Learning through travel
TO educate is always to impart knowledge to students, but education is not mainly confined within the four walls of the classroom.
Students acquire further knowledge to upgrade their skill sets through educational trips.
It is always a welcome break in routine for both students and teachers.
With the opportunity of learning through travel, students get to be in direct contact with a different environment or even a new culture or language.
They gain new perspectives on the world through culture and understanding of history of the particular country. This is especially true for more extensive educational trips where students travel farther away from home.
They will have a better understanding of their role in the community and develop openness to differences in others.
Early this year, the Department of Design (DOD), from the Faculty of Design & Built Environment of First City University College (First City UC) organised an educational trip for more than 20 staff members and students to Bangkok.
The Foundation in Art & Design students were engaged in a visual research for their drawing module while the BA (Hons) Graphic Design students had the opportunity to explore regional design themes for their studio project.
The trip was planned in conjunction with Bangkok Design Week 2018, Thailand.
With the theme, “The NEWist Vibes”, the festival aims to present creative design works in various “Creative Districts”, such as Charoen Krung, Khlong San, Wongwian 22, Rama 1 and Sukhumvit.
Exposed to the diversity of foreign cultures and design ideas, students gained a broader perspective in design.
A visit to Thailand Creative Design Centre gave the opportunity to gain indepth knowledge on current sources of ideas in design innovation, technology, materials and its resources collected from Thailand and around the world.
Calvin Soon Suen Zhien, a Year 3 BA (Hons) Graphic Design student, shared, “It is inspiring to understand the process of how art can emerge from recycled materials. The Thais experiment art different from than we do.”
Students experienced creative entrepreneurship during a visit to places that are well known in the Bangkok Creative District of Charoen Krung, namely Communication Design (CommDe) of Chulalongkorn University, Jim Thompson House, Wat Pho, Jam Factory Bangkok, and Bangkok Art & Culture Centre.
“It was exciting for me to travel away from my home country and get a chance to see firsthand, the art and design of other cultures and how they portray their work,” said Year 3 BA (Hons) graphic design student Bryan Eng Tze Chan.
“Their creative works are daring and expressive,” he added.
Over the years, the DOD has organised overseas study trips to ensure students stay competitive, skilled and broadly educated.
“This enables students to acquire the opportunity to broaden their experience and engage with cultures of other countries through art and design,” commented Faculty of Design and Built Environment deputy head Dr Debbie Gan.
“They are exposed to new perspectives on how designs are viewed, practised and consumed,” Dr Gan explained.
Ensuring graduates are qualified and able to secure employment upon graduation has always been First City UC’s priority.
It is equipped with stateoftheart teaching and learning facilities, which provide excellent support for students to gain access to academic information that they need throughout their studies.
First City UC offers foundation, diploma, degree and master’s courses for intakes in January, April, May and September in the disciplines of mass communication, business studies, computing, design & built environment, engineering, and hospitality & tourism management.
It also collaborates with foreign university partners and institutions to enhance the quality of its programmes.
First City UC is open every day. It offers scholarships and incentives.
■ For details, contact the First City UC marketing department at 037727 3200, email enquiry@firstcity.edu.my or visit www.firstcity.edu.my, or follow the latest updates on Facebook (@firstcityuc) and Instagram (@firstcity.uc).