6/30/13

申請美國大學真有保證入學的指標嗎?


美國大學的秋季班學期開始之前,各地的高中準畢業生們就必得開始準備大學的申請文件。然而,入學申請的評審過程究竟是什麼?有沒有什麼重要的因素可以決定這些申請者最後收到的是厚信封(入學許可)或是薄信封(拒絕信)呢?

對於申請者來說,這真的是一場辛苦的戰爭與磨難;然而,對於評審來說,其實也是一項困難又挫折的任務。想要知道內幕,也希望從中找到獲得入學許可的任何蛛絲馬跡嗎?聽聽教育專家華德.嘉納(Walt Gardner)怎麼建議。

對於想要申請美國州立大學的學生們,嘉納建議他們讀紐約時報(The New York Times)於今年84日刊登的一篇文章,<大學入學評審的告白>(Confessions of an Application Reader)。至於想要申請私立大學的學生們,他則建議閱讀雅各.史坦堡(Jacques Steinberg)的《守門員》(The Gatekeepers)這本書。

史坦堡是紐約時報的全美教育特派員,他花了長達八個月的時間待在衛斯理大學(Wesleyan University)入學申請辦公室裡,觀察這所大學如何進行審閱入學申請的過程。雖然他的書是以衛斯理大學為主,但是同時也談到相當多其他鼎鼎有名的私立大學。他在《守門員》書中談到,入學申請辦公室往往對於決定誰可以入學、誰得被拒絕而感到掙扎不已,而且在定義那些優點可以讓申請者成為該校的新鮮人,也一直無法給出明確的標準。

<大學入學評審的告白>作者露絲.史塔克曼(Ruth Starkman),於舊金山大學(University of San Francisco)教授倫理學。2011年受邀於柏克萊大學(University of California, Berkeley),成為該校新生入學申請的校外評審之一,和其他69位校外評審一同審查近53,000份的申請入學資料。
由於申請者多,而評審少,因此每份申請資料平均只被分配到8分鐘的審閱時間。他們這些校外評審雖然只是協助初審而已,但也要事先接受為期兩天、總共8堂課的客觀評審標準訓練,而且在評審過程中,還有評審主委(lead readers)的帶領與監督。然而,即使看起來如此謹慎與公開,史塔克曼還是很快就發現,在這所全國公認聲望最卓著的公立大學裡,整個評選決策過程仍然是不透明、不開放與不客觀。

史塔克曼首先談到了一個案例。一名GPA 3.95(滿分為4)SAT測驗成績2300(滿分為2400)的申請者,在申請柏克萊大學工程學科時,在總共5級距的評分中拿到了「2(最高為「1)。這名學生的SAT數學與化學測驗都拿到滿分800分,而且AP考試也拿到了5(AP為美國大學預修課程,一般認為若能取得3分以上,就可以讓學生在申請大學時更具備競爭力),更厲害的是他還很有音樂才華。而且在長達兩頁的自我介紹(personal statement)裡,他更寫了一首感人的頌辭送給他從印度移民美國的父母。那麼,為什麼學業表現這麼好的學生,在申請柏克萊這所「世界頂尖的公立大學」時,竟然拿不到最高的「1」呢?

在回答這個問題之前,先來看看另一位申請者的入學資料。這位申請者是一位墨西哥裔學生,雖然他的自我介紹寫得相當好,不過GPA只有3.4而已,SAT測驗成績也不到1800分。他也沒有考AP測驗,因為他就讀的學校根本沒有開設AP課程。他跟其他申請者最不同的地方,是他放學後沒有去上補習班(after school),而是到他父母親工作的地方一起幫忙賺錢。他的評選級分又是多少呢?2.5分,只低於先前那位印度裔學生0.5分而已。

這兩位學生的成績與背景落差極大,然而評選級分的差距卻極小。這不只突顯了評選過程的困難,也讓我們看到評選標準的矛盾與模糊。跟多數菁英大學所要求的入學條件一樣,柏克萊也要求評審們必須從全面性與整體性來檢視申請者的資格,也就是說,從更宏觀的角度看這名學生的全貌;例如,要從成績與分數以外的地方來檢視一名學生的學術潛力、學習動機以及領導能力。很顯然地,那位印度裔學生恐怕需要參與更多的課外活動,或許獲得工程學方面的競賽獎項,才能被評選為「1」。

當然我們也可以看見,申請者的種族歸屬與社經背景,同樣影響著評選級分。雖然把這些因素列入考量在美國是違法、違憲的,然而它們確實秘而不宣地、無所不在地影響著整個評選過程。史塔克曼做出的評分結果,有很多最後都被改掉了,數量多到她甚至收到好幾封評審主委寄來的警告信。例如,當她依據評審標準給了一位亞洲學生「2」時,卻被調低為「3」,理由是「這類的學生已經太多了。」而另外一位社經背景低、曾經在以色列軍隊服役,然而依然成績名列前茅的猶太學生,竟然也被以類似的理由調低為「3」。她不禁質疑:難道因為申請柏克萊的亞洲學生及猶太學生人數太多,所以這些表現良好的亞洲與猶太學生就應該被調低級分嗎?

當史塔克曼感到困惑而向主審委員提出該如何進行客觀評分的疑問時,得到的答案是:「優先考量這名學生是否能順利從柏克萊畢業、拿到學位。」然而,當她依此標準而給幾名申請者「4」時,後來卻又被調升為「2」或「2.5」。主審委員認為,這些學生由於社經背景不佳造成學業成績落後,故不能因此給予低級分。令史塔克曼不解的是:柏克萊大學向來以各式各樣的考試來驗收該校學生每學期的學習成果,她要如何相信這些學業成績不佳的學生能順利取得柏克萊的學位?甚至於現今有許多大學生根本就付不出學費,最後沒拿到學位不說,反而還負了一身的學生貸款,這要她怎麼有信心認為,這些沒有父母支持的學生能順利從柏克萊畢業?

史塔克曼的文章與史坦堡的書都提出了一項共同的觀點:在申請美國大學時,沒有任何不敗的公式可以套用。如在校平均成績(GPA)SAT測驗成績等這類客觀資料,並不如學生或家長所以為的那麼萬無一失。每科都拿A的完美成績單,反而常常會被那些偏好檢視學生特質的評審委員們拒絕入學。即使外界不斷要求評審過程應更透明化,評審機構仍然依循著他們那些神秘的指標進行評審決策。

所以往好處想,即使被心目中的理想大學拒絕了,日子還是照樣要過。幾年後,這些讓你感到沮喪的原因會漸漸變成模糊的記憶。最重要的是,無論就讀哪一所大學,學生都可以得到紮實的教育。畢竟大學只不過是一個提供他們最方便學習「如何學習」的地方罷了,並不是決定人生成敗的絕對因素。

資料來源


駐休士頓教育組  李知音

國立臺灣科技大學電子系徵聘助理教授以上3名

國立臺灣科技大學電子工程系徵聘教師啟事

系統組(2)
專長:
類比IC(含功率IC)設計(Analog IC Including Power IC Design)
電力電子(Power Electronics)
射頻IC或射頻功率IC設計(RF IC or RF Power IC Design)
計算機網路(Communication Networks)

光電與半導體組(1名)
專長:
高速電子材料(High Speed Electronic Materials)
微波積體電路(Microwave Integrated Circuits)
前瞻電子與半導體材料(Advanced Electronics and Semiconductor Materials)

有實務工作經驗者優先考慮 

聯絡人:
高維曼Gao Wei Man
Tel:0227376393  Fax:0227376424 
e-mail: etoffice@mail.ntust.edu.tw

1.有意應徵者請務必填妥【申請人資料表】(網址http://ece.ntust.edu.tw/後回傳至etoffice@mail.ntust.edu.tw,並將以下書面資料:1.學歷證明(含大學部、碩博士班歷年成績單及學位證明 );2.經歷證明;3.兩封推荐信;4.博士論文摘要;5.著作目錄及著作抽印本影本;6.中文簡歷表(含個人專長、研究方向、可任教科目、應徵組別及職務別等)7.其他有助審查之資料,寄送至【台北郵政90100號信箱高維曼小姐收】。起聘日1032月,截止收件日為102930日(以郵戳為憑)。除推薦信函外,其餘資料請以影本寄出。
2.書面資料概不退還;資料不齊者恕不受理申請。
  3.相關網址:http://ece.ntust.edu.tw/

6/22/13

The 6th Youth Trekkers Wanted Campaign


Sponsor: Youth Development Administration (YDA), Ministry of Education, Taiwan (ROC)
Introduction:
Taiwan’s popular Youth Trekkers Wanted Campaign is back again! We’re inviting all international youth backpackers to get creative and make Taiwan their own with a custom-made Taiwan trek. Let's be friends!
Dates:
Taiwan trek proposals will be accepted until 12 midnight (24:00) Taiwan time on July 14, 2013.
How to participate:
1.         Qualifications
The 6th Youth Trekkers Wanted Campaign is open to all international youth 18~30 years of age (in other words, we’ll accept submissions from applicants born on or after January 1st, 1983 and on or before December 31st, 1995)
2.         Registration
Go to the activity’s official webpage (http://youthtravel.tw/youthtrekker) to fill out the official application. Each entrant should submit with their application a uniquely themed, 10-day (or longer) Taiwan trek itinerary proposal that reflects the energy and spirit of youth backpacking.
3.         Each entrant proposal should include the following: (within 10 pages)
(1) Basic personal data (including a photograph);
(2) Itinerary proposals must be submitted in one of the following languages: Chinese, English, Japanese or Korean. The proposed Taiwan trek itinerary must be at least 10 consecutive days in length;
(3) Planning Document, please describe:
a.     motivation for participation, club activity and/or travel experiences, and the theme and unique character of your proposed Taiwan trek itinerary;
b.     How you plan to share your Taiwan travel experience and promote the Youth Trekkers Wanted Campaign.
c.      Other: Feel free to submit examples of prior personal travel materials and travelogues (e.g., videos, photos, blog posts, sketches / artwork). Please provide submissions in this category as online links for convenient selection committee reference.
4.         Selection process
The selection committee will select the 20 best Taiwan trek itinerary proposal entries. These winning entries will be eligible to receive sponsor-issued cash incentive awards. Winners must use their awards to make their Taiwan Trek dreams come true.
5.          Entry selection and evaluation
The selection committee appointed by the sponsor shall review all entries and award a score for each based on the following criteria: Creativity (35%); Application Completeness & Implement ability (35%); Impact & Promotion Potential (30%).
6.         Winning entry results:
Winning entries in the 6th Youth Trekkers Wanted Campaign will be posted before July 31st, 2013.
Implementation and reporting:
1.         Winners’ Taiwan Trek Itineraries shall be completed between the period of August 1st, 2013 and November 20th, 2013
2.         The 20 individuals who submitted the winning itineraries shall be designated honorary Taiwan Tourism Ambassadors and invited to come to Taiwan to “live the dream” and complete their trek itinerary.  Those unable to travel to Taiwan during the specified period shall forfeit her / his rights as a winner and shall not be otherwise compensated.
3.         Each winner must accomplish the following as part of completing her or his trek itinerary:
(1)  At least 10 text articles posted to the official activity website’s blog. Articles should share winners’ experiences, insights and thoughts during their Taiwan trek. Each post should include video, photographs and/or illustrations.
(2)  Regularly update / post / check-in on social media platforms such as Youtube, personal blogs, Facebook, Myspace and Twitter to share itinerary experiences in “real time”.
(3)  All daily Taiwan Trek diary updates and shared information must be accompanied by the official Youth Development Administration (YDA) logo, Youth Travel in Taiwan logo or the keywords “Taiwan Youth Travel” and include hyperlinks to relevant YDA websites.
Award:
The 20 winners will earn cash incentive awards of either US$2,000 or US$3,000. Award amount category eligibility will be determined by each winner’s nationality as follows:
1.         Winners from Northeast and Southeast Asia shall receive a Taiwan Trek award of US$2,000. These countries / territories include Mainland China, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Macau, the Philippines, Thailand, Myanmar, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei, and Timor-Leste.
2.         Winners from other areas, including Europe, the Americas, Africa, Oceania, and other parts of Asia shall receive a Taiwan Trek award of US$3,000.
3.         This award may be used to cover roundtrip airfare to Taiwan, domestic ground transportation in Taiwan, room & board, and appropriate travel insurance.
4.         Taiwan tax laws require that non-citizens pay 20% on income earned in Taiwan. Therefore, the actual received value of the award for winners will be either US$1,600 or US$2,400 (based on award category). The winners will sign a memorandum of understanding with the Ministry of Education’s Youth Development Administration prior to arriving in Taiwan. The winner may collect 70% of the value of her or his cash incentive award after arriving in Taiwan during the 08/01/2013 – 11/20/2013 implementation period. The award should be used to complete the (minimum) 10-day itinerary schedule. The remaining 30% of the cash incentive award value shall be disbursed in Taiwan to the winner after she / he posts required submissions to the official activity website’s blog and completes all other required responsibilities.
5.         The full value of the cash incentive award that is due to winners and disbursed after arrival in and prior to departure from Taiwan shall be denominated in local currency (New Taiwan dollars [NT$]), with the US$:NT$ conversion calculated using the US$ selling rate posted by the Bank of Taiwan on the day prior to the winner’s arrival in Taiwan.
6.         Others
(1) International youth currently resident, working or studying in Taiwan are ineligible to participate.
(2) In the interest of fairness to all applicants, prior award winners in the Youth Development Administration’s Youth Trekkers Wanted and Korean Youth Trekkers Wanted campaigns are ineligible for further campaign award consideration.
(3) Youth travelers to Taiwan from Mainland China must meet regulations outlined in the document FIT Travel to Taiwan by Citizens of Mainland China and make all arrangements for relevant documents and approvals in order to participate in the Youth Trekkers Wanted Campaign. Please follow the weblinks below for further details:
u  Tourism Bureau, MOTC:
u  National Immigration Agency, MOI:
 Addenda:
1.         Entrants guarantee that all data and information submitted are accurate and do not infringe on the rights of others. All submissions must be original works of the submitting author. Falsities or accusations of falsities may result in cancellation of eligibility and/or right to be considered for an award.  The sponsor may seek return of the full value of award disbursements, with no compensation provided. Participants shall bear full legal liability for any harm they may cause to either the sponsor or any third party.
2.         Participants shall take full personal responsibility for all content they post to or distribute through the activity website and agree to abide by all relevant ROC (Taiwan) laws and international Internet-related rules and conventions. Participants further promise not to endeavor to damage or disrupt activity website information or functions or to hack into or otherwise damage any Internet system.
3.         Participants are prohibited from uploading and/or distributing content such as video, text and images that contravenes good morals or is otherwise illegal. Offenders shall be disqualified from campaign consideration and take full personal legal responsibility for their actions.
4.         Award winners shall be responsible to apply for an appropriate Taiwan tourist visa.
5.         Each award winner agrees to implement and complete her / his trek in accordance with the itinerary proposal submitted. In the absence of extraordinary circumstances, both theme and content cannot be changed. To request approval for itinerary changes, the award winner must notify the Youth Development Administration (YDA) by e-mail within 15 days of departing for Taiwan. All change requests must be formally approved by the YDA. The YDA reserves the right to seek reimbursement of the full award amount from award winners who change their itinerary without prior YDA approval.
6.         Official information related to activity awards shall be posted to this (the activity) website. Awards are invalid for exchange and non-transferrable. YDA reserves the right to change award privileges without prior notice in the event of force majeure.
7.         Should an award winner not uphold relevant rules and responsibilities, YDA shall assess the severity of such and may seek reimbursement of an appropriate percentage of the total award amount.
8.         In the event that unavoidable circumstances cause the sponsor to be unable to hold this activity as planned, the sponsor reserves the rights to cancel, end, revise or suspend its execution. Winners who have already collected their cash incentive award shall be asked to return their award minus fair expenses already paid.
9.         Personal information and data on participants held by the sponsor shall not be made released to third parties without the expressed permission of participants. Such information / data shall also receive protection under all relevant laws.
10.    The sponsor has the rights to provide to the media video, photography, images and text provided by participants while in Taiwan as well as to use excerpts and copies and to incorporate such into printed material without additional compensation or reward. The sponsor has the right to interview winners and to arrange interviews, promotion events, and media coverage of winners with regard to their individual experiences in and impressions of Taiwan. Winners agree to participate in all sponsor-organized Promotional activities without further compensation.
11.    Itinerary proposals should take all safety precautions into consideration. Award winners shall be responsible to arrange appropriate travel / other insurance.
12.    The sponsor reserves the right to alter at its discretion activity contents and award items.

Activity Organizer: Trust International Integrated Marketing, Co.
Contact: Bella Yen/ Christine Chen/ Joanne Yao

Tel: +886-2-2735-8778 ext13, 26, 11

6/20/13

休士頓中文沉浸學校甄選教師

休士頓獨立學區(HISD)開辦全德州第一所公立沉浸式中文學校(Mandarin Chinese Language Immersion Magnet School),位於百利市(Bellaire)B大道(Avenue B),該公立小學現有學齡前、幼稚園與一、二、三年級共308名學生接受中英文雙語沉浸式教學,採用猶他州的50/50模式,各占一半比例,即上午課程包括數學、科學、藝術、華語採 用全中文授課,下午課程英文教師則以全英語教學加強觀念,讓學生融會貫通,目前實施至三年級,該校正在甄選小學一年級老師1名,請上休士頓獨立學區網站傳送申請資料,並電郵該校張兆麟校長以便安排面試。
     

6/19/13

2013 “Taiwan International Student Design Competition’’ now opens for entries

The 6th Taiwan International Student Design Competition is now open!
 
Sincerely thank all the students, advisors and guests who have joined us in the past years. With your support and participation, the world of innovation and design becomes more and more prosperous. It is very inspiring to learn that in 2012, we received over 3400 entries from 516 schools and departments in 35 countries around the world!

The theme for this year has been selected as “Sights and Sounds”. Today, with the advancement of the internet and digital media, everyone strives to make their voice heard through megaphones and social networks. However, we often just end up talking to ourselves because we have forgotten to pay heed to what others are saying. Just open your senses and feel this world. With your eyes and ears, you will find things you have never noticed. Seize the sights and sounds”, then turn them into your design!
 
This year, in order to welcome more talented student designers to join this competition, we lift the maximum limit of age to 30 years-old. Furthermore, besides the original categories “Product Design”, “Visual Design”, and “Digital Animation”, a new “Brand Specified” category is added, expecting to develop deeper connections with the industry and bring out more innovative sparkles.
 
Submissions for this year’s competition open from 1st June to 15th August. Please register and upload your works on our official website. We look forward to knowing more about the “Sights and Sounds” of future design stars!


Theme & Competition Procedure
Purpose
Encourage international creative design exchange, develop creative design talents, express the international image of Taiwan attaching great importance to creative design, and establish the international design status of Taiwan.
Theme:
Sight and Sounds
They say, this is the age of cacophony.
In the social network, every hand holds a megaphone, everyone strives to make their voice heard. But often we just end up talking to ourselves. Because we have forgotten to pay heed to what others are saying.
Open your senses! With your nose, hear the tears of dolphins. With your ears, gather the taste of running water. Let your tongue see those fighting for justice, and your skin breathe in the rhythm of the run, and your eyes open wide and swallow the forest in a single glance.
Have you found it yet?
A tail wind blowing tidings from the Amazon—in the blink of an eye you see distant Kilimanjaro…
Open your eyes, and you will see. Lend your ears, and listen…
We are rays of light passing through the pupil. We are the wind on a summer day.
We must not miss this world.
Sights and Sounds
Qualification
Students who currently enroll at senior high schools or above. (Based on the internet registration deadline, and the participant must be born after May 31 1983, and be younger than 30 years of age. For female who had given birth before year of 30 may have 2 years extension per birth.)
Category
Product Design, Visual Design, Digital Animation, and Brand Specified.
Participating Works
The creative design of the competition theme “Sights and Sounds” must be expressed in the participating pieces.
**Brand specified category: Creative designs which express the competition theme “Sights and Sounds” and also fulfill the design requirements of the brand
Timetable
 Dates
Online Registration and Online Work Submission DeadlineJune 1, 2013 to August 15, 2013, 24:00 (Taipei GMT+08:00)
Preliminary Selection/
Finalists Announcement
Early September, 2013
Deadline for Final Selection submission (include mockup, printout and disc submission for each category)October 15, 2013, 17:00 (Taipei GMT+08:00), the submission from Taiwan must arrive at the deadline date while the submission from overseas is validated by postmark but have to arrive in our office no later than 1 week from the deadline.
Final SelectionEarly November, 2013
Award Ceremony and ExhibitionLate December, 2013
Registration Fee
Free.