In response to the return of international exchanges in the post-pandemic era, the Department of Chinese Education at our university has taken the lead. Building upon last year’s successful completion of the Ministry of Education’s “Dream-building Internship in Thailand” program, the department has further enhanced its international educational initiatives this year by launching multiple internship programs both at home and abroad.
Firstly, in early June, the “Rice in Taiwan Mandarin Language Exchange Program” kicked off. Facilitated by our university’s Chinese Language Center, six students from the Department of Chinese Education engaged in an eight-week cross-cultural activity with students from the prestigious Rice University in the United States who were visiting Taiwan. Through immersion in authentic language contexts, the students learned Mandarin while exchanging insights on topics such as “tourist attractions and history, convenience store culture, comparisons between Taiwan and the United States, national health insurance, and ecological sustainability.”
In early July, four graduating students from our department, namely Su Chenjing, Hu Danling, Lin Yuxuan, and Cao Huaizu, participated in the “International Student Partner Practice Program.” Organized by TentenKid, a digital Mandarin language learning platform, and in collaboration with Yue Ming Elementary and Middle School, the students embarked on a four-day, three-night SDG camp. Guided by Ming Chuan University teaching assistants, they explored the beauty of Su’ao, Yilan, engaging in activities such as “tree climbing lessons, traditional market tours, community tours and engagement, cold spring experiences, hands-on dinner preparation, yoga, beach cleaning, and visits to cultural centers.” Through a combination of play and learning, they embodied SDG education.
While conducting internship activities within the country, overseas internships were also carried out with great enthusiasm. As part of the Ministry of Education’s “Dream-building Internship” program, Professor Hu Yijia from the Department of Chinese Education arranged internships in the United States and Thailand. In the United States, following their end-of-term exams in June, Li Xiu’an and Yan Zhengda interned at the West LA Chinese School, while Hu Tingjia, Min Caijing, Zhou Kehuai, Wang Jiawei, and Lin Yuen interned at the Guan Hui Chinese Language School in San Francisco. In August, the Thai intern group departed for an internship at the Thai-Chinese Chamber of Commerce University. The members of this group included four students from our department who are currently actively involved in the “Rice in Taiwan Mandarin Language Exchange Program”: Lin Bocheng, Xu Jiachun, Wu Chenghan, and Cai Jiaying.
In the face of a diverse future, the Department of Chinese Education at our university provides a platform for expanding international perspectives and promoting the SDG concept, fully embodying the department’s progressive educational mission.
Source: Ming Chuan Weekly