INTRODUCTION

Brief Overview

    Center of Teacher Education at National Cheng Kung University was established in 1995, under the Office of Academic Affairs.    The Center supports teacher education program to prepare secondary-level school teachers.  Students who want to take the courses need passing three criteria : outperforming 60% of students in his/her class, written test, and oral test.  The Center admits 150 students, roughly 100 for undergraduates and 50 for graduates each academic year.  Nowadays, there are over five hundreds students, generally 40% from College of Liberal Arts, 20% from College of Science, and 20% from College of Engineering enrolled, take the courses.  In 1996 and 2003, Ministry of Education evaluated our Center as an outstanding one in term of curriculum and administrative work.  Moreover, the rate of obtaining employment is 70%, 73%, and 90% for 2000, 2001, and 2002.

Goals & Curriculum

    The goals of the curriculum offered by the Center are three folds : 1. excellence in both humane and technical ability;  2. integration of creativity and diversity; 3. pursuit of liberal arts and specialty of knowledge.  To achieve these goals, our Center provides more then 10 required courses and elective courses each semester for students to take.  Of the 26 credits hours needed for certification, 14  credits are required, including foundation courses, methodology courses, and practical training.  In addition, the hidden curriculums ( such as club activities, service learning, school visit) within the university also help students to develop their expertise and cultivate their mature personality.    After graduation, student teachers have to take half-year practicum in the secondary schools to get their certificates.

Facilities & Resources

    To date, faculty in Institute of Education provide courses of educational specialty.  Moreover, faculty from all departments within the university  are responsible for the subject pedagogy and the practical training of those subjects.    Besides, teachers from the secondary schools are invited to mentor our students teachers. 

    At present, books and educational journals, media ( which are located in school library) belonged to our Center are gradually adequate.  Textbooks of the secondary level are also available in the Center.  There are computer room, audio-visual classroom, resulting room ready to use.  In addition, our Center equips every professor with a portable computer.

Visions & Missions

    There are only one core and only one purpose of education : learning.  To pursuit excellence in the area of teaching has and will be our mission of the Center.  Moreover, theory, practice, and the combination of both are the focuses.  We will continue to improve the educational hardware and software in our Center.  In addition, our Center will provide more courses for students to take and help them to adapt to practical training.  Besides, our Center also arrange a series of activities to enhance students' educational knowledge. 

    It is well-known that students who graduated from National Cheng Kung University are welcomed by business world.  Teachers certified by our Center are also welcomed by the secondary schools.  Therefore, the Center will keep striving to the professional development in teaching.