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Introduction
Development
In recent years, due to the change of the international and social environments with expansion of higher education education goals of universities nowadays have turned from elite to a universal education, and employer recruitment policy has also changed from being professionally oriented to a focus on interdisciplinary ability, attitude, and literacy. This shift accentuates the importance of a general education more so than ever before. National Chin-Yi University of Technology has established an educational institution that “leads in innovation and has moved towards a top industry technology university” and is able to cultivate students with a professional knowledge, humanity literacy, social concern and global vision who are sought in industry or are equipped with the skills to start a business of their own. Among these, humanity literacy, social concern, and global vision are all closely connected to general education. Professional knowledge is not only an essential component, but plays a complementary role in a well-rounded education.
Knowledge and education should be holistic based on blending intelligence and emotion and connecting theory to practice. Therefore, not only professional subjects, but general education plays a key role in university education. While the Ministry of Education continues promoting many general education projects, NCUT also regards the importance of it. With the institution transformation and makeover in 2010, general education organization was upgraded to the College of General Education. The College of General Education networks closely with other colleges. The Fundamental General Education Center and Liberal Arts General Education Center are affiliated with the College of General Education. Fundamental general education courses tend to be knowledge-related, which focuses on teaching of basic knowledge, literacy, and ability, while Liberal Arts General Education courses are more inspirational. NCUT invites all professional teachers of the university to develop diversified Liberal Arts General Education courses to promote foundation knowledge to help students maximize self-directed learning and expand on the vision of the pursuit of knowledge.
The Goal
The core philosophy of general education is regarding humanistic thinking as basis and professional knowledge as its application. The teaching goal of the Liberal Arts General Education is to cultivate students’ skills of learning and practicing through explicit formal courses and real-life experience, training them to have the following abilities:
1. Knowledge literacy and introspection
2. An understanding of and interest in interdisciplinary knowledge
3. Knowledge integration and innovation development
4. Insights into the value of life
5. The ability to concern themselves and participate in social, international and public issues.
6. Independent speculation and problem-solving abilities
Liberal Arts General Education offers basic knowledge courses for students to use their introspection, critical thinking and question-asking abilities, as well as imagination and creativity. It also provides opportunities for students to acknowledge science concepts and practice. It uses humanistic values as the core and cultivates students to become modern citizens with a technology mind and humanity heart. “Technology mind” refers to training students to think with reason, while “humanity heart” means being sensational. An individual who can grow and balance technology and humanity is a well-rounded individual with good character.
Core Competence Index
General Education is based on the philosophy of an all-around education. The students are educated to have a sound philosophy of life with humanity literacy, social concern, and global vision. It also aims to cultivate a student to become a modern citizen with both humanity and technology skills, to be an independent thinker with the ability to reflect, and a practitioner that can continue self-learning.
NCUT’s General Education courses focus on training students’ core ability in eight areas:
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Core Ability |
Definition and Description: |
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A. Knowledge integration ability |
Students are able to acquire eternal values through various kinds of knowledge and the contexts of culture while integrating the values into life and learning to appreciate, respect, and cherish the meaning of life further. |
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B. Creative thinking ability |
Students are able to recognize the difference and link point of knowledge in every field and between multi cultures while having cross-disciplinary thinking and judgement ability to present innovative creativity in existing structure. |
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C. Communication and Expressing ability |
Students are able to clarify their own thoughts and demonstrate their own opinions correctly, clearly with spoken and written language to establish a well communication with others. |
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D. Appreciation of beauty ability |
Students are able to recognize, receive, and convey the beauty of various kinds of art and music while having a keen appreciation ability. |
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E. Logic and reasoning ability |
Students can use logic analysis and quantitative reasoning to process introspection and argument according to the existing and objective facts and make reasonable judgement. |
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F. Legal thinking ability |
Students are able to recognize the interaction and connection among human rights, democracy and rule of law to process speculation and argument independently. Furthermore, with humanistic spirit, students can strengthen the relationship of oneself and his/her relationship with social group. |
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G. Broad perspective ability |
Students are able to use basic knowledge as the basis to develop farsighted point of view and expand their vision to establish a sound philosophy of life. |
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H. Ethic care ability |
Students are able to recognize his/her relationship with the environment around, and are willing to devote their energy and professional knowledge to society and environment reformation to raise positive energy. |
The basic courses offered by the Liberal Arts General Education Center also focus on the abilities of these eight areas and aim to instruct and inspire students to develop their creativity, information competence, skills of expression, narrative abilities, planning skills, team communication skills, and strong work ethic. It allows students of different departments and colleges to work together, using their specializations and training their problem-solving abilities to meet the requirements of an innovative society.
Future prospects
The mission of Liberal Arts General Education is to develop general education courses for the whole school and execute administrative work related to service learning. The purpose of education is not to train students to be skillful, but to educate students to have a sound philosophy of life with humanity literacy, social concern, and global vision. Educators need to regard the importance of general education for our mission to succeed. The quality and quantity of existing and potential courses must be strengthened to enhance the breadth and depth and change potential for students to understand the reason for general education courses. NCUT also encourages departments to generalize basic professional courses so students are willing to learn and expand their field of knowledge. It has not been easy to promote general education course thus far. Most teachers and students don’t acknowledge general education or understand why it’s necessary to enhance the promotion to change teachers' and students’ perception of general education. The philosophy of general education can be conveyed via multiple channels, such as holding seminars to propagate its meaning and educational literacy through general education communication for faculty staff to observe and understand more while teaching.
It is said that “Where there is no profession, there is no future. But with only profession, the future is limited.” General education, in other words, is a fundamental skill for individuals to develop their potential and vision while extending their professional skills without limits. Educators are required to pay more attention to general education if even if minor, as it is crucial.