Fu Ju Yang

Exploring the Integration of Social Practice at Small Local Farms into University Brand Design Course

Fu Ju Yang – Kainan University, Taoyuan City, Taiwan

Abstract:

Educators, motivated by the belief that universities have a responsibility to engage in social practice, recognize that students often overlook their connections to the land and environment and rarely apply their learning practically. In response, educators guided students to small farms in Taoyuan, where they applied their professional knowledge to assist small farmers with brand design and marketing. This approach fostered connections between the course and local people, events, and resources, bridging the gap between theory and practice. Through action research, educators conducted a “practice-oriented” social practice project within a university course on “Brand Design and Planning.” The effectiveness of the course was evaluated based on analysing data from questionnaires, interviews, feedback forms, and student work. The findings indicate a high level of student satisfaction with the course’s planning and learning outcomes. The course content was closely tied to the local environment, highlighting the importance of social practice. Overall, the course was beneficial in promoting local development and advancing interdisciplinary programs and teaching. Through hands-on practice, students explored their relationships with the land and environment; learning moved beyond classroom-based reflection and became personal experience and practice. This process subtly planted the seeds of social concern in students’ hearts.