The University of Macau (UM) and Fudan University’s students and faculty recently took part in a summer service learning programme in Jiangcun, Jiangsu Province that aimed “to inject new wisdom and vitality into the development of rural education and future rural development practitioners”, the University of Macau (UM) said in a statement yesterday.
The participanting students explored the area with students from Jiangcun Experimental School, conducted field studies, and took part in “interactive exchanges”, the statement said.
The statement noted that 17 UM students and faculty were led by its Henry Fok Pearl Jubilee College (HFPJC) resident fellow, Chang Kit Peng, and Cheong Kun Lun College (CKLC) resident fellow Fang Shimin.
The participants received three days of theoretical training at Fudan University in Shanghai, learning education’s critical role in rural revitalisation and theories of interdisciplinary problem-based learning, among others, the statement said.
During the programme, participants from both universities and Jiangcun Experimental School were divided into five groups.
An exploration between the connection of Fei Xiaotong* (1910-2005) and Jiangcun was conducted by the “Story of Fei Xiaotong and Jiangcun” group through interviewing villagers, visiting the Fei Xiaotong Memorial Hall, and studying historical materials, according to the statement. The “Evolution of Education in Jiangcun” group, meanwhile, learnt about the local educational environment and its development through interacting with villagers.
Moreover, the “Exploring Jiangcun’s Ancient Bridges” team, which comprised three focus groups, studied the history and culture of Jiangcun’s ancient bridges by visiting historical sites and reviewing village records, as well as creating a brochure on bridge preservation, among others.
The statement added that the students and faculty had in-depth discussions on topics such as the relationship between rural revitalisation and education. They shared their field study findings with villagers in the Jiangcun Cultural Hall, which the statement said was well-received.
Moreover, places such as the Jiangcun Elderly Centre and historical sites were also visited by the UM faculty and students, the statement said.
* Fei Xiaotong or Fei Hsiao-tung (November 2, 1910 – April 24, 2005), born in Wujiang, Jiangsu Province, was a Chinese anthropologist and sociologist. He was a pioneering researcher and professor of sociology and anthropology; he was also noted for his studies in the study of China’s ethnic groups as well as a social activist, according to Wikipedia.
This undated handout photo provided by the University of Macau (UM) yesterday shows a UM student (left) tutoring a student from Jiangcun.
