Journal of Educational Practice and Research

Artificial Intelligence in Practice： Conversation-Based Intelligent Tutoring System Conducts Research on Japanese Remedial Teaching

Chih-Ling Chia* & Cheng-Hsuan Li

The objective of this study is to construct a conversation-based intelligent tutoring system for Japanese learning (CITS-JL), and it is expected to improve students’ Japanese learning effects. Based on the Japanese learning standards in the Japanese Foundation Standard, this study proposes a knowledge map for primary Japanese learning; students can learn Japanese step-by-step by following 22 learning scenarios and 86 designed learning units. CITS-JL first diagnosed students’ error patterns and then used appropriate cognitive conflict teaching strategies to design corresponding problems and conversations to clarify possible misuse of words in learning. In addition, CITS-JL considers the learning system, research objectives, research status of three orientation content, so that the intelligent tutoring system develop a richer level, but also to more complete to assist students to learn. The results show that CITS-JL can immediately clarify the misuse of students’ words, cultivate self-study habits, and improve learning efficiency through repeated exercises. In addition, CITS-JL can be applied to personalized learning. Students can learn Japanese anywhere outside the classroom, saving more time and money. This study contributes to research by building a learning tool for Japanese learners, providing teachers with appropriate guidelines for remedial teaching.

A Transnational Study on the Contribution of the Education, Land, Physical Capital, Labor, and Unemployment Ratio to Economic Development

Fang-Chung Chang*

Human capital, land resources, capital, labor, and unemployment rates is closely related to national development. However, among these production factors and the unemployment rate, which is the most important to economic development? The aim of this study was to analyze the contribution of these factors to gross domestic per capita in 2010, 2015, and 2016, respectively. The results were as follows: The land resource, capital, labor, and the higher education enrolment rate have a significant and positive impact on development. Specifically the explanatory power of higher education enrolment rate to development was between 29.4% and 31.1%, which was the most important among the production factors. The other factors were important behind the higher education enrolment rate in the three years, but these factors also significantly contributed to the development between 2.2% and 10.5%. In the three years, the unemployment rate had significantly and negatively affected development, and its explanatory power for the development was 2.2%, 2.8%, and 5.2%, respectively. These meant that in the process of development, besides higher education enrolment rate being the key factor that impacts development, the unemployment rate also played a significant role which cannot be ignored. Thus countries continue investing in human capital, and reducing unemployment are important strategies for development. Human capital theory was proven to have practical inspiration, innovation and contribution beyond the development.

The Dialectical Return of Vocational Teacher Education Model in Germany

Yuan-Chuan Chang*

This paper explores the development trend of the German vocational teacher education model through document analysis, and focuses on the theoretical teachers of vocational schools. In the early stage, training was mainly conducted in the context of an apprentice-master relationship, in which the master craftsman personally imparted the knowledge and skills which would enable the apprentice to advance to the stage of craftsmanship and become a master craftsman. In the middle stage, ushered in by the industrial revolution and the resulting establishment of a large number of vocational schools, vocational teacher education was divided into three areas: practical skills, engineering, and pedagogy, and gradually tended to be systematic “discipline-oriented”. In the advanced stage, the increasing emphasis on professional specialization led to far-reaching changes and the adoption of a “work process” orientation, which discarded the concept of a systematized branch of learning in favor of professional competence, and revived the emphasis on hands-on work of the early stage. However, in the advanced stage the structure and content of vocational teacher education are based on the needs and outlook of modern science, whereas in the early stage more importance was given to the apprentice’s individual interests. Thus, the development of vocational teacher education can be said to exhibit a dialectical return. German teacher education includes the cooperation of many institutions, which provides a good reference for Taiwan’s vocational education teacher education reform.

Interview Notes and Reflections on Visits of Two Alternative Schools in Germany - a Jenaplan School and a Montessori School

Hsiao-Wen Yu*

Since the Kingdom of Prussia, Germany has experienced several educational reforms and is an important source of alternative education in the world. This study focuses on two representative alternative schools in Germany, including the Jenaplan School and the Montessori School, which originated in the classical education reform stage but re-started after the reunification of the two Germanys. On the one hand, this study captures the core spirit and school profiles of the two schools through analyzing relevant literature and school documents; on the other hand, the study also tries to apprehend the characteristics of the two schools through field observations in schools, and dialogues with school principals, teachers, and students. Finally, the study emphasizes that, schools should be a community of life and learning which is constructed through the creation of the school atmosphere, space layout, festivals and celebrations, and through the establishment of educational relationships, and mixed-age learning form. Besides, student should be the real subject of his learning. School can actively promote students’ awareness and control over self-learning through open curriculum designs, self-directed learning processes, and self-monitoring of learning results. This study aims to provide various related designs for schools to reference. It also encourages practitioners to think deeply about the actual educational implications, and create new alternative education possibilities under their respective conditions.