General Education and University Education Reform

Date: 20 March 2013 (Wednesday)
Speaker: Prof. Pang Hai Shao (Associate Professor, School of Education, BIT)

As an education ideal, General Education has aroused high interest across different countries and regions. In mainland China, General Education has not only triggered changes in the education philosophy, but also contributed to reforms in various areas: from the teaching contents to the models of cultivating students, from the organizational structure of a university to its management model. Different universities have taken different paths in realizing these reforms. This seminar takes an international comparative perspective to examine the difficulties universities in China are facing and the possible way-outs.

Presentation Powerpoint (Login required)

Assessment and eLearning in United College General Education – An Experience Sharing

Date: 28 November 2012 (Wednesday)
Speaker:
Prof. Kwan Hoi Shan (United College Dean of General Education)
Prof. Eunice Tang     (Project In-charge, United College eLearning Project Team)
Mr. George Lam    (United College General Education Office)

It’s been a challenge for the College General Education in the recent few years, going through the UGC’s programme review and internal light review, consolidating the elements of outcomes-based approaches and quality assurance mechanism, and preparing for the new 3+3+4 curriculum and the double-cohort year in 2012-13.

The sharing began with an overview of the challenges and development of the United College General Education Programme since 2008, followed by actions and work done in responding to those challenges.  Special focuses are on the development of assessment mechanism and online teaching and learning materials for the capstone course of “GEUC4011 Senior Seminar”. Lastly, tailor-made eLearning tool for enhancing large class communication will be covered – development of a mobile app named “UC GEAR” for the freshmen course “GEUC1011 University Life and Learning”.

The experience could be useful for sister Colleges and other units offering similar courses with large class size.

Presentation Powerpoint by United College (login required)

After Plato: Students in the General Education Foundation (GEF) Programme

Date: 7 November 2012 (Wednesday)
Speaker: Dr. Julie Chiu (Office of University General Education), Dr. Wong Wing Hung (Office of University General Education)

After reading the writings of Plato and Confucius, Newton and Darwin, Huang Zongxi and Adam Smith, what changes will our students undergo in their life and study? Starting from this academic year, all students admitted under the new curriculum will be immersed in the world of classics, pondering issues in the sciences and humanities in a small-class setting. The General Education Foundation (GEF) programme consists of two courses, “UGFH1000 In Dialogue with Humanity” and “UGFN1000 In Dialogue with Nature”, in which students, through the study of classics, together reflect on ideal society and good life, and explore the world of science and knowledge.

The two courses have been piloted since 2009. Up to now, as many as 1,000 students have completed the courses. To attain better understanding of students’ learning experience and outcomes in the GEF, we do not only rely on teachers’ observations in and out of the class, but have conducted focus-group interviews at the end of each semester. Dr. Julie Chiu and Dr. Wong Wing Hung, the two teachers in charge of development of the two courses, will give a presentation on the design and objectives of the two courses, and share observations and findings on students’ response and learning outcomes. Through such sharing, we hope that colleagues from different units and departments will better understand what their students have experienced and acquired, or will experience and acquire, in the GEF programme.