Integrating Taiwanese culture into design pedagogy

Many Taiwanese students enthusiastically accept the consumption cultures of Japan and the United States, but neglect the value of their own culture. Thus, as a design educator, it is necessary to guide the students reflecting on and identifying with their own culture. This pedagogical study adopted qualitative methods and collected and analysed data from interviews, observation on the creation process and related documents. The purposes of this research were: to explore the related research and theories and integrate them as a model of Incorporating Culture into Design Creation; to explore the advantages and challenges of applying the new model to pedagogical practice; and to reflect on the application of the new model to teaching. According to the findings, it is feasible to apply this model to the design pedagogy. The contribution of this study was to encourage the students to recognize the characteristics of their own culture and facilitate their capabilities of incorporating culture into the design creation.