Internet Plus Education in China: Educational Innovation and the Future of Education

The Chinese government attaches great importance to the development and educational application of internet technologies, regarding the use of online learning spaces as a key strategy to advance the digital transformation of education. In November 2021, the Chinese government issued the “Opinions on Promoting the Development of ‘Internet + Education’,” launching the national “Internet + Education” strategy. The document calls on education authorities at all levels to use the internet as a new learning space, actively explore new educational models, and drive innovative educational development. Under this national strategy, innovative practices and research in “Internet + Education” have flourished across the country. This special issue collects recent progress in China's new concepts, practices, and patterns in “Internet + Education.”

The six papers in this issue highlight four core aspects of China's “Internet + Education” innovation:

(1) Fundamental theories of “Internet + Education”

The paper “New Concepts of Knowledge, Learning and Curriculum for ‘Internet + Education’” draws on nine rounds of cMOOC experiments to propose the “Regressive View of Knowledge.” It argues that knowledge has returned from elite symbols to collective intelligence; learning is a spiral process of building, optimizing, and innovating information networks; and curriculum functions as a co-evolving community of “self-organization and other-organization.” This paper represents a frontier reflection and reconstruction of the underlying logic of education under the profound reshaping of education by “Internet+.”

This theoretical innovation aligns with global discussions on technology-enhanced learning. Selwyn (2022) critically examines how digital technologies are reshaping educational epistemologies, arguing that true educational transformation requires moving beyond tool-centric approaches to rethinking knowledge production itself. The “Regressive View of Knowledge” proposed in this special issue resonates with Selwyn's call for recognizing technology as a social practice rather than merely a technical intervention.

(2) Teachers’ digital transformation

The paper “Teacher Willingness to Sustain Online Teaching in Vocational Education: A Post-Pandemic Survey Study,” based on structural equation modeling (SEM) using 17,000 samples, identifies key factors influencing teachers’ willingness to sustain online teaching and emphasizes the importance of perceived usefulness and resource support. Beyond being a survey report, this study offers strategic insights into the digital future of vocational education. It warns that without teachers’ deep recognition and competence support, no advanced technology can take root in vocational education. At the same time, it highlights that building an accessible, collaborative support environment is crucial to stimulating teachers’ motivation and ensuring the sustainability of digital transformation.

(3) Two paradigms of institutional innovation in universities

The paper “Learning at Zhejiang University: Applying the Learning Engineering Approach to ICT-Enabled Educational Innovation” demonstrates the systematic practice of the learning engineering approach at the university level. Its proposed K-CPS framework—integrating Knowledge Graphs, Smart Classrooms, Learning Platforms, and Cloud Services—illustrates the evolution from isolated technology applications to holistic ecosystem construction. This “engineering mindset” is driving education informatization from tool-assisted improvement to systemic reconstruction, providing a viable path toward large-scale personalized learning.

The paper “Digital Transformation Driving Educational Reforms in Higher Education: A Paradigm Shift in Teaching and Learning” addresses a fundamental question in the language of engineering: when data become a new production factor, how should universities teach, learn, manage, and assess? It introduces the “Xidian Model,” offering institutional, instructional, and evaluative reforms. Representing a shift from “smart classrooms + MOOCs” to “full-chain digital twins,” this study provides an integrated, replicable, and adaptable model for universities worldwide.

International models show varying approaches to university digital transformation: while American universities like MIT have focused on MOOC development and open educational resources, European institutions have emphasized blended learning and digital competence development. China's unique contribution lies in its scale and systemic approaches, as exemplified by the “Double First-Class” university initiative which has allocated significant resources to educational technology ingrastructure. The learning engineering approach adopted by Zhejiang University reflects a growing global trend toward evidence-based educational innovation drawing on disciplines such as cognitive science, data science, and human–computer interaction. These institutional innovations are reshaping not only teaching and learning but also research and administration, driving a comprehensive digital transformation of university functions and processes.

(4) Educational system innovation

The paper “Optimizing the Distribution of High-Quality Teachers to Support Students’ Personalized Extracurricular Learning: Experience of Open Tutoring Program in Beijing” investigates Beijing's “Open Tutoring Program,” an innovative model addressing unequal teacher distribution through online “teacher mobility.” The study demonstrates that a government-led online platform can enable flexible, cross-school, cross-district allocation of high-quality teaching resources, effectively supporting personalized student learning. The model transcends traditional teacher reallocation mechanisms, establishing an efficient, dynamic teacher distribution system that influences both policy and practice, offering Chinese experience in promoting educational equity and quality through digital means.

The paper “Construction of Lifelong Learning Pathways: A Case Study in Guangdong Province, China” represents a major institutional reform in Guangdong Province. By integrating the qualifications framework, credit bank, and learning outcomes accreditation system, it recognizes non-formal and informal learning and promotes the transition from a closed, degree-oriented to an open, competency-oriented education system. This “three-in-one” design provides a solid institutional foundation for building a lifelong learning society that serves all learners. This innovative approach in Guangdong has the potential to significantly increase educational opportunities, particularly for marginalized groups such as rural residents, older adults, and low-skilled workers. These system-level reforms demonstrate China's commitment to leveraging digital technologies to transform its educational system and promote inclusive and equitable quality education for all.

Together, the papers in this special issue illustrate the Chinese model, Chinese thinking, and Chinese patterns in the digital transformation of education. As these studies reveal, the internet is not merely a medium of transmission but a new educational space in itself. The future of education will be jointly supported by physical, social, and networked learning spaces, guided by new principles and rules. Exploring the emerging educational laws and theories under the integration of these “three spaces” is both the mission and opportunity of contemporary educators.

However, challenges remain, including ensuring equitable access to digital resources (the “digital divides”), protecting student data privacy, and preparing teachers to effective navigate these hybrid environments. UNESCO's (2023) Global Education Monitoring Report warns that without careful policy design, digital technologies could exacerbates existing inequalities. As China continues to advance its “Internet + Education” strategy, these cautionary notes provide valuable guidance for balancing innovation with equity, efficiency with ethics, and technological advancement with human-centered education. The experiences and insights shared in this special issue contributes not only to China's educational development but also to the global discourses on the future of education in the digital age.