Comparison of Concepts within the Residential Colleges in Taiwan

Abstract

Within the model of residential colleges, it is said that a fruitful educational experience is not limited to rigorous academics, but must also include healthy non-academic activities that allows the development of the sense of community and civic responsibility within the students. In Taiwan, after around five years of implementation of the residential college model of education, the current paper shall attempt to discuss and analyze the inherent concepts within these colleges. Using the qualitative approach of structured conceptualization method or concept mapping; 40 participants comprising of faculty, administrators, and students from the 4 key residential colleges in Taiwan are interviewed and surveyed. After 4 separate focus group discussions, a set of indicators is formulated as the students` abilities; that successfully describe the concepts within the residential colleges. In addition, to make the analysis simpler, the concept mapping procedures also resulted in the presentation of a set of graphical representation of the indicators. Further implications are also provided upon comparison of the perceived importance and performance of the students. In sum, residential colleges promise a shift in the way on how students in Taiwan are developed and shaped. However, more empirical and comparative studies should be undertaken to further the understanding of the actual effects and impacts of such program on the overall students` educational outcome.