White paper unveils China's online education trends

The 2017 White Paper on Internet-based Education in China, recently released in Beijing, estimates the number of Chinese people applying to Internet-based education has already reached 144 million, including 120 million who receive educational services on cellphones.

The report was jointly completed by a number of universities, educational experts, research institutes and enterprises under the guidance of the education information management center of the Ministry of Education, and sponsored by Beijing Normal University and Baidu Education - the education business branch of Internet giant Baidu.

An annual report that describes development trends of Internet-based education and learning in China, the white paper aims to shed light on new trends in Internet-based education and boost development. It provides guidelines for the informatization of China's education and key references for relevant policymakers, according to the paper's producers.

Besides the increasing number of people who are taking advantage of Internet-based learning, the report includes other relevant information, including users' ages, locations and incomes.

This year's white paper has also illustrated trends, like the growths of elder users among Internet-based learners, increased application of immersive modes and artificial intelligence-supported study and paid online education services.

According to Du Zhanyuan, vice minister of the Ministry of Education, the development of China's educational informatization has entered its second stage, from the earlier stage of emphasizing "construction and application" to emphasizing online-offline integration and innovation.

The white paper, which reflects the real situation of the country's educational informatization process based on big data, can clarify trends, discover problems and promote good practices, he added.

Released for four consecutive years since 2014, the white paper's data analysis has had strong influence on the education industry.

It was used as reference material during important meetings, including the 17th China Education Information Innovation and Development Forum, held in Wuhan of Hubei province in November.