In order to integrate school resources to help freshmen prepare and cultivate their abilities to adapt themselves to college life, TKU will offer a new 2-credit course “College Learning” in the program of “Learning and Development” of TKU Core Curriculum. It will be a compulsory course for freshmen since 2009 academic year, and the teachers will be their supervisors. Supported by other administrative units, this course will lead freshmen to learn how to adapt to college life and cultivate them to be college students with good learning attitude and independent thinking ability.

Dr. Flora C.I. Chang, President of TKU, indicated that the ways of learning are very different from the ways in senior high. Through the supervisors’ instruction, this course can help students reduce the difficulties in adaptation and fit into the college life more quickly. Dr. Chen Kan-nan, Vice President for Academic Affairs, also pointed out that supervisors are not only the teachers for students, but also their friends who guide them academically and spiritually. Apart from sharing their personal experience and more effective ways of learning, supervisors can also make those students who leave far away from homes feel warm in school.

“College Learning” is designed by Dr. Li Li-chun, Chair, Graduate Institute of Educational Psychology and Counseling. Dr. Li indicated that the course will be divided into many units, including acquainting with TKU and the department, knowing how to use different resources of TKU and how to adapt to college life, learning various ways and strategies of gaining knowledge, and planning the life in college. Besides the lectures by the teachers, there will be group discussion, on-line learning, field trip, activities and speeches during the class. “The supervisors will help students make good use of school resources and plan their college life as soon as possible. In addition, they will also be the councilors for students to assist them plan their future career and life,” said Dr. Li.

Dr. Liao Huei-chu, a Professor of Dept. of Economics, who had won the honor of the outstanding supervisor, mentioned that through this course that focuses on diversified dimensions, the freshmen will have a clearer direction to their learning in the college and evaluate whether they are truly interested in the department they major in. The supervisors can also have meetings and discuss the issue of career and life planning with students. Lan Chin-I, a freshman of Dept. of Chinese, indicated that when she first entered into TKU, she did not know where all the buildings were located except Liberal Art Building. She just searched blindly all alone. “With this course and the assistance of supervisors, the future school juniors can know the school environment, make good use of school resources, learn how to take course, understand more about the department they major in, and moreover, plan their future career and life, which are really good to them,” said Lan. ( ~Shu-chun Yen )