新聞櫥窗--歡迎光臨國立嘉義大學資訊入口網站

　　To enhance students’ independent learning ability and learning effectiveness, National Chiayi University will lead students out of the classroom to cultivate diverse local cultural literacy and interdisciplinary knowledge in this semester (2022-2023). ，As part of the Higher Education SPROUT Project, the “Discovering Chiayi” micro-credit courses, with a total of 15 micro-credit courses covering 12 routes, are offered to connect with local mountainous and coastal communities. The aim is to further enhance students’ understanding and awareness of the culture, history, geography, and ecology of Chiayi City and County, as well as encourage them to apply their knowledge learned in class to think, discover, and solve problems.

　　The “Discovering Chiayi” routes cover a wide spectrum of key issues such as environmental sustainability and ecological conservation, highlighted by the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The courses boast diverse routes that allow students to tour inside and outside of the campus, urban and rural areas, and coastal and mountainous areas. They will take trips to NCYU's Lantan campus to know more about the principles and applications of water resources and green energy facilities. The excursions will also acquaint them with the ecology around Lantan Houshan, Reservoir and surrounding rivers, as well as rehabilitation of South China sea river crabs (Nanhaipotamon formosanum). The minor urban routes within Chiayi County will introduce the students to the culture, history, and industries in places such as the Chiayi Botanical Garden and the Minsyong Township. The major coastal routes are designed to take in the historical, cultural, and ecological environments in Dongshih, Budai and Lioujiao townships, Puzi City and other areas. The major mountainous routes explore the rich ecological resources and under-forest economy of the NCYU She-Kou Experimental Forest. Among the micro-credit courses is an EMI bilingual course (mainly provided in English, with Mandarin as supplement), which enables international students at NCYU to further explore the mountainous and coastal regions of Chiayi.

　　The major route debuted last Saturday (March 11th), with Associate Prof. Su Chong Chuang of the NCYU Department of Applied History taking students to Lioujiao and Puzi townships to explore the culture of garlic sugar and indigo dyeing, and dynamics of the communities. They also toured around the Garlic Sugar Factory Village, Japanese-style Buildings, Yong-Jiu Grocery Store, the historical streets of Puzi, Chiayi Shui-Da-Tou Cultural and Creative Village, Puzi Bookstore, and the Laughing Grandmother Puppet Theater at Factory Village. The rich historical and cultural vibe in the courses allows an interesting way to probe into culture and history, and a broad and profound understanding of local history and cultural context. The objective is to build a deep humanistic concern, a wide cultural perspective, and modern civic literacy; to create a new cultural concept that integrates production, life, and ecology; and to stimulate cultural creation and ideation.

　　On Sunday (March 12th), the major coastal route was led by Assistant Prof. Jo-Szu Tsai from the NCYU Department of Biological Resources, who took the students to explore the culture and bird ecology of the Budai Salt Fields. By visiting the wetlands of the Budai Salt Fields, they were able to explore the diverse ecosystems and rich history in the coastal areas of Chiayi. In addition to learning about the diversity of birds spending their winter in the salt fields, the students gained an understanding of the historical changes and modern use of Taiwan's salt industry, and examined the impact of environmental changes on the ecosystem, salt industry, and solar photovoltaic industry.

　　According to President Han Chien Lin, the "Discovering Chiayi" general education courses break away from the traditional, one-way lecturing mode. They offer a wide range of learning resources to the students, who may acquire knowledge outside of the classroom settings. By taking the course, the students are expected to cultivate their independent learning ability, and contribute to local revitalization and development by applying their expertise learned in class.