Affiliated with College of Smart Living

Introduction

Our department was established in 1994, and originally conducted junior college certificate courses, with internship facilities at our affiliated preschool. In 1998 we added a two-year senior college program, and a four-year technical degree. At present, in line with CNU’s development plan, all of our students take a four-year Bachelor of Science degree program, which includes 320 hours of specialist internships. Our department has already become one of the most important training centers for childhood education and care personnel in southern Taiwan.

Being highly sensitive to social trends and training students to work professionally, there are 4 cross-disciplinary courses with other departments (i.e., Applied Foreign Languages, Social Work, Applied Life Science and Health, Tourism and Management.) in our university. In order to strengthen the employment expertise of students, the department has conducted training programs of employability including early intervention, afterschool services, and intensive training on Montessori pedagogy by retaining funding from Ministry of Labor (MOL) for the past 8 years. In 2014, the department was accredited by the Ministry of Education as the certified educate giver training facility.

The department keeps developing good connection and collaboration with industries/ Government related to early childhood service, such as establishing Lu-Zhu Center of Resources and Childcare in Kaohsiung, An-Ping Public Child-Care Center in Tainan..., etc. Faculty members can provide support and consultation to these industries; Students can also do social services, volunteers, and internships in these institutions.

Some recent achievements of our department are as follows:

• Highest possible rating in 2010 Ministry of Education university evaluations
• Passed Ministry of Education audit for training of child care personnel, meaning students are fully qualified to work as childhood education staff on graduation.
• Designated as an official test center for child care certification by the Ministry of Labor.
• Contracted by the government to implement the “Tainan City Third District Child Carers’ System,” and “Infant Care Resource Center”.
• Conducted overseas internships, in association with the Jakarta Taipei School in Indonesia.

Teaching and Learning

Our teaching methods have a very practical orientation, and we frequently cooperate with professional teachers from industry to conduct classes and develop teaching materials. In addition, our university has an extremely well-equipped infant care center and preschool, which functions as an internship base for students, assisting them to apply what they have learned in real practical situations.

Our curriculum is arranged in accordance with Ministry of Education regulations, with students required to complete 130 class credits, 60 hours of volunteer service and 320 hours of internship before graduation.

In addition to foundational courses in childhood education and care, we also offer modules in childcare service and after school learning and care service. These modules are directed at three employment markets:

1. Organizations such as kindergartens and childcare centers that offer services for two to six year-olds;
2. Infant care centers that offer childcare for children under two years old.
3. Organizations that offer learning and after school care services for elementary school students. 

We also offer four cross-disciplinary programs in association with other departments at the university, as follows:

• Program in designing children’s recreational activities (with the Department of Recreation and Healthcare Management).
• Program in care for developmentally delayed children (with the Department of Applied Life Science and Health, the Department of Social Work and the Department of Health and Nutrition).
• Program in child counselling (with the Department of Social Work)
• Program in arts tourism for parents and children (with the Department of Tourism and the Department of Cultural Industries Development).

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