Summary:
The Online Education Research Centre of the China Ministry of Education recently released its "2016 China Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC) Industry Research White Paper". The White Paper shows the rapid growth of MOOCs in China in the last few years, particularly since major players entered the market in 2013 and 2014. The report estimates that the total number of registered users will exceed 11 million by the end of 2016, compared to 5.75 million in 2015 and just 1.5 million in 2014.

According to the report, the main contribution made by MOOC platforms has been to provide preparatory courses for university entrance examinations (Gaokao) and higher education modules related to university courses. Some universities also make courses available for new students before they arrive on campus, allowing students to earn credits in advance. However, only 10 per cent of Higher Education Institutions in China have launched their own MOOC courses or platforms. Existing online platforms also focus strongly on curriculums related to higher education rather than more vocational courses.

According to a survey of recent MOOC users included in the White Paper, vocational skills courses are most popular type of MOOC, with around 61 per cent of respondents saying that they are interested in this type of course, while around 44 per cent were interested in degree or diploma level modules. About 22 per cent of surveyed MOOC users had paid for their studies during the learning process, among whom the median expenditure was in the 201-300 RMB (£25-35) range. More than 80 per cent of users say they study for relatively short periods, from 10 to 20 minutes per session.

The White Paper shows that almost half of MOOC learners are in the 18-25 age group, with 83 per cent in the 18-35 range. They are mainly male and most commonly in China’s second-tier cities. Around 39 per cent of the total are students, while the next largest group is entry-level employees. 93 per cent have either completed or are working towards HE qualifications.

According to the White Paper, the most frequent channel that users access to online courses are learning websites, accounting for more than 60 per cent, followed by social networks, such as recommendations from teachers, friends or via WeChat (the dominant mobile messaging app in China). More than 70 per cent of the users say they use their preferred MOOC platform because they provide quality curriculum resources, while 51 per cent say the platform provides courses linked to their personal interests or taught by outstanding teachers.

In China, with a number of policy incentives by the MoE, the MOOC industry has been mainly led by HEIs, cooperating with internet companies and online education enterprises for platform building, and courses resources developed by HEIs, as more than 30 universities of 985 projects and many other colleges of 211 projects involved.

Analysis by Kevin Prest and Liu Xiaoxiao:
Chinese MOOCs are currently mainly centred on the higher education sector, but users report a higher level of demand for more vocational courses. There may therefore be room to introduce quality content in the FE sector from overseas countries such as the UK. The White Paper predicts that the future development of MOOC industry in China will include the expansion of service value not only to the online learners, but also schools and business (employers) – with more vocational and professional training courses for employees or adult learners. The report also predicts that the value of online learning certifications and quality courses shall be promoted with better teaching and learning experiences equipped by advanced technologies such as VR (Virtual Reality) and big data.

Sources:
1. News (Chinese): http://www.moe.gov.cn/jyb_xwfb/s5147/201610/t20161011_284285.html
2. Key findings (Chinese): http://dy.163.com/v2/article/detail/C33H8D8J05149OA1.html