Framework Diagram
Courses
Categories of Courses
The teacher education program contains three categories of courses, namely, educational foundations, pedagogy, and practice courses. Educational foundations courses are listed in figure 3. Educational pedagogy courses are listed in figure 4. Educational practice courses are listed in figure 5. Furthermore, the curriculum map of our educational program is provided. Please click hereto see the map.
Figure 3. A list of Educational Foundations Courses
Figure 4. A list of Educational Pedagogy Courses
Figure 5. A list of Educational Practice Courses
Course Description
First grade, required courses
Introduction to Education:
This course aims to help students: (1) analyze the function, value, principles and criteria of education; (2) explore the process and product of education, and (3) inspire their commitment to practical applications of education.
Educational Philosophy:
This course focuses on the development of educators’ personal philosophy of education, providing not only a basic knowledge of Western philosophy, but also an introduction to the claims of important educational philosophers and key educational theories. It is hoped that students will reflect on their own philosophical beliefs and develop a strong educational attitude while studying philosophy of education.
Educational Psychology:
This course introduces basic concepts and theories of educational psychology including human development, learning theories such as behaviorism, cognitivism, and humanism, as well as individual differences, which can be applied to future educational settings to solve practical problems effectively.
Education Sociology and Administration
This course aims to help students apply sociological perspectives and concepts to analyze educational systems in order to enrich sociological and pedagogical theories. This course is to enable educational decision makers to pay attention to social factors affecting education and to help educators understand their roles and tasks in order to improve education and solve practical issues.
Occupational Education and Career Planning:
The goals for this course are for students to learn and apply the major career education theories. Students will also learn how to integrate career counseling skills into classroom management practice. In addition, students will learn to design, deliver, and evaluate comprehensive career guidance programs.
Instructional Theory:
This course introduces basic concepts and theories of instruction and uses classroom practices and feedbacks to help students get familiar with the application of teaching skills and methods so that they would be able to integrate theory and practice, and adopt them effectively in the real teaching settings.
Curriculum Development & Design
This course introduces some basic concepts of curriculum and the process of curriculum development, which typically consists of analysis, design, implementation, and evaluation. The school-based curriculum development, related issues and future trends of curriculum development are addressed as well.
First grade, elective courses
Seminar in Educational Issues
This course focuses on significant educational issues and invites scholars and experts from various fields, both within and outside the university, to deliver special lectures. The aim is to enrich students’ professional knowledge and perspectives on current educational issues and to help them understand the challenges faced in educational settings.
Emerging Learning Technologies Applications
This course focuses on emerging learning technology applications in order to help students apply technology in their future classrooms.
Adolescent Development
This course aims to help students understand the developmental changes of adolescents. By discussion and reflections, students are more aware of the important issues related to adolescents. Consequently, students are able to apply the knowledge and skills learned in class to help adolescents who have psychological problems and learning difficulties.
Student Learning Support
This course introduces theories and practices of remedial instruction. In addition, this course offers field-based learning at a junior high school.
Second grade, required courses
Learning Assessment
This course aims to help students understand the basic concepts of learning assessment. Via classroom lectures and practices to help students know how to develop different methods to assess learning, and to apply to real teaching settings.
Classroom Management
This course covers the principles and strategies of classroom management. The emphasis is placed on how to apply these strategies so as to create a positive environment in teaching and learning
Theory and Practice in Counseling:
This course introduces the issues and trends in today's school counseling practice. Basic theories of individual counseling, group counseling, and counseling with special populations will be addressed. In addition, the goal of this course is to develop students' ability to choose and evaluate appropriate curriculum for classroom guidance and counseling activities.
Field Experience at Secondary Schools:
This is a 54-hour non-credit required course which aims to help prospective teachers learn about the ones they served, reflect upon their diverse experiences in real-life situations, and develop their knowledge and commitment in education.
Teaching Materials and Methods in Language Arts-Chinese:
This course aims to help students learn to design subject-specific lessons with informed knowledge about their students and methods.
Teaching Materials and Methods in Language Arts-English:
This course aims to help students learn to design subject-specific lessons with informed knowledge about their students and methods.
Teaching Materials and Methods in Mathematics:
This course aims to help students learn to design subject-specific lessons with informed knowledge about their students and methods.
Teaching Materials and Methods in Social Science-History:
This course aims to help students learn to design subject-specific lessons with informed knowledge about their students and methods.
Teaching Materials and Methods in Social Science-Civics:
This course aims to help students learn to design subject-specific lessons with informed knowledge about their students and methods.
Teaching Materials and Methods in Second Foreign Language-Spanish:
This course aims to help students learn to design subject-specific lessons with informed knowledge about their students and methods.
Teaching Materials and Methods in Second Foreign Language-Japanese:
This course aims to help students learn to design subject-specific lessons with informed knowledge about their students and methods.
Teaching Materials and Methods in Counseling
This course aims to help students learn to design subject-specific lessons with informed knowledge about their students and methods.
Teaching Materials and Methods in Information Technology
This course aims to help students learn to design subject-specific lessons with informed knowledge about their students and methods.
Teaching Materials and Methods in All-Out Defense Education
This course aims to help students learn to design subject-specific lessons with informed knowledge about their students and methods.
Instructional Practicum in Language Arts Teaching-Chinese:
Students’ pedagogical content knowledge is emphasized; and students are required to partake in micro-teaching or classroom teaching.
Instructional Practicum in Language Arts Teaching-English:
Students’ pedagogical content knowledge is emphasized; and students are required to partake in micro-teaching or classroom teaching.
Instructional Practicum in Mathematics Teaching:
Students’ pedagogical content knowledge is emphasized; and students are required to partake in micro-teaching or classroom teaching.
Instructional Practicum in Social Science Teaching- History:
Students’ pedagogical content knowledge is emphasized; and students are required to partake in micro-teaching or classroom teaching.
Instructional Practicum in Social Science Teaching- Civics:
Students’ pedagogical content knowledge is emphasized; and students are required to partake in micro-teaching or classroom teaching.
Instructional Practicum in Second Foreign Language Teaching-Spanish:
Students’ pedagogical content knowledge is emphasized; and students are required to partake in micro-teaching and classroom teaching.
Instructional Practicum in Second Foreign Language Teaching-Japanese:
Students’ pedagogical content knowledge is emphasized; and students are required to partake in micro-teaching and classroom teaching.
Instructional Practicum in Counseling
Students’ pedagogical content knowledge is emphasized; and students are required to partake in micro-teaching and classroom teaching.
Instructional Practicum in Information Technology
Students’ pedagogical content knowledge is emphasized; and students are required to partake in micro-teaching and classroom teaching.
Instructional Practicum in All-Out Defense Education
Students’ pedagogical content knowledge is emphasized; and students are required to partake in micro-teaching and classroom teaching.
Second grade, elective courses
At least one seminar course is required from the following four courses.
(1) Seminar in reading Comprehension
This course aims to help students understand strategies and methods of reading comprehension so as to lay a solid foundation to develop students’ literacy and to apply these strategies in multiple text teaching.
(2) Seminar in Outdoor Education
This course introduces the principles and theories of outdoor education, and aims to develop students’ abilities of management and leadership handling outdoors activities. The contents include outdoor curriculum design and assessment, outdoor activity management, outdoor leading skills, in-depth explanation skills and field practice.
(3) Seminar in International Education
This course aims to introduce theory and practice of international education. Scholars and experts are invited to talk in-depth about related topics as well as to share their personal experience so as to develop students’ global perspectives and teaching ability.
(4) Seminar in Experimental Education
The core of experimental education is learner-centered, and accordingly, the role of teacher is more like a learning facilitator. The paradigm of education is transformed from how to "teach" students to how to lead students to "learn". Eventually, the experimental education leads to a new learning image and breaking the boundaries of time and space for learning.
Introduction of Special Education:
This course introduces the characteristics of various types of students with special needs, and outlines the relevant treatments in terms of instruction, classroom management, interpersonal relationships, and teacher-student interactions
Teacher Profession Development
This course introduces the meanings and approaches of teacher professional development. Most importantly, learning communities are organized to discuss in depth educational theories and practices, and thus to lay a solid foundation for successful teacher careers.
Adaptive Instruction:
Adaptive Instruction has been driven by a realization that tailored learning cannot be achieved on a large-scale while using traditional and non-adaptive approaches. Adaptive learning endeavors to transform the learner from passive receptor of information to collaborator in the educational process. This course includes the topical discussions of differentiated instruction, adaptive learning theories and practices, as well as the various current ways of student-centered innovations.
Third grade, required course (after passing the teacher qualification examination)
Secondary School Internship:
The aim of this internship course is to provide secondary school student teachers opportunities to put theory into practice, learn to reflect with a disciplined mind, and become skilful in classroom management and teaching. Student teachers will need to keep journals and construct portfolios that record the process they go through to become reflective practitioners.
