Taiwanese Military Autoethnography
June ~ August 2024 & 2025 (4 months total)
Yes! The military setting is a learning context too!
As part of my national military service, I initiated an independent participatory research project, exploring how learning occurs in the military environment from a Learning Sciences perspective.
My parents got to visit me on the first weekend, and this was the only building we were allowed to take photos of.
My daily observational notes (40 days total)
My goals
Analyze how various types of learning occur in the military and identify opportunities to improve the learning experience.
Create a resource to help Taiwanese students understand the military service experience.
Provide a model for other students interested in conducting independent research during military service.
Develop my research, observational, reflective, and critique skills.
Reflection
This project challenged me to navigate complex, unstructured data, sharpening my ability to observe how learning occurs, analyze activity structures, and understand interactions between individuals in different roles.
This experience fostered personal growth and broadened my awareness of Taiwanese culture and the diverse backgrounds of fellow students, an exposure I lacked while studying abroad in the US. It provided valuable insights into the norms and values of the military environment.