Research On The Digital Resources Of Modern Distance Education In Primary And Middle Schools In Western Regions Of China

The execution of a series of modern distance education projects in western regions of China accelerates the rapid development of modern distance education in locally rural primary and middle schools. After these projects are put into practice, the key issue is to exert their practical benefits to ensure the development of modern distance education in these areas. This dissertation is intended to analyze and solve the problem from the perspective of digital resources of modern distance education. Up to now, little systematic investigation into distance educational resources has been made in the field of domestic e-education. Comparatively the study on the digital resources of distance education in primary and middle schools is still in its infant stage.This research aims at seeking the strategies for the construction, utilization and management of digital resources of modern distance education in rural primary and middle schools by surveying its status quo.The research is mainly conducted in such methods as literature review, retrospection, and inductiveness, with the help of interviews and focus group. The relevant literature search has been made with the aid of Chinese Journal Full-text Database, Chinese Doctoral dissertations & Master's Theses Full-text Database and Chinese Crucial Newspapers Full-text Database in China National Knowledge Infrastructure(http://www.cnki.net). Part of materials about the research of distance education in primary and middle schools in rural areas are obtained by the use of search engine on internet.Through the systematic research, the dissertation makes the following contributions:1. Five taxonomies of digital resources of modern distance education in primary and middle schoolsThere are five taxonomies of digital resources of modern distance education in primary and middle schools. According to the system of resource construction, resources can be classified into state resources, local resources and school resources. In the light of their usage and potential, resources are divided into resources contributing to school development, teacher development, student development and rural development respectively. On the basis of reconfigurability, resources fall into reconfigurable resources, partially reconfigurable resources, and non-reconfigurable resources. In accordance of their usability, resources are categorized into completely usable resources, partially usable resources and non-usable resources. And finally, in terms of the degree of originality, resources are divided into selective, integrative, and generative resources. These classifications lay the foundation for the exploration of the construction, utilization and management of modem distance educational resources in primary and middle schools.2. The strategies concerning the construction of digital resourcesIn a broad sense, the research puts forward three strategies of resource construction, i.e., the constructing system of resources by the state, local governments and schools at the national level, the establishment of county-centered resource developing model at the local level, and the construction of school resources at the school level. In a narrow sense, it advances and explores the three strategies of localizing, deep-processing, and nationalizing modern distance educational resources in primary and middle schools of the western regions.3. The strategies concerning the utilization of digital resourcesThe dissertation raises a framework of level-object classification of strategies in utilizing distance educational resources in primary and middle schools of the western regions. On the basis of the framework, the study discusses the strategies in utilizing these resources, and their constitution and developmental route. In addition, it concretely states two strategies concerning the transformation among three models of resources and the arrangement of school digital resources.The research explores the strategies with regard to the thorough utilization of digital resources in primary and middle schools of the western regions. It starts from the S-curve of innovation diffusion, and constitutes a benefit model of utilizing distance educational resources in primary and middle schools. Based on the model, it elaborates two factors that affect the extent to which resources are utilized and its lifecycle. Then, it discusses the strategies of improving the extent of resource utilization and lengthening its lifecycle. Furthermore, it advances a factor-determination model composed of teacher/student, resource and hardware surroundings. Through this model, it puts forward some strategies and suggestions of promoting the exploitation of resources and their benefits.4. The strategies concerning the management of digital resourcesFrom the perspective of the national, local and school resource construction, the dissertation summarizes the management system of modern distance education resources in primary and middle schools. By means of three of the five above-mentioned taxonomies of resources, it constructs a three-dimensional framework of modern distance education resources in primary and middle schools. On this basis, it investigates the construction, transmission and utilization of resources from the three levels listed above. Last, it presents two strategies of resource service and evaluation that will be conducive to the management of modern distance education resources in primary and middle schools of western regions.