Experimental education in Taiwan An Alternative in terms of Educational Aims and Values

Experimental education in Taiwan
An Alternative in terms of Educational Aims and Values
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INTRODUCTION
Background of the research
As the old proverb goes, it takes a village to raise a child. Throughout different historical and social contexts, the saying still rings true. The moral behind it is that the collective effort, and not the mere individual, is needed to affect the complete and meaningful development of a person. "It takes a village to raise a child" highlights the critical role to play of parents, peers, and institutions, both social and actual. It is undeniable. A child needs growth through experience and a colorful community of diverse characters, realities, and contexts to truly build a solid base of wisdom and knowledge.
A key institution in the said concept of "village" is the educational system. The concept of education may differ across different cultures and across different times. One culture may believe in a more applied, on-the-job, hands-on type of education. Another may believe in the merits of classroom rhetoric and armchair learning. While the author does not, at this point, posit that one is superior to the other, acknowledgment must be given to the different kinds of models of education that exist in society both today and in the past.
Thus, an educational system, or a particular education model, is crucial in a person's significant development. In addition to that, as with other things in society, a better understanding of education models may be gained, and with a much better understanding, improvements may be implemented. Improving an educational system is a systemic process, profoundly and intimately interconnected with other factors and elements of a community, such as macro and microcultures.
With the spread of the COVID-19 virus and the resulting lockdowns, regulations, and social distancing measures implemented by governments all around the world, the model of education that is more popular nowadays is distance learning. Again, the question arises: what exactly is distance learning? How does it differ from other models of education? What are specific aspects of it that are lacking, considered ineffective, found ineffective in practice? How can it be improved? How can the current situation be turned into something useful, and the best lessons be extracted from it? How can educational institutions and systems utilize, improvise, and overcome the challenges and opportunities presented themselves with the near-total lack of physical interaction between students and teachers? These are questions that concern not only the author but undoubtedly, other educators worldwide.
In this research, the author will aim to identify and describe a model of education. After identification and description, the author will seek to analyze its characteristics and features. Afterward, the author will critique the said model and identify areas of opportunity or improvement.
Importance of the research
As stated earlier, educational systems and institutions play a crucial role in developing persons, tying back to the proverb "it takes a village to raise a child." Educational institutions across cultures and societies adhere to different education models according to their most immediate needs and the body of information available to them. By studying these models of education, providing some insight into their processes and functions, and dissecting these models, and learning what aspects they lack or are insufficient in, significant improvement may be made.
Thus, this research is essential as it shows where general improvement may be made for education models. This improvement will, hopefully, lead to better development and education on the part of the child. Keeping in mind the importance of educational systems and the models of education upon which they base both organization and operation on improving said models, those experiencing and administering such models reap more significant benefits.
Furthermore, the paper could also act as a platform to seek out and determine further opportunities for research into the topic, hopefully adding to the base or pool of knowledge specifically dealing with education models in an international context and how such education models may be improved or further analyzed.
Statement of problem questions
The question seeks to answer the following questions:
* What is a model of education in the context of international schools?
* What are some models of education present and being applied today?
* What are the distinct characteristics of these particular models of education?
* What are the possible or actual challenges being faced by this model of education?
* How may these models of education be improved?
FINDINGS AND ANALYSIS
As a matter of introduction to this chapter of the paper, the author acknowledges that there are different levels and models to determine an educational institution's quality and efficacy. There is consensus on the absence of a standardized measure, considering the multiplicity of contexts, situations, cultures, and realities institutions operate in (Cheng & Tam, 1997, p. 29). This paper will be primarily confined to international schools and the three types defined by Hayden and Thompson (2013, p. 5-8).
Models of education in the three types of international schools
With the process of globalization, even systems of education are being globalized. International educational institutions, ie. Schools founded elsewhere, but established branches and separate campuses in other countries are on the rise. Citing the Bangkok Post, the number of international schools in Thailand has exceeded 200. With this, Thailand thus becomes the third highest country in Southeast Asia catering to international schools. This rise in the number of international schools is said to be driven by the demand from Thai parents who, for their children, seek culturally diverse and competitive environments (Bangkok Post, 2019).
To examine the models of education, the discussion will focus on the operation and organization of different types of international educational institutions.
Hayden and Thompson (2013, p. 5-8) state that international educational institutions can be organized into three types: Type A traditional schools, Type B ideological schools, and Type C non-traditional schools. They further explain the differences between each:
* Type A traditional schools are established in order to cater to expatriate families that are globally mobile for whom the local or domestic education system is inappropriate;
* Type B ideological schools are established, as their name implies, according to a specific ideology or system of ideas, principles, and beliefs—different groups of students are thus gathered from all around the world to educate them in a vision to promote "global peace and understanding." (Hayden and Thompson, 2013, p. 5-8).
* Type C non-traditional schools mainly cater to an exclusive group or class of host-country nationals, mostly the socio-economically advantaged elite, with the premise that such a system of education is above and beyond the averages means which the country often offers. In other words, Type C non-traditional schools are the "upper class" schools. (Hayden and Thompson, 2013, p. 5)
Some concrete examples of Type A traditional schools are specific language schools established in countries where that language is not the mother tongue. For example, lycées français were established by the Agency for French Education Abroad in Madrid, Spain, and Bangkok, Thailand. Japanese schools, also, or 日本人学校 found in San Paulo, Brazil, and in China are other examples of type A traditional schools.
Type B ideological schools are established based on a specific ideology, and thus the aspect and facets of its curriculum and education process revolve around this stated ideology. For example, the International Community School in Singapore, which has the mission of education of minds and transformation of lives through a biblical worldview and a biblical lens (NICS, 2019), is an example of a Type B ideological school a religious ideology.
The Panyaden International School in Chiang Mai is another example of a type B ideological school. Its curriculum, school vision and mission, and educational system are heavily centered on an environmentalist ideology. A clear manifestation of this is through its architecture, which is composed mostly, if not solely, of bamboo and adobe type earthen walls, with the idea of bringing the students' experience of learning closer to a more natural and environmentally-friendly setting. Panyaden further claims to facilitate green mindfulness and "demonstrate how to live in an environmentally mindful life" (Panyaden, 2020). Out of all the three types of international schools, type B ideological schools are the fewest in number.
Lastly, type C non-traditional schools comprise the fastest-growing type of international school among the three. Renowned for being globally and locally competitive, offering global quality education, Type C non-traditional schools cater mostly to the socio-economically advantaged of a society and expatriate families residing there. Type C non-traditional schools are mainly on a rapid rise in three distinct areas of the world: East Asia, mostly China, the Middle East, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Southeast Asia. (Keeling, 2018, p. 20)
From the different types, three different models of education may be evinced: the first, derived from the Type A traditional international schools, is a model of education with a heavy emphasis on linguistics and culture, with a seeming aim to maintain an oasis of that language or culture in foreign territory, such as a Japanese language school in Spain, for example. A type B traditional school focuses on a specific ideology or set of beliefs, whether environmentalism, religion, activism, advocacy, or critical thinking and discourse. A Type C international school has an education model with a heavy emphasis on competition manifested through "quality learning."
The Core Competency Framework in the Twelve-Year Curriculum
4156075272669000103089427863870017337232497859Interpersonal Relations & Teamwork00Interpersonal Relations & Teamwork15885971711729Multicultural & International Understanding00Multicultural & International Understanding23127282067041Social Partici- pation00Social Partici- pation28185341917065LIFELONGLEARNER00LIFELONGLEARNER32515462430318Interaction00Interaction34270951999557Communicative 00Communicative 23148642949633Moral Practice & Civic Consciousness00Moral Practice & Civic Consciousness31147913029412Arts & Aesthetic Competency00Arts & Aesthetic Competency37915282441979Technology, Information & Media Literacy00Technology, Information & Media Literacy38478111718137Use of Symbol & Communicative Expression 00Use of Symbol & Communicative Expression 25974381446415Self-directed Action00Self-directed Action19463331016866 Well-being & Self-Improvement00 Well-being & Self-Improvement2776336631998Systemic Thinking & Problem-Solving 00Systemic Thinking & Problem-Solving 3517265850149Planning, Implementing & Creative Flexibility00Planning, Implementing & Creative Flexibility2708506227330Life Situations00Life Situations
Figure 1: The Core Competency Framework in the Twelve-Year Curriculum (Chen & Huang, 2017)
As shown above, the Core Competency Framework in the Twelve-Year Curriculum is widely and primarily adopted in both primary and secondary schools in Taiwan. A "lifelong learner," according to the framework in figure 1, is one who develops critical competencies in the three essential categories of learning: spontaneity, communicative interaction, and social participation. (MOE, 2014). It is stated that a lifelong learner takes the initiative to learn through interaction and communication with their immediate context and manifests social participation as the meaning and value of learning. (Hong & Fang, 2015, p. 13)
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