What is Social Practice at Taiwan Tech?  

Taiwan Tech requires all students to earn one credit of “Social Practice” in the course of their undergraduate studies. Social Practice is an obligatory part of Taiwan Tech undergraduate education, because we believe that social engagement will help students understand pressing contemporary issues (environmental, cultural, and social) and that it will help them to cope with difficulties and challenges. Although Social Practice comes with a course code (TC1010) , it is quite different from other courses taught at this university.
In the following, we will explain:

• the ideas and principles of Social Practice at Taiwan Tech
• how Social Practice differs from “service learning”
• how you can plan and design a Social Practice Project
• how to actually implement your project in in five steps 
   

The Core Values of University Social Responsibility

 The core values of University Social Responsibility (USR) refer to the ability of a university to construct and disseminate ideas and values through social engagement, that is, the process of shaping and transmitting social innovation concepts. 
Universities play a unique and increasingly comprehensive role in educating students, fostering new knowledge and skills, and advancing the social and economic conditions in their communities. Social engagement is about making a positive social impact by harnessing the knowledge and resources of higher education institutions. Arguably, social engagement, as means of communicating a university’s core value to the outside world, is most effective means to achieve social innovation. 
Social engagement is different from “service-learning”. While service-learning implies the kindness of helping others, social engagement is an innovative process that has a social impact. Hence, students are encouraged to clearly describe the ideas, the process, and reflection of their projects.This iterative process of practicing and reflecting will lead to a more comprehensive understanding of environmental, cultural, and social sustainability, and will help students to develop confidence to overcome challenges.
The concept of social innovation is aligned with The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations and it focuses on realizing global citizenship within a local context.

The Five Indicators of Social Engagement

There are five indicators to check if a Social Practice project fulfils the core values of social engagement:  

1. Putting knowledge into social practice

Participating in various types and levels of social interventions based on their professional knowledge and skill sets.

2. Building civic consciousness

Respecting and protecting the rights of others in society.

3. Promoting university social responsibility

Shaping and promoting innovative ideas for social impact.

4. Engaging in problem solving

Using your knowledge and skills to solve real-life challenges.

5. Enhancing cross-disciplinary collaboration 

Interacting with people from various social backgrounds and interests, using cross-disciplinary and innovative approaches to address or solve social injustice and challenges

How to plan and design a Social Practice Project

N.B.: Although Social Practice Projects do have a course code, they are NOT offered in the Course Selection System and they are NOT part of the authorization code system.

Course Title: Social Practice
Course code: TC1010
Duration: 36 hours (minimum)  
Credits: 1 credit upon completion
Exemption: Possible upon application

You can only obtain a credit for this course once during your course of studies. However, you may still can participate in social practice courses if you wish to do so.
If you have already obtained credits from an off-campus internship (including a "professional" or "overseas" internship program), you can apply for exemption from the social practice project. 
There is no specific requirement regarding when to undertake your social practice project during your undergraduate studies. You have the flexibility to plan and execute the project at a time that suits you best. However, it is advisable to consult with your advisor regarding the scheduling of your project.

What type of activities are accepted for Social Practice Projects?
There are no limitations to how your Social Practice Project is done. You may design your project based on your professional knowledge and personal interest, tailoring it according to your expertise. 
The topic anda  clear implementation plan are the most important criteria when your proposal is evaluated. Social Practice projects can be on-campus or off-campus provided by: 
•    The university or its instructors 
•    Activities by student clubs or other organizations
•    Public service activities 
•    Meaningful skill-building activities
Please refer to the “Five Indicators of Social Engagement” above to check whether your projects correspond to the core values of social practice. You may also check the Social Practice Course System for examples of successful Social Practice Projects to get a better idea of what is expected. 

Implementing Your Social Practice Project in Five Steps

STEP 1. Proposal Submission

Please log in to the Social Practice Course System and enter your User Account/Password the same way you access the Academic Information System Portal. Pleae submit your proposal.
If two or more applicants participate in the same project, it is recommended that one applicant submits a group proposal on behalf of the team. Once the group proposal is approved, project participants can submit their individual proposals. You will be able to track the progress of your proposal via this system.

STEP 2. Confirmation of Supervision

The project supervisor has to be a current instructor at Taiwan Tech. Please note that Taiwan Tech administrative staff are not authorized to supervise Social Practice projects.
 
Supervisors have to: 
•    Confirm Supervision: Supervisors need to access the Social Practice Course system and either agree to or decline the request to supervise the social practice project proposed by a student or group of students. 
•    Check Project Time Frame: Supervisors will check whether students will fulfill the required minimum of 36 project hours [within the course of their undergraduate studies] 

Students have to log in the Social Practice Course System and submit the supervsior's name and email address. The system will automatically send out an invitation letter to the teacher. It is highly recommended to present the project proposal to the instructor of your choice in advance. Otherwise, they might reject or ignore the unexpected invitation.
※If your supervisor plans to leave NTUST in the following term, please remind them to complete the evaluation of the closure report by the end of the current semester.

STEP 3. Project Implementation and Review

➤Carrying out the Project
Students are required to spend a minimum of 36 hours on the implementation of the project. Please note that the hours spent on preparing for the project (i.e. acquiring the necessary knowledge and skills to carry out the project) and reflections are not counted towards the 36 hours. 
Remember to take three photos during the project and upload it to the Social Practice Course System when you submit your closure report
 
➤ Review: Feedback & Reflection 
Supervisors and students must schedule a meeting to reflect on the project, with supervisors providing feedback during the session. There is no standard format for feedback and reflection session.It may be a face-to-face conversation, or students may be asked to submit an audio-visual record, give an oral presentation, prepare a written report, etc. However, before confirming a mentoring relationship, it is necessary that both parties have come to an agreement on how the feedback and reflection session should be conducted. Please also remember to take one photo or  a screenshot of the feedback and reflection session with your supervisor.  

STEP 4. Closure Report Submission 

You will have to submit a closure report of the project and the documentation of the feedback session to the Social Practice Course system. The following items need to be uploaded to the system 
1)    The closure report (written by the student)
2)    Three photos to document the student’s participation in the project
3)    Documentation of the feedback session with the supervisor, through one photo or screenshot taken during the feedback session 

Please make sure that your photos clearly document your participation in the project / the feedback and reflection session with your supervisor. If several people are captured in the picture, please clearly indicate where you are. All uploaded photos should be relevant and have detailed captions. 

STEP 5. Obtaining Credits 

Evaluation of theclosure report: When the online submission is completed, your project supervisor will receive a system notification to review your project. Social Practice projects are graded using a binary system with 'Pass' and 'Not Passed.' No numerical scores will be given for this course and thus will not affect your GPA.
If you do not receive the result after an extended period of time after submission, please remind your supervisor to evaluate your closure report in the Social Practice Course System. 
During the final examination week, the CGE will send out a general reminder to all project supervisors to provide the list of students who have successfully passed the Social Practice project in the current semester. Supervisors have to print out the list, sign it, and send it to the CGE Office T4-832 before the end of the semester.

​​​​​​