【Article by International College of Innovation】

The International College of Innovation (ICI) at National Chengchi University, Lead For Taiwan (LFT), and Cathay Financial Holdings jointly organized the “Critical Thinking Sandbox,” summer camp on the NCCU campus during the summer break in August. Building on their long-standing collaboration in promoting critical thinking education and civic engagement among young people, ICI and LFT once again worked together through the “Critical Thinking Sandbox” to guide high school students in exploring a diverse range of social issues. Centered on the exploration of future-oriented issues, the camp divided participants into groups to examine topics such as social media culture, local revitalization, sustainable consumption, and food and climate change. Under the guidance of LFT instructors, students analyzed the background, core questions, international contexts, and key stakeholders surrounding each issue. Through individual argumentation and group discussions, they exchanged perspectives and worked toward consensus before applying what they had learned and presenting their outcomes at the final presentation.

In his opening remarks, ICI Dean Kuang-Ta Lo noted that LFT has long been dedicated to critical thinking education for high school students. Its educational philosophy closely aligns with ICI’s emphasis on problem-oriented and interdisciplinary learning, providing an important foundation for the long-standing collaboration between the two organizations. Addressing today’s information-saturated environment, Dean Lo observed that students can access enormous amounts of information through their phones, yet “more information does not necessarily mean that we are getting closer to the truth.” Information can be a mixture of truth and falsehood, and even when information is accurate, it is still necessary to consider the perspectives and positions it represents. Faced with an overwhelming volume of information, young people therefore need to understand the facts behind an issue and reflect on the ideas they themselves wish to convey.

Dean Lo further reflected on the meaning behind the name “Critical Thinking Sandbox.” He explained that critical thinking is not about defeating or outperforming others in a debate, but about articulating one’s own arguments while also understanding diverse perspectives. A “sandbox,” meanwhile, represents a space where participants are free to experiment, allowed to make mistakes, and encouraged to reconstruct their ideas. Bringing these two concepts together creates a meaningful educational experience and learning process. He expressed his hope that participants would take away three important attitudes and abilities from the camp: the courage to pursue facts and truth, the willingness to empathize with and understand differing perspectives, and the ability to develop ideas and concrete steps for putting change into practice.

Bob Lin, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of LFT, drew on his own educational experiences and the founding of LFT to encourage participants to consider why critical thinking matters. Using a multiple-choice question about climate change as an example, he explained that students are often accustomed to searching for the correct answer among A, B, C, and D on an exam, while real-world issues are far more complex. Understanding them requires further consideration of how problems arise, which stakeholders are involved, and how governments, international organizations, and individuals can respond. Through examples of news headlines, he also guided participants in examining word choice and causal relationships, encouraging them to consider how media presentation can shape people’s understanding of events. He urged young people to “be dissatisfied with the world, and become the change you want to see,” encouraging them to begin taking action now on the issues they care about.

In addition to jointly promoting critical thinking education for young people, ICI also brought its interdisciplinary and global-issues approach into the camp. This year, ICI Assistant Professor Shun-Nan Chiang participated in the design and teaching of the “Globe in Motion” workshop. Conducted entirely in English, the workshop introduced participants to the international community and engaged them in discussions of global issues, encouraging them to examine international affairs from different perspectives and develop critical thinking skills and a global outlook in a rapidly changing world.

Participant feedback also reflected their learning experiences in the interactive, English-taught workshop. One participant shared that although they were not very confident in English, they were still able to follow the course by identifying key words and receiving support from their peers. Others highlighted the highly interactive nature of Professor Chiang’s teaching and the opportunities to express their views, with the “brutal either-or” activity leaving a particularly strong impression. Through discussion and exchange, participants also learned about the concept of stakeholders and reflected on how to communicate their ideas more effectively. As one participant noted, when sharing their thought process with others, they realized that they “should focus on communicating the logic clearly,” demonstrating how the workshop encouraged students not only to engage with global issues, but also to reflect on how they articulate and communicate their own perspectives.

Founded in 2018, the International College of Innovation centers its education on global studies and provides problem-oriented, interdisciplinary training. By jointly organizing the “Critical Thinking Sandbox” with LFT and Cathay Financial Holdings, ICI continues its long-standing collaboration with LFT in critical thinking education for young people. Through the camp, high school students are given opportunities to engage with social and global issues from multiple perspectives and to practice articulating their own views while understanding those of others through analysis, argumentation, and discussion. As Dean Lo emphasized in his opening remarks, he hopes that participants will embrace the exchange of different opinions and ideas throughout the program and gain meaningful experiences in a diverse and inclusive learning environment.