Service Learning
Service-learning Courses
Service-learning courses are intended to teach students to practice their profession, care for disadvantaged groups, and serve society by implementing relevant programs. In addition to classroom teaching, the courses also include service practicing, accounting for no less than one-thirds of the total course hours. The course contents shall include professional training/teaching, service program planning, execution, introspection, and result reports.
When performing service programs, students execute service in groups. Those who provide service outside the school may find service recipients on their own, or provide service to service recipients nominated by the school. Service recipients shall primarily be disadvantaged groups, NPOs, or public welfare-oriented entities. Students’ study performance may also be evaluated based on questionnaires and the program result presentation.
Table6-7. Statistics on Service-learning Courses Available From 2019 to 2021
The following examples are invoked to describe the results of service-learning characteristic courses.
Department of Interior Design - “Indoor Space Capstone Courses-Basic” and “Design and Capstone Courses”
The Department of Interior Design works with the community in Taoyuan in the curriculum to lead students to provide service to local disadvantaged groups and the elderly according to the real design needs in real life and help them renovate the residential space “physically”. The service-learning course implementation results were recorded by the show “Village Conference” of Hakka TV, which introduced the cooperation between the community and Zhongli Community Construction Organization. Students’ graduate design results received the model award for the college group of the “2021 Creating Community Action Plan” organized by Sinyi Realty Inc., and subsidies from the public sector, i.e., the Zhongli District Office.
Department of Landscape Architecture - “Community Development and Public Participation” service-learning courses.
To train students’ ability to plan and design with the residents and to communicate designs with residents to discuss community construction from three aspects of “sustainable thought”, including environment, economy and society, and practice USR thoroughly.
The service-learning course enabled the residents of the Dayou Community in Poyan Township, Changhua to experience and participate in environmental reconstruction proposals and inspire more community residents to conceive community vision. Meanwhile, the students’ appearance in the community in person also helped keep the bond with residents and strengthen the community’s sense of identity and cohesiveness.
International Volunteer Service
“CommonWealth Magazine” indicated that mobility is competitiveness, while “mobility” actually refers to the ability to adapt and cross-cultural communication abilities. Only cultivation of mobility may help improve one’s “cultural quotient” (CQ).
CYCU students took the chance to increase cross-department and cross-domain collaboration and improve cross-cultural communication skills. Meanwhile, CYCU organized overseas service-learning promotional activities, training courses, and subsidies for overseas volunteer service, encouraged students to attend overseas services, expand their global view, and accumulate their CQ.
To train the students’ ability to care about “international charity issues” and encourage students to take the responsibility and mission as a “world citizen”, CYCU has completed the comprehensive planning and promotion of international volunteer services, to be performed in three stages:
1st Stage: CYCU’s recruitment of overseas service-learning plans .
2nd Stage: Overseas volunteer deputy leader training program.
3rd Stage: Cross-cultural overseas service participation program.
I. Guide the “International Volunteer Group” to provide services in the new Southbound countries.
The Service-learning Center recruited and led student groups to organize overseas volunteer service activities in the new Southbound countries and diplomatic allies over the summer vacation.
Table6-8. Statistics on the Students’ Overseas Volunteer Service-learning Data From 2019 to 2020
II. Organize the “International Service-learning Promotional Activity”.
To strengthen students’ overseas service-learning performance, CYCU adopts the following actual international volunteer service-learning practices:
(a) Organize international service-learning education and training courses.
Table6-9. Statistics on Overseas Service-learning Promotional Activities From 2019 to 2021
To continue to provide students with cross-cultural impact and awareness, CYCU organized the “International Service-learning Promotional Activities” to enhance students’ global view and expand the effectiveness and influence of students’ international volunteer services.
Community Volunteer Service
By upholding the “holistic education” and “caring for life” philosophy, CYCU, in the spirit of volunteer service, combines the service-learning implementation and various departments’/institutes’ professional skills to practice the four major goals, namely “Life Growth, Professional Service, Knowledge Responsibility, and Social Contribution”. To promote students to form groups to participate in volunteer service, CYCU plans the “Student Volunteers’ Self-Organization of Service Groups Guidance Procedure” covering proposal, service, visit, and case closure, to assist the groups in executing the service programs successfully and exercising the energy and social influence of young volunteer workers. The Guidance Procedure is stated as following:
(I) Counseling for Submission of Proposal
(II) Service Reminder
(III) Visit to Coaches
(IV) Results and Case Closure