Building for everyone

Corporate Account Manager at Junyi Academy

In agricultural communities in Taiwan, it was once tough to get some families excited about their children’s education. If a child wasn’t performing well at school, they were always needed back on the family farm.

Yet Rachel Huang, corporate account manager at Junyi Academy, has seen a marked shift in that thinking, along with a growing acceptance to embrace technology’s role in the learning process as parents have come to see how education expands the future opportunities of their children. She has a strong interest and background in global affairs and wants to put Taiwan in a better geopolitical position by educating its youth and improving the talent pool. She feels that change can begin through Junyi Academy.

Junyi Academy is a nonprofit organization in Taipei whose mission is to provide personalized content to children that enables them to learn in an environment that is ideal for them. One way the academy achieves this is by training teachers to incorporate e-learning into their classrooms. “In a traditional classroom, all students are expected to follow the same pace, which can be challenging for those who either struggle to keep up or are ready to move ahead,” Rachel says. “This [e-learning] approach has led to significant improvements in students’ academic performance, as they can engage with the material in a way that suits their learning style and speed.”

Rachel shared a story of a student who was struggling in class and had parents who couldn’t provide much support at home. The student’s teacher, who had participated in the Junyi program, felt the student could benefit from more screen time after school. However, the student’s mother was skeptical, worried her son would use the technology to play games. Yet the teacher built trust, using the technology to help the student improve his study habits, while also nurturing a relationship with the mother, explaining the technology and program through multiple evening calls. The mother eventually embraced the program, especially when she saw her son’s grades improve.

Google felt the work of upskilling teachers in underinvested communities was important, and invested in Junyi to train them. Rachel says this investment has already greatly benefited the community, and Junyi now has a vision to pursue personalized learning. “This aims to tailor education not just to pace, but to each student's unique interests, strengths, and goals, providing a truly individualized learning experience,” she says.