The Intersection of Confucianism and Western Teaching in Taiwanese Adult Education

Abstract

Adult education is a significant feature of the Taiwanese education landscape and is recognized as significantly contributing to national economic development. Given the importance of adult education in Taiwan, an investigation of teaching approaches and an understanding of interplay of teaching approaches with Taiwanese culture is worthwhile because such investigations provide a platform for reflection and subsequent evolution of teaching approaches. In the present article, the authors delve into the heritage of Taiwan to explore teaching practices from the standpoint of the teachings of Confucius and Western teaching approaches. Data were collected via survey of 39 randomly selected adult educators from premium universities in Tapai along with interviews. The results point to the persistent dominance of Confucian instructional methods despite some use of Western teaching approaches.