A Case Study of Web-based Distance Programs in China

In 1999, a most significant policy initiative tookplace when the Chinese government expanded highereducation dramatically. A new national projectcalled the Modern Distance Education Project waslaunched with the objective of making full use ofInformation Technology to extend China's limitededucational resources to reach its vast population.The core of this project is Web-based distanceeducation. By examining the implementation processof Web-based distance education programs in ZhongshanUniversity, various issues, that remain unansweredregarding the development of distance education in adeveloping country with the largest population, willbe explored.Zhongshan University is a prestigious Chineseuniversity with a strong national and internationalreputation. It is also one of the first universitiesgranted by the Ministry of Education (MOE) to promoteweb-based education within the MDEP. This case studywill use a combination of document analysis andinterviews to explore the implementation process ofWeb-based Distance Education Programs in ZhongshanUniversity during a time of transformational changein higher education institutions in China.