Peking University holds a symposium on the application of big data in education

Peking: Amid the novel coronavirus outbreak, many universities have to face the daunting task of setting up online platforms to ensure that teachers and students can follow the original studying plan in the spring semester. Peking University is no exception. With joint efforts from Empower Education Online and Wangxuan Institute of Computer Technology , the online platform developed for PKU faculty and students was completed prior to the beginning of the spring semester. This online platform, called “ClassIn”, has proven to be essential during this period of time, and many scholars across several institutions have recognized the prospect of online education.

On May 25, a symposium on the application of big data in education was held in the School of Mathematical Sciences, with more than 20 faculty members in attendance. The attendees included Zhang Pingwen, vice president of Peking University, Song Junbo, CEO of Empower Education Online (EEO), Sun Hua, director of Peking University Center for Excellent Teaching and Learning, and Geng Shu, vice secretary-general of Peking University Education Foundation.

Zhang Pingwen kicked off the conference by expressing gratitude to Empower Education Online for developing the ever-so-important e-learning platform, saying that “ClassIn” supported PKU during this crucial period of time by enabling more people to gain access to online education. “The data collected through “ClassIn” will be utilized for academic and research purposes, and it may one day be used to promote educational reform,” Zhang said.

The attendees agreed with Zhang’s point of view and believed that big data will play an increasingly important role in education, thus it is necessary to carry out research in this field.