ABSTRACT
Currently, the issues of the booming agriculture and new economy in Taiwan include Happy Farm, aquaponics and green leisure farms. A specialty program model is mainly aimed at students from the Department of Postmodern Agriculture and the Department of Digital Design in Mingdao University. The basic principles of Happy Farm, origins of vegetables, theories and methods of cultivation were introduced. Students not only understood the types and planting methods of important local vegetables, but also acquired better knowledge of the impact of various cultivation conditions on vegetable growth. In addition, students learned the economic benefit of the crops, domestically and internationally, as well as the current problems in growing vegetables via the explanation of the status quo of the industry. The operation of the program model was based on the Double Diamond design process, 4Ds for short, presented by the UK Design Council. This innovation methodology means to discover, to define, to develop and to deliver. Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is incorporated to help students with basic theories of cultivating vegetables and practice on the farm. In this way, students could further solve problems of the external field, develop innovative cultivation methods and promote diversity of agricultural development. Finally, students of the Department of Postmodern Agriculture may acquire practical experience in agriculture and those of the Department of Digital Design can design apps based on agriculture.
