Virtual classrooms offer lessons on the move

On his way to and from work, Wu Hao, who works for a new energy vehicle company in Beijing, spends a lot of time listening to courses from the knowledge-sharing app Dedao, known as I Get in English.

From wealth management advice to global art history, the 35-year-old pays to download online learning courses on his phone in the hope that his daily commute will act as a virtual classroom and provide a career boost.

"I have subscribed to five online courses. Even though each class costs 199 yuan ($28), it's worth it because the teachers are top scholars in their fields," he said, adding that compared with offline classes, the online courses save travel time and are, therefore, more efficient.