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Tsinghua University Library case study: Developing a virtual learning environment
Tsinghua University Library is playing a lead role in
developing the university’s VLE. Starting in 2008, it’s
offering videos showing instructors delivering lectures.
Tsinghua University Library is among pioneers providing virtual learning environments (VLE) in China.
In 2000, the library developed the Document Information Retrieval network teaching platform, which many other Chinese university libraries have since used. Since then, we’ve developed a virtual learning environment that provides distributed learning — available any time and any place.
Our library’s website serves as an integrated platform and the main portal for our university’s eLearning environment. On our website, resources are accompanied by clear and simple descriptions, helping users find needed materials. During recent years, Tsinghua University Library has developed many kinds of online learning materials, e.g., a freshmen guide and topic-focused lectures and courses. Each semester, we update the materials and add new topics based on users’ needs. To make tutorials better, we cooperate with vendors. For example, in collaboration with Elsevier colleagues, we created a ScienceDirect tutorial. This year we’re beginning to provide online videos of lectures — videos featuring not only slides, but also speakers’ voices and images.
Now, given the rapid development of network technology, we’re making every effort to develop a more effective and powerful VLE to meet the needs of various types of users, especially the "Digital Generation." We’re beginning to combine online teaching with onsite teaching by using the university’s Network Study Room, where we share curriculum resources (such as software, presentations and related materials). Here, students can submit homework and questions or generate discussions and get feedback.
eLearning can help students become active learners, and libraries should play a greater role in this process of transformation.
Tsinghua University Library collaborated with Elsevier to
produce a ScienceDirect tutorial, shown above. Available to
authorized users, the tutorial is accessible via the library's
website at www.lib.tsinghua.edu.cn/english.
Researchers and students have responded well to our online learning materials. Commenting on his daily use of databases, PhD candidate Zhao Xiaofan said, "I access frequently the library’s online tutorials to get to know particular platforms better, learn about their latest functions and improve my searching efficiency. Online trainings and lectures are very convenient for me. eLearning helps me gain more from teaching and studying.”
The development of computer and network technology is changing education and liberating the teaching and learning process from the physical environment e.g., classrooms, laboratories). As our university’s provider of information resources and teachers of information literacy, we at Tsinghua University Library know our users are looking forward to greater participation in the virtual learning environment. And we have just begun in figuring out where to go with further developing our VLE.
eLearning can help students become
active learners, and libraries should
play a greater role in this process
of transformation. 
www.lib.tsinghua.edu.cn/english
