New Mode of Modern Distance Education in Rural China
Satellite-based Transmission Technology
Liu Yongquan, Vice President
Wang Baiwen, Engineer & Wang Jing, Assistant Engineer
Central Agricultural Broadcasting and Television School (CABTS)
Building No. 20, Maizidianjie, Chaoyang District
Beijing 100026, China
Tel: 86-10-64194423 Fax: 86-10-64194425
Email: wchlfh@agri.gov.cn
Abstract
The development of modern information technology, especially the rapid development of
multimedia and network technologies enabled modern distance education in rural China to
enter a brand new development stage. As the key implementer of modern distance education
in rural China, the Central Agricultural Broadcast and Television School (CABTS) has
celebrated its 27th anniversary. In the past 27 years, it has achieved great results in system
and instructional resource development, especially along with the application of satellite
transmission technology in modern distance education in recent year, CABTS has built up a
distance education and training network with 335 two-way satellite ground reception stations
covering the entire country, which has formed a new model of distance education in rural
China. The paper provides detailed information about the framework of the new model of
modern distance education in rural China based on satellite transmission technologies and its
application, as well as the role it plays in training new types of farmers and serving new
countryside construction.
I. Overview of Agricultural Broadcasting and
Television School of China (CABTS)
Agricultural Broadcasting and Television School is a joint initiative of 21 ministries and
commissions as the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Education, it is also the only
open school providing distance education to rural China. The school is under the leadership of
the Ministry of Agriculture, with the Vice Minister for Agriculture serves as its president. The
school has been growing up in the past 27 years since its founding in 1980, and now it has
become the largest education and training system targeted at rural areas, agriculture and
farmers. The school system consists of a five-level school running hierarch including one
central school, 39 provincial schools, 330 prefecture (city) branches, 2,408 county branch
schools and 23,000 township coaching classes. CABTS system adopts uniform instructional
organization and management in which the central school is responsible for the organization
of instruction and training, and development and production of teaching materials; the
provincial and city schools are responsible for training organization within their territories;
county and township classes are responsible for implementing the actual teaching plans. The
1
entire CABTS system has 46,000 full and part time professionals. Through education and
training, CABTS contributes to the improvement of agricultural productivity, farmers’ income
growth, rural development as well as transfer of rural surplus laborers.
The targets of CABTS include farmers, rural youth, rural women, grassroots cadres,
agricultural extension agents, as well as rural surplus laborers who will transfer to urban areas
or other sectors rather than agriculture for employment. It offers vocational diploma education,
“Green Certificate” training, practical technological training, professional skill training and
higher education with the cooperation of higher education institutes.
CABTS attaches great importance to the combination of multiple technologies integrating
traditional approaches with modern ones, delivers distance education via textual materials,
radio, television, audio cassettes, VCDs, DVDs and face to face instruction. In recent years,
along with the rapid development of information technologies, CABTS has carried out trials
on using digital means to deliver training and education. In 2000, CABTS officially opened
up “Rural China Distance Education Network”, and with the support of government funds, it
started the construction of its satellite distance education platform in 2001. By far, 335
satellite ground stations have been set up in the country, which are used to deliver education
and training to farmers. In 2002, with the support of UN FAO, CABTS launched capacity
building through digital technologies in agriculture and rural distance education.
By the end of 2006, over 2 million learners in the country graduated from CABTS system;
over 130,000 learners graduated from CABTS vocational programs; another 130,000
graduated from joint higher education programs, and 3 million farmers secured their “Green
Certificate”. Over 1.27 million youth farmers participated in the trans-century youth farmer
training programs. In addition, over 150 million farmers benefited from various practical skill
and technological training. CABTS has trained a huge team of talents who have become
backbone farmers, which improved the overall level of farmers and contributed to the
construction of socialist new countryside.
II. Basic framework of modern rural distance education mode
based on satellite transmission technology
1. Overview of the network
Satellite-based distance education and training network of CABTS is a typical VAST satellite
communication network and broadcast interactive DVB/IP communication platform,
providing communication and education means to modern distance education and training.
The satellite distance education and training network of CABTS uses the satellite
communication system of SkyBlaster produced by Israel Gilat Satellite Communication
Company as well as the TrainNet distance education/training system developed by
RoboGroup T.E.K. Ltd as the distance education, training and distance network conferencing
platform. The system consists of one central host station, 2 two-way ground stations at the
central school, 31 two-way ground stations at provincial level agricultural broadcast and
2
television schools, 294 two-way stations at prefecture agricultural broadcast and television
schools and 8 two-way ground stations at county agricultural broadcast and television schools,
covering the entire country and realizing real time data communication, distance education
and training as well as video conferencing, as shown in the following in sketch.
MOA: Ministry of Agriculture
ABTS: Agricultural Broadcasting and Television School
CABTS: Central Agricultural Broadcasting and Television School
Figure: Sketch of Satellite-based Distance Education and Training Network of CABTS
2.
Satellite communication system
The satellite distance education and training network of CABTS uses the satellite
communication system of SkyBlaster produced by Israel Gilat Satellite Communication
Company, which is a satellite broadcast interactive DVB/IP communication platform with
satisfactory ratio of performance to cost.
SkyBlaster system integrates DVB (digital video broadcast) technologies and Gilat entry
satellite technologies, supports two-way Internet connectivity, transmission of various data,
other multiple broadcast and interactive use. The capacity of the system is downloading
52.5Mbps, and satellite feedback 153.6 kbps.
The communication system of distance education and training network of CABTS is based on
3
broadband interactive VSAT system of LAN/PC model, which can realize high speed reliable
broadband data transmission of audio, video and multimedia data to PC and LAN.
3.
Distance education/training system
The satellite distance education and training system of CABTS uses TrainNet distance
education/training system developed by RoboGroup T.E.K. Ltd of Israel. TrainNet system is
an interactive distance education and training application system based on satellite and ground
network, with friendly interface, easy operation, strong functions and good comparability. It can
provide distance education, video broadcast conferencing and commercial television services.
TrainNet adopts advanced satellite connection technologies and has excellent connectivity
with SkyBlaster satellite communication system. With unsymmetrical transmission, it can
feedback through satellite or ground network, reducing the requirements of feedback channel
and cost, it has strong flexibility and selectivity. Video and audio signals as well as various
types of data stream can be coded by DVB and use IP multiple broadcast to realize real time
data transmission to remote VSAT ground stations.
TrainNet distance education/training system is designed by modules according to functions, at
the same time it supports the operation of multiple education branch centers with well established
functions. In the studio, the instructor has strong administration and control functions, he/she can
simulate real classroom scenarios, possess rich instructional means and can fully tap the
advantages of modern multimedia technologies. Through perfect integration of traditional
instructional means with multimedia technologies, audio, image and textual materials can closely
but flexibly combined together. The video system can live broadcast and control instructional
progress through feedback to enable more flexible and vivid learning. TrainNet distance
education/training system provides two different learning methods to end learners, i.e.
synchronized and asynchronous modes. Learners can learn at the same time when the
instructor delivers the course (synchronized learning mode), learners can also get into the
system databank anytime after the lecture and download video and course materials for
self-studying (asynchronous learning mode).
At the learners’ end, they use the remote learning system to receive instructional information
and use multimedia training classroom and network classroom to carry out training. Real time
dialogue and data exchange with instructor can be realized, as well as the multiple party
interactive exchanges. Operational systems can also be multiple including Windows NT,
Windows Me, Windows 2000 and Windows XP, it has good user interface and is easy to
install, operate, maintain and manage.
TrainNet has the functions of video broadcast and real time data feedback, and can be used as
video conferencing system.
III. Major functions of new mode of modern distance education
of rural China based on the satellite transmission technology
4
The integration of the satellite network of SkyBlaster satellite communication system and
TrainNet distance education/training system of CABTS has taken into the advantages of
various technologies into fully play and integrated education means of radio, television and
network and can simulate real instructional environment. It can realize real time exchange
between learners and the instructor, can apply audio, video and multimedia courseware in
modern distance education in agriculture and S&T training of farmers, ensuring high quality
of education and training through multimedia. Using satellite communication network
surpassed the bottleneck of ground network; the satellite transmission can cover the entire
country. One remote station can be put up anywhere in the country and immediately realize
real time communication. It fully taps the advantages of the education resources and school
management system of CABTS and resolves the coverage problems of agricultural education,
farmers’ training and agricultural information service. It is conducive to the development of
modern distance education in agriculture, the establishment of farmers’ S&T training system,
to dissemination of agriculture technologies and production information, and to accelerated
extension of new technologies in agricultural production. Major functions are as the follows:
1. Distance education and training
(1) Synchronized education and training: during training, programs delivered by the
instructors, lecturers and extension agents and specialists in the network studio can be live
broadcasted, while remote ground stations can in real time receive video, audio, images,
courseware and other multimedia from the studio. And at the ground station, television,
multimedia classroom or network classroom can be used to organize learners to undertake
distance education and training. Real classroom can be simulated; questions to the instructors
can be raised through data and audio as well as coaching and on-line test, realizing live
broadcast and interactive distance education and training. The system can be used 24 hours a
day in the country to organize and deliver interactive and real time (synchronized) modern
distance education in agriculture and training of farmers in science and technology, which
enhanced agricultural distance education transmission means and improved the effects and
quality of education and training.
The characteristics of satellite live broadcast, real time and interactivity can play important
role in expert consultation, practical technology training, new agricultural technology
extension, and control of agricultural disasters.
(2) Asynchronous education and training: during training, learners can log into the satellite
distance education and training network of CABTS, browse the uploaded audio and video
instructional programs, coaching materials and multimedia courseware for self-studying, and
learn following their own pace and schedule.
2.
IP data broadcast
5
It uses digital compression technologies and compresses and packs rural S&T education
resources and agricultural information, and remote stations can download without any limit
for S&T training and technological extension.
3.
Sharing of education and training resources
The system allows optimization of education and training resources of CABTS and its system
schools over the country and the establishment of rich and high quality education and training
database suitable to distance education, training and research. Through the satellite distance
education and training network of CABTS, rich agricultural education and training resources
can be provided, hence realizing resource sharing between the central and local schools of
CABTS system, which avoids repeated efforts and improved the capacity and quality of
CABTS in S&T training targeted at farmers.
4.
Information-based instructional management
Using the satellite education and training network for two-way communication can realize
supervision and administration functions of CABTS (Farmers’ S&T Education and Training
Center of MOA) over its branch schools at all levels. It can facilitate rapid and accurate
collection and processing information from various levels. It can turn the awesome
administration routines into digitalized format, hence improving the information processing
speed and quality, increasing work efficiency as well as management and decision making.
5.
Satellite video conferencing
Through the studio of the satellite distance education and training network, video broadcast
conference can be organized targeted at all the remote ground stations in the country.
IV. Application of the new mode of modern distance education
based on satellite transmission technologies in rural China
Using new mode of modern distance education based on satellite transmission technologies of
CABTS, we have successfully conducted a number of large-scale live broadcast training and
conferences, including distance training course of WBI on “ecological agriculture and
sustainable agricultural development”, distance training program of FAO on “leading and
managing distance education in agriculture and rural development in China”, distance training
course on biogas technologies of MOA, lectures on modern agriculture of MOA, “ecological
agricultural and safe product production” of MOA, “farm produce quality and safety
management technologies” of MOA, “agricultural science and technology law enforcement
training” of MOA, FAO’s workshop on distance education targeted at women and satellite
network video conference on the control of bird flu of MOA, etc. In addition, the distance live
broadcast training on the farmers’ education, training course for technicians of satellite remote
stations are also conducted via the system. Through the feedback of localities, the overall
quality of receipt is good.
6
V. Development perspective of the new mode of modern distance education
based on satellite transmission technologies in rural China
In order to make full use of distance education and training network resources in agriculture
in China and fully tap the advantage of distance means in constructing new socialist
countryside, we will focus on imperative tasks of MOA and CABTS to organize and deliver
various activities and popularize the application of CABTS network. Through various
applications, it is to enlarge the social impact of CABTS and gradually establish the CABTS
network in the field of distance education and training, hence laying solid foundation and
creating good conditions for serving farmers.
Educational application: we will plan for modern distance education of vocational technicians
for the rural talent training program of MOA. The satellite network will open up specialized
channel and select part of the vocational education courses and programs to be broadcasted
via the satellite network and the Internet in the form of on-line learning, coaching and training
of full and part time instructors.
Exchange of experiences: working meetings and exchange of experiences among divisions of
CABTS and training within CABTS can be conducted via the network at anytime. Provincial
schools can also use the platform for sharing experiences.
Internal application of CABTS: in addition to implementing the projects assigned by MOA,
CABTS will further explore the application of the platform within CABTS headquarters. On
one hand, efforts will be made to further popularize the system, timely get hold on the internal
work arrangements, strive to get more work opportunities in continued education and training;
on the other hand, centering the work of MOA, we will issue new policies, plan for different
columns and subjects, for instance “lecture room of policies” and “expert consultation”. At
the same time, we will keep close contacts with relevant departments of MOA and invite
leaders and experts to attend activities, and provide video conferencing and distance training
services to relevant departments.
Public application：efforts will be made to popularize the network of CABTS, extend contacts
with potential users, fully tap the advantages of the application of the system and generate
some economic effects for local schools that have built up ground stations, so as the increase
their enthusiasm of work and encourage them to use the system. Efforts will also be made to
cooperate with the higher education institutions like the Network College of China
Agriculture University and gradually expand the scope of cooperation with other higher
education institutions.
7