Teaching development grants final and financial report: Preparation for the implementation of general education consolidation course

Laurance Joseph SPLITTER

Research output: Other contributionTeaching Development Grants (TDG)

Abstract

Background comment: The General Education Consolidation Course (CC) is the culmination of HKIEd’s new GE Framework, and is unique among GE programmes in Hong Kong universities. Students in the 3-3-4/5 cohort take the GE Foundation Course (FC) in the first year, and are expected to take the CC within the final four semesters of their undergraduate programmes (subject to completion of GE Breadth Course requirements and the requirements of their own programmes). The structure of the CC involves a number of experimental and innovative elements, including a strong student-centred orientation, guided group and independent learning, and the development of a comprehensive e-portfolio as the main assessment component. The e-portfolio, which will constitute a critical, reflective and multi-dimensional record of each student’s learning and achievements in General Education and other courses in the Common Curriculum, will be constructed and managed by every student, beginning during the Foundation Course and proceeding through every undergraduate programme in years 2 and 3. With its focus on critical reflection and synthesis (nothing that students are required to think critically about Institute, programme and course learning outcomes, in addition to their own achievements), the CC will nicely complement, and add value to, students’ major studies in education and other fields. Prior to the full-scale launch of the CC in 2015/16, the General Education Office (GEO) will carry out a pilot study involving approximately 90 students from two programmes in the second semester of 2014-15. The pilot will allow GEO to evaluate and fine-tune the design and planning aspects of the CC, both pedagogically and in terms of refining the e-portfolio concept. The proposal: In order to assist GEO’s preparation for the CC, the GE Director proposes a teaching development project, which will involve such tasks as: refining understanding of the e-portfolio and its potential to improve student learning in general; the preparation of teaching, learning and assessment materials; monitoring e-portfolio instruction in the GE Foundation Course and other courses being taken in 2013/14; updating and utilizing literature in the field; preparing professional development for prospective CC teachers based on ‘best practice’; following up and advising 1,200 students from the first Foundation Course cohort (2012/13) as they continue their GE studies and build on their initial e-portfolio; and monitoring and evaluating the CC pilot in 2014-15. The project will make a significant contribution to the continuing debate over the direction of general education in Hong Kong universities and schools, in which a major theme is the transformation of traditional pedagogies into an inquiry-based framework which retains and respects disciplinary integrity.
Original languageEnglish
Publication statusPublished - 2014

Citation

Splitter, L. J. (2014). Teaching development grants final and financial report: Preparation for the implementation of general education consolidation course. Hong Kong: The Hong Kong Institute of Education.

Keywords

  • Teaching Development Grant (TDG) Report
  • TDG project code: T0128
  • Period: TDG 2012-2013
  • Teaching Development Grant (TDG)

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