This course provides a format for students to learn about other cultures without traveling. This is part of the Global Academic Outreach Project directed by East Carolina University (ECU), USA. In this semester, we will connect with ECU as well as students in Switzerland through live video and chat technology. Discussion topics ranging from college life, family structure, the meaning of life, health care, food and nutrition, to stereotypes and prejudices. Class sessions include discussion in both small groups and one-to-one chat with reflective journaling/papers and/or oral presentations afterwards. Besides international connecting sessions, local sessions (which mean only local class session without videoconferencing) are also held to integrate and synthesize information gained in the global sessions. Participating students from different cultures also read each other's newspapers to learn what is current, timely, and to get real exposure to what is going on in their partners’ cultures.
** This course and the project is funded by the 2006 MOE Teaching Excellence project (九十五年度教育部獎勵大學教學卓越計畫: 國際師生共教共學 --文化交流)