Innovative program enriches learning for kids in Taiwan's countryside

創新計劃豐富了台灣農村孩子的學習經歷

The program uses distance learning and encourages traveling to present the children with a multifaceted curriculum TAIPEI (Taiwan News) -- The Ministry of Education (MOE) has been pushing for the “Urban-Rural Collaborative Partner Schools Program” in order to improve education in the countryside. The program uses distance learning and organizes visits to expose children to multifaceted curriculums and expand their horizons. Under the program, urban and rural schools design their own curriculum, which integrates cultural and geological elements related to their locations. Jiangong Elementary School (建功國小), on the Tainan City coast; Ruei Fong Elementary School (瑞豐國小) in downtown Kaohsiung; and New Taipei City’s Chajiao Elementary School (插角國小), which is surrounded by mountains; worked collaboratively to provide students with opportunities to make the most of new learning situations in various locations. Curriculums that integrate elements of “mountain life,” “seaside culture,” and “urbanity” are enabling schools and their students to learn new things from each other. Rui Feng rolled out the “tug of war, biking, and robot” curriculum, while Jiangong came up with the “half-day fisherman, black- faced spoonbill watching, pottery making, and Cigu lagoon ecology” experience tour. Chajiao designed “root forest ecology, community culture, cloth dying, and rock climbing” activities. These new learning opportunities expanded the horizons of the students by extending their learning experiences beyond the textbook and classroom.
George Liao, Taiwan News, Staff Writer
2019-07-18