Beijing school tries home-schooling for smoggy days   

北京一学校启动雾霾天远程教学 停课时视频教学

昨天上午9点，北京市景山学校的小学、初中、高中共16个班大面积进行QQ群远程教学测试，一旦北京市发布雾霾红色预警，全校学生将通过远程教学在家上课。这也是北京市第一所针对雾霾推出远程教学预案的学校。[查看全文]

(ECNS) -- Beijing Jingshan School tried distance teaching on Sunday, the city's first, as preparation for coping with school closures due to red alerts against pollution, the Beijing Times reported.

At 9:00 a.m., students from 16 classes in primary and secondary school logged onto Tencent QQ, an instant messaging software service, from home, while teachers wearing headsets sat before computers with cameras at school.

Like in real class, teachers could share content in the dialog box on the screen with students, and call on students to answer questions. Besides the box, there was also a forum for students to talk about the class.

Students were dressed in freestyle during the class, some even in pajamas. But they all said such a way of learning requires self-discipline.

Teachers were impressed by students' active attitude stimulated by the new way of learning. Even some students who are normally too shy to speak up in class answered questions, said English teacher Fu Yan.

Qiu Yue, vice principal at the school, said if classes are suspended on severely polluted days, they will arrange three to four classes a day via distance teaching.

The city recently announced the toughest smog emergency measures: If the PM2.5 level exceeds 300 micrograms per cubic meter for three days in a row, schools will be suspended, construction sites ordered to halt work, private cars limited to using roads on alternate days and factory emissions cut.