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Equality and excellence are two core values underlying many educational endeavors; however, they are often in conflict and controversy. This article intends to examine the dilemma created by such controversies in the context of massification of higher education in Taiwan and attempt to provide solutions from both the theoretical and policy dimensions so that the constant conflict between equality and excellence can be reconciled. (Contains 1 figure.)

Patients with nontuberculous mycobacterial lung disease (NTM-LD) have increased mortality. The impact of NTM species on the risk of mortality remains unclear, especially that of death by non-cancer causes. We conducted a retrospective cohort study from 2006 to 2018 in a tertiary-care hospital in Taiwan. We enrolled patients who fulfilled the microbiological diagnostic criteria of NTM-LD. The mortality causes within 8 years after diagnosis were identified, and the Cox proportional hazard regression was performed for risk factors of mortality. A total of 1,652 subjects with NTM-LD were included. Among them, 723 (43.8%) were infected by Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC), 408 (24.7%) by M. abscessus complex (MABC), 120 (7.3%) by Mycobacterium kansasii (MK), 304 (18.4%) by other rapid-growing mycobacteria (RGM), and 97 (5.9%) by other slow-growing mycobacteria (SGM) groups. The 8-year all-cause mortality was 45.2% for all and the highest in the MK-LD group (59.2%), followed by the MABC-LD and MAC-LD groups. The adjusted hazard ratios were 2.20 (95% confidence interval: 1.40-3.46) in the MK-LD, 1.85 (1.54-2.22) in the MABC-LD, and 1.65 (1.12-2.41) in the MAC-LD groups for all-cause mortality, compared with the SGM group. Kaplan--Meier survival curves showed that all-cause mortality, non-cancer mortality, and mortality due to chronic airway diseases were significantly correlated with NTM species (log-rank p = 0.0031, < 0.001, and 0.001, respectively). High 8-year mortality rates were found in patients with NTM-LDs according to different NTM species. Notably, the difference was significant in non-cancer mortality causes, especially in chronic airway diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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In recent times, Taiwan's grade 1-9 science curriculum has been undergoing landmark reform that emphasizes continuity between elementary and secondary school science, integration among different science subjects, and connections between textbooks and students' life experiences. School teachers are expected to grow professionally to meet the new challenges that have arisen from this reform. This study intends to investigate how in-service science teachers grow professionally in a collaborative professional development project based on an interactive development/improvement model operating on the principles of diversity and equal partnership. A group of science teachers and university experts with diverse backgrounds collaborated on a two-year curriculum development project. We collected and analyzed various types of qualitative data, using interviews, videotapes of discussions, and written reflections. The results show that this model succeeded in enabling teachers to grow professionally as curriculum developers and active leaders. We found that diversity and equal partnership were the key factors responsible for the success of this project, and believe the two factors should be taken into account when creating teacher professional development programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the typhoon season, storm surges often instigate serious damages to the coastal areas of Taiwan. In August 1994, typhoon Doug almost completely destroyed the breakwaters and docking facilities in the Lungtung harbor at the northeast tip of Taiwan. The estimated maximum sea level rise was about 3m. Analyses of tide, wave and meteorological records indicate that the amplitude and spatial pattern of storm surges are related to the local wind speed, direction and duration as well as the local geometry. A linear two-dimensional numerical model is used to quantify the storm surge structure. The model results indicate that sea levels reached a maximum of about 2 m at the peak of the storm. The largest surge, however, does not occur at where the most severe damage was located. This suggests that the wave run-up could be an important contribution to the storm surge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A shortage of qualified science teachers has been recognized as a serious problem in the field of education in many countries. Taiwan, however, has successfully recruited graduate-level science students into teaching through newly established teacher education programs at universities in recent years. This study seeks to examine why such students are motivated for entry into teaching. In-depth interviews of 33 graduate science students from one teacher education program and a survey of 101 students from nine teacher education programs at universities in Taiwan were conducted. Results show that these students were attracted to teaching by an early exposure to science teaching in informal settings and their perceptions of handsome material rewards, favorable working conditions, and relatively high social status of teaching. The cultural roots of these factors are discussed; implications and limitations of the results are suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]