水資源不足是人類共同面對的挑戰，通識課程中有必要提供水教育之課程。水教育不應是工程教育，而是在理解自然運作之理中，了解人類文明與水的關係。儒家的思想中，水不只是資源，而是道德的啟蒙之師與治國之基礎。天有權決定人民之主，此即天子，然而這個天命是會轉變的。儒家認為統治者擁有天命，如果施政不以民意為依歸，則將喪失天命。統治者必須讓人民的生活富裕，進而提升人民素質。曹公圳的建造與成效，充分反應了儒家的觀點。曹瑾在高雄建造了曹公圳，使農業產量大增，也提倡教育。至今曹公圳仍發揮著休閒、灌溉、濕地等功能。因此曹公圳及其反應的思想，成為良好的水教育教材。

Water shortage is our common challenge today. We should have a water education course for general education. Instead of focusing on engineering, the water education in this study emphasizes on how the nature influences the relationship between human civilizations and water. In Confucianism, water is not only a kind of resource, but the inspiration for moral and ethics, and the foundation of ruling a country. Heaven has the right to decide the ruler of people, that is, the son of Heaven. However, the mandate of Heaven is changing. Although the ruler accepted the mandate of Heaven, those rulers whose policy-making cannot address people's concerns would be deposed by Heaven. It is the rules' duty to improve people's living standard, and make people more literate. The construction of Tsao-kung Canal and its effects reflect the Confucianism totally. Tsao Chin built Tsao-kung Canal in Kaohsiung, which made agriculture production rising greatly. He also promoted the importance of education. Tsao-kung Canal still displays multiple functions, say, pastime, irrigation, wetland, etc. That's why we chose Tso-kung Canal and the philosophy behind its construction as a good water education material.