The Learning Holiday-Innovative Learning Experience Fair had its grand opening today (June 13) at the Taiwan Air Force Innovation Base, leading students from remote areas to the city to catch up with international trends by giving them hands-on experiences of innovative learning combining emerging interactive technology and games. The fair had three theme areas: Brain Training, Language Fun and Science Magic. Premier Mao Chi-Kuo of the Executive Yuan was invited to the learning event with the students.
Primary and junior-high schools in Taiwan with less than 100 students nearly reach 1,000 in number. The resource allocation gap between urban and rural areas has also caused gaps in learning. In light of this, the Ministry of Economic Affairs has established the Cross-school Co-learning Alliance to link small remote schools in Pingtung County, Taitung County and Kaohsiung City to learn online. Students in different locations offer lessons on their local features, and even primary schools from Malaysia have joined in lessons. The lessons offered online included special animals of Shoushan Mountain, the fault feature in Taitung and the purple butterflies in Kaohsiung.
At the opening ceremony, Premier Mao listened to information about the Cross-school Co-learning Alliance and the expectations of Koushe Primary School in Sandimen Town of Pingtung, Liugui Primary School in Kaohsiung City (located in the area severely hit by Typhoon Morakot), Makuan Junior High School in Yunlin County and Mingdao Primary School in Taipei City. Premier Mao recognized the positive attitudes of these students, who are not confined to the limits of the geographic remoteness and have made the best out of their local features. He encouraged the students and teachers to continuously utilize emerging technology in learning and the online co-learning model. The learning ideas of the alliance could be applied to other counties or cities so as to make it a nationwide learning method, infusing Taiwan’s future with innovative energy.