Chinese learning is a worldwide trend. It can be predicted that there will be huge demand worldwide for Chinese teaching and enormous associated commercial opportunities in the foreseeable future. Private enterprises are actively preparing to engage into this field and the government of Taiwan also aims, by combining high-quality Chinese teaching resources and advanced information and communication technology, to encourage the digital e-learning industry to expand its overseas markets.

      For many years the OCAC has been engaged in the management of overseas affairs, maintaining close exchange with more than 1500 Chinese schools and cultural and educational organizations. Thus, the OCAC has substantial Chinese school resources and teaching experience. In the face of changes in Chinese overseas Chinese learning trends, the OCAC also faces new challenges and opportunities. The OCAC needs not only to keep improving, but also to strenghtrn overseas teacher training, teaching materials and provide guidance to Chinese schools so that they transform and link up with mainstream Chinese education. Furthermore, the OCAC must use resources from government, private and academic sectors , as well as utilize IT technology advantages effectively, increasing cooperation with mainstream Chinese education and promoting multicultural exchange, taking overseas compatriot education into a new stage.

      Along with the rapid development of science and technology, the use of e-learning technology is maturing. Chinese teaching using computers has received widespread attention and been widely discussed. From 2007 the OCAC planned to establish the “Taiwan Chinese (Huayu) e-learning Taiwan” website（www.huayuworld.org）. As an e-learning entrance website, it has brought together different learning groups, established a fine brand image for Taiwan in the field of Chinese learning and  become the best marketing channel for expanding the overseas Chinese learning market. At the same time, 13 Chinese e-learning demonstration centers have been established in U.S.A., Canada, South Africa, Japan, Thailand, Australia, and Brasil. Through combining virtual network resources and real classroom in the Chinese e-learning centers worldwide, this website promotes Taiwan’s fine Chinese e-learning resources in the overseas market.

      “The Chinese e-learning demonstration centers” were established using existing software and hardware from overseas Chinese teaching. They are endowed with functions including Chinese teaching, consultation, teacher training, cultural exchange and teaching material demonstration. Through the www.huayuworld.org  website Chinese digital learning and teaching resources including videos, interactive online learning programs, blogs from teachers group and shared teaching plans are provided.Chinese e-learning demonstration centers provide varied teaching forms, such as virtual, real life and mixed methods. They are the best way of demonstrating Chinese e-searning, and a platform for Taiwan’s Chinese high quality Chinese teaching and digital industries to expand their overseas market, as well a bridge for connecting to the mainstream society. Chinese schools will be the center of efforts to promote Taiwan’s high-quality Chinese teaching across the globe.

      However, at present the gap between different overseas places in terms of utilization of digital technologies for Chinese learning is still very wide. In some places, digital learning facilities are well established, while some other places have no knowledge of related technology. Therefore, three different strategies are needed when using the overseas Chinese schools system to build Chinese e-learning centers :

      1. Many overseas Chinese schools still have a serious shortage of hardware. The whole school only has one or two computers and no connection to the Internet. Under the circumstances, paper teaching materials should be the priority. Regarding the part of digital teaching materials, stand alone program or products which can effectively and immediately trigger student interest are the best choices. Meanwhile, the schools should be assisted with hardware purchasing and updating, the concept of “Mobile Classroom” introduced into digital learning and at the same time teachers should be trained to equip them with digital knowledge.

     2. The schools have already implemented small class size (under 10 people) or medium class size (over 10 people) and have interest in teaching material types and Chinese language teacher training. Overseas Chinese schools should be assisted in finding the Chinese digital learning products which can fulfill their needs from the many available ones. With respect to teacher training, they have to be assisted with introducing a distance learning model which integrates virtual and real learning to solve the problem of a shortage of qualified teachers, facilitating culturural exchange and allowing learning without borders.

      3. For relatively large schools domestic or foreign enterprises’ successful business models will have reference value.  Assistance can be provided to strengthen interchange between both sides, promote shared experiences and collaboration. Moreover, digital learning resource sharing between schools can be promoted to create profit-making business model, helping principals and teachers to utilize new technologies and create new services and business models. For instance, by distributing the freeware “Moodle”(an e-learning platform), they can establish a learning platform for overseas Chinese schools, allowing students to exchange information and interact and the training of specialized teachers. Upgrading of learning effectiveness and competitiveness can be expected.

      On the foundation of the existing centers OCAC plans to establish 50 Chinese e-learning demonstration centers worldwide by 2010. Also, we will assist overseas digital learning operators to build up their business models and, at the same time, we will intensify the training of Chinese language teachers, training them in the use Internet teaching, formulating digital learning plans and making teaching materials and applying them in real teaching. It is hoped that the digital learning center can be models for local Chinese language learning. Furthermore, we expect that through the integration of industry, government and academia, we will establish a high quality brand in the overseas Chinese market. By the connection and extension of Chinese digital learning centers worldwide, Chinese digital teaching experience and advantage will continue to grow.