The Concept of Death and the Growth of Death Awareness Among University Students in Hong Kong

2016 ◽  
Vol 74 (3) ◽  
pp. 304-328 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wai-ying Wong

This study examined the concept of and attitudes toward death of university students and evaluated the efficacy of the death education courses offered by different universities in Hong Kong. The study adopted a pretreatment and posttreatment comparison approach in assessing the efficacy of the courses. The same set of instruments, Death Attitude Profile-Revised and Semantic Differential Ratings of Life and Death, measuring students' views of and attitudes toward death were administered to the students twice, once at the start of the courses and another at the end. Results of the pretreatment survey also served to depict the current state of students' views and attitudes. The target students comprised two groups: those taking the relevant courses and those not; this latter group served as a comparison group in assessing the treatment group's behavior. The achieved sample included 368 students who responded to both the pre- and posttreatment surveys, of which 134 had attended the relevant courses. The results indicated that the students had a more negative views on death as compared with that of life. Findings also suggested that the death education courses had significant and positive impact on the students, that is, viewing death more positively than before, having less fear and avoidance confronting death. However, the impact differed depending on the gender as well as death experience of the student.

2009 ◽  
Vol 59 (2) ◽  
pp. 113-128 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wai-Ying Wong

This study attempts to explore the attitude toward death, which ranges from fear of death to its acceptance, held by students of one of the universities in Hong Kong. It also tries to examine the relationship between their attitude toward death and their ratings of life and death. Another aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of a death education course offered in that university. It is found that the present death attitude of Hong Kong university students is not satisfactory and that it has been significantly improved after students took a death education course.


2019 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
pp. 532-554 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tommy Lau ◽  
Man Lai Cheung ◽  
Guilherme D. Pires ◽  
Carol Chan

Purpose The abolishment of the wine tax in Hong Kong has led to increased wine consumption and increased demand for wine-related professionals, such as sommeliers. Yet the importance of sommeliers’ value-adding performance in the context of upscale Chinese restaurants has not been examined. To address this gap, the SERVQUAL framework is adopted to examine the influence of sommeliers’ service quality (SQ) on customer satisfaction (CS) and loyalty in the context of upscale Chinese restaurants in Hong Kong. Design/methodology/approach The survey method is used to collect data from 302 units of the population of interest, partial least square-structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) is used to test the links between constructs. Findings Four of the seven dimensions of sommeliers’ service quality, namely, empathy, tangibles, credibility and assurance, have a significant positive impact on customer satisfaction and customer loyalty, whereas the impact of perceived value and responsiveness on customer satisfaction and customer loyalty is positive but only marginally significant. Reliability has a weak and non-significant impact on customer satisfaction and customer loyalty. Research limitations/implications Examining a small number of upscale Chinese restaurants in Hong Kong limits generalisation of the findings to other contexts. Replication of the research in different contexts will enhance generalizability. In terms of implications, the discussion highlights the importance of sommeliers’ service performance on customers’ SQ perceptions SQ, CS and loyalty, all of which are important variables for restaurateurs. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study of the influence of the quality of sommelier’s SQ on CS and loyalty in upscale Chinese restaurants in Hong Kong. Given the lack of attention to this service role in the literature, the study contributes theory from which further understanding can develop.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 205-221
Author(s):  
Rafaqat Ali ◽  
Furrukh Bashir ◽  
Rashid Ahmad

The current study was heading for determining the impact of Pakistani university students’ socioeconomic classes on their personality traits. Demographic and personality questionnaires were filled by available university students online. The stepwise regression technique facilitated to generate regression models to define impacts of different socioeconomic classes on students’ different personality traits. Different regression models highlighted the significant negative impacts of the middle upper socioeconomic class on Agreeableness, Extraversion and Neuroticism personality traits. The lower socioeconomic class was found to have positive impact on only one personality sub-trait self-discipline. Whereas, the upper lower socioeconomic class caused positive impacts on students’ trust sub-trait, Conscientiousness trait and negative impact on excitement seeking sub-trait of personality. The importance of these impacts of socioeconomic classes on different personality traits and the possible implications are discussed with respect to university students’ academic performance and academic behaviour.


2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 172
Author(s):  
Fridolin Sze Thou Ting ◽  
Wai Hung Lam ◽  
Ronnie Homi Shroff

Research has demonstrated the positive impact of active learning on students’ learning outcomes, particularly in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields. However, few studies have explored the impact of active learning via problem-based collaborative games in large mathematics classes in the context of Asian tertiary education. This study assesses the effects of active learning on students’ learning outcomes using class test scores and the calculus concept inventory (CCI) to test the conceptual understanding of the basic principles of differential calculus, in a first year calculus course in Hong Kong. Three hypotheses were tested to determine the effects of game-based collaborative learning on learning mathematics among students. Active learning through a problem-based collaborative learning methodology was employed, using Kahoot!, a game-based learning platform. Results supported all three hypotheses, demonstrating a statistically significant increase in students’ conceptual understanding and examination performance, based upon their individual perceptions of active engagement and time spent in active learning. Our results indicated that active learning “levels the playing field”, in the sense that students with less pre-requisite background knowledge, using a problem-based collaborative learning methodology, were relatively more inclined to catch up or even exceed the performance of students with a stronger prerequisite background knowledge, at the end of the course.


2007 ◽  
Vol 49 (2) ◽  
pp. 138-152 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christina Wai Mui Yu ◽  
Thomas Wing Yan Man

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to introduce a case of an increasingly popular enterprise education programme in Hong Kong called the Teen Entrepreneurs Competition (TEC) and to examine its sustainability in different dimensions.Design/methodology/approachPost‐activity evaluation feedback was obtained from the participants and the stakeholders of the activity. Three systematic research studies were also conducted for investigating the impact of entrepreneurial characteristics and social interaction on the participants throughout TEC.FindingsParticipants and stakeholders generally provided positive feedback towards TEC. The research findings also showed that TEC was able to draw a positive impact on developing the participants' entrepreneurial characters and in turn made TEC sustainable on the provision of an enterprise education programme in the local community.Research limitations/implicationsIt is suggested that the sustainability of TEC is attributed to three dimensions, namely, opportunities for individual comprehensive understanding, context for collaborative learning, and network for institutional support.Practical implicationsSuggestions on how to further strengthen the sustainability of enterprise education programmes through these three dimensions are provided, for example, maximising individuals' practical experience, improving the quality of collaboration and developing a closer working relationship with various stakeholders.Originality/valueEnterprise education is recognised to have a significant influence on the development of entrepreneurial knowledge, skills and attitudes for youths. In order to widen the impact of enterprise education in society, it is necessary to sustain such enterprise education programmes over an extended period of time.


Author(s):  
Tanya Lubicz-Nawrocka

This case study describes how Edinburgh University Students’ Association (EUSA) worked in partnership with the University of Edinburgh’s Information Services division to implement one of the first Open Badge schemes used in the UK higher education sector. Based on student feedback, EUSA developed an effective Open Badge model to recognise and reward students’ work as Class Representatives. The paper describes EUSA’s model of badges, badge criteria and implementation, before focusing on qualitative examples of the positive impact of this pilot project for both individual students and for the Students’ Association. It provides examples of how students reflected thoughtfully about the impact of their work as Class Representatives to develop skills in negotiation, problem solving, diplomacy, leadership, and change management. EUSA’s Open Badge scheme now rewards students for sharing their achievements. In turn, students’ Open Badge blog posts have helped EUSA to gain more meaningful insights into the broad work of Class Representatives and how students benefit when they engage fully with the role.


2020 ◽  
pp. 206-213
Author(s):  
E.K. Gilfanova ◽  
T.B. Gorbatenko ◽  
O.Yu. Sharova

The article considers the possibility of using non-traditional recreational facilities in the educational process with university students. The purpose of the study is to assess the impact of the developed methodology for fitball gymnastics and fitness yoga on the health level of students. To achieve the goal, the following tasks were set: theoretically substantiate the proposed methodology of classes; identify and conduct a comparative analysis of adaptive potential according to the method of R.M. Baevsky and the level of the functional state of first-year students during an experimental study. Scientific novelty lies in the expansion of theoretical and practical approaches to physical education at the university. The positive impact of the proposed teaching methods on the level of functional readiness of first-year students is substantiated and experimentally proved. To improve the methodology, a set of methods was used: analysis of scientific and methodological literature, the method of pedagogical research, pedagogical experiment, methods of mathematical statistics.


2017 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 49-55 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel T.L. Shek ◽  
Lu Yu

Abstract The undergraduate curriculum structure in Hong Kong was changed from 3 years to 4 years starting from the 2012–2013 school year, with the extra year of study primarily devoted to general education study. At The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), the General University Requirements (GUR) has been designed in response to this change. In this study, the question of whether the development of students in the 4-year program was better than that of the 3-year program was examined via a static group comparison design. The treatment group was Year 3 students of the 4-year undergraduate degree program (n=566) whereas the control group comprised Year 3 students of the 3-year degree program (n=290). Measures on empathy, positive youth development, and student engagement were used as indicators of student holistic development. While the mean age of students in the 3-year program was higher than that of the 4-year program, students in the 4-year program performed better than the students of the 3-year program on several indicators of desired graduate attributes. Bearing in mind the limitations of the static comparison group design, the present study provides support for the positive impact of GUR at PolyU on students of the 4-year undergraduate curriculum.


2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (8) ◽  
pp. 9
Author(s):  
Sydney Hausman-Cohen ◽  
Nali Asamoah ◽  
Christina Yee ◽  
Isabel Braun ◽  
Morgan Shick ◽  
...  

Academic-community partnerships can have a direct positive impact on community partners and university students. Community Champions, a student-led program, promotes local outreach and engagement with a variety of community initiatives. The purpose of this study was to assess community partners’ perceptions of the Community Champions program to better support the goals of the community and to complement prior research evaluating the impact of the Community Champions program on university students. The study used a 27-item survey, consisting of 20 Likert-scale items and seven open-ended questions. Eighteen community partners were invited via email to complete the online survey. Quantitative responses were analyzed using descriptive statistics, and qualitative responses were reviewed for themes to generate future recommendations. Fourteen of the eighteen community organizations responded to the survey (78% response rate). Assessment of community partners’ perspectives were synthesized across four themes: motivations, benefits, challenges, and general satisfaction. Community partners indicated that sharing labor and resources to enhance community health goals were key factors in creating mutually beneficial partnerships. Building effective academic-community partnerships is essential to increasing student engagement, while also addressing priorities of community organizations. Academic student programs that engage the community can positively impact both the community partners and university students.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (9) ◽  
pp. 3865
Author(s):  
Siavash H. Khajavi ◽  
Müge Tetik ◽  
Ashish Mohite ◽  
Antti Peltokorpi ◽  
Mingyang Li ◽  
...  

The construction industry is facing increasing pressure to improve productivity and decrease its environmental impact. Additive manufacturing (AM) technologies, especially three-dimensional concrete printing (3DCP) technology, have provided many benefits for construction. However, holistic comparative studies of the competitiveness of 3DCP and conventional methods, from cost and time perspectives, are lacking. Choosing between the methods is difficult for practitioners. In this study, we investigated the current state of 3DCP in the construction industry using seven distinct scenarios. Our analysis was performed to illustrate the impact of design and supply chain configurations on performance. The results prove the notable competitiveness of 3DCP. In contrast to the conventional construction method, the more complex round design had a positive impact on the cost and process time in 3DCP scenarios. Additionally, we show that on-site 3DCP using a robotic arm was more cost-effective than off-site 3DCP.


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