Junyi Academy – Making Individualized Learning Possible!
Since start of the 2016 academic year, Junyi Academy (www.junyiacademy.org) has revamped its homepage with enhanced functions, aimed at developing the best online learning platform for K-12 in Chinese. The new functions include progress reports of assessments, class discussion forum, Ask a Classmate online and Mock Classroom Guide features, catering to different learning abilities and scenarios.
To encourage active participation, in the second semester of the 2015 academic year, Junyi Academy introduced the “Up your Grade at Junyi Academy" event. In conjunction with the Yilan County's Education Online Resource Centre’s efforts, this system which allows for the accumulation of e-currency through taking part in online exercises, in exchange for prizes and rewards, achieved a 20% weekly usage rate among third-year to sixth-year students in Yilan County's elementary schools.
To encourage active participation, in the second semester of the 2015 academic year, Junyi Academy introduced the “Up your Grade at Junyi Academy" event. In conjunction with the Yilan County's Education Online Resource Centre’s efforts, this system which allows for the accumulation of e-currency through taking part in online exercises, in exchange for prizes and rewards, achieved a 20% weekly usage rate among third-year to sixth-year students in Yilan County's elementary schools.
Junyi Academy rolled out another event “Starlight Discovery Team” for point accumulation for a nationwide contest for first to ninth-graders to find the suitable skills to match their competencies and keep on practicing to become “experts” in those skills, in exchange for rewards in the system. School principals and teachers can use this system to unite the school towards a common aim.
Since the establishment of Junyi Academy (the Chinese version of Khan Academy) in 2010, there have been 600,000 users for the platform, over 8,000 educational clips and 2,500 sets of questions, covering elementary to senior high Mathematics, Civic Education, Biology, Physics & Chemistry, Music and Coding lessons. There are 35,000 active users weekly and over 24,000 registered coaches, with 95% from Taiwan and others from locations such as Hong Kong, China, United States, Japan, Malaysia, Macau.
Since the establishment of Junyi Academy (the Chinese version of Khan Academy) in 2010, there have been 600,000 users for the platform, over 8,000 educational clips and 2,500 sets of questions, covering elementary to senior high Mathematics, Civic Education, Biology, Physics & Chemistry, Music and Coding lessons. There are 35,000 active users weekly and over 24,000 registered coaches, with 95% from Taiwan and others from locations such as Hong Kong, China, United States, Japan, Malaysia, Macau.
Yilan has the highest usage and frequency rate of this platform in Taiwan, and is also the county that signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for co-operation with Junyi Academy.
Chief Executive of Junyi Academy, Lu Guanwei, attributed the strong co-operation with Yilan County to the following reasons. Jiaoxi Junior High School teacher Zhan Qingrong actively used technology for her students’ learning and with her existing connections to the education ministry, was able to further promote this initiative.
Chief Executive of Junyi Academy, Lu Guanwei, attributed the strong co-operation with Yilan County to the following reasons. Jiaoxi Junior High School teacher Zhan Qingrong actively used technology for her students’ learning and with her existing connections to the education ministry, was able to further promote this initiative.
Chrome Books were purchased in place of desktops and more readily used in classrooms. The tripartite collaboration between the Education Department, Junyi Academy and the K-12 Education Administration made it possible to focus on the students’ needs and made sure that the Junyi Academy could cater for different learning needs.
Wu Mingzhu Superintendent in Yilan’s Education Department encouraged teachers to use the flipped classroom strategy. Junyi Academy also deployed staff to Yilan to help teachers harness the optimum impacts of the online platform.
Wu Mingzhu Superintendent in Yilan’s Education Department encouraged teachers to use the flipped classroom strategy. Junyi Academy also deployed staff to Yilan to help teachers harness the optimum impacts of the online platform.
The ground-up recommendation and promotion made it possible to reach high usage levels in elementary schools, especially in rural areas where over 75% of students have engaged with the platform before. Economics professor Lin Ming-ren pointed out that the students who have attempted the online learning platform are better equipped with capabilities and deeper knowledge, thereby being more proficient in their examinations.
Mainland China is actively developing online learning platforms as well, such as the Yangcong345 platform for Mathematics. Junyi Academy Chief Executive Lu Guanwei had some exchange with them and found out that the development in governmental, talent and industry aspects for online learning platforms in China is much more progressive, hence resource optimization is crucial for the Junyi Academy. Online learning platforms in China are mostly government-run or for-profit now, while Yangcong345 has similar values with Junyi Academy.
In terms of achieving changed attitudes of teaching professionals and promoting the flipped classroom concept, Yangcong345 has noted that Taiwan is more progressive. Taiwan-developed resources such as the Sharestart (學思達) teaching method and other parenting, education and family lifestyle resources and official publications are of interest to them as well, indicating exchange and collaboration possibilities such as placing exemplary Yangcong345 materials on Junyi Academy.
With limited resources, Junyi Academy works with like-minded partners for new technologies and methods to promote individual learning. Besides the addition of educational films and assessment questions, Junyi Academy wants to make it easier for teachers to upload materials and contents. The aim for balance is targeted at lowering the imbalance between rural and urban education so that every child can take charge of his own learning and maximize his potential.
Junyi Academy | FB
With limited resources, Junyi Academy works with like-minded partners for new technologies and methods to promote individual learning. Besides the addition of educational films and assessment questions, Junyi Academy wants to make it easier for teachers to upload materials and contents. The aim for balance is targeted at lowering the imbalance between rural and urban education so that every child can take charge of his own learning and maximize his potential.
Junyi Academy | FB
