Using national platform resources in rural classrooms

Case studies on the role of the National Primary and Secondary School Smart Education Platform in enhancing the effectiveness of classes in rural areas

Gou Fen, Du Xuemei, Hu Shaolin, Cao Rong, Xian Xiuzhang

Future Primary School, Wanyuan No. 1 Primary School

Baisha Experimental Primary School, Wanyuan

Abstract:As Chinese education informatization enters the era of intelligence, scientific research in related fields has achieved deeper development. The National Smart Education Platform for Primary and Secondary Schools across the country has been established. Within the framework of the rural revitalization strategy, strong education is regarded as a driving force for sustainable development. This paper focuses on the rich resources provided by the National Smart Education Platform for Primary and Secondary Schools. It analyzes how to improve teaching quality in rural primary and secondary school classrooms. Considering the effective utilization of the platform’s advantages, this paper explores its application in rural education, with the aim of promoting the revitalization of rural education and enhancing educational equity.    

Keywords:Smart education platform; Rural education; Classroom teaching effectiveness    

Since March 2022, the National Primary and Secondary School Smart Education Platform, after comprehensive improvements, was once again made available to the public. Its architecture is divided into ten key sections and 53 sub-categories. This transformation has greatly enhanced intelligent educational resources such as online teaching by teachers and the hybrid teaching model in physical classrooms. In the process of promoting educational development, high-quality educational resources play a crucial role. Especially in rural schools where teachers have limited teaching capabilities, making full use of the resources on this platform can significantly improve learning outcomes, surpassing the traditional teaching methods that rely solely on teachers’ experience. Against the backdrop of rural revitalization, it is important to study the best ways to utilize the online resources of the smart education platform in order to improve the efficiency of teaching in rural primary schools, and further promote educational equity.  

1. Overview of the National Primary and Secondary School Smart Education Platform  

The National Primary and Secondary School Smart Education Platform originated from the existing National Primary and Secondary School Network Cloud Platform. Based on the achievements achieved in the previous stage, it follows the “four principles” – adhering to a needs-oriented approach, promoting co-construction and sharing, focusing on people-oriented development, and encouraging integrated innovation. The goal is to optimize and improve the platform by “collaboratively building a platform system, ensuring the normal operation of the Internet, integrating high-quality resources, and enabling regular integrated applications”. The main improvements to the platform include expanding service scenarios, offering personalized and targeted services, and enhancing the level of intelligence. Specifically, the platform focuses on four core areas: first, meeting teaching requirements by providing diverse applicable scenarios; second, providing targeted services for different user groups based on various browsing methods; third, increasing the diversity of resources and improving the ability to integrate resources; fourth, implementing decentralized deployment to ensure system coordination and efficient operation. This Smart Education Platform is designed to meet specific business needs, and it follows the “five services” principle: “serving students’ active learning”, “serving teachers to improve teaching quality”, “serving rural areas to enhance educational quality”, “serving home-school collaboration in education”, and “serving the principle of continuing education despite school closures”. The aim is to achieve a deep integration of information technology and teaching. In terms of resource development, the platform has added 8 program modules, and the previous theme education and curriculum teaching modules have been reintegrated. This results in ten major sections, including moral education, curriculum teaching, family education, educational reform experiences, and teaching materials, with 53 sub-channels, as shown in Figure 1. This well-structured layout aims to provide a wide range of resources for students’ comprehensive and holistic development, covering various learning situations both on and off campus, thereby reflecting the holistic education concept.  

According to the latest information, the National Primary and Secondary School Smart Education Platform has gathered nearly 44,000 educational resources for schools and primary/secondary schools. More than 60 publishers have provided over 2,000 e-book textbooks. The platform has received more than 3,000,000,000 visits, with an average of over 20,000,000 visits per day. The number of visits to the course teaching sections accounts for over 80% of the total visits. This indicates that since the platform was launched, it has gained widespread recognition and frequent use by teachers and students, and has also attracted attention from various sectors of society. Nevertheless, compared with the high standards and demands of China’s basic education development, the quality of the platform still needs to be improved.  

II. Issues regarding the application of the National Smart Education Platform in classrooms in rural areas  

(1) In rural areas, primary schools lack acceptance for using the platform.  

As the National Smart Education Platform for Primary and Secondary Schools continues to be optimized and improved, its functions and teaching resources have seen a steady increase. At present, the resources and application functions offered by this platform have permeated all aspects of primary school teaching. As a platform that aggregates numerous teaching resources, if educators can make full use of its advantages in teaching, the quality of teaching will be significantly improved. However, based on questionnaire surveys and interviews, it is found that teachers in rural primary schools have a low level of acceptance of this platform. In other words, many teachers are not aware of the potential benefits of this platform in teaching practice; instead, they view it as a representative project aimed at promoting the digital and intelligent transformation of education, and it is seen more as a symbol of national educational development rather than a practical means to improve teaching efficiency. As a new form of teaching assistance, the National Smart Education Platform for Primary and Secondary Schools requires educators to spend a lot of time and effort on learning, applying its features, and even conducting in-depth research. Without strong promotion and support from higher-level authorities, it is difficult to motivate frontline teachers in rural schools to actively explore the use of this platform, especially when it is not possible to transform the platform’s online resources into innovative teaching activities that meet the needs of local students.  

(II) Primary school teachers in rural areas have a single approach to the utilization of resources  

In schools in mountainous areas, the teaching staff tend to make extensive use of the “Teaching Course” function on the teaching platform. Detailed analysis shows that teachers mainly rely on online resources such as “after-class assignments” and “video recordings of demonstration lessons”. In contrast, the use of other auxiliary online resources, such as “learning task sheets”, is relatively limited. Apart from the “Teaching Course” function, other modules like “moral education”, “physical education”, “aesthetic education”, “labor education”, and “after-class services” are rarely utilized. This situation indicates that, despite the various functions available on the teaching platform, teachers actually focus their efforts mainly on the “Teaching Course” function. As a result, the availability of resources is limited, which goes against the original intention of the platform to help students develop in all aspects through diverse online resources.  

Addressing the limitations of the use of electronic teaching platforms by teachers, and encouraging a more diverse and adaptable use of platform resources, is a key task aimed at advancing education in rural areas. It also represents a crucial research area that must be given attention during the implementation of the national smart education platform for primary and secondary schools.  

(3) The level of application of resources is relatively low  

The resources provided by the National Primary and Secondary School Smart Education Platform are often regarded by teachers as “auxiliary materials” in the teaching process. Some teachers believe that “high-quality course videos can replace their own teaching methods”, or they think that “the resources offered by the platform are sufficient and well-structured, and can be used directly”. During interviews, teachers mentioned that “schools require the use of these resources, but the actual scope of their application is often not considered”. At present, the use of the platform’s resources remains at a level of “using them simply for the sake of using them”, and there is still no stage where these resources are fully integrated with the actual teaching conditions and students’ learning levels for detailed analysis and evaluation.  

III. Cases of rural schools using the National Smart Education Platform for Primary and Secondary Schools in classrooms  

(1) Primary school music  

In a rural primary school in a certain county, the national Smart Education Platform for primary and secondary schools was effectively utilized in music teaching. This helped to address the problems of a shortage of music teachers and a lack of high-quality teaching materials in the area. At the same time, the innovative teaching methods provided by this platform created a learning environment filled with a musical atmosphere. This not only met the psychological and cognitive needs of students, but also significantly improved the effectiveness of music lessons.  

During the teaching process, the teacher uses multimedia-assisted software. For example, musical scores are displayed on the screen, and students are helped to select course videos through online platforms to practice singing exercises. Based on cooperative learning, students’ innovative thinking abilities are stimulated; they are encouraged to interpret music in their native language and try to write song lyrics, thereby enhancing their confidence in their own abilities. In the music appreciation module, a variety of free musical pieces are used to develop students’ sensitivity to sound, and their ability to appreciate music is improved. When it comes to pieces that few people know about, students can watch videos of composers performing in real time through online platforms, thereby gaining a deeper understanding of the performers’ skills and the details of the instruments, and thus having a more comprehensive aesthetic evaluation.  

(2) Primary school English  

At a remote primary and secondary school in a certain county, the English teacher utilized the advantages of the National Smart Education Platform for Primary and Secondary Schools. The teacher aimed to help students realize their potential through self-study before the start of the course content. Through this platform, a variety of English learning resources are available, such as audio and video files, which help students get familiar with the pronunciation and meaning of new words in advance, thus preparing them well for further learning in class. In addition, students can use the platform’s online resources to learn about the specific content of the courses they will study, which provides a foundation for the teacher’s teaching activities.  

At the level of teaching implementation, teachers effectively use various software tools such as videos and photos to increase students’ participation and enthusiasm for learning. Especially in English listening training, teachers rely on diverse learning materials available on the platform to design targeted listening exercises. For example, they use English songs or excerpts from articles to conduct listening comprehension exercises. This helps improve students’ listening skills and their proficiency in spoken English. At the same time, the online reading resources on the platform also greatly enhance students’ reading experience. The sample articles provided are suitable for students at various reading levels, and they help students gradually adapt to the vocabulary and structure of English texts.  

Due to the limitations of the English speaking abilities of English teachers in rural primary schools, it is often difficult for them to provide students with high standards of pronunciation and language proficiency. With the help of online educational resources, students can not only use the exercises prepared by their teachers, but also freely watch and listen to high-quality video courses recorded by teachers with higher foreign language skills, thereby compensating for the lack of educational resources in rural areas.  

IV. Research conclusions and reflections  

(1) Research conclusions  

The use of the National Smart Education Platform for Primary and Secondary Schools has a positive impact on classroom teaching in rural primary schools.

In rural primary school teaching, most teachers who frequently use the National Smart Education Platform for schools and primary schools can clearly observe a significant increase in students’ learning efficiency throughout the entire process from the start of the lesson to its conclusion. This platform provides a variety of teaching resources and innovative teaching methods, which greatly stimulate students’ interest in learning. As a result, students become more actively involved in classroom activities, and their efficiency in acquiring and understanding knowledge is also improved. For teachers, the standardized and efficient courses offered by the National Smart Education Platform play a crucial role in guiding and setting examples during teaching activities. By referring to and using these high-quality course resources, teachers can continuously learn and adopt advanced teaching concepts, methods, and organizational forms. In this way, their own skills in using teaching technologies are significantly enhanced, allowing them to continuously improve the teaching process and enhance the quality of teaching.  

2. The practical application of the platform still needs to be promoted and enhanced.

Educators play a central role in teaching activities; their teaching skills are the fundamental factors that determine the quality of classroom instruction. If teachers lack talent in teaching, even if they have plenty of teaching materials at their disposal, the content they present in actual teaching sessions tends to be fragmented and lacks proper logical coherence. Additionally, teachers in rural primary schools face heavy teaching responsibilities; many of them have up to 16 or more teaching sessions per week. Under such intense workload, it is difficult for teachers to find enough time to thoroughly explore, utilize, and apply new teaching software such as the National Smart Education Platform for Schools and Primary Schools. As a result, they can only barely fulfill the most basic teaching tasks. Schools, as the foundation of the teaching system, usually follow the guidelines set by educational authorities in carrying out teaching activities. Although top-level directives emphasize “using the platform according to actual needs” or “using it in an innovative way,” in practice, most schools require all teachers to register and use the platform without considering the actual effectiveness of its use and its suitability to the school’s teaching conditions. In the minds of many teachers in primary and secondary schools, “using the platform to carry out teaching activities” has become an additional task and burden. As a result, teachers focus only on meeting the minimum usage requirements, neglecting the actual teaching outcomes. Some teachers even focus solely on data entry to meet the assessment standards set by the school, making the use of the platform a mere formality and failing to truly enhance teaching quality. Therefore, it is an important task that requires continuous in-depth discussion and careful consideration to effectively promote the use of the national primary and secondary school smart education platform in teaching practices. This is aimed at reducing the workload of educators, alleviating the academic burden on students, and enhancing the intelligent management of schools.  

(2) Thoughts and suggestions  

1. Teacher’s own development

The core competencies of teachers are essential for enhancing the effectiveness of the national primary and secondary school intelligent education platform. Teachers with high professional competence can accurately select teaching materials suitable for specific teaching content and students, based on the rich resources available on the platform. This ability to select appropriate materials not only reduces the time and effort teachers spend in preparing lessons, thereby alleviating the burden of lesson planning, but also enhances students’ understanding and mastery of knowledge. Additionally, teachers should possess keen judgment skills; they need to determine how various teaching materials should be used effectively in different classroom situations, and clearly define their role throughout the teaching process—whether they serve as supplementary materials or as core curriculum content. Teachers also need to take into account local conditions, including geographical environment and cultural traditions, and adjust or modify the educational resources provided by the platform as appropriate, so that the resources better align with local cultural characteristics. This helps to strengthen the connection between the curriculum content and students’ daily lives, ultimately leading to significant improvements in teaching effectiveness. Teachers should make full use of the training modules provided by the national primary and secondary school intelligent education platform, actively participate in sub-projects such as “general training” and “professional skill training,” and carry out learning activities in a logical and systematic manner. By participating in these training programs, teachers can deepen their understanding of basic knowledge, broaden their perspective on curriculum trends, and strengthen their approach to designing teaching materials. All these positive effects help teachers continuously improve their professional skills. Furthermore, teachers should explore and utilize the rich online resources available on the platform, and continuously seek new teaching methods and ideas, thereby promoting their own professional development.  

2. The applicability of resources in rural areas is enhanced.

Most of the teaching resources provided by the National Smart Education Platform for Primary and Secondary Schools are created by schools with relatively better teaching conditions. These schools are mostly located in urban areas. In contrast, if rural schools simply use the online resources on this platform without any filtering, it is very likely that these resources will be completely disconnected from the actual life of local students. For example, activities such as “visiting art exhibitions”, “visiting science and technology exhibits”, and “community waste sorting” are typically areas that rural students rarely have access to due to geographical and environmental limitations. On the other hand, scenes that rural students are more familiar with, such as “vast rural landscapes”, “insects chirping in summer”, and “the rooster crowing at dawn”, are rarely included in the various teaching resources on the platform. Taking into account the unique social and environmental conditions in rural areas, it is necessary to focus more on highlighting local characteristics when determining teaching content. Important indicators include the uniqueness of the teaching environment, the individual needs of students, the regional features reflected in the teaching content, and the diversity of overall educational goals. When rural schools use the resources of the National Smart Education Platform for Primary and Secondary Schools, they need to filter and integrate these resources locally, or develop some teaching resources independently based on local conditions, so that the teaching content can closely align with the real life and cognitive levels of rural students, thereby improving the relevance and effectiveness of teaching.  

3. Enhancing the level of utilization of resources

The National Primary and Secondary School Smart Education Platform contains a variety of high-quality educational resources. However, in actual classroom teaching applications, these “high-quality resources” must adhere to the basic principles that are consistent with traditional classroom teaching. They should be based on the actual needs of the subject curriculum, and teachers should demonstrate their choices and evaluations of these resources during the course initiation phase. Given the different conditions in rural schools, as well as the differences between the characteristics of students and the resources available, teachers must make appropriate choices and adjustments based on their understanding of how these resources can be integrated into specific teaching scenarios, in order to effectively improve the shortcomings of rural teaching environments and enhance teaching outcomes.  

Based on the integration of resources from various platforms, innovative research and application activities with regional characteristics can be carried out. In the field of platform-based classroom teaching, resources such as lesson plan designs, teaching materials, classroom teaching videos, and PPTs from various regions, schools, and textbook versions in China are gathered. Teachers can, through watching and learning, draw inspiration from the various strategies used by excellent educators in presenting regional characteristics, and then make appropriate adjustments and innovations to teaching resources, taking into account their own school environment and students’ knowledge levels. At the same time, teachers have the opportunity to upload the course resources they have developed and used into the platform, thereby transforming from resource users into resource contributors.  

Conclusion  

At present, there are still several challenges in the use of the National Smart Education Platform for primary and secondary schools. These include limitations in teaching resources, insufficient interactivity, and a lack of interdisciplinary teaching materials. In addition, the infrastructure for education in rural areas is relatively underdeveloped, which poses many difficulties for teachers at the front line in using this platform. There is still a need to find ways to improve its functionality and effectiveness. However, it is undeniable that as a national-level platform that is actively developed and implemented, the National Smart Education Platform has provided impetus for the rapid development of education in rural areas, and it also represents an important step forward for China on the path toward educational informatization and intelligence.  

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