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This study is an ongoing research which aims to renovate the current science learning environment in Taiwan by establishing a Smart Classroom 2.0 through various innovative smart classroom technologies. In this paper, one of the Smart Classroom 2.0 systems, namely the Speech-Driven PowerPoint (SDPPT) system, will be introduced. The SDPPT system is a novel educational advance, which utilizes automatic voice recognition technology to assist PowerPoint Presentations in university teaching. Before the development of various Smart Classroom 2.0 systems, a baseline study was conducted in order to better understand the needs and learning preferences of university students. Having completed the baseline study, the SDPPT system has been deployed and pilot tested in a university classroom. A total of 46 undergraduate students participated in the pilot testing of the system. Students' general perceptions towards learning in an Information and Communication Technologies-Supported Learning (ICT-SL) environment were analyzed using paired sample t-tests. The results indicated that students' learning motivation and learning effectiveness have increased after experiencing the SDPPT system. In addition, students also revealed that they enjoyed the interactions provided by this new system and anticipated the development of the SDPPT would facilitate better learning in classroom environments.

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This report describes our efforts in fostering Taiwanese pre-service teachers' ability to integrate information and communication technology (ICT) and teaching. The current state of science teacher education and ICT policies in Taiwan are documented briefly. The course model, MAGDAIRE (abbreviated from Modeled Analysis, Guided Development, Articulated Implementation, and Reflected Evaluation) is then introduced to counterbalance the insufficiency of the current teacher education courses in Taiwan. The model is subsequently employed to enhance a science teacher education course at National Taiwan Normal University (NTNU). The study conducted along with the course indicates that MAGDAIRE can significantly improve pre-service teachers' ICT knowledge and skills. Moreover, MAGDAIRE can significantly enhance pre-service teachers' sensitivity to the complex interactions between ICT, pedagogy, and subject matter. Some recommendations for employing the proposed model to enhance teacher education courses are discussed. IntroductionEducating all pre-service primary and secondary teachers in the use of information and communication technology (ICT) to enhance teaching has become a social commitment and an important objective for all teacher education programs in Taiwan. In 2005, the Ministry of Education (MOE) in Taiwan enacted the project Establishing ICT Literacy Standards for Primary and Secondary Teachers (MOE, 2008a). The project argued that a modern teacher in this digital age must know how to utilise ICT for enhancing instructional planning, teaching, assessment, and classroom management. It was expected that, by the end of 2011, more than 90% of primary and secondary school teachers would have implemented ICT-integrated curriculums into their classrooms (MOE, 2008b). In order to meet this demand, the Primary and Secondary School Information Education White Paper (MOE, 2008b) further emphasised the need to initiate training programs to build up pre-service teachers' ICT capacity for teaching.However, there has been little pedagogical innovation to reframe ICT-related courses for teacher education programs. The course list, issued by MOE for all teacher education programs, has not been updated since 2004. As shown in Table 1, only one ICT-related course can be found on the list of required courses; the course is called Instructional Media, in the field of instructional methods. However, pre-service teachers are asked to take only three courses out of the six courses in the field of instructional methods. Thus this ICT course has to compete with other courses for survival within the same field, including Principles of Teaching, Classroom Management, Educational Assessment and Evaluation, Theory and Practice in Counseling, and Curriculum 984 Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, 2012, 28(Special issue, 6) Development and Design. In essence, ICT knowledge and skills are optional rather than fundamental requirements for pre-service teachers. Besides, the focus of Instructional Media is to train pre-servi...

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This study is part of the hazards mitigation education program ''research on teaching resources development and curriculum promotion on natural hazards mitigation at high school level.'' This study demonstrated the implementation of a newly developed earth science curriculum module of typhoon hazards mitigation in a 10th grade high school classroom in Taiwan. The curriculum module design is a response to the calls for better natural hazards mitigation education in the school systems in Taiwan. Findings show that the curriculum module has resulted in the positive learning outcomes in both students' learning achievement and attitude toward typhoon hazards mitigation. Findings also suggest that group discussion activities could enhance students' thinking and experience sharing on the perceptions about typhoon hazards preparedness and mitigation. This study suggests that the hazards mitigation curriculum module to be added as a topic in the national high school curriculum guidelines.