Reflections on the Joint Cultivation of Undergraduate Animation Education in China and Thailand
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International Journal of Learning and Teaching Vol. 6, No. 2, June 2020 Reflections on the Joint Cultivation of Undergraduate Animation Education in China and Thailand Chaochu Xiang Chengdu University, Chengdu, China Email: [email protected] Abstract—In recent years, with the advancement of the “The between the countries has further promoted the Belt and Road”, the cooperation between China and ASEAN cross-border exchange of education. Therefore, the countries is increasingly close, and the cross-border exchange international cooperation pattern of higher education in the of education between China and ASEAN has been further cross-cultural perspective has strong research significance. promoted. This article will research targeted at In this article, the research objective is located in Thailand, undergraduate animation education in Thailand. By studying the current educational pattern of the animation major in which in the center of the ASEAN region. This paper takes Thai universities and exploring the roots of the existing issues, the undergraduate animation majors of Chiang Mai combining the characteristics of the animation major in the University and Assumption University as the background, College of Chinese & ASEAN Arts, try to put forward some and analyzes their professional positioning and ideas for the construction of a collaborative cultivating characteristics of the undergraduate animation curriculum. curriculum system for Chinese and Thai undergraduate Combined with the current situation of cooperative talents. In order to provide some useful thoughts for the education with Thailand and the characteristics of future development of international educational cooperation animation major of College of Chinese & ASEAN Arts, based on the College of Chinese & ASEAN Arts. this research tries to put forward the construction Index Terms—China-ASEAN academy of Arts, animation conceptions of the animation talent cultivation pattern, and undergraduate talents, international collaborative education provides corresponding thinking for further to improving the collaborative cultivation system of international talents in the future. I. INTRODUCTION II. STATUS OF UNDERGRADUATE CURRICULUM SYSTEM With the steady improvement of China's comprehensive FOR ANIMATION MAJOR IN THAI UNIVERSITIES strength and international influence in the world over the past decade, China's cooperation with neighboring Chiang Mai University and Assumption University are countries has become increasingly close. The ten ASEAN both the top universities in Thailand. The undergraduate countries, as the priority direction of China’s peripheral animation course system of these two universities, diplomacy, are also the key construction areas of the “The representing two different models of animation talent Belt and Road”. The B & Initiative, which is a cultivation in Thailand. Therefore, focusing on the development strategy proposed by Chinese President Xi animation curriculum system of these two universities has Jinping that focuses on connectivity and cooperation with strong research value. investments of billions in railway lines, pipelines, and ports, A. Chiang Mai University could provide a boost for cultural exchanges, international Animation and Visual Effects department of Chiang commercial cooperation, and also for insurance. With the Mai University is under the administered of the College of establishment of the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area, the Arts, Media and Technology. The undergraduate ASEAN region is becoming China's most dynamic partner. Animation department of Chiang Mai University almost According to the data released by the Chinese General focuses on cultivating talents of Two - Dimensional & Administration of Customs on March 7, 2020, the total Three - Dimensional Animation and Visual Effects. As value of China-ASEAN trade between January and shown in Table I, the curriculum system consists of 10 core February 2020 was 594.11 billion yuan, accounting for courses, 12 major courses and 30 major electives courses. 14.4% of China's total foreign trade value. This is the first The teaching method is based on the traditional time the ASEAN region has surpassed the European Union face-to-face teaching and assisted by some network and the United States, it has historically become China's teaching resources. After the first 3 semesters of basic largest trading partner. The high degree cooperation courses, students can choose two major directions such as Animation and Visual Effects by themselves. Manuscript received March 19, 2020; revised May 27, 2020. © 2020 International Journal of Learning and Teaching 129 doi: 10.18178/ijlt.6.2.129-134 International Journal of Learning and Teaching Vol. 6, No. 2, June 2020 TABLE I. THE CURRICULUM STRUCTURE OF CHIANG MAI UNIVERSITY disorderly. As a result, students not only have insufficient ANIMATION MAJOR [1] learning intensity, but are also prone to confusion during Type of the course Count Percentage the learning process. Meanwhile, the curriculum setting of Core Courses 10 15.6% Visual Effects was unreasonable. All the courses of 5 Major Courses (Animation) 12 18.8% semesters, there was only one Rotoscope with 60 credit Major Courses (Visual Effect) 12 18.8% hours is the software course with the content of visual Major Electives Courses 30 46.8% effect, and the intensity was obviously insufficient. Be short of the theoretical courses There are four advantages of the undergraduate As a public comprehensive university, there is a lack of animation major curriculum system of Chiang Mai animation theory research courses in the animation University: curriculum system of Chiang Mai University, and there is Reasonable education process also a lack of creative courses in the curriculum system. The animation major curriculum system of Chiang Mai Only the animation major has a 60 credit hours course University is reasonable and covers a comprehensive range “Artistic Conception and Digital Creativity”, and among of Two - Dimensional & Three - Dimensional Animation 30 professional optional courses, there are only 3 courses professional skills. emphasize on creative design. Practical teaching The talent cultivation method of Chiang Mai In the first semester of the senior year, the college University's animation major is more representative in arranged a 120 credit hours commercial work integration Thai public comprehensive universities: Mahidol course, which practiced students' graduation design before University, Prince Songkhla University and other public the actual teaching mode of the project, which with institutions have the similar talent training ideas. favorable teaching effect. B. Assumption University High-quality elective courses Unlike the public universities, the private Assumption There is a high openness of elective courses for University has established an independent secondary animation majors. Not only some elective courses have college for the animation major - Computer Generated high relevance and extensibility with core courses and Imagery. Assumption University’s undergraduate major in major courses, but also some interesting contents such as animation is more pragmatic than that of Chiang Mai “Cosplay Design for Animation Cosplay” and “Toy and University, which emphasize on the practical training of Souvenir Product Design” are set up. Higher-Quality Three - Dimensional Animation and Visual Excellent hardware Effect applied technology talents. After the first 4 The college provides a favorable environment and semesters of basic courses, students can choose two major hardware guarantee for the animation major, and each class directions such as Animation and Visual Effects by is arranged with a corresponding professional classroom. themselves. We could see the course structure of the In addition to classroom teaching, the specialized animation major at Assumption University in Table II. professional classroom can also undertake a series of learning activities such as students' homework, exercises TABLE II. THE CURRICULUM STRUCTURE OF ASSUMPTION UNIVERSITY and self-study. Professional classrooms usually have a ANIMATION MAJOR [2] good learning atmosphere, and each classroom is equipped Type of the course Count Percentage with a responsible teacher. Students can also participate in Core Course 12 30% some exercises of teachers' business projects according to Major Required Courses 16 40% their own will. Major Electives Courses (Animation) 5 12.5% And there are three deficiencies in the curriculum system of the undergraduate animation major of Chiang Major Electives Courses (Visual Effect) 5 12.5% Mai University: Free Electives Courses 2 5% Lack of relevance In the first three semesters, there is an obvious low The undergraduate talent training program of Computer relationship between the content of the course group and Generated Imagery in Assumption University which has the professional skills of animation. Among the 11 four advantages. professional courses, there are 8 basic general art courses, Relatively reasonable curriculum system and only 3 of them involve animation content. The animation curriculum system at Assumption Unreasonable courses University is more reasonable. Among the 18 professional There are certain issues in the curriculum setting of the basic courses in the first 4 semesters, only 5 courses are professional direction. The distinction between the Two - basic general art courses, and 13 courses are animation Dimensional and Three - Dimensional courses in the courses. Besides,