The online teacher called Wang Yu can earn more than 10,000 yuan per hour. The photo shows a selfie of him. [Photo: weibo.com]

A leading education expert is hailing the practice of the online classroom, after recent media reports suggested that some teachers offering online classes can earn more than 10 thousand yuan an hour, or 1,500 U.S. dollars.

The news triggered wide discussion as it revealed that some of these online teachers actually work in regular schools.

Outside jobs are against the regulation issued by the educational ministry, which bans teachers from public schools to offer paid classes outside the curriculum.

However, Chu Zhaohui, a researcher with the National Institute of Education Sciences, says online teaching itself is an innovative way of thinking.

"When the ministry issued the regulation, they did not consider the area of online education. They are mostly targeting off-line classes. Internet technology prompts the emergence of a new way of providing education, and I think we should take advantage of it. "

But Chu notes that online education may affect the diversity that is desired in education.

"Online education may lead people to choose the most popular teachers while leaving out those that are not as popular, which is a good thing to some point. But that single standard may result in a lack of diversity in teaching methods."

Some teachers are voicing their support, arguing that the online classrooms offer them extra opportunities and a supplement to their income.