Teaching development grants final and financial report: Evaluating the general education foundation course (FC) in 2012/2013

Laurance Joseph SPLITTER

Research output: Other contributionTeaching Development Grants (TDG)

Abstract

The General Education Foundation Course (“FC”) represents a new educational paradigm for HKIEd and for Hong Kong, as part of the change to a 3-3-4/5 structure. The Institute needs to evaluate the course formally during the implementation stage so that as it moves forward in General Education, the evaluation results for improvement and further development of the Foundation course could be used. Unlike most courses at the Institute, the FC course is designed as a large lecture/smaller tutorial model of interaction. We are specifically interested in how this model may interact with the knowledge, skills and epistemological underpinnings of the General Education Foundation course. The focus of the study is on pedagogy and assessment. Participants will be lecturers (approx. 12), tutors (approx. 30-40) and students (approx. 1000) in the General Education Foundation Course in 2012/2013. Data collection consists of three stages: questionnaire, focus group interviews, and student assignments (marked and unmarked). Analysis will be conducted in both qualitative and quantitative manner. Reporting of results will focus on the subjective and inter-subjective dimensions of the understanding of different stakeholders (participating lecturers, tutors and students) in how the learning outcomes of students in the GE FC are achieved; and the (more) objective dimension of the actual performance of students as reflected in the course assignments. This project aims to produce findings that may enrich the research and knowledge about pedagogies and assessment for the combination of larger lectures and small tutorial classes in Hong Kong and the Region. Since we are currently finalising the evaluation of the General Education Foundation Course (Pilot) in 2011/12, we will be able to compare the research results between the pilot stage and the first full implementation stage in 2012/13. We anticipate that results will inform key areas of concern to the Institute, notably: (1) Reflective learning and practice (by encouraging students in small-class tutorials to engage in reflective thinking, discussion and writing); and (2) Enhancing the relationship between teaching and learning (by positioning tutors between lecturers – who will provide the input for inquiry and knowledge construction – and students – who will be challenged to think critically and creatively about the material presented to them). It is anticipated that the results will inspire the Institute to introduce new educational paradigms in relation to teaching, learning, assessment and course structure.
Original languageEnglish
Publication statusPublished - 2014

Citation

Splitter, L. J. (2014). Teaching development grants final and financial report: Evaluating the general education foundation course (FC) in 2012/2013. Hong Kong: The Hong Kong Institute of Education.

Keywords

  • Teaching Development Grant (TDG) Report
  • TDG project code: T0120
  • Period: TDG 2011-2012
  • Teaching Development Grant (TDG)

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