How the E-Learning Method during COVID-19 Inspired the Transformation of Traditional Education
By Shona Song
In the English Department and the Department of Restaurant, Hotel and Institutional Management (RHIM), professors apply the distance teaching method as an efficient tool for improving the international connections in the physical classroom. Using the advanced multimedia facilities in the Giet Building, such as videoconferencing services, students from different countries can join in the same class simultaneously.
E-learning (online learning) refers to the learning system based on formalized teaching but with the help of electronic resources. It can be based in or out of classrooms, while its essence is to utilize computers and other Internet forms. E-learning breaks the limitation of time and space, since students can learn whenever they want and wherever they go. It also allows students to refresh themselves on information that would typically be forgotten immediately after a traditional class.
This semester, in the RHIM Department Professor Yu Chih (Karen) Chiang, Ph.D. provides an all-English course called Foodservice Faculty Planning in Defang Building. She cooperates with Kazuharu Owada, Ph.D. from Ritsumeikan University in Japan to demonstrate professional knowledge in the hospitality industry, related to food, tourism, customs, etc. While sharing the interior design of the facility in the restaurant and the gastronomy science, students also get to experience the different concepts in terms of the arrangement and the design of the restaurants in Japan and Taiwan, to see what can be used and adjusted to fit in their own culture.
According to the interview with Professor Karen Chiang, RHIM Department in Fu Jen University has a cooperative relationship with the Gastronomy Management Department at Ritsumeikan University. Each year, there are lots of Taiwanese students who join the exchange program and study in Ritsumeikan university. It is one of the best universities in Japan to learn special skills in hospitality management. However, this year, due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, Japanese students have to take online courses at home.Thus, after Professor Chiang had a discussion with professor Owada during the summer vacation, they decided to open this “in-classroom online course” from October 19th, 2020 to December 21st, 2020. During the interview, Professor Chiang said, “Each time, before the next class, Professor Owada and I will spend quite a few hours discussing the topics in the following weeks. We want to provide the students with not only some unique learning experience but to know more about what’s going on outside of our own country without going abroad. And thanks to the online teaching techniques, these have all come true.” She also thinks that the students in Taiwan have a lot to learn from the hospitality industry in Japan.The main concept of Japanese hospitality, also known as omotenashi. Since Japan has integrated some elements from Chinese traditional culture, their style of hospitality fully demonstrates the integrity, teamwork, and politeness that can be used as a reference for the hospitality groups in Taiwan to learn about.
E-learning (online learning) refers to the learning system based on formalized teaching but with the help of electronic resources. It can be based in or out of classrooms, while its essence is to utilize computers and other Internet forms. E-learning breaks the limitation of time and space, since students can learn whenever they want and wherever they go. It also allows students to refresh themselves on information that would typically be forgotten immediately after a traditional class.
This semester, in the RHIM Department Professor Yu Chih (Karen) Chiang, Ph.D. provides an all-English course called Foodservice Faculty Planning in Defang Building. She cooperates with Kazuharu Owada, Ph.D. from Ritsumeikan University in Japan to demonstrate professional knowledge in the hospitality industry, related to food, tourism, customs, etc. While sharing the interior design of the facility in the restaurant and the gastronomy science, students also get to experience the different concepts in terms of the arrangement and the design of the restaurants in Japan and Taiwan, to see what can be used and adjusted to fit in their own culture.
According to the interview with Professor Karen Chiang, RHIM Department in Fu Jen University has a cooperative relationship with the Gastronomy Management Department at Ritsumeikan University. Each year, there are lots of Taiwanese students who join the exchange program and study in Ritsumeikan university. It is one of the best universities in Japan to learn special skills in hospitality management. However, this year, due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, Japanese students have to take online courses at home.Thus, after Professor Chiang had a discussion with professor Owada during the summer vacation, they decided to open this “in-classroom online course” from October 19th, 2020 to December 21st, 2020. During the interview, Professor Chiang said, “Each time, before the next class, Professor Owada and I will spend quite a few hours discussing the topics in the following weeks. We want to provide the students with not only some unique learning experience but to know more about what’s going on outside of our own country without going abroad. And thanks to the online teaching techniques, these have all come true.” She also thinks that the students in Taiwan have a lot to learn from the hospitality industry in Japan.The main concept of Japanese hospitality, also known as omotenashi. Since Japan has integrated some elements from Chinese traditional culture, their style of hospitality fully demonstrates the integrity, teamwork, and politeness that can be used as a reference for the hospitality groups in Taiwan to learn about.
Zoom meeting classroom, photograph by Shona Song
Japanese students have a quite different learning experience during the COVID-19 outbreak. These two classes also reveal the differences between traditional classroom learning and online learning. The biggest difference is that for e-Learning, there is no physical classroom.The classroom can be the world or just the corner of the bedroom.
Actually, e-learning is not a new trend. Before COVID-19, the growth and adoption of education technology can already be seen. In the past few years, Professor Doris Shih in English Department provided distance learning in classroom settings. It is part of the Global Academic Initiatives directed by East Carolina University (ECU), USA. This program has received the 2016 NAFSA Senator Paul Simon Spotlight Award, 2014 QS Reimagine Education Award, and 2008 IIE Andrew Heiskell Award in the USA. She used Zoom for international connections, and cooperated with the professors from Universidad Latina de America, Morelia, Mexico (UNLA), la Universidad Escuela de Administración de Negocios en Lima, Peru (ESAN University), East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina, USA (ECU) through live video and chat technology. Based on their cultural differences, students share their food culture, college life, traditions, and self-expectations. They did cooperative projects using the English department’s E-learning platform and gained access to the native speakers from Europe and America. As second language learners, participants of this course benefit from each other in terms of the language acquisition processes via conversation and improve their cultural intelligence by real interaction rather than using stereotypes or assumptions.
Students were divided into small groups, using Zoom to form discussions. It illustrates the emerging technology-oriented teaching method. This kind of online interaction encourages participation and more substantive discussions. This social interaction occurs through discussion boards, chat, forums, and email. The major difference between online teaching and traditional classroom can be seen in social interaction between students and instructors. In a traditional classroom, hands are raised, questions are asked and answered, and presentations are given, while this type of interaction might be different in an online environment. That’s why some applications for online video conference applications like Zoom and Teams try to offer a similar user experience.
However, e-learning and distance teaching still face some challenges, one of the most significant drawbacks is the lack of concentration . Some students tend to lose focus for a longer period during virtual lectures. Boredom occurs easily as there is a lack of face-to-face interaction. Therefore, teachers should try to keep their online sessions crisp and interactive enough to help students grasp everything.
Actually, e-learning is not a new trend. Before COVID-19, the growth and adoption of education technology can already be seen. In the past few years, Professor Doris Shih in English Department provided distance learning in classroom settings. It is part of the Global Academic Initiatives directed by East Carolina University (ECU), USA. This program has received the 2016 NAFSA Senator Paul Simon Spotlight Award, 2014 QS Reimagine Education Award, and 2008 IIE Andrew Heiskell Award in the USA. She used Zoom for international connections, and cooperated with the professors from Universidad Latina de America, Morelia, Mexico (UNLA), la Universidad Escuela de Administración de Negocios en Lima, Peru (ESAN University), East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina, USA (ECU) through live video and chat technology. Based on their cultural differences, students share their food culture, college life, traditions, and self-expectations. They did cooperative projects using the English department’s E-learning platform and gained access to the native speakers from Europe and America. As second language learners, participants of this course benefit from each other in terms of the language acquisition processes via conversation and improve their cultural intelligence by real interaction rather than using stereotypes or assumptions.
Students were divided into small groups, using Zoom to form discussions. It illustrates the emerging technology-oriented teaching method. This kind of online interaction encourages participation and more substantive discussions. This social interaction occurs through discussion boards, chat, forums, and email. The major difference between online teaching and traditional classroom can be seen in social interaction between students and instructors. In a traditional classroom, hands are raised, questions are asked and answered, and presentations are given, while this type of interaction might be different in an online environment. That’s why some applications for online video conference applications like Zoom and Teams try to offer a similar user experience.
However, e-learning and distance teaching still face some challenges, one of the most significant drawbacks is the lack of concentration . Some students tend to lose focus for a longer period during virtual lectures. Boredom occurs easily as there is a lack of face-to-face interaction. Therefore, teachers should try to keep their online sessions crisp and interactive enough to help students grasp everything.