On October 17, Guizhou University (GZU), China Agricultural University, Yunnan Agricultural University, Hainan University, the Entomology Virtual Teaching and Research Division affiliated to the Ministry of Education, and the Zhihuishu Network (an online education platform) jointly organized a class activity designed to blend the MOOCs courses of General Entomology with traditional classrooms. The program was intended for faculty and students from these four universities to break spatial boundaries and share excellent courses with one another. Key leaders attended the activity, including: Chen Xiangsheng, Vice President of Guizhou University; Lin Wanlong, Vice President of China Agricultural University; Yang Shengchao, Vice President of Yunnan Agricultural University; Guo Ruinan, Director of Modern Education Technology Center, and Wang Jian, Deputy CEO of Zhihuishu Network.

GZU’s faculty Chen Xiangsheng delivered a speech. He noted that this program was to provide public services, through which the higher educational institutions in the western regions of China would be able to share educational resources and support one another. Such an integrated class using distance learning technology in the classroom enabled faculty and students to enjoy abundantly courses and resources that are made available through the Zhihuishu network. He hoped that all universities involved could take advantage of the virtual platforms supervised by the Ministry of Education to further promote cooperative learning, improve teaching effectiveness, and conduct research programs.

During the online instruction, Cai Wanzhi of China Agricultural University presented a lecture themed on common behaviors of ten insects, such as their circadian rhythm, and feeding habits. Besides introducing fundamental knowledge, he included well-known traditional Chinese stories about these insects and some latest innovative breakthroughs in entomology in China. This flexible way of teaching is intended to help students gain further interest in the relevant field, broaden their perspectives on the world, and get a better understanding about scientific methods.

Editor:  He Xuan

Chief Editor: Zhang Yajun

Senior Editor: Yan Nai

Translator: Li Xiaorong