Focus group evaluation of teachers’ views on a new general education program in Hong Kong

2017 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 67-74
Author(s):  
Daniel T.L. Shek ◽  
Lu Yu ◽  
Xinli Chi
Keyword(s):  
Hong Kong ◽  
Focus Group ◽  
General Education ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Difficulty Level ◽  
Freshman Seminar ◽  
Group Evaluation ◽  
Hands On ◽  
Group Interviews ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Using teachers’ focus group interviews (n=40), this study examined the impact of the General University Requirements (GUR) implemented at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU). Results showed that teachers were generally satisfied with the GUR subjects and its implementation in its second year. Teachers regarded the design of GUR subjects was good and the students generally welcomed the subjects. Interactive teaching and learning methods adopted in GUR subjects such as fieldwork, hands-on projects, and team debates were highly appreciated by the respondents. Teachers also reflected that the GUR had promoted the intrapersonal and interpersonal development of the students. However, several challenges were also reported by teachers, including the difficulty level of Freshman Seminar subjects and lack of interaction in some GUR subjects, which suggested directions for further improvements.

Qualitative evaluation of general university requirements in a new 4-year university curriculum: findings based on experiences of students

2017 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 91-102 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel T.L. Shek ◽  
Lu Yu ◽  
Florence K.Y. Wu ◽  
Catalina S.M. Ng ◽  
Wen Yu Chai
Keyword(s):  
Hong Kong ◽  
General Education ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Qualitative Data ◽  
Qualitative Evaluation ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
The North ◽  
University Curriculum ◽  
American Model ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Following the North American model, the length of undergraduate program in Hong Kong has been extended from 3 to 4 years since 2012. To maximize the impact of the additional year, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) has implemented a new general education framework entitled “General University Requirements (GUR)” aiming to cultivate students in a holistic manner. This study explored students’ impressions of the GUR subjects using a survey collecting primarily qualitative data. Results from 163 students of eight faculties showed that students perceived the GUR subjects favorably. Having opportunities to make new friends from other departments and the teaching and learning methods, particularly experiential learning stimulated students’ interest and enriched their learning experiences which were reportedly are unforgettable. Some of the obstacles encountered by students in several subjects were identified. The beneficial effects of the GUR subjects in different domains were voiced by the students.

Levels of reflection on teaching a leadership and positive youth development subject

2016 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hildie Leung
Keyword(s):  
Hong Kong ◽  
General Education ◽  
Youth Development ◽  
Positive Youth Development ◽  
Personal Development ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
University Curriculum ◽  
Education Environment ◽  
The Impact

AbstractTo promote holistic development in Chinese university students in Hong Kong, a general education subject entitled “Tomorrow’s Leaders” was developed and has been fully implemented in the new 4-year university curriculum since 2012. In the present article, the Onion Model is used as a framework for conducting systematic teacher reflection to enhance professional development. Challenges and issues central to the environment, behavior, competencies, beliefs, identity, and mission, as experienced and observed by a teacher of a leadership and positive youth development subject in Hong Kong, are discussed. Issues include the Hong Kong education environment, the impact of reinforcement, and the role of culture in teaching and learning, as well as postulations on leadership and human development. The article concludes with implications of the core reflection on my personal development.

Exploring Faculty and Student iPad Integration in Higher Education

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 50-69
Author(s):  
Victoria M. Cardullo ◽  
LeNessa Clark
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Technology Integration ◽  
General Education ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
The United States ◽  
Mobile Technologies ◽  
Student Survey ◽  
Group Interviews ◽  
Impact Of Technology ◽  
The Impact

Higher education institutions are exploring the impact of technology integration in educational settings since the release of marketed devices like the iPad and Chromebook. A university in the southern region of the United States launched a yearlong feasibility study to explore how mobile technologies support student learning, influence instruction, and identify how faculty and students perceive the usage of mobile devices for teaching and learning. The population consisted of freshman-level participants enrolled in a general education biology course. Student participants ranged from 17-21 years of age. All students were provided with an iPad to use during the year. Researchers used several data sources to collect bi-weekly observations on both faculty and students, a student survey, and post focus group interviews with students and faculty. Using the SAMR model paired with Bloom's taxonomies, findings described the various levels in which iPads were integrated into instruction by faculty and student participants. Research revealed student appreciation of iPad affordances and features of the device. The analysis also identified building infrastructure, technology support, and teacher training in technology integration as vital pieces to a successful schoolwide implementation.

Teachers’ views of a new general education program in Hong Kong: a qualitative study

2017 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 57-65 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel T.L. Shek ◽  
Lu Yu ◽  
Florence K.Y. Wu ◽  
Wen Y. Chai
Keyword(s):  
Hong Kong ◽  
Education Reform ◽  
General Education ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Undergraduate Curriculum ◽  
First Year ◽  
Implementation Quality ◽  
Group Interviews ◽  
New Education ◽  
Academic Year

Abstract Under the new education reform in Hong Kong, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) has expanded its undergraduate education from 3 to 4 years since the 2012–2013 academic year. Along with the transition, the General University Requirements (GUR) has been developed as an integral part on general education of the new 4-year undergraduate curriculum of PolyU. The present study examined the implementation quality and effectiveness of the GUR in the 2012–2013 academic year based on focus group interviews with teachers. Twenty teachers who taught GUR subjects were interviewed for their perceptions and experiences about the GUR. Results revealed that the teachers generally had positive perceptions of the GUR in terms of its rationales, teaching and learning modes, and implementation quality. GUR subjects were also considered effective in helping students to develop in a holistic manner. The findings suggest that the first-year implementation of the GUR at PolyU was basically successful.

Lecturers’ Leadership Practices and Their Impact On Students’ Experiences of Participation with Implications for Marketing Higher Education Services

2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 40-60 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hope Adanne Andy-Wali ◽  
Andy Fred Wali
Keyword(s):  
Focus Group ◽  
Leadership Practices ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Research Strategy ◽  
Theoretical Contribution ◽  
Transformational Teaching ◽  
Group Interviews ◽  
Qualitative Phenomenological ◽  
Teaching And Learning Quality ◽  
The Impact

This study investigates the impact of lecturers’ leadership practices on students’ experiences of participation within a case university in the UK’s HE sector. The qualitative phenomenological research strategy, specifically the focus group interview approach, was used for data collection. Two key focus group interviews were conducted with a total of 15 participants. The thematic template and content analysis techniques were used for data analysis with NVivo 11. Findings showed that lecturers in the case university were transformational in their approaches to teaching and learning. Second, findings revealed that four highly coded themes characterized participants’ positive experiences of academic participation and they include: Teaching and learning quality; Academic versatility; Supportive academic leadership and Lecturers’ accessibility. This study makes theoretical contribution as it validates the relevance of transformational leadership theory. This study is original because it is the first to propound the ‘transformational teaching and learning framework’ which comprises four themes.

Being “adopted” into a teaching community

2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 228-241 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erinn Bentley ◽  
Madison Workman ◽  
Alex Overby
Keyword(s):  
Focus Group ◽  
Student Teachers ◽  
Teacher Candidates ◽  
Mentor Teachers ◽  
Mentoring Relationships ◽  
Field Placement ◽  
Focus Group Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Group Interviews ◽  
The Impact

Purpose In order to prepare new members of the education profession, it is imperative that teachers enter their classrooms with the confidence, knowledge, and skills to serve their students from day one. One method for preparing such teacher candidates or student teachers is through school-based field placements during their preparation program. The purpose of this paper is to describe one example of a yearlong field placement and the mentoring relationships that emerged among participants. Design/methodology/approach This qualitative study used the following data sources: focus group interviews among the teacher candidates, focus group interviews among the mentor teachers, field placement reflections and teaching analyses composed by the teacher candidates, and interviews conducted among teacher candidates and mentor teachers. Findings Analysis of the data revealed that the yearlong field placement promoted positive mentoring relationships between teacher candidates and their classroom teachers. Specifically the following themes emerged: the “adoption” of teacher candidates into the high school classrooms, risk-taking within the classrooms, the mentor teachers’ use of constructive feedback, and collaborative “mentoring-down-the-hall.” Originality/value In recent years, various scholars have investigated the impact of field placement experiences on teacher candidates; however, these studies have lacked a detailed analysis of how such experiences impacted mentoring relationships among candidates and their mentor teachers in a collaborative setting. This paper provides an in-depth study of the perceived experiences of mentor teachers and their candidates.

scholarly journals Change in store? An investigation into the impact of the book superstore environment on use, perceptions and expectations of the public library as a space, place and experience

2009 ◽  
Vol 28 (88) ◽  
pp. 13-26
Author(s):  
Helen Cartwright
Keyword(s):  
Young People ◽  
Focus Group ◽  
Public Library ◽  
Focus Group Interviews ◽  
Community Resource ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
The Public ◽  
Group Interviews ◽  
Perceptions And Expectations ◽  
The Impact

The book superstore is promoted not just as a place to buy books but also as a community resource in which to read, learn and socialise: traits that have in combination traditionally been the preserve of the public library. This study investigates the impact of the bookstore environment on public library space. The attitudes and behaviours of library and bookstore users were examined through focus group interviews and a self-completed questionnaire. Clear areas of overlap in the functions of the two sites were found, as was evidence of age and income-related splits in use and perception of bookstores and libraries. Results suggest attention should be paid to the beliefs and behaviours of young people and middle-income earners (the groups most noticeably increasing their use of the bookstore) and to the desired balance of education and recreation in the image and nature of the public library.

scholarly journals Pi-kaPika: A qualitative study for trainer-owned Pokémon

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ka-Huen Yip
Keyword(s):  
Hong Kong ◽  
Young People ◽  
Focus Group ◽  
Self Regulation ◽  
Social Activity ◽  
Childhood Memories ◽  
Focus Group Interviews ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Motivation Factors ◽  
Group Interviews

Abstract Objective To explore insights of young people’s experiences and motivations in Pokémon GO in Hong Kong. The perspectives of young people through qualitative focus group interviews. Results Eight focus group discussions with young people (n=45; age from 18-25 years old) recruited in Hong Kong. We analysed the discussions using a thematic approach. Five theme categories emerged from data analysis: missing out or self-regulation, childhood memories of Pokémon, extending virtual-reality exploration, spending more time outdoors for walking and exercise, gathering together and socially interacting with others. This study sets the way for a deeper analysis of motivation factors to young people that indicate the increasing playing location-based game (LBG) via smartphones worldwide among all cohorts of society. This relatively new phenomenon of LBG may impact players’ movement, social activity, and behaviour to gain a common goal into the preferences and effects of playing LBG for young people.

scholarly journals METACOGNITIVE LISTENING STRATEGY TRAINING: EXPLORING ESL PRE-UNIVERSITY STUDENTS’ METACOGNITIVE AWARENESS AND THEIR PERCEPTION

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
pp. 83-102
Author(s):  
Saratha Krishnan ◽  
Aizan Yaacob ◽  
Arsaythamby Veloo
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Focus Group ◽  
University Students ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Northern Region ◽  
Metacognitive Knowledge ◽  
Strategy Training ◽  
Focus Group Interviews ◽  
Group Interviews ◽  
And Performance

This study examines pre-university students’ metacognitive knowledge and their perception after nine weeks of metacognitive listening strategy training. In total, 31 students were selected from four intact classes in a matriculation college located in the northern region of Malaysia. Students received 9 weeks of Metacognitive Strategy Training (MST) during their listening classes. Focus group interviews were conducted after the strategy training to elicit students’ metacognitive knowledge and their perceptions of MST. Students were divided into five groups for the focus group interviews. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. The responses collected from the focus group interviews were reviewed and examined several times to develop themes and subthemes. The findings reveal that students showed a considerable amount of metacognitive knowledge in terms of their role and performance, the process of second language listening, and strategies for listening as second language listeners. Students view MST as helpful and effective to improve their listening skills. Implications for teaching and learning listening in ESL classrooms were discussed.

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