Taiwanese fourth and eighth graders rank among the world’s best in science and mathematics and achieved on average markedly better grades last year than in 2003, but at the same time generally have a negative view of the subjects or do not feel confident in them, the National Science Council (NSC) said yesterday.
When asked whether low confidence among students in those subjects could be a result of being taught concepts too advanced for their age, National Taiwan Normal University (NTNU) mathematics professor Lin Fou-lai (林福來) conceded that this “could be a potential concern ... We are indeed teaching [certain] materials to our students at younger ages compared with other countries.”
Citing the 2007 Trends in Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS 2007), conducted by the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA), NTNU Science Education Center director Chang Chun-yen (張俊彥) said Taiwan’s fourth graders ranked second and third among 37 countries in terms of their achievements in science and mathematics respectively.
The nation’s eighth graders ranked second and first among 50 countries in the two subjects, Chang said.
Four other Asian countries — Singapore, Hong Kong, South Korea and Japan — also ranked exceptionally well.
“Compared to TIMSS 2003, our fourth graders have made significant progress in both subjects, while eighth graders did better in mathematics than in 2003 ... Eighth graders did worse in science, however, compared with four years ago,” he said.
Despite their exceptional skills in math and science, the nation’s fourth graders ranked 36 and 23 respectively out of 37 countries in terms of positive attitudes toward the subjects, while eighth graders ranked 39 and 28 respectively out of 50 countries in terms of their confidence in the subjects.
When asked whether the education system’s strong emphasis on exams might have contributed to the high achievement level and low interest level, Lin said: “Yes, the tests may have driven the performance.”
Tests are part of Taiwan’s educational culture, he said, but some countries don’t make elementary school students take tests.
“Another part of our culture is that while Western parents tend to praise their children for, say, scoring 90 percent on a test, Eastern parents tend to ask: ‘Where did the other 10 percent go?’”
Responding to comments that although the US did not rank high in any of the categories, US scientists were highly successful and innovative, Lin said: “One factor is that with a strong economy the US can attract top scientists from all over the world ... Also, US universities are much more open, while you cannot teach innovation with tests.”
A magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck off the coast of Hualien County in eastern Taiwan at 7pm yesterday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The epicenter of the temblor was at sea, about 69.9km south of Hualien County Hall, at a depth of 30.9km, it said. There were no immediate reports of damage resulting from the quake. The earthquake’s intensity, which gauges the actual effect of a temblor, was highest in Taitung County’s Changbin Township (長濱), where it measured 5 on Taiwan’s seven-tier intensity scale. The quake also measured an intensity of 4 in Hualien, Nantou, Chiayi, Yunlin, Changhua and Miaoli counties, as well as
Taiwan is to have nine extended holidays next year, led by a nine-day Lunar New Year break, the Cabinet announced yesterday. The nine-day Lunar New Year holiday next year matches the length of this year’s holiday, which featured six extended holidays. The increase in extended holidays is due to the Act on the Implementation of Commemorative and Festival Holidays (紀念日及節日實施條例), which was passed early last month with support from the opposition Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and Taiwan People’s Party. Under the new act, the day before Lunar New Year’s Eve is also a national holiday, and Labor Day would no longer be limited
COMMITMENTS: The company had a relatively low renewable ratio at 56 percent and did not have any goal to achieve 100 percent renewable energy, the report said Pegatron Corp ranked the lowest among five major final assembly suppliers in progressing toward Apple Inc’s commitment to be 100 percent carbon neutral by 2030, a Greenpeace East Asia report said yesterday. While Apple has set the goal of using 100 percent renewable energy across its entire business, supply chain and product lifecycle by 2030, carbon emissions from electronics manufacturing are rising globally due to increased energy consumption, it said. Given that carbon emissions from its supply chain accounted for more than half of its total emissions last year, Greenpeace East Asia evaluated the green transition performance of Apple’s five largest final
Taiwan is to extend its visa-waiver program for Philippine passport holders for another year, starting on Aug. 1, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said on Friday. Lin made the announcement during a reception in Taipei marking the 127th anniversary of Philippine independence and the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO) in Taiwan, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. The decision reflected Taiwan’s commitment to deepening exchanges with the Philippines, the statement cited Lin as saying, adding that it was a key partner under the New Southbound Policy launched in 2016. Lin also expressed hope
RSS