Problems Of Modern Distance Education In The Multi-cultural Region Of Western China

"Modern distance education engineering in locally rural primary and middle schools"(MDEELRPMS) as a cultural phenomena and a new education and teaching method after having been introduced into the West of China, how does it conflict with local education, quality education, curriculum reform, traditional culture and region? How can we supply the gap and solve the problem existed during practicing process. Up to now, related studies have been less reported. Combining"the western trip of educational technology"investigating activity initiated by College of Education Technology and Communications of Northwest Normal University, the author investigated the two questions mentioned above using qualitative study, and emic and etic approaches of cultural materialism.The objectives of this study are: to put forward a creative and pluralistic developing suggestion on how the MDEELRPMS in the west adapts the western culture and region characteristic, from the angle of culture and the profile of policy, through investigating the problem, experience and suggestion existed during the practicing process of the project, based on helpful experience from the development of domestic and abroad distance education and the education informationization; to provide reference and new research insights, for the fair and healthy development of western education, for the transition of MDEELRPMS from construction to application; for the reforming of western elementary education.Research strategy and approaches:Research strategy: at first, to have a preliminary knowledge of western culture, regional characteristic and the situation of MDEELRPMS actualized, through literature collecting and analysis, in order to make a good preparation for planning the syllabus of research and on the spot investigation; secondly, to design on the spot investigation syllabus: the main context involved in the successful experience, existed main problem and suggestion of MDEELRPMS actualized; thirdly, to prepare the tools for investigation, including digital record pen, digital camera and communication tools; fourthly, through the investigation activity of"Tian Jiabin'two banks and three places'educational technology western trip", get the first hand information of western MDEELRPMS actualized, from experience, problem and suggestion; fifthly, through coding analysis for the information obtained gets research conclusions, based on the outcome and experience of domestic and abroad distance education and the elementary education informationization; sixthly, to put forward a creative and pluralistic developing suggestion on how the MDEELRPMS in the west adapts the western culture and region characteristic, from the angle of culture.Research approaches: mainly using qualitative study and emic (the view of culture loader) and etic (the view of researcher) approaches of cultural materialism; using informal discussion, attending a lecture, information collecting and literature searches at the aspect of information collecting; literature searches were mainly by mean of CNKI full text library of Chinese periodicals, CNKI excellent Master's and Doctor's thesis library, and electronic"SuperStar"books, whole the traditional books were used as supplement.The main outcomes obtained, through a systematic study, are as followings:1. Through analyzing culture component element, enlightened by layered architecture of computer networking, from the angle of culture build up a frame of policy analysis for western MDEELRPMS, including three levels: the first level is"three kinds of models layer", corresponding to matter culture; the second layer is"running management layer", corresponding to system culture; the third layer is"application layer", corresponding to spirit culture and behavior culture.Three kinds of models layer, running management layer, and application layer, all of them have policy domain uniform criterion and treaty, while the criterion and treaty of each level could be different, and each place could create and develop according to local culture and region characteristic, and look after suitable implement scheme.2. Through investigation, it has been made clear that the successful experience and the main problem existed during the carring out process of MDEELRPMS at the west.The main problem existed: by investigation, the author suggests that two kinds of problems existed in MDEELRPMS in the west, one is the problem existed in the project itself, and the other is the problem during the carrying out process. The results from the author are: nine kinds of problems existed in the project itself, while 5 kinds sum up to 31 problems (7 at organization, 7 at basic establishment, 6 at resources of distance education, 4 at bylaw, 7 at distance education application, for details, it can be found in Chapter 2 and it will not be listed here).Successful experiences: 6 kinds sum up to 34 experiences have been summarized ( 3 at organization, 13 at management, 4 at teachers, 9 at application, 4 at resource construction and 1 at teaching education, details could be found in Chapter 2).3. The basic thought of MDEELRPMS developing in the west has been put forward.This study suggests that: MDEELRPMS in the west should adapt the characteristics of western culture and region, and should develop the three modes of MDEELRPMS creatively and pluralisticly from construction to application; after the transition from construction to application, more freedom and options should be given to each province, city and municipality in the west, and policy tilt and support should be given, considering the specialty of hug investment and economy difficulty at"bilingual"schools in the western far-off nationality regions.4. Detailed suggestions have been put forward According to the frame of three level policy analysis obtained by the author, 47 suggestions have been put forward for a healthy and continuing development of western MDEELRPMS from 3 levels: 12 at three kinds of models layer, 7 kinds sum up to 25 at management (7 at organization, 8 at teachers, 3 at resource radiation, 2 at resource exploitation, 1 at teaching and researching, 2 at subject teaching materials and teaching reference, and 2 at electric power resource); application layer 2 kind sum up to 11 (7 at management department of the school and 4 at terchers).