Hong Kong University Students' Union 香港大學學生會 - 第四次學制改革研討會學生參與簡報 Brief Report on Students’ Participation in the 4t

第四次學制改革研討會學生參與簡報 Brief Report on Students’ Participation in the 4t

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Thursday, 27 August 2009

Brief Report on Students’ Participation in
the 4^th Curriculum Reform Retreat

Background
Curriculum Reform Retreat is a consultation platform for the Steering Committee on 4-Year Undergraduate Curriculum. The first two retreats involved the staff only, later, Pro-Vice-Chancellor Prof. Amy B.M. Tsui started to invite students’ participation in the 3^rd retreat in 2008. The 4^th retreat was held on 22-23 June 2009, with the overarching theme “Student Learning Experience and Assessment”. The topics have been discussed in the retreat included HKUSLEQ, assessment and first year experience. Student representatives from different students’ bodies had also been invited to prepare analysis and proposal concerning these three topics.

HKUSLEQ
The Hong Kong University Students’ Learning Experience Questionnaire (HKUSLEQ) is a survey conducted by the university at the beginning and the end of an academic year. In the questionnaire, first-year students and final-year students have been asked their views on their learning experiences in the university. With the accordance of the statistics and findings of the HKUSLEQ, students have made several recommendations towards the learning strategies:
1) to reduce the assessments’ reliance on examinations, and adopt different kinds of assessment methods in order to stimulate students’ thinking;
2) to adapt integrated assessment, instead of fragmented chapter-by-chapter assessment, in order to allow cross-chapters understanding and to reduce assessment workload;
3) to increase grading transparency in order to assisting students’ learning progress;
4) to provide clear grading guidelines in order to help students achieving the standard expected by the university studies.

Assessment
The assessment methods and grading system in the university have been reviewed. It is encouraging to know that the school has started to review the GPA policies and rectify the inequalities between different faculties. We had made the following suggestions to the university:
1) to set up policies ensuring consistency of grading standards, as there should be consensus over marking and determining plagiarisms among different markers;
2) examination papers with comments from markers should be return;
3) result of assessment in each stage should be disclosed before the examination;
4) examination statistics of every course should be disclosed;
5) a more comprehensive appeal system should be established.

First Year Experience (FYE)
The university has noticed that the academic induction for freshmen is not enough. Therefore, the idea of organizing academic induction activities for students has been aroused to help students adopt the 4-year university life in the future. Student representatives agreed with the importance of having an academic induction for new students, and suggested that the academic induction should include:
1) introducing academic affairs, like curriculum overview and majors and minors briefing
2) future career perspectives
3) university campus life introduction, the resources and opportunities available in HKU
4) programs about social responsibilities concept, such as briefing of social movements in HK, current affairs discussions, sharing sessions, site visits or social services etc.

Students’ Union and other students’ societies could co-organize with the school for the induction program. Student representatives also made some other key suggestions:
1) the Common Core Courses should be assessed by pass/fail basis;
2) first year experiential learning should imprement certain mandatory elements, such as participation in student bodies, hall education, social services, university team membership and being student helpers. These commitment would enhances the fulfillment of the Six Educational Aims, and help students develop a sense of belonging and social bonding in HKU.
3) non-first year students should be encouraged to join activities, like exchange programme, internship and voluntary helpers of academic fiel, for both Vocational Focus and Intrinsic Interest, as well as fulfilling the education aims.
4) there should be departmental staff consultants to provide academic support to students;
5) space should be provided to incubate and nurture the development of peer groups.

Conclusion
The school has appreciated the students’ efforts in the curriculum retreat. Students’ proposal will be further discussed and follow-ups in the Steering Committee on 4-Year Undergraduate Curriculum and in the future retreat.

On Behalf of
Executive Committee, Hong Kong University Students’ Union, Session 2009

Keung Wing Yan, Justine
University Secretary I
Hong Kong University Students’ Union, Session 2009

5 July 2009

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