taiwan | Fire Boy and Water Girl Play

Lucille Wood
education
integration
June 15, 2022
0 Comments

Technology Integration in K12 Education in Taiwan and the United States

Taiwan has earned a reputation for being one of the leading countries with advanced technology industries. High tech gadgets and devices are affordably available all over the country. Technology has simply fascinated the population. But is this technology being integrated in the classrooms? Are high tech gadgets and computer based technology (Computer Based Technology) being harnessed effectively for classroom use?
In a study made by Yi-Wen Hung and Ying-Shao Hs of the National Taiwan University in 2007 entitled “Examining Teachers’ CBT Use in the Classroom: A Study in Secondary schools in Taiwan”, it was found out that most Taiwanese teachers are using computers a lot but mainly for accessing the internet, writing documents, sending emails but hardly for teaching related tasks except for grading.
Similarly, in the United States, a study made by National Center for Educational Statistics in 2009 revealed that while 97% of teachers surveyed have access to computers in the classroom, most of them (66%) use it for research.
There are teachers who even believe that students spend more time with high tech gadgets such as iPods, wii and ps3 which they believe are distracting their from traditional books.
But computer based technology means more than making research work for teachers easier as well as being more than mere fun and recreational tools for student.
Educators are fast coming to the realization that CBT can be used to recapture the students’ attention and liven up their learning interest to what they would otherwise dismiss as dull topics.
Taiwan has been pouring resources to develop innovative classroom technology. In Nanhu Elementary School in Taipei, it launched a model of what they called eFuture Classroom incorporating a futuristic design equipped with computers and projection equipment. In Ren-ai Junior High, teachers use portable interactive eBoards instead of the traditional white boards. The eBoard is a large interactive display connected to a computer and a projector. The computer’s desktop is projected onto the eBoard’s touch screen surface where users can navigate the computer using a pen, a pointer or simply with the use of their hands. This alternative mode of teaching attracts and encourages more students to participate in class discussions and activities.
Technology and teaching actually compliment each other. Technology can have a profound impact on improving teaching. Educators must be able to understand and integrate emerging technologies and learn to integrate them into classroom use. Conversely, the popular use of a technology in classroom teaching can impact how technologies continue to take shape.
Most of our K12 students today have actually grown up as part of the digital revolution and can be considered ‘tech savvy’. The use of and integration of technology into classroom teaching would have a profound and successful effect. Cell phones, SMS messaging, cloud technology, and even blogging and social networks sites can actually be harnessed for classroom learning. Digital gaming and simulations can be explored for possible ways they can be used to reinforce learning.
The possibilities of using emerging technologies for classroom teaching is boundless limited only by how far a teacher’s creativity and imagination can go. However, because of the ease with which information can be had using such technologies, security concerns and child protection issues must not be taken for granted.…

Lucille Wood
allow
military
May 15, 2022
0 Comments

US Military Sales to Taiwan – Is It Safe to Allow That Technology to Be Stolen There?

Last year we were discussing the challenges of selling Taiwan our latest weapon systems in case they wanted to defend themselves against a Chinese forced reunification. If we don’t there would be little reason for China not to force their political will, but if we do, it’s well known that Chinese spies have infiltrated the Taiwan Military and political leadership, and thus, might someday use that same technology against us, our allies, or sell it to our enemies. Okay so, let’s talk.
You see it is my contention that Taiwan has been fully infiltrated, and thus, we ought to watch out for espionage or Chinese spies getting Lockheed’s technology (missile defense shield), and what about those F-16 upgrades, of course, China already has that due to Pakistan and other nations, the Chinese were all over the last India Air Show with the newest F-15 modifications for stealthier design, and F-16 modifications.
There are now direct flights between the countries (China and Pakistan), direct trade, and political talks at the highest levels, and previously there were lots of inter-connected flights through Hong Kong, etc. and the latest direct flights are bothersome too, not quite as serious as the secret flights between Venezuela and Iran, because it is important for those two nations to be on good-terms and continue talking – that prevents war and conflict.
Nevertheless, this is how proliferation occurs, just like the North Koreans selling nuclear weapons tech to Syria or the Pakistani scientist to Iran. We have some serious challenges around the world with military tech flows, and these are just a few of what’s out in open and well-known. The recent political talk between Taiwan and Chinese leaders about eventual re-unification, which seems to be a “trial close” sale on the Taiwanese voters, and whenever a Taiwan businessman (patriotic spy) or politician speaks out about China, all of a sudden he’s out of business, out of office and facing some sort of charges.
How about on the spy front? Well, there are several former bought-off Taiwanese double-spies converted into Chinese assets now. China wants our Aegis system tech, and the Metal Storm systems from Europe, as they know they need it, and they are right they are going to need it if they push much harder against South Sea bordering nations, as the US Navy is serious about keeping open shipping channels and open waters.
Does China think the US is weak? Well, perhaps they are not na?Ã¯Â¿Â½ve to think that we are militarily weak, but they realize the US people cannot stomach a war. Of course, and during the Vietnam war, we wouldn’t bomb past the parallel, where the supply lines were coming from, how do you fight a way half way, my dad said we could have won that war in any 10-period had they let the various carrier groups and USAF in there. Oh well, also China looked pretty weak too when confronted with the Vietnamese who were not afraid to die to defend themselves.
It seems that when Chinese and US Politicians talk, they simply set aside many of these other issues, which are serious enough to discuss, and such a dialogue would be of value, as our nation’s economies are inter-connected of course. Please consider all this and think on it.…