New Taipei City Fuhe Junior High School - Transnational and cross-domain Genesis Exploration

(I) Make friends with the world through art In recent years, the school has vigorously promoted the integration of aesthetic education and international education. In order to encourage the diversified development of students with artistic talents in the art class, and in response to the topics and cross-disciplinary spirit of the 12-year national education curriculum, the school will lead students to go out of Taiwan and look at the world through international art exchange activities, cultivate students' international perspectives and expand their artistic horizons, and enhance the competitiveness of cultural literacy. In 2018, our school’s art class collaborated with a Japanese school on the ART MILE mural exchange and launched the first voyage of an international educational tour, which has now entered its fifth group. In 2023, after discussions at the conference, international educational travel will be transformed to create a new "Cross-border and Cross-domain Genesis" course: students will collaborate with foreign study partners to establish a communication and interactive STEAM cross-domain aesthetic learning mechanism. This concept of off-site learning has received support and recognition from parents, so the international educational travel program will continue in this form in 2024-25.
(II) Topics and cross-domain aesthetic courses Educational topics, SDGs and cross-domain core competencies are the learning focus of the 108 curriculum. This international educational trip is expected to visit schools in Tokyo, Japan. The curriculum development is based on the United Nations Sustainable Development SDGs13.14.15 as indicators, with "protecting endangered species" as the main axis, integrating learning content and performance into cross-domain courses. In addition to focusing on hands-on practice to cultivate problem-solving skills, we also conduct STEAM cross-domain aesthetic curriculum literacy learning, integrating professional fields such as visual arts, natural sciences, life technology, English, etc., so that teachers from different fields and disciplines have the opportunity to form professional teacher communities, engage in dialogue, jointly design courses and teach collaboratively. This cross-domain aesthetic course will be conducted in the form of a project-based learning (PBL) course, with the cross-border cooperative course "Creative Light Box Painting - Providing Living Space for Endangered Species" as the core of co-learning, and pre-trip preparation and educational training will be integrated into the course, such as: business card and postcard design, cooperative courses and woodworking pendant gift exchange, all of which are in line with the main theme of the course, with endangered animals and plants as the expression content. Through practical courses, combined with visual design, life science knowledge and skills, hand-made DIY works are completed; in the process of educational travel, skilled photography skills are demonstrated to enhance aesthetic appreciation; the sketching ability trained in the sketching class, Japanese culture and independent itinerary planning taught in the design class are all implemented one by one in the city exploration.
(III) Language Learning and Cultural Experience In response to the educational trip to Japan in December, we visited Japanese schools and allowed students to join classes and exchange with Japanese study partners. This STEAM cross-domain aesthetic course was planned, among which the "Creative Light Box Painting" cooperative course was the most challenging part. Because the students of the two schools did not speak the same language, we conducted cooperative course education and training before going abroad. Considering the differences in cultural customs and languages between the two countries, we also made the teaching briefings into Chinese and Japanese teaching PPTs, and strengthened students' course practice and English conversation training before the trip. In the pre-trip preparation course, in line with the bilingual policy, the design of business cards and postcards, as well as the writing and oral training of English self-introductions will be taught by visual bilingual teachers. In addition, after-school basic Japanese classes are planned, and teachers from the Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association are arranged to give lectures at school to train students in Japanese conversation skills and review homework, so that students can communicate and express themselves bravely and have a deeper understanding of Japanese culture. The goal and purpose of educational travel is to learn. By visiting two Japanese schools and taking courses with Japanese study partners, you can not only improve your language skills but also learn about Japan's educational characteristics. Homestay allows you to experience Japanese farm life, interact with your parents, learn Japanese, and get in touch with the authentic local culture. When visiting other itineraries, use the study sheets to encourage students to use English or Japanese to converse with local people and seize opportunities to learn the language.
(IV) Off-site learning and international integration We put the results of the course into practice during visits to Japanese schools and educational trips. This is the most valuable experience of off-site learning and international integration. In order to participate in the educational trip to Japan, the teachers instructed the students to sell the postcards, woodworking pendants and sketches they designed before the trip at the creative market stalls to raise funds for the educational trip. In the process, the students learned responsibility, planning and practice. Only by gaining results through their own efforts can they appreciate the hard work of their parents and make the trip more educational. The above are all precious scenery outside the classroom. This program has a complete overall structure and diverse and substantial content, and is the best example of a cross-domain STEAM aesthetic course. The implementation is not limited to students in art classes or regular classes, and the courses can be adjusted according to students' needs. In the face of a rapidly changing international society, we cultivate international talents and enhance their humanistic qualities and cross-cultural capabilities through cross-domain curriculum integration, international exchanges, and internationalization of education to meet the various challenges of the future world.