2026-07-15

From July 4 to 7, the National University of Kaohsiung (NUK) science outreach team held a four-day, three-night summer science camp at Taoyuan Elementary School in Kaohsiung. This year marked the sixth consecutive year that the team has brought science education into an Indigenous community.

The camp was coordinated by Professor Chao-Wen Chiu, Chair of the Department of Applied Physics, together with faculty members Yung-Hao Ho and Yao-Yuan Chuang from the Department of Applied Chemistry. A cross-disciplinary team of 21 student volunteers and two project assistants designed 10 hands-on science experiments and two interactive generative AI sessions. Through practical activities, observation, and discussion, the program encouraged children to explore scientific concepts while enabling university students to develop teaching, teamwork, and caregiving skills through service learning, putting the spirit of University Social Responsibility (USR) into practice.

The student volunteers came from the Colleges of Science, Engineering, Law, Management, and Humanities and Social Sciences, bringing together participants from a wide range of academic backgrounds. This year’s curriculum covered chemical reactions, physical phenomena, and scientific applications in everyday life. By conducting experiments, making observations, and discussing their findings, the children gradually developed a better understanding of scientific principles.

For the first time, the camp also incorporated interactive generative AI activities. Students learned how to ask AI questions, verify its answers, and reflect on how digital tools can support knowledge exploration. In addition to scientific experimentation, the activities introduced the children to emerging technology trends and encouraged them to think critically about the use of AI.

Because Taoyuan Elementary School was undergoing building renovations, all camp activities were held in a single audiovisual classroom. Although the space was more limited than in previous years, the arrangement created more opportunities for close interaction between the volunteers and the children.

Over the four-day program, participants completed experiments, shared reflections, and discussed questions together. Children who were initially shy gradually became more willing to raise their hands, speak in front of the group, and gather around the volunteers to share their observations and discoveries. Through these interactions, they steadily developed greater confidence in learning.

To ensure that every volunteer was fully prepared for teaching responsibilities, the team organized comprehensive training throughout the academic semester. The training covered teamwork, leadership, communication and coordination, child and adolescent psychology, emotional management, and activity design.

Volunteers also repeatedly rehearsed experimental procedures, equipment use, safety protocols, and teaching workflows. Before departing for the camp, the entire team completed three days of intensive training, including schedule rehearsals, role assignments, and emergency response preparation. Lesson plans were continually revised to transform abstract scientific concepts into engaging and accessible learning experiences for elementary school students.

One first-year volunteer participating in the camp for the first time shared that he had initially worried about whether he would be capable of teaching. However, seeing the children smile after successfully completing experiments—and hearing them ask whether the team would return the following year—made all the preparation feel worthwhile.

Another project assistant, who had participated in the program for several years, reflected on her own growth. She began by assisting senior students but can now independently design courses, lead teams, and support new volunteers. She noted that the most valuable lesson was not simply learning how to organize a camp, but developing responsibility, empathy, and leadership through accompanying the children.

Professor Chiu stated that after six consecutive years at Taoyuan Elementary School, the greatest achievement was not the number of experiments completed, but seeing the children become increasingly confident and willing to explore each year. He also witnessed student volunteers grow from inexperienced and uncertain beginners into capable leaders able to take responsibility independently.

For the children, the camp was a journey of scientific discovery filled with curiosity and surprise. For the university students, it was a lesson in personal growth that could not be learned from textbooks alone.

Looking ahead, the team will continue to uphold its commitment that “wherever science education is needed, we will go.” By working with more faculty members, students, and community partners, the team hopes to continue bringing science education into rural and underserved communities, allowing knowledge and educational opportunity to take deeper root at the local level.

#SDG4 #SDG10 #SDG17
@College of Science · Department of Applied Physics · Department of Applied Chemistry | Activities