Two Taiwan elementary schools team up to provide unique learning experiences

兩所台灣小學合作 提供獨特的學習經歷

While New Taipei students learned Taroko tribe customs, Hualian County students found out more about virtual reality and bilingual education


TAIPEI (Taiwan News) -- Xilin Elementary School (西林國) in Wanrung Township (萬榮鄉), Hualien County, has teamed up with Pai-Yun Elementary School (白雲國小) in Xizhi District (汐止區), New Taipei City, under the Ministry of Education’s “Urban-Rural Collaborative Learning Program.”

30 students from each school took part in an exchange visit to experience a “homestay” boarding school life. After the homestay ended, students used video conferencing to continue their friendships.

As Xilin has few students, most of them participated in the program. They are primarily indigenous and from the Taroko tribe. In January this year, Pai-Yun students spent six days in Xilin, experiencing Taroko customs such as knitting, river trekking, and hunting.

On the final day of the Xilin students’ three-day homestay, foreign teachers at Pai-Yun taught a bilingual education class, there was a virtual reality class, and students went on a field trip to Shuinandong, Jinguashi, and Jiufen. As Pao-Yun is close to Academia Sinica, an Academia Sinica-themed course was included in the collaborative learning curriculum.

(K-2 Education Administration, Ministry of Education photos)