for the development of blended learning – from the creation of digital infrastructure to the establishment of educational ecosystems.
A comparative analysis of state initiatives according to the scale of their influence at the national and global levels is conducted. It is established that the current stage of blended learning development in China is associated with moving beyond the national education system and integrating into the global educational space within the framework of the Digital Silk Road program.
The study concludes that China has formed a multi-level system for the development of blended learning that combines technological, organizational, and pedagogical components and possesses a pronounced international dimension.
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