新作坊 Humanity Innovation and Social Practice

Due to the growing importance of social accountability for universities, instructional approaches such as "social engagement", "social practice" and "social participation" have been growing more popular recent years. Effectively implementing these approaches involves also reevaluating the university educational paradigm, including the principles, tools, and goals of education as well as the university’s overall resource allocation. This case study analyzes the process and challenges of constructing a participatory education paradigm at Chi-Nan International University, which is located in a rural area. By organizing a learning community, setting up community bases, promoting co-learning, encouraging students’ community engagement, and drafting regulations, the university has built a unique education and learning ecosystem. There are three goals of this new educational paradigm: first, developing engaged scholarship; second, translating knowledge between the academic and local levels; and third, cultivating capacity for social participation.