Ministry of Education has offered Dept. of Information Management the 2005 Prize for Outstanding Young Volunteer Service Group. Dept. of Information Management will accept a public commendation at 2006 Academic Year Young Information Volunteers Camp on May 27.
Judging by the variety of services, executive ability, and group operation, the Ministry of Education chooses the outstanding information volunteer service groups at Northern, Middle, Southern, and Eastern Districts respectively. TKU Information Volunteer Service Group (IVSG) is one of the winners of Northern District. Other outstanding information volunteer service groups of Northern District include National Tsing Hua University, Vanung University, St. John’s University, Chung Yuan Christian University, Kang-Ning Junior College of Medical Care and Management, National Kinmen Institute of Technology, and Yuanpei Institute of Science and Technology.
The schools assisted by TKU IVSG include Tian Sheng Elementary School in Tamsui and Wulai Elementary and Junior High School. Dr. Shaw Reuy-shiang, vice-leader of TKU IVSG and Chair of Dept. of Information Management, indicates that both of the schools are located in the remote places of Taipei County, so their information facilities and resources are relatively insufficient. On the one hand, since Tian Sheng Elementary School is near the Fishermen Wharf of Tamsui, TKU IVSG can assist them without having to go far and benefit the hometown en passant. On the other hand, because WuLai Hsiang is the only mountainous region of Taipei County, TKU IVSG decides to go there to let local children have the same information education as the children of cities do.
Their information assistance can be classified into three categories. The first is long-term online guidance, i.e. TKU IVSG, the students of Information Club, and members of Digital Informatin Club of San-chong High School, a “seed class” of Dept. of Information Management, converse with the teachers of Tian Sheng Elementary School and Wulai Elementary and Junior High School through the Internet, helping them solve the problems about software, hardware, and education of information. Second, during the last summer vacation, TKU IVSG and the students of San-chong High School held “Computer Summer Camp” at both Tian Sheng Elementary School and Wulai Elementary and Junior High School, cultivating the information ability of the kids. In addition, they also assist the teachers of elementary and junior high schools in Taipei County to produce digital teaching materials.
Shaw points out that during the process of assisting, the biggest difficulty is the short of funds for operation. He tries his best to raise funds from different units, among whom the dealers of Wulai hot spring greatly support their group, and hence their mission can go on without a hitch. He also thanks for the TKU school authorities which sparing no efforts to support them in the aspects of both expenditure and resource. Because many elementary and junior high school students of Taipei County still cannot receive good information education, Shaw hopes that he can serve more children with all his strength and let them experience the profound information world. (~ Shu-chun Yen )
