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Purpose
In an effort to bring the concept of service-learning to school campuses in Taiwan, the Ministry of Education initiated
the systematic promotion of service-learning in higher education in 2007. The implementation process included
encouraging institutions of higher education to establish their own service-learning centers and to design service-learning
courses. In order to introduce servicelearning to younger students, the Ministry of Education requested higher-education
institutions in 2014 to use their experience in service-learning to customize programs for nearby high schools, junior high
schools, and elementary schools. Since 2014, the present author has participated in these customized programs,
specifically as the director of the “Hand-in-Hand-in-Hand” program in which college teacher trainees act as the “big hands”
that lead the “small hands” (high-school students), who in turn lead the “tiny hands” (elementary-school children).
The “tiny hands” children selected for the program reside in metropolitan areas and have access to a wide range of
resources. However, several factors have negatively influenced these children such that they are classified as emotionally
disadvantaged. These factors include the following: lack of introspection due to fast-paced lifestyles, lack of care due to
dysfunctional family situations, and emotional insecurities arising from the lack of interpersonal relationships. This study
is expected to be used to gain an understanding of whether college students can lead high-school students during the
implementation of “outdoor adventure activities” as the service content for elementary-school children. The study also
seeks to determine whether the participating children can improve related mental health issues as a result of the
program, and whether the service students meet the needs of the service, as well as learn and grow through reflection.
Design/methodology/approach
The participants of this research are the students and teachers of all participating institutions (higher-education
institutions, high schools, and elementary schools). Data were collected through oneon-one interviews, focus-group
interviews, participant observation, and reflection papers. Grounded theory was used for analysis.
Findings
This research found three areas of impact: self-awareness, team awareness, and life experience. Self-awareness was
further divided into three dimensions: “I want to be that kind of person,” “this is how others see me,” and “I am actually
like this.” Team awareness was subdivided into “it is good to be with others” and “we are in the same class” dimensions;
life experience was further grouped into “it’s not just the ingredients” and “there’s also the finished product” dimensions.
The author discusses the combined influence of these impacts and makes recommendations for the development of
future service-learning programs.
Originality/value
No other study has allowed college students to lead high-school students in facilitating experiential learning for
metropolitan-based elementary-school students with emotional disadvantages in order to examine the latter. Through
experiential learning, the emotionally disadvantaged children were able to improve their emotional capacity, while the
older students were able to reflect on the personal fulfillment that comes from the giving of oneself through
humanitarian work.
Author:
Author Description:
Assistant Professor, Center for Teacher Education, National Taiwan University of Sport, Taichung, Taiwan.
Keywords:
APA:
Chung, C.-Y. (2017). Impact of outdoor adventure activities in the service-learning program on emotionally disadvantaged children in metropolitan areas. Contemporary Educational Research Quarterly, 25(4), 91-126.
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