From Foucaultian bio-power to Confucian respect: lessons from a drama e-course

In their session Abdul Paliwala (University of Warwick) and Amy Huey-Ling Shee (National Chung Cheng University, Taiwan) presented linked papers aimed at considering the cross-cultural problems raised in e-learning and legal education generally by the Foucaultian concept of bio-power and ways in which Confucian pedagogy may assist in their resolution.

Download Amy’s full paper (RTF file, 28 pages, 19 MB) at the bottom of the page and find out more about the underlying pedagogy in Abdul’s paper, Bio-power and e-Confucius. Amy developed a new dimension to her work in a paper presented at Learning in Law Annual Conference 10, Interactive learning in an eConfucius drama classroom.

In May 2007 a research centre for e-learning in law was set up at National Chung Cheng University under Amy’s direction. In consultation with Abdul, Amy started an experimental course, ‘Human rights of marriage migrants and their families’, based on the concept of an interactive drama classroom. The course included a collaborative exercise named ‘Making our drama classroom’, aimed at enhancing culturally situated interactive learning.

Students were given a story (Beauty and sorrows across boundaries) together with in-class discussions and online materials to learn the socio-legal aspects of human rights involved in marriage immigration. They were then set free to do scriptwriting, role play, costumes and make-up, with the teacher at their service (and keeping an eye on progress as required).

Amy’s paper considers ways in which the central Confucian ideas of mutuality of respect, balance between studying and reflection, and the development of students’ inner strength can be translated into an effective learning experience adapting western e-learning ideas to Taiwanese contexts. This includes the recognition that:

• the principle of respect involves strong leadership by the ‘mother goose’ teacher who ensures active and effective participation by traditionally passive Taiwanese students
• at the same time respect for the values and independence of the students ensures they are given significant initiative in developing their own creativity (for example in producing and filming the drama) – bio-power surveillance mechanisms are given a light touch where independent creativity is concerned

A paper by Abdul and Amy, ‘The development and application of e-learning in law: some experiences from Iolis’ was published in the National Chung Cheng University Law Journal 2006: 19. They were co-organisers of a conference on on e-learning in law and interactive teaching at National Chung Cheng University in November 2007 and presented Enter the dragon! Local cultures and global influences in e-learning in Taiwan at Learning in Law Annual Conference 2008.

About Amy

---

Amy Huey-Ling Shee is a professor in the Department of Law, Director of the Research Centre for eLearning & Interactive Teaching in Law and Director of the Center of International Affairs and Exchange at National Chung Cheng University, Taiwan.

---

Last Modified: 9 July 2010