I was very surprised to hear the news that, immediately after schools in China were closed due to the spread of the novel coronavirus, the country had established a system enabling 50 million students to participate in remote learning. In this article, I asked about the nature of remote education currently being implemented in China.

“In February and March, the streets were practically deserted, but Shanghai has now returned to its pre-COVID normalcy,” say Ms. Zhao and Ms. Lü, who live in Shanghai. Both are mothers whose children attend public elementary schools in the city.
Ms. Zhao’s child is in second grade, and Ms. Lü’s child is in fourth grade. After a prolonged school closure lasting about three months in Shanghai, preparations finally began for schools to reopen on May 6.
At the end of January, when Wuhan
went into lockdown, it was right in the middle of winter break. Normally, winter break lasts until mid-February.However, on January 27, the Ministry of Education issued a notice postponing the start of the 2020 spring semester, extending the winter break until the end of February. Furthermore, since there was no clear timeline for schools to reopen, a policy was announced to switch to distance learning starting in March under the slogan, “Classes may stop, but learning must not.”

　Even when classes are held remotely, the curriculum remains the same as usual. Six classes are held daily according to the schedule, including Japanese, English, math, music, art, physical education, and ethics.

　Classes start at 9:00 a.m. Normally, each class lasts 35 minutes with a 10-minute break, but for remote learning, each class lasts 20 minutes with a 40-minute break. Although it’s called a break, the first 20 minutes are spent completing assignments based on the video watched earlier, or doing radio calisthenics and eye exercises. 

　These 20-minute lesson videos feature lectures by teachers selected by the Shanghai Municipal Education Commission and are broadcast simultaneously throughout Shanghai. They are not prepared by individual schools. Students watch them on any device of their choice, such as televisions, computers, tablets, or smartphones.

　What’s particularly noteworthy is that this is being broadcast on television. One of the approximately 10 channels operated by the Shanghai Media Group has been temporarily converted into a distance learning channel. I’m told they suspended their regular programming and switched to broadcasting recorded lectures by teachers.It appears the Board of Education also prepared the video content in about two weeks. Masaki Yokoi, who has been in Shanghai since his time at Nomura Research Institute and who introduced the two individuals, says, “They just go ahead and do things even when they don’t know if they’ll succeed. They tackle whatever they think is necessary, no matter what. That attitude is what’s amazing about China.”

　Before distance learning began, the school conducted a survey through the school system to assess students’ home device environments. The school sought to understand each household’s situation by asking questions such as: What devices do you have at home—a TV, computer, tablet, or smartphone? Which ones are most convenient? Which TV stations can you watch? What type of TV do you have?
  　
As a result, preparations were made to ensure students could watch classes regardless of the device they used. However, for the children, an environment where they can watch classes simply by turning on the TV may present a lower barrier than setting up a computer. When class time comes, they turn on the TV to watch, and then return to the screen before the next program begins. It seems this has become part of the children’s daily routine.
For reference, on a computer, lessons can be viewed via the “Shanghai Primary and Secondary School Online Classroom” page.
[
Shanghai Primary and Secondary School Online Classroom] https://ke.qq.com/act/shanghailive202002_pc/index.html?id=4&from=singlemessage&mmticket=

　Assignments to be completed after watching the lecture videos will be handled via DingTalk. DingTalk is a business app that has become firmly established in China as a platform for corporate administrative functions. It consolidates general corporate administrative functions such as attendance tracking, payment management, and approval workflows.Furthermore, it offers a comprehensive suite of sales tools, such as project management and customer management, making it indispensable for the day-to-day management of both employees and business operations. Developed by Alibaba, it is free to use for general purposes, though registration is required. By utilizing the DingTalk system and treating the school class as if it were a company, we have achieved rich communication by leveraging the various features available on DingTalk.
  　
Within DingTalk, there are threads for each subject, where textbooks, reference materials, and assignments are posted.The photo shows the screen for Class 4, Grade 2. Students work on their assignments and upload them to DingTalk, where the teacher provides feedback. Students then redo any problems they got wrong and upload them again. Once the teacher gives the OK, that day’s homework for that section is complete.

　For example, this photo shows math homework posted online. “Let’s work on page 39.” The children solve the problems in their paper textbooks, then take a photo of their completed homework and upload it.

Students' answers are displayed in the order they were submitted, and the teacher selects an "Outstanding Homework" entry from among them each time.

　As shown in the image of the English test, while it's perfectly fine to fill out the Word document and submit it digitally as is, I've heard that many children print it out, work on it, and then send a photo of their work.

　Printing out assignments and submitting them via smartphone photo does seem like something anyone could easily do as long as they have a smartphone.
It’s said that printers were the best-selling item during this
shift to remote learning. Printer inventory ran out in March.Sales of tablets also increased, but many people already own smartphones. In contrast, while many households don’t have printers, this shift to remote learning makes it difficult to participate without one, so many families purchased them.
Other lessons include art classes where students draw pictures and upload photos, and music classes where they listen to music sent to them.
  　
Students are also required to report their health status daily—answering questions like “Do you have a fever?” and “Have you left Shanghai?”—and this is done through DingTalk. Although DingTalk was already in daily use, this is reportedly the first time it has been used in this way.

　

　There’s another app we use for group work assignments. The app features multiple groups of about 3 to 5 people each. Within these groups, students share their work and evaluate each other’s work. Today, they were filming and sending each other recordings of themselves reading English passages aloud.
Ms. Lu’s daughter didn’t have a smartphone at first, but since she now does all her homework on a smartphone, she’s finally gotten her own.

In addition, we use WeChat to share information between parents and the school. Messages from teachers are sent to the chat group. We use it regularly, and of course, it’s been invaluable during remote learning.

　

　Mr. Yokoi points out that China was able to switch to distance learning so quickly because the necessary infrastructure was already in place.

“DingTalk is used by many companies. Since location data is shared, it’s easy to see who’s at work. As a result, it’s used in place of attendance records.At work, we use WeChat instead of email. All of this can be handled on a single smartphone. Since many people were already accustomed to using these tools in this way, the transition was easy.”
He also
notes that China’s approach differs slightly from the typical concept of ICT adoption. This is because, in Shanghai, paper, smartphones, and computers are constantly integrated.
  　
“When submitting paperwork, it’s a daily routine to print it out, fill it in, stamp it, and send it. So, when doing homework, taking a photo and sending it is a natural action that feels completely normal.Also, because traffic jams are common, audiobooks have become widespread. And they’re typically 10–20 minutes long.I’ve heard that the decision to make classes 20 minutes long was made to align with the standard length of audiobooks—it wasn’t just a whim. I think that’s part of the infrastructure of daily life in China.”
Speaking
of infrastructure, when transitioning to remote learning, were there any issues with household devices or internet access?

“I don’t think there are any problems with internet access or devices in Shanghai.Everyone has a smartphone, and internet penetration is high.”
　However
, when remote learning began on March 1, it reportedly affected corporate networks as well. The number of students in China, from kindergarten through college, is approximately 270 million. Given that nearly half of them have now switched to remote learning in the mornings, that’s hardly surprising.
He also notes that the pace of network expansion has been rapid. “The very next day, China Mobile went to build a base station in a remote mountainous area where the signal had been poor. Various organizations across the country collaborated to maintain the children’s educational environment. What’s impressive about China is not just that the infrastructure was already in place, but that it was expanded at such a rapid pace,” Mr. Yokoi continued.

　What are the challenges? Mr. Zhao and Mr. Lü both cite three main issues: “the effectiveness of distance learning,” “the impact on children’s health,” and “the burden on parents.”
  　
Although the schedule remains the same, class times have been shortened, and in some cases, the number of class periods was reduced midway through the term to ease the burden on the children. On the other hand, since the lost class time is being made up with homework, the curriculum is not falling behind. However, they express concern, saying, “We don’t know how much the children are actually retaining.”Many parents are concerned about the difference in learning outcomes compared to in-person schooling.
As for the physical
effects, the biggest concern is a lack of exercise. While there is a physical education period during which students follow the teacher’s movements in front of their screens, these sessions last only about 10 to 20 minutes. Parents are also concerned about the impact on their children’s eyes from spending long hours staring at screens.
  　
The increased burden on parents is a major challenge. According to a survey conducted in late March, 43.1% of parents spend 2 to 3 hours per day assisting their children with their studies, while 6.2% spend 5 hours or more. Since Ms. Lü comes from a dual-income household, her child attends remote classes alone at home every day.They’ve asked a friend who lives next door to prepare lunch for their child. It’s surprising to hear that while the child couldn’t manage the work on their own when remote learning first began, they now handle everything independently.
On the other hand, Ms. Zhao emphasizes, “That’s impossible for a child in the lower grades!” Ms. Zhao’s family is also dual-income, so they rely on her parents for support.It seems that families without parents or friends to turn to are having to take time off work or even quit their jobs.

“The burden is just too great—we really hope school starts soon,” say Ms. Lü and Ms. Zhao. The children share the same sentiment: “We want to go to school.” Their reasons are that they have friends there, and it’s more fun to listen to the teacher’s lessons in person.Ms. Lü points out that the current broadcast-style distance learning consists solely of one-way lectures, whereas listening to a teacher’s lesson live fosters communication and helps cultivate a sense of participation.
  　
“Young children aren’t interested in the lessons. Even while watching the broadcast, they’re playing or eating snacks. They sleep in every day and play—I suppose that’s fun for them,” says Ms. Zhao.

　Now, in Japan, in response to the temporary school closures, various EdTech companies have begun offering educational materials for free. The situation is the same in China. Extracurricular activities have also moved online. The piano class that Ms. Lü’s daughter attends is now holding lessons via Zoom with the teacher. Apparently, the ballet class has also gone online.
  　
However, since children’s time is limited, they are currently swamped with school assignments.
Although there are many free educational materials available, the reality is that they simply don’t have the time to make use of them.
The Shanghai municipal government declared a state of emergency when there was one death and about 50 confirmed cases. “Subway service ends at 7:00 p.m.Businesses such as shopping centers, libraries, karaoke venues, barbershops, and gyms were ordered to suspend operations.
People could not use public transportation or enter offices or commercial facilities without presenting a health QR code generated by an app that records their health status for the past 14 days. Pole-mounted cameras were used to track the movements of infected individuals, and that information was visualized on map apps.Sensors were installed on front doors as part of home quarantine measures. “I was so surprised—‘Are they really going this far?’—that the streets were completely empty, and Shanghai residents chose to stay home. Footage showing the streets in Japan still overflowing with people has reached Shanghai, and it’s causing anxiety,” says Mr. Yokoi, who is worried about the situation in Japan, where his family remains.
  　
In Japan, too, there is no clear outlook on how long school closures will last. Shanghai’s approach of tackling the situation with what’s available—such as using smartphones and taking photos—could serve as a useful reference.