IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v16y2024i2p669-d1317681.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Comparison of Two Models of Distance Education for Lifelong Learning in China

Author

Listed:
  • Liping Chen

    (Institute of Education, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China)

  • Huimin Chen

    (College of Humanities and Law, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
    Institute of “Belt & Road” Global Cooperation, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China)

  • Kaifu Zeng

    (College of Humanities and Law, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China)

Abstract

Distance education has an important role in advancing lifelong learning. In China, there are two types of providers for distance education, open universities (OUs) and Institutes of Distance Education affiliated to regular universities (IDEs). IDEs are increasing because of technology development. This study compared OUs and IDEs in China from three aspects, including development goals, decision making on enrollment, and learning experience. Through corpus analysis and interviews, this study found that although the policy orientation of OUs and IDEs is different, their actual functions are the same. This is a phenomenon of institutional isomorphism, and government plays an important role in this convergence.

Suggested Citation

  • Liping Chen & Huimin Chen & Kaifu Zeng, 2024. "Comparison of Two Models of Distance Education for Lifelong Learning in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(2), pages 1-12, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:16:y:2024:i:2:p:669-:d:1317681
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/2/669/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/2/669/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Francesca Sangiuliano Intra & Carla Nasti & Rita Massaro & Armando Junior Perretta & Amalia Di Girolamo & Antonella Brighi & Pietro Biroli, 2023. "Flexible Learning Environments for a Sustainable Lifelong Learning Process for Teachers in the School Context," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(14), pages 1-12, July.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.

      Corrections

      All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:16:y:2024:i:2:p:669-:d:1317681. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

      If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

      If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

      If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

      For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

      Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

      IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.