EXPLORING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING IN TEA CULTURE EDUCATION

(MENEROKA KEBERKESANAN PEMBELAJARAN EKSPERIENTIAL DALAM PENDIDIKAN BUDAYA TEH)

Abstract

Abstract

The study explores the effectiveness of experiential learning in tea culture education, focusing on how hands-on such as tea-making sessions and tea ceremonies can help students increase their cultural engagement, emotional connection, and skill development. The problem addressed is how traditional educational methods such as lectures and reading do not always lead to cultural depth sensitivity depth sensitivity and emotional appreciation. While traditional methods are informative, they do not always offer embodied experiences that engage students with the sensory, philosophical and social dimensions of practices such as the based on the principles of harmony, respect and mindfulness. The research is qualitative in nature, and involves semi-structured interviews with 25 students from a university tea culture course. Thematic analysis of the data identified three major findings: (1) Cultural Engagement, whereby students gained a deep appreciation of the historic and symbolical value of tea rituals, which led them to perceive tea more than just a beverage but a cultural object; (2) Emotional Connection, through which participants described feelings of calmness, mindfulness, and a sense of shared human nature experienced at the time of tea ceremony; and (3) Skill Development, which included not only technical skills (e.g., proficiency of tea Preparation) but also softer skills such as patience and interpersonal etiquette. This study aligns with theories of experiential learning which suggest that learners learn more when engaged in active participation and reflection than when simply passive participants. It also illuminates how the tea culture benefits emotional health and cultural inheritance. Practical implications: Curriculum integration of hands-on experiences of this kind, particularly in the curriculum areas of hospitality and cultural studies, could help to bridge the divide between theory and real-world application. Further research could focus on long-term implications and cross-cultural components.

Keywords: Tea Culture, Experiential Learning, Cultural Engagement, Emotional Connection, Skill Development, Reflective Learning

Abstrak

Makalah ini meneroka keberkesanan pembelajaran melalui pengalaman dalam pendidikan budaya teh, memfokuskan pada bagaimana latihan secara praktikal seperti sesi membuat teh dan upacara minum teh boleh membantu pelajar meningkatkan penglibatan budaya, hubungan emosi dan pembangunan kemahiran mereka. Masalah yang ditangani ialah bagaimana kaedah pendidikan tradisional seperti kuliah dan membaca tidak selalu membawa kepada sensitiviti kedalaman budaya dan penghayatan emosi. Walaupun kaedah tradisional adalah bermaklumat, mereka tidak selalu menawarkan pengalaman yang terkandung yang melibatkan pelajar dengan dimensi deria, falsafah dan sosial amalan seperti pengendalian dan penyertaan dalam upacara minum teh, berdasarkan prinsip keharmonian, penghormatan dan kesedaran. Penyelidikan ini bersifat kualitatif dan melibatkan temu bual separa berstruktur terhadap 25 pelajar daripada kursus budaya teh universiti. Analisis tematik data mengenal pasti tiga hasil utama: (1) Penglibatan Budaya, di mana pelajar mendapat penghayatan mendalam tentang nilai bersejarah dan simbolik upacara minum teh, yang menyebabkan mereka menganggap teh lebih daripada sekadar minuman tetapi objek budaya; (2) Hubungan Emosi, di mana peserta menggambarkan perasaan tenang, kesedaran dan rasa berkongsi sifat manusia yang dialami semasa upacara minum teh; dan (3) Pembangunan Kemahiran, yang merangkumi bukan sahaja kemahiran teknikal (cth., kecekapan Penyediaan teh) tetapi juga kemahiran yang lebih lembut seperti kesabaran dan etika interpersonal. Kajian ini sejajar dengan teori-teori pembelajaran berasaskan pengalaman yang mencadangkan bahawa pelajar belajar lebih banyak apabila terlibat dalam penyertaan aktif dan refleksi berbanding hanya peserta pasif. Ia juga menerangi bagaimana budaya teh memberi manfaat kepada kesihatan emosi dan warisan budaya. Implikasi praktikal: Penyepaduan kurikulum pengalaman praktikal seperti ini, terutamanya dalam bidang kurikulum hospitaliti dan pengajian budaya, boleh membantu merapatkan jurang antara teori dan aplikasi dunia sebenar. Penyelidikan lanjut boleh fokus pada implikasi jangka panjang dan komponen silang budaya.

Kata Kunci: Budaya teh, Pembelajaran Pengalaman, Penglibatan Budaya, Hubungan Emosi, Pembangunan Kemahiran, Pembelajaran Reflektif