Challenges and responses: the revisions of national curriculum standard for technology education in Taiwan

This paper discusses the forces that drive the revision of the national curriculum in Taiwan. The framework of current standards for technology education is also analyzed. Finally, the strategies of implementing the national standard are presented. Several forces have driven the revisions of the national curriculum for elementary and secondary schools in Taiwan. These include public involvement in education, changes of economic structure and global influences. Living Technology, the course title for technology education in Taiwan, is a requirement for secondary students. The new national curriculum in Living Technology for junior and senior high schools was announced in 1994 and 1995 respectively. The total hours of Living Technology for junior high are 108 and 64 for senior high. The four content organizers for the course are technology and life, information and communications, construction and manufacturing, and energy and transportation. The new curriculum for junior high schools was implemented in September of 1997 and the one for senior high schools will be started in September of 1999. Many efforts including public hearings, teacher in-service training, researches, publications, conferences, purchasing equipment and school evaluation have been made to implement the new curriculum.