I’ve been following Asus since the launch of their Asus EEE PC 700 in 2007. The breadth and innovation of the company’s products underlines the ambitions of this company to reshape the PC (sans Apple) world by packaging the PC in a variety of new forms: UMPC, SETBOX style, Asus Radio, Video Gaming, …
While the video is in Chinese, you will get to see some great gadgets in the video: first up, of course, is the EBox. There isn’t the same level of interest in this device, but I believe it has a number of advantages that will see this become an extremely popular choice for all sorts of un (and under-) served markets: kids computing, older folks, family computing, simpler networking, classrooms, etc..
The price, the size, and the low power consumption make this a VERY attractive computer for the next generation of household computers. You could put one in EVERY classroom for a relatively inexpensive solution if you need a small language classroom with five or six of these machines; networked together, they’d be quite a cool and effective computer-skills teaching classroom.
Also, running Linux would make many aspects of maintenance relatively simple. Replacement would be the option in cases where the hard drive died, though! But at its current price, that might quite affordable!
Have you considered using an EBOX for your classroom?
This afternoon, I had a great idea for an April Fool’s Joke.
Many of our teachers and students use a book called “Ears and Mouth” for teaching basic phonics. My idea: Find an old cover, print up lots of pages of ears and mouths, and attach the cover to the printouts. Make it look like a genuine copy.
Then when the teacher says “Take out your ‘Ears and Mouth’”, she grabs her copy and opens it to find literally, lots of ears and mouths!
That would be kind of funny to an English Teacher in Taiwan!
Scott Sommers on the new education law regarding kindergartens and nurseries, and the increasing amount of government interference in this end of the market
I predict that we are seeing the demise of the freewheeling days of bushiban teaching and the introducing of the modern regulation and control of private education
This is not the only area of ESL in Taiwan in which the government has been taking quite big steps, if anything, the introduction and promotion of the GEPT is also part of the government’s stance to increase the standards of English in high schools and above, while to some greater extent standardizing the learning of English throughout the country. It is increasingly being used as an additional measure of selection for students in private schools and universities, and also as an exit criteria.
I do predict that the government will if anything continue to increase the amount of interference in the ESL market at the sub-18’s level to a greater extent, and at the post university level to a lesser extent.
For some of us, this means extra opportunities, but for others, it means a drying up of traditional options for teaching. Some give, some take.
Quite often students are studying English because they want to study abroad. EFL Teachers then find themselves in the position of trying to answer questions about which schools to apply to, what is a good way to credits for English instruction, what to study, where, etc.. Although this article is written from the point of view of the student themselves, an EFL teacher could certainly find the information contained in it quite useful for those often difficult questions!
‘Advice on Choosing an Education Agency - A Guide for Taiwanese Students wanting to Study Abroad’- By Steve Sutherland
Steve Sutherland has been an education agent in Taiwan for four years (World Class Education -www.worldclassed.com.tw) and manages a ‘Study Abroad’ industry forum calledwww.agentschat.comfor Education Agents from around the world.
While most students have a positive experience when they undertake a course of study abroad, some come back disappointed and wish that they had chosen a better option. An education agent can help you to make the best decision but there are many things that you should be aware of before choosing an agent. This article sets out some of the things that you should consider.
Exactly what Services does the Agency offer?
The Agency will enroll you at the school but what additional services do they offer. Will they handle your visa application, make your travel arrangements or give you assistance in case of an emergency abroad?
How Reliable is the Agents Information?
My impression of most education agents that I have met is that they are concerned for the students that they consult and want what is best for them. However as in any business there is always a small minority that doesn’t operate as ethically as they should (this goes for schools as well).
While most agents will try to find the school that is best for you a few less professional agents will be motivated by commission and may talk you into an inferior school so that they can earn more commission. These agents take a ‘business is business’ approach and may exaggerate the truth to talk you into a specific course at a specific school.
Wherever possible you should do a little research of your own into the country, city, your course of study and the school. You may also consider trying to get the agents promises in writing if a dispute arises at a later date.
Talking to a few students that are already at the school or students who have recently completed their studies is one good way of finding out what a school is like.
Which agents are reputable?
Agents that belong to a national association such as TOSA that set standards for their members are more likely to be reliable. However there are also many good agencies that are not members of an association.
Sensible agents realize that it is their best interests that you, as their customer are happy as so much of their business comes from ‘word of mouth’ referrals. Happy students refer friends and acquaintances and the agencies business slowly grows. In general, you could expect that agencies that have been around for a longer period of time would offer a quality service while new agents you would be more cautious about.
If friends have had a good experience studying abroad you may consider asking them which agency handled their enrolment.
Paying Tuition Fees and other Expenses
After your agent has completed your enrollment and it comes time to paying for your course you may consider paying tuition fees and other expenses directly to the school instead of paying fees to your agents account for them to forward to the school.
In the unlikely case that the agency that you are using were to go bankrupt you could stand to lose your tuition fees if the agent had not yet forwarded them to the school.
Some agents also hold funds in their accounts for too long before transferring funds to schools and this can slow down the visa application process.
Schools have also been known to go bankrupt but in some cases Governments, other schools and schools associations have come to the rescue and compensated students in order to protect the reputation of their national education industry.
This decision should be based on the reputation of the agency and the school.
Consulting Fees
It should not be necessary to pay your agent additional consulting fees for a language school enrolment as the commission they earn is already reasonable. The exceptions would be short-term bookings and low cost destinations where the commission is small and a lot of the agents time is still involved.
University commission rates are lower and in some cases more work can be involved for the agent. An agencies consulting fees for a University application is usually justified.
High School bookings usually also justify additional consulting charges as the agent may be involved with the case over several years as the workload can be substantial (communication between the school and parents, translating school reports etc).
Some Questions to ask the Agent
Aside from asking the agent questions about the school, country and your intended course of study you should also question the agent on the following.
Exactly what services does the agency offer?
What is the average class size at the school?
How many Taiwanese students of your nationality are currently at the school?
How far is your accommodation from the school?
Where is the school located and what does it look like? Ask to see a good selection of pictures of the campus.
What Part-time work options are available and how do you apply for permission to work under your visa?
What the agent is able to do to help you if problems should arise while you are abroad?
What are the school or agency policies if you wish to change your accommodation?
What refund and cancellation policies do the school and agency have?
Are there any hidden charges that the school may charge for use of their resources or facilities such as book deposits?
In Conclusion
There are many things to consider when choosing an education agency to consult you on your ’study abroad’ program. Most agents are professional and their students have positive experiences abroad. If you take a cautious approach to selecting your education agency and course of studies abroad you dramatically increase your chances of also having a positive experience.
Quite often students are studying English because they want to study abroad. EFL Teachers then find themselves in the position of trying to answer questions about which schools to apply to, what is a good way to credits for English instruction, what to study, where, etc.. Although this article is written from the point of view of the student themselves, an EFL teacher could certainly find the information contained in it quite useful for those often difficult questions!
Education Agent or Direct Enrolment? A Guide for Taiwanese Students wanting to Study Abroad - By Steve Sutherland.
Steve Sutherland has been an education agent in Taiwan for four years (World Class Education - www.worldclassed.com.tw ) and manages a ‘Study Abroad’ industry forum called www.agentschat.com for Education Agents from around the world.
Booking a course of study abroad is a big decision involving a lot of time and expense so you really want to make sure that you are making the right decisions.
One of the first decisions that you will have to make is whether to use the consulting services of an education agent or whether to enroll directly with a school yourself.
This article sets out some things to consider.
Am I able to enroll with the school directly?
If you have a school in mind you can look on their website and contact them to find out how to enroll. Some students don’t feel confident enough with their language ability to do this so prefer to have the assistance of a local who can speak their language.
You need to know that the registrar at the school is willing to take the time to give you information and answer your questions?
While some schools are happy to accept direct enrolments some are likely to direct you to an agent in your country to handle your enrolment anyway.
Price. Won’t an education consultant cost more?
These days with the internet giving students direct access to information on thousands of schools around the world it may seem that it would make sense to go ‘direct’ to the supplier (the school) and cut out the middleman (the agent) to ensure the best price.
Some schools now have information in a variety of languages on their websites and employ foreign language speaking staff and so booking directly with them would seem to be a good idea for students that are prepared to do their own research.
However just like in the travel industry (airlines and hotels) it is unlikely that you will end up saving much money by booking directly with the supplier (the school) and you may end up creating unnecessary stress for yourself.
Agents have contracts to represent schools and receive a commission from a school for enrolling a student with them. Most schools appreciate that a large percentage of their enrolments come through agents and they won’t do anything to jeopardize their reputation with education agents. The commission is set aside for education agents only and if any school were to start giving discounts for direct enrolments they would quickly have a bad name among agents.
One problem for schools is students talking among one another. If some students find out that they have paid more than others then resentment of school management is stirred up, instead of the positive environment that schools need to create to keep students happy.
So generally it is in the interests of the school that direct enrollments are priced the same as agency enrolments.
Most schools prefer that agents don’t offer students unauthorized discounts (sharing their commission with the student) however some agencies do this (such as my agency), sometimes giving some of their commission back to students in the form of refunds, discounts, free gifts or scholarships. So booking through some agents could be cheaper then booking direct.
It is likely that you will end up paying a similar amount in tuition fees if you enroll through an agent or if you enroll with the school directly. If seasonal discounts and promotions are offered to students booking directly then they are usually offered to agents as well.
If you have a school in mind it doesn’t hurt to make enquiries and to compare the price of both options. If the program price is similar if booked through an agency or direct through the school you may as well use the agent for the convenience and service that they offer. If the agent is charging excessive consulting fees then you may consider trying to book directly yourself.
Information
The big advantage of using an education agent in your own country is that you can meet with them face to face. You can get a much better understanding of the school and your intended course of study by having a meeting with an expert. Agents have usually had meetings with school representatives, have a lot of school information on file and may even have visited the schools that they represent. An agents business is consulting and they should spend a fair amount of time to give you information not only on the school but every other aspect of planning your trip as well.
Agents have information on many institutions, courses of study and countries around the world. An agent could save you countless hours of research time on the internet by suggesting options suited to your requirements.
If you have a school in mind and contact them directly then the registrar will probably be happy to advise you over the phone and via email but the communication may not be as clear as with a ‘face to face’ meeting with an agent.
It is becoming more common for students to seek information from an agent and then try to enroll themselves directly into the institution that the agent recommended. Some agents now charge a deposit before they will start the consulting process. Schools will often still honor the agents commission if they find out that a direct enrolment has come to their school as a result of an agent consulting that student.
Visas and travel arrangements
Education agents will usually apply for your student visa for you. They will also usually assist with other aspects of planning your trip such as booking flights and giving you useful information on traveling and your destination.
Schools are not able to give you much assistance with your visa application (apart from providing some of the necessary documents) and travel arrangements. It’s much easier for the agent to handle these things in your home country before departure.
Getting a student visa for some countries is quite simple and it would be easy to do your own application. However visa applications for some countries can be quite a difficult process and you really need the assistance and expertise that an agent can offer.
In Conclusion
Overall I would suggest that for most students using an Education Agency is a better option then booking direct for the convenience that agencies offer students at usually little or no extra cost.
If you do decide to use the services of an Education Agent then please read my other article - ‘Advice on Choosing an Education Agency - A Guide for Taiwanese Students wanting to Study Abroad’
Good luck planning your ‘Study Abroad’ experience!
Copyright - Steve Sutherland 2007.
Disclaimer: This blog received no money or other benefitss for posting this article.
