Before the bell tolls — An experiment of student’s empowerment and participation in NTU campus: The course “Interpretations of Campus Cultural Heritages (ICCH).”
Date Issued
2006
Date
2006
Author(s)
Yang, Sung-Han
DOI
zh-TW
Abstract
This action research focuses on the experiment of students’ empowerment and participation in NTU campus since 2003. Based on observations on a group of NTU and NTNU students from year 2003 to 2006 and the in-depth interviews with them, the research describes the development of the group’s action.
The group tried to empower the students and reinforce their identification with NTU campus. Starting by offering campus tour service to university visitors, the group subsequently created the first school course planned and ran by students: “Interpretations of Campus Cultural Heritages (ICCH).” The course contains two major parts: lectures by professors from various fields and practicum by teaching assistants (TA). The TA system of ICCH was established by this group, and the TAs has received financial support from Ministry of Education since 2003. The unique scheme of ICCH and the liberal studying environment of NTU allow TAs to design the lectures of ICCH and handle its remarkable practicum, which provides students with more chances to participate in all kinds of activities in NTU, such as campus planning and the university history research.
To set a reference for other universities, the author illustrated the spirit of the ICCH, its execution experiences, and its institutional evolvement. Based on the experiences of the past actions, the course aimed at discussing all issues regarding NTU campus and introducing the knowledge of each academic field. The group tried to systematize the hidden curriculum about the architecture, botany, history and stories of NTU, and to translate them from tacit concepts into explicit knowledge to form the foundation of the discussion about campus issues in the future. ICCH is not just a course to those students, but also a quest for themselves. Instead of being passive learners, the TAs designed a system encouraging students to explore the campus more voluntarily and actively, and, at the same time, be willing to share their feelings and interpretations about NTU with one another. Through ICCH students will learn the multiple intelligences and recognize the spirits of the university, such as idle curiosity and responsible freedom.
Moreover, the group tried to minimize the gap between students’ experiences and professional skills by “creative space interpretation.” From the course for training campus tour guides, ICCH has transformed into a platform of communications and intended to become the model of campus empowerment.
Finally, the conclusions of this paper claim as the following:
1.To influence the students effectively, the course has to be designed in the way that is closely related to students. Similarly, to influence the school’s policies effectively, one has to understand the school’s perspective profoundly.
2.A course that focuses on the campus culture, like ICCH, has a deep impact on students, which is a great promotion for general education in a university.
3.If the chance of participation is provided, creative thoughts will converge at a university rapidly.
4.The support of students’ autonomy is the critical key point to the future development of a university.
Subjects
校園培力
校園認同
導覽解說
大專院校本位課程
大學精神
空間詮釋
助教制度
通識教育
campus empowerment
campus identity
Interpretations of Campus Cultural Heritages (ICCH)
campus tour
the school-based curriculum of a university
the spirit of university
National Taiwan University (NTU)
teaching assistants (TA)
general education
Type
thesis
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