Prf Qian Kan

Professor in Chinese Language Education

School of Languages & Applied Linguistics

qian.kan@open.ac.uk

Biography

Professional biography

My name in Chinese is 阚茜. For my publications wherever possible, my name is displayed in the Chinese order: Kan Qian as Chinese family names come first.

I am Professor in Chinese Language Education in the School of Languages and Applied Linguistics at The Open University. I am also Director of the Online Confucius Institute at The Open University. I was accredited as Senior Fellow of The Higher Education Academy (UK) in 2015.

Before joining OU, I was Senior Language Teaching officer in the Department of East Asian Studies at the University of Cambridge. Prior to that, I lectured in Chinese Studies at Lancaster University. Between 1992 and 1993, I worked for the BBC World Service as translator and presenter. I am Senior Associate at Lucy Cavendish College, University of Cambridge.

My Wordpress page is: https://kanqian.wordpress.com/

Research interests

My main research interest is technology-enhanced language learning and teaching at a distance, focusing on learning strategies, online language learning pedagogy and learning design, use of recorded tutorials, the use of reflective forums for intercultural learning, building online communities by peer mentoring and developing intercultural competence via Virtual Exchange. I also supervise Doctoral in Education (EdD) and PhD students.

Teaching interests

I have more than 30 years of experience in Chinese language education within the UK higher education sector.

I have taught undergraduate Chinese programmes at both Lancaster University and the University of Cambridge. Since joining The Open University, I have been instrumental in the development of its Chinese curriculum, contributing to the progression of Chinese language studies from non-accredited courses to accredited modules and programmes culminating in a OU Certificate in Chinese (60 credits).

In addition, Chinese has been successfully integrated into interdisciplinary pathways with Business Management and Law, enabling students to obtain a Certificate of Higher Education in Business Management and Chinese or a Certificate of Higher Education in Law and Chinese.

These developments have broadened access to Chinese language education and created valuable educational and professional progression opportunities for adult learners.

Outside my OU work, I have published numerous learning materials including: Colloquial Chinese (3rd ed 2021), Colloquial Chinese 2 (Routledge 2007), GCSE Chinese Writing Revision Guide (Sinolingua, 2018), Developing Writing Skills in Chinese (Routledge 2013, co-author with Boping Yuan), Teach Yourself Phone Mandarin (Hodder & Stoughton, 2008), Mandarin Chinese Phrase Book (BBC Active, 2007).

Impact and engagement

Academic consultant for the following OU/BBC radio/TV programmes:

(2026) Human Intelligence Series 2 podcast of Li Qingzhao, probably the most famous female poet in China who lived in the Song Dynasty (AD 960 to 1279). More details about this series are on this page: https://connect.open.ac.uk/society-psychology-and-criminology/human-intelligence/

(2015) Are our kids tough enough? Chinese school BBC Two - Are Our Kids Tough Enough? Chinese School

(2012) China on Four Wheels BBC Two - China on Four Wheels

(2010-2023) Developed OU's Chinese Character learning apps 'Chinese@OU' (for both iOS and Android) and 'Chinese Characters First Steps' App (Android). Visit this page: Chinese@OU | Apps at the OU

External collaborations

Virtual Exchange (VE) China Hub

As Director of The Open University's Online Confucius Institute, I lead the VE China Hub, an international collaboration established in 2024 by OCI, Hochschule Bonn-Rhein-Sieg University of Applied Sciences (H-BRS), Beijing Foreign Studies University (BFSU), and Shenzhen Technology University (SZTU). The Hub is a community of practice that connects educators, students, and institutions in China with partners worldwide to advance intercultural learning, digital collaboration, and internationalisation at home. Through networking, professional development, events, and collaborative projects, it fosters sustainable international partnerships and globally connected higher education.

Visit this page for details:

VE China Hub | Online Confucius Institute at The Open University

MOVE-ME: MOOCs for University Students on the Move in Europe

This is an EU Funded 2-year Erasmus+ Project (total grant: €296,831) with six partner institutions. Università per Stranieri di Siena (Italy) leads the project. The other 5 partners are: The Open Unviersity (UK), Federazione Nazionale Insegnanti Centro di iniziativa per l’Europa (Italy); National University of Ireland, Galway (Ireland), Computer Technology Institute & Press Diophantus (Greece) and Nstitutul De S tiinte Ale Educatiei (Romamia).

The main objective of the project is to facilitate the integration of students in academic mobility enhancing their ability to function in academic and specialized contexts and developing their ability of learning to learn. The MOVE-ME project will create a learning path specifically designed for students in mobility programmes, supporting learners in the acquisition of the competences and skills necessary for understanding academic texts, written and oral, relating to specific disciplines, developing the ability to understand and produce academic writing of various genres.

The project ended in January 2018 with the following outputs which the OU team was resposible for:

- ‘English for Academic Purposes: A MOVEME Project Course’ MOOC on FutureLearn with three runs https://www.futurelearn.com/admin/courses/english-for-academic-purposes/3

- All the resources for the above EAP MOOC are on the project website for open access: http://movemeproject.eu/en/lang_tax/english/

- ‘Guideline for the Evaluation of the Language MOOCs’: http://movemeproject.eu/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/IO13_English-version.pdf