Creative Education, 2010, 1, 62-67
doi:10.4236/ce.2010.11010 Published Online June 2010 (http://www.SciRP.org/journal/ce)
Copyright © 2010 SciRes. CE
The Current Status of General Health Education
Curriculum in Technical Institutes and
Universities in Taiwan
Su-Chang Chen
Department of Marketing and Logistics Management, National Penghu University, Penghu, Taiwan, China.
Email: csc@npu.edu.tw
Received April 13th, 2010; revised May 14th, 2010; accepted June 1st, 2010.
ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study is to understand the current status of the establishment of general health education curricu-
lum by technical institutes and universities in Taiwan. A questionnaire survey method was used. A total of 75 ques-
tionnaires were sent and 41 were returned; the valid return rate was 54.7%. The result showed that the courses on
general health can be categorized into four groups: physiological, psychological, nutritional, and fitness health. Group
the curriculum by academic fields, and the natural sciences are the course offered by most schools. Group the curricu-
lum by subjects, and courses offered by non-medical institutes focused mostly on psychological and lifestyles (health
psychology), while that of the medical-related institutes offer most curriculums in health management (health promo-
tion, health-related physical fitness), health and exercise, medicine and lifestyles (healthcare and life) and nutrition.
Keywords: Health, General Health Education, General Technological Vocational Education, Technical Institutes and
Universities
1. Introduction
General education in Taiwan started as “liberal educa-
tion” in Tunghai University in 1956. General education
became a part of university education in 1984 when the
Ministry of Education circulated a memorandum to the
schools. However, the Interpretation No. 380 by the Su-
preme Court in 1995 considered that the common
courses in the universities had exceeded University Law,
and was in disagreement with the purposes of the Con-
stitution. The interpretation opened the turning point for
the schools to re-plan the common and general curricu-
lum in Taiwan [1,2]. In response to the difference in the
period of time, the difference in social and cultural back-
grounds, the philosophy and the objectives, each school
should establish various curriculums in general education
[3]. Lin considered that the characteristics of students
from technical institutes and universities are different
from that of general universities since the basic functions
of an university is to carry human cultural responsibility
into academic research, development and inheritance,
while the nature of technical and vocational education is
to take on the social construction in the use of profes-
sionalism and technology, research, development and
innovation [4]. The aptitude of the students from techni-
cal institutes and universities should be considered when
studying general technological and vocational education
[5]. From the perspective of organization, Chen be-
lieved that if specialized courses are compared as line
department, then general education is like the staff de-
partment; line and staff should be complementary to each
other in order to accomplish the mission of the organiza-
tion. The specialized education can satisfy the operating
core, middle line and strategy apex of the organization,
whereas general education provides technical structure
and supporting staff services from a quality perspective
to support the goal of professional subjects to cultivate
the whole person. In another words, specialized and gen-
eral curriculum should have a cooperative relationship
[6].
Most of us spend our lifetime at the workplace; there-
fore, maintaining a safe working environment and a
sound mind and body becomes very important issues [7,
8]. “Healthy” means a condition without diseases and
that the body is at a comfortable physiological, psycho-
This paper is revised from 2006 General Education Conference, Tainan
CUMT. The author would like to acknowledge the support of the Na-
tional Science Council of Taiwan for the contract number of NSC
94-2516-S-346-001.
The Current Status of General Health Education Curriculum in Technical Institutes and Universities in Taiwan63
logical, social, and spiritual state of health [7,9]. Since
many epidemiological researches indicate that the cause
of chronic diseases is related to unhealthy lifestyles, the
engagement of health promotion activities can reduce the
occurrence of diseases and death [10]. Thus, it is neces-
sary to implant the students about health-related knowl-
edge during school.
The nature of technical institutes and universities is
focused on the workplace in the training of human re-
sources, not on academic research; therefore, theoreti-
cally speaking, since every graduate from the technical
institutes and universities will enter the work force,
maintaining good health or paying attention to safety at
work should be a basic skill for each student. The pur-
pose of this study is to understand the current status of
the establishment of general health education curriculum
in technical institutes and universities in Taiwan, and to
provide the findings to the education administration au-
thority and every technical institute and universities as a
reference.
2. Literature Review
2.1 General Technological and Vocational
Curriculum
Wu defined general technological and vocational educa-
tion as “the ‘professional development’ combining spe-
cialized and generalized skills. Together with techno-
logical and vocational specialization as a base to conduct
orientation in the nature, the society, the humanity, the
technology and the religion to promote the overall sus-
tainable development of cognitions, skills, and attitudes
according to the individual’s conditions, and thus to
practice such skills in reality” [11]. Lee et al. pointed out
that general education of university should be established
with different contents according to the different periods
of time, social and cultural background, school philoso-
phy and objectives [3]. For example, Lee believed that
the purpose of general education for military academies
is to reflect the values of judging faithfulness and deceit-
fulness, obedience and disobedience, right and wrong,
correctness and mistake, gains and losses, advantages
and disadvantages, the fundamental and the incidental,
and the state of urgency, by the students who received
the basic education [12]. Sun deemed that the planning of
the general education in teachers colleges should provide
students a wider view to expand humanistic, social, cul-
tural, scientific and philosophic perspective, and to cul-
tivate knowledge integration, independent thinking,
critical reflection, and lifelong learning abilities [13].
Focusing on the school’s characteristics, Fooyin Univer-
sity has designed the “Healthy life” general curriculum;
from paying close attention at health issues to foster its
students to become a professional, sentimental, macro-
scopic viewed, and graceful healthcare professional [14].
Yi indicated that the nature of technological and voca-
tion, the instructor’s qualification and the quality of the
student are the three predicaments faced by the techno-
logical and vocational education system in Taiwan when
promoting general education [2]. Since the nature of the
technological and vocational education system is career
oriented, the mentality of the students usually empha-
sizes specialized subjects and neglects general curricula.
If the philosophy of specializing general education and
generalize special curricula cannot be blend in, the posi-
tion of general education in technical institutes and uni-
versities will be more marginalized. Next is the dilemma
of teachers’ qualification. Since many technical institutes
and universities are mostly restructured from junior col-
leges, the ability of the instructors from junior colleges
teaching general education and managing the require-
ment of a general diversified curriculum is rather worry-
ing. In order to accommodate current teaching expertise
and teaching hours, schools usually resort to teacher-
based mode in setting up the curricula; which makes
them twice as difficult to achieve the goal of diversified
learning. Last is the problem with the source of the stu-
dents. Since most students in technical institutes and
universities come from students with unsatisfactory jun-
ior academic performance that are forced to select junior
college or senior vocational school, their abilities in basic
subject are weaker; which means that the student’s abili-
ties in basic subjects should be considered when planning
their curriculum.
2.2 General Health Education Curriculum
“Healthy” means a condition without diseases, and that
the body is at a comfortable physiological, psychological,
social, and spiritual state of health, therefore, physio-
logical, psychological, social and spiritual aspect of
health should be included [7,9]. In 1978, the WHO pro-
posed the famous Alma-Ata Declaration that affirmed
health as a fundamental human right, and the government
is responsible to promote the health of its people through
adequate activities. Chen and Lai included the four di-
mensions: self-responsibility, nutritional awareness,
stress management, and physical fitness, into promoting
a healthy lifestyle [15]. Walker, Sechrist and Pender de-
fined healthy lifestyle promotion as: a multi-level spon-
taneous behavior and awareness of maintaining or pro-
moting one’s health, self-realization and self-satisfaction
[16]. Health-promoting behaviors should include regular
exercises, leisure activities, resting, adequate nutrition,
stress-reduction activities, and the development of social
support system.
According to the national nutrition investigation in
2000, 14.6% male and 15.8% female adults in Taiwan
suffer obesity from an improper lifestyle, such as inade-
quate exercise. It is estimated that there are approxi-
mately 2.2 million adults who are excessively obese.
Copyright © 2010 SciRes. CE
The Current Status of General Health Education Curriculum in Technical Institutes and Universities in Taiwan
64
Many medical reports point out that inadequate exercise
complicated with obesity is the root of many chronic
diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, and cardiovas-
cular diseases [17]. In a long run, such a life style places
a heavy influence on the health of the citizens. Promoting
health education in technical institutes and universities
and cultivating a healthy lifestyle has become the highest
priority of current technological and vocational general
education.
An investigation by Chen, Chang and Jing on 530 day
and night school students from the Penghu Institute of
Technology showed that interpersonal support ranked
number one if ordered by average of each subentry in the
health lifestyle; followed by self-realization, stress man-
agement, nutrition, and fitness. Health responsibility was
ranked the lowest. The behavior for a healthy lifestyle
has become a more common level [18]. From this, it
should be realized that exercise, nutrition, health respon-
sibility, health insurance and other health promotion is-
sues are easily neglected by technical institutes and uni-
versities students. Therefore, it is necessary to require the
students to pay attention to these issues in general health
education curriculum; hopefully, the students’ unhealthy
lifestyles can be corrected through the curriculum and
can be maintained until entrance of the workplace. Fur-
ther, whether the technical institutes and universities pay
attention to the teaching of general health education of
the students should be further investigated.
3. Method
The questionnaire survey is used in this study. The ques-
tionnaire is constructed by the author. The contents in-
cluded the fields of the schools’ general curriculum and
the status of general health education curriculum in the
four-year technical institutes and universities.
The survey is sent to the director of General Education
Division in 75 schools, which listed on the recruiting
brochure for technical institutes and universities. A total
of 41 surveys were returned after follow-up contact, and
the valid return rate was 54.7%. The returned surveys
were processed and statistical analyzed.
There were 15 technical universities (36.5%) and 26
technical institutes (63.5%) was returned; among which,
10 (24.4%) were public and 31 (75.6%) were private, and
8 (19.5%) has medical-related schools while 33 (80.5%)
does not.
4. Results
The general curriculum credit among 12 schools (34.3%)
of 35 technical universities and institutes ranked the
highest, ranged 10~12; 7 schools (20%) ranked second
with more than 30 credits, probably listed the common
subjects in the general curriculum. Usually, general cur-
riculums should range between 8 to 16 credits in techni-
cal institutes and universities. It shows in Table 1.
Classified by academic fields, 16 schools (39%) fo-
cused most of the subjects in general health education on
nature sciences; followed by 9 schools (22%) that fo-
cused on social sciences; next were the 6 schools (14.6%)
that focused on life education and lastly, 4 schools on
physical fitness and health field. The findings indicate
that the two levels of general health education in physio-
logical and psychological health are the mainstream. It
shows in Table 2.
According to the investigation, general health educa-
tion subjects can be categorized into physiological, psy-
chological, nutritional, and fitness health. Psychological
health includes health management, health promotion,
medicine and lifestyles, drugs and lifestyles, and etc;
psychological health includes medicine and life, heath
and life, stress management, emotional management,
psychology and lifestyles, healthy mind, and etc; food
health includes diet and health, nutrition and lifestyles,
food and health, and etc; physical health includes health
and exercise, health-related physical fitness, traditional
Chinese medicine and health preservation, Qigong and
health preservation, leisure and sports, and etc.
The arrangements may be related to the teachers’ struc-
ture; generally, teachers specialized in sports take charge
Table 1. The general health curriculum classified by credit
Credit Number of Schools Percentage
Under 8 credits 6 17.1%
10-12 credits 12 34.3%
14-16 credits 5 14.3%
26-28 credits 5 14.3%
30 credits up 7 20.0%
Total 35
Table 2. The general health curriculum classified by aca-
demic fields
Subject Number of Schools PercentageRanking
Nature Sciences Field 16 39.0% 1
Social Sciences Field 9 22.0% 2
Life Education Field 6 14.6% 3
Physical Fitness Field 4 9.8% 4
Health Field 4 9.8% 4
Humanism and Arts Field3 7.3% 6
Applied Science Field 3 7.3% 6
Copyright © 2010 SciRes. CE
The Current Status of General Health Education Curriculum in Technical Institutes and Universities in Taiwan
Copyright © 2010 SciRes. CE
65
of courses related to health and exercise; those who spe-
cialize in counseling and psychology teach courses re-
lated to psychology and lifestyle or stress management.
The most common courses in general health education
is health management (health promotion) and psychology
and lifestyles (healthy mind) which is offered by 21
schools (51.6%); followed by health and exercise courses
which is offered by 18 schools (43.9%); then courses in
medicine and lifestyles (medicine and life) offered by 15
schools (36.6%); lastly, stress management (emotional
management) and nutrition and health courses offered by
13 schools (31.7%). It shows in Table 3.
In the general health education curriculum offered by
non-healthcare-related schools, psychology and lifestyles
(healthy mind) ranked the top with 19 schools (57.6%),
followed courses in health management (health promo-
tion, health-related physical fitness) by 16 schools (48.5%),
next are the courses in health and exercise with 13
schools (39.4%), then are the courses in medicine and
lifestyles (medicine and life) and stress management
(emotional management) with 10 schools (30.3%), and
lastly, health and lifestyles with 9 schools (27.3%); the
findings may be related to the instructors available in the
type of the institutions. It shows in Table 4.
In the general health education curriculum offered by
medical-related schools, courses in health management
(health promotion, health-related physical fitness), health
and exercise, medicine and lifestyles (medicine and life)
and diet and health ranked highest with 5 schools
(62.5%).
The result is slightly different to that of non-medical
schools where psychology and lifestyles (healthy mind)
are not the most common courses, and diet and health,
the subject ranked last in non-medical schools, was
ranked first. It shows in Table 5.
5. Conclusions and Recommendations
5.1 Conclusions
The study concluded that:
1) It is necessary to implant the students about health-
related knowledge during school. Promoting health edu-
cation in technical institutes and universities and culti-
vating a healthy lifestyle has become the highest priority
of current technological and vocational general educa-
tion.
2) Each technical institutes and universities offers
health-related general education.
3) General health education offered by the technical
institutes and universities can be roughly categorized into
physiology, psychology, diet and sports.
4) Categorized according to academic fields, the gen-
eral health education focused mostly on natural sciences
and social sciences.
Table 3. Curriculum in general health education offered by technical institutes and universities
Subject Number of SchoolsPercentage Ranking
Health and Life 12 29.3% 7
Health Management, Health Promotion 21 51.2% 1
Health and Exercise, Health-related Physical Fitness 18 43.9% 3
Medicine and Lifestyles, Medicine and Life 15 36.6% 4
Traditional Chinese Medicine and Life Preservation, Qigong and Life Preservation 2 4.9% 11
Stress Management, Emotional Management 13 31.7% 5
Health Maintenance and Lifestyles, Prevention Medicine 10 24.4% 9
Food and Health 12 29.3% 7
Psychology and Lifestyle, Healthy Mind 21 51.2% 1
Drugs and Lifestyles 1 2.4% 13
Nutrition and Lifestyles 8 19.5% 10
Diet and Health 13 31.7% 5
Leisure Activities 2 4.9% 11
Exercise and Life Preservation 1 2.4% 13
The Current Status of General Health Education Curriculum in Technical Institutes and Universities in Taiwan
66
Table 4. Curriculum in general health education offered by non-healthcare-related schools
Subject Number of SchoolsPercentage Ranking
Health and Life 9 27.3% 6
Health Management, Health Promotion, Health-related Physical Fitness 16 48.5% 2
Health and Exercise 13 39.4% 3
Medicine and Lifestyles, Medicine and Life 10 30.3% 4
Traditional Chinese Medicine and Life Preservation, Qigong and Life Preservation 2 6.1% 11
Stress Management, Emotional Management 10 30.3% 4
Health Maintenance and Lifestyles, Prevention Medicine 7 21.2% 9
Food and Health 8 24.2% 7
Psychology and Lifestyle, Healthy Mind 19 57.6% 1
Drugs and Lifestyles 1 3.0% 13
Nutrition and Lifestyles 7 21.2% 9
Diet and Health 8 24.2% 7
Leisure Activities 2 6.1% 11
Exercise and Life Preservation 1 3.0% 13
Table 5. Curriculum in general health education offered by medical-related schools
Subject Number of SchoolsPercentage Ranking
Health and Life 3 37.5% 6
Health Management, Health Promotion, Health-related Physical Fitness 5 62.5% 1
Health and Exercise 5 62.5% 1
Medicine and Lifestyles, Medicine and Life 5 62.5% 1
Stress Management, Emotional Management 3 37.5% 6
Health Maintenance and Lifestyles, Prevention Medicine 3 37.5% 6
Food and Health 4 50.0% 5
Psychology and Lifestyle, Healthy Mind 2 25.0% 9
Nutrition and Lifestyles 1 12.5% 10
Diet and Health 5 62.5% 1
5) Courses in health management (health promotion),
and psychology and lifestyles (healthy mind) are most
common in general health education, followed by health
and exercise (health-related physical fitness), and lastly,
medicine and lifestyles (medicine and life). Courses in
psychology and lifestyle (healthy mind) ranked top in
non-medical schools, followed by courses in health and
exercise. Courses in health management (health promo-
tion, health-related physical fitness), health and exercise,
medicine and lifestyles (medicine and life), and diet and
health, are the most common curriculum offered in
medical-related schools.
5.2 Recommendations
Due to the conclusions, the recommendation is proposed
as follow:
Copyright © 2010 SciRes. CE
The Current Status of General Health Education Curriculum in Technical Institutes and Universities in Taiwan67
1) The nature of technical institutes and universities is
focused on the workplace in the training of human re-
sources, since every graduate from the vocational and
technological college will enter the work force, main-
taining good health or paying attention to safety at work
should be a basic skill for each student. It is recom-
mended the health administration authority to encourage
the schools to offer more courses in general health cur-
ricula.
2) The returned surveys from 41 schools showed that
the schools more or less offer general health-related cur-
riculum. A further investigation may be needed to study
the un-recovered portion of the surveys; to determine if
the technical institutes and universities failed to return
the survey because no courses were offered, or any other
reasons.
3) The investigation for this study was on the subject
of the course only. Further researches on the material
used for each subject, how the student select courses, or
effectiveness of the instruction are recommended.
4) A follow-up to see if the graduate has applied the
skilled acquired from general health education in work-
place is suggested for future studies.
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