Featured article: Unlocking the power of MOOCs in disseminating basic knowledge about China to European students

Since the beginning of 2024, European students and the wider public have had the opportunity to enroll in open-access Bachelor-level online courses introducing various aspects of contemporary China. These massive open online courses (MOOCs), developed by the ReConnect China project, are now running uninterrupted until the end of 2026. These courses are specifically tailored for disciplines beyond China studies, such as business, political science, and media studies. They have been integrated into the curricula of several European academic programs.

The courses are:

Introduction to Chinese Politics and Society

https://digicampus.fi/course/view.php?id=5510

Introduction to EU-China Relations

https://digicampus.fi/course/view.php?id=5511

Introduction to Chinese Economy 

https://digicampus.fi/course/view.php?id=4822

Introduction to Chinese Popular Culture

https://digicampus.fi/course/view.php?id=4823

 

This featured article presents key insights from the two courses offered during the spring term 2024. ReConnect China aims to raise awareness about China among the general public, particularly European youth. To this end, courses focusing on “Politics and Society” and “EU-China Relations” were prepared for the spring term, while courses on the Economy and Popular Culture started in autumn 2024.

©Media Bank of the University of Turku, Suvi Harvisalo

Student Feedback on the course “Introduction to Chinese Politics and Society”

Let’s begin with the feedback from students of the recently concluded course “Introduction to Chinese Politics and Society.” Overall, the responses were very positive. “I found this course useful: it deepened my knowledge on the topic” was 4.5 on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being the highest. Course participants appreciated the flexibility of the study method, the structure and content of the course, and the design of the course site.

While fully independent online courses are sometimes considered challenging due to difficulties in time management, the respondents appeared to manage their studies well. Fifty out of 81 respondents “strongly agreed” (rating 5) with the statement “This course was easy to complete through independent study,” with the average rating being 4.45. This written response summarizes the comments on the course content and assignments.

 

“Overall presentation and selection of the course material provided: A++.  The material was chosen thoughtfully, the visual presentation and illustration of content was marvellous and very appealing, the arrangement of chosen formats[…] and types of assignments were highly versatile and supportive. I particularly enjoyed the assignments, those were utmost helpful in terms of learning outcomes. […]There´s incredibly much I took with me from this course in such a short time, my personal learning outcome and knowledge gain are gigantic.”

 

The negative comments mainly pertained to minor technical issues and content-related matters influenced by the disciplinary backgrounds and general interests of the respondents. For example, one respondent mentioned that delving deeply into certain topics, such as the government structure, was unnecessary.

An interesting aspect of the feedback concerned the estimated usefulness of the course. The responses reveal how students from different disciplines perceived the utility of the course. Written comments to the statement “I can use what I have learned as follows” highlighted this variation in perceived usefulness.

 

– “Having an economics background I found this subject of study really refreshing.

– “in my further dealing with Chinese culture and history”

– “I am interested in international relations and current issues and I feel that this course helped me to gain a better understanding of the world political situation.”

Current Feedback on the Course “Introduction to EU-China Relations”

The responses in the course “Introduction to EU-China Relations” are similar to those for the “Politics and Society” course. 73 out of 108 respondents “strongly agreed” (rating 5) with the statement “I found this course useful: it deepened my knowledge on the topic”. Participants appreciate the flexibility to plan their schedules independently and the variety of materials and assignments. Respondents also value the course’s relevance to working life, noting that it provides tools for analyzing the complex dynamics of contemporary interdependencies:

 

“Taking this course has been a great addition to my education, especially as I intend to work in international banking. It has given me invaluable insights into international relations, reflecting the interplay between diplomatic tactics, geopolitical considerations, and economic policies. In the context of global finance, it is essential to understand the nuances of EU-China relations. This course has given me a better understanding of the complex dynamics at work.”

“I am studying International Relations and I think this course was really useful, but I would also recommended it to everyone who is European and interested in the Sino-EU dynamics.”

Integration of MOOCs into Academic Programs

Several education programs have incorporated these courses into their offerings. For instance, the German China competency project CHIN-KoBe funded by the German Ministry of Education and Research, has designated all four courses as mandatory materials. Some university departments have recommended these courses to their students and even included them in their programs or study modules. This integration allows students to incorporate these courses into their degrees.

Jelena Gledic, Senior Instructor at the Faculty of Philology, University of Belgrade encouraged her students to enroll in the Politics and Society course. She summarized her experiences as follows:

 

“The opportunity to offer students to learn about these relevant topics at their own pace was highly appreciated! Around 30 3rd and 4th year students majoring in Chinese language, literature and culture at the University of Belgrade chose to take part in the pilot, and they were impressed with the wealth of information and contemporary significance of the content. They felt very engaged and enjoyed setting their own schedule while at the same time having the chance to share their experience with others taking the same online course. This content can be seamlessly integrated into courses that deal with similar topics or added as an optional learning opportunity for students who want to learn more than what more traditional Chinese studies curricula offer or who are majoring in other areas but have an interest in China.”

Screenshot from the ReConnect China MOOC on China’s economy

Conclusions

The MOOCs have proven to be valuable tools for European students seeking to enhance their understanding of contemporary China in a global context. Feedback from the courses has been overwhelmingly positive. Students appreciated the flexibility, comprehensive content, and practical relevance of these courses. Minor technical issues and content preferences were noted but did not significantly detract from the overall positive experience.

The courses have been successfully integrated into various academic programs, with some institutions making them mandatory or highly recommended. This integration has allowed students to seamlessly incorporate these MOOCs into their degree programs, enriching their academic and professional perspectives.

We hope that many university departments will consider including these courses in their programs to further enable their students to become acquainted with contemporary China.

Check out our YouTube page for a short introduction video and our video lectures.
https://www.youtube.com/@ReConnectChina

Link to ReConnect MOOC-page: https://www.reconnect-china.ugent.be/moocs/

For more information, please contact Dr Outi Luova who is in charge of the development of the courses. Outi Luova, Centre for East Asian Studies, University of Turku, Finland, e-mail: outi.luova@utu.fi

Two more ReConnect China MOOCs started on September 2!

Following up on the first two ReConnect China MOOCs on China’s politics and society and EU-China relations, having started in January and February 2024 respectively, we are proud to announce the launch of MOOC courses no. 3 and 4.

 

The MOOCs “Introduction to Chinese economy” and “Introduction to Chinese popular culture” both started on September 2, with the registration open since the same day. Both courses run until December 15, 2024, and are worth 3ECTS.

Introduction to Chinese economy

This course offers a comprehensive introduction to China’s economy. It is designed for learners seeking a foundational understanding of the key factors that influence China’s domestic economy within a global context. By the end of the course, participants will have gained essential knowledge about the drivers behind China’s remarkable growth as well as the reasons for its current challenges. Participants will also become familiar with primary sources of information on the Chinese economy, enabling them to continue their engagement and learning even after completing the course.

https://digicampus.fi/enrol/index.php?id=4822

Introduction to Chinese popular culture

This course offers a comprehensive introduction to popular culture in contemporary China, exploring its emergence across cinema, music, television, and social media creator culture. During the course, you will explore how popular culture intersects with gender, class, national identity, and political power within the Chinese context. Additionally, you will examine Chinese popular culture as a part of cultural flows within East Asia.
By the end of this course, you will be familiar with the various forms of popular culture, the factors driving its rapid evolution, and the platformisation of cultural production in China. You will also explore key films, shows, and songs, as well as academic resources related to China’s popular culture, which will help you continue your engagement and learning beyond the course.

https://digicampus.fi/enrol/index.php?id=4823

 

Based on the feedback received from course participants in the first two courses, we are convinced that our new courses bring another opportunity to yourself in a rewarding learning journey.

“This is a valuable and enjoyable course with extensive information, and most importantly, completely exciting.”

“Thank you for valuable course – it gave me much insight into economic and geopolitical changes in Asia!”

“I love to study and experience something new, especially if it is dynamic and exciting. I was engrossed in this course and was even sad that the course ended so quickly.”

“I liked the structure and format, it was pretty cool and I hope, there will be more courses like this one in my university department!”

The ReConnect China Youtube account is live with first MOOC videos

You can find the ReConnect China project now also on Youtube!

https://www.youtube.com/@ReConnectChina

On our Youtube channel we are publishing all single lectures from the project’s Massive Open Online Courses on China. The first MOOCs went online in January and February 2024, as you can read from this recent news.

Until today, three different lectures and the official promotional video have been published. And of course you can still join our first two open MOOCs in case you would like to immerse yourself in the full content we prepared for you!

Introduction to Chinese Politics and Society: Course period in 2024: January 15 – May 12, Registration opens on January 15, 2024.
MOOC_Introduction to Chinese Politics and Society 2024

Introduction to EU-China relations: Course period in 2024: February 12 – June 16, Registration opens on February 12, 2024
MOOC_Introduction to EU-China Relations 2024

The first ReConnect China online courses (MOOCs) start in January and February 2024!

We are happy to announce the first dates for the ReConnect China online courses

One of the project’s main objectives is to broadly inform society, and in particular persons in education (pupils and students), about China. In this vein, the project takes different vantage points aimed at understanding the country better and translates them into thematically unique online courses. The ReConnect China Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) are free of charge, offer certification after successful completion and are developed by leading European institutions of Chinese studies as part of the ReConnect China consortium.

(Image from Samantha Borges on Unsplash)

 

For the first two MOOCs the course periods in 2024 have now been scheduled

Two more MOOCs are planned for release in autumn 2024, final course dates tbc:

  • Introduction to Chinese Economy, forthcoming in autumn 2024
  • Introduction to Chinese Popular Culture, forthcoming in autumn 2024

 

You can find all courses on the digicampus.fi website

On the DigiCampus platform, you can find information about the courses by clicking the “i” icon at the end of the names of the courses. To register to a course, please click the name of the course and start with “Create new account” if you don’t have a DigiCampus user account yet. After that you can sign in to the course with your university’s ID or by manual enrollment. Note that registration opens on the same day as the course starts.

 

ReConnect China wishes you a rewarding learning path!

Who is behind the development of the ReConnect China online course and whom to contact for questions?

The development of the courses is funded by the Horizon Europe project “ReConnect China” and executed by the Centre for East Asian Studies (CEAS) of the University of Turku, Finland. Dr Outi Luova, vice director of CEAS, is in charge of the course execution in general. The planning of each course is overseen by an own academic board, specifically composed of academic experts for the relevant topic. The course materials are produced in collaboration with leading European institutions of Chinese studies. For more information, please contact Dr Outi Luova at outi.luova@utu.fi

Official press release on the start of ReConnect China MOOCs

ReConnect China Press Release MOOCs