1 Know Your Students Teaching Effectively in Higher Education in Hong Kong

2 Know Your Students Background & characteristics Study goals & expectations What do students expect of their teachers? Implications for teaching

3 Background and Characteristics A typical undergraduate student Living conditions Family Financial support

4 A Typical Undergraduate Student Hong Kong Chinese 19 years old Females outnumber males in most universities Majority profess no religious beliefs

5 Living Conditions Lives at home with family members Small apartment May not have own room or study desk Modest to poor housing Travels more than one hour to university Living conditions gradually improving

6 Family Educational level of parents not high Fathers better educated than mothers Fathers in production or service industries Median Hong Kong income May be the first family member to attend university - or even secondary school

7 Financial Support Reliant on parents for financial support Reliant on government grants Reliant on their own part-time work

8 Study Goals & Expectations Study goals Expectations of university education What students expect of their teachers

9 Study Goals The most significant factors in choosing a course of study: Interest in subject Career prospects Limited in choice by examination results

10 Study Goals Other factors: Family expectations To obtain a qualification Own ability in subject Influence of friends

11 Study Goals In recent years interest in the subject has declined as a reason for study and career aspirations have increased. Females report interest in subject as a reason more often than males. Discipline differences in study goals.

12 Expectations of University Education Students come to university with a mix of motives and expectations: Vocational - to pursue a career, become a professional To become broadly educated - intrinsic motivation Maturation and personal development Competitive/Achieving - to get a good job, pass exams

13 Expectations of university education Vocational - to pursue a career, become a professional “I am really interested in this course. I want to gain as much knowledge as possible that is related to the profession. I think that is my expectation.”

14 Expectations of University Education Maturation and personal development “I do not intend simply to attend classes and sit for the exam at university. I also want to make more friends and get in contact with people from a variety of backgrounds.”

15 Expectations of University Education To become broadly educated “I choose this course not because I want to become a lawyer. Instead, what I want is to learn how to think critically and rationally … There a lot of things happening in the society which I need to know about.”

16 Expectations of University Education Competitive/Achieving “I only hope that I can complete my studies and get a pass in the exam. I have to pass the exam because I need it to increase my ability to compete with others in the job market.”

17 Expectations of University Education CONTRARY TO THE PERCEPTIONS OF A LOT OF UNIVERSITY LECTURERS, MOST STUDENTS ARE NOT SIMPLY INTERESTED IN PASSING THE EXAM AND GETTING A DEGREE.

18 Expectations of University Education Hindrances to achieving expectations Heavy workload Rigid/narrow curriculum Lack on interaction with staff or classmates Inadequate resources/opportunities Students’ own problems

19 Expectations of University Education Hindrances to achieving expectations “As you have to do so many things, you can only learn them superficially. I think this is an obstacle to my learning”

20 Expectations of University Education Hindrances to achieving expectations “Sometimes we feel quite bitter as we’ve missed many things. It is important for us to know more about things that are not related to the technical areas, for example interpersonal communications.”

21 Expectations of University Education Hindrances to achieving expectations Lack of interaction with staff or classmates “The teachers seldom have contact with us … We seldom meet each other after class.” “I am disappointed at the relationship I have with my classmates … we hardly know each other and seldom talk to each other.”

22 Expectations of University Education Hindrances to achieving expectations “We need to discuss and exchange ideas to solve problems, but there are few places we can go for that.” “There is a problem of resource … Our course has been going on for two months, but not all the equipment we need is available.”

23 Expectations of University Education Hindrances to achieving expectations “My main problem is lack of concentration. Although I want to do many things, I am not very persistent.” “I think I need self-discipline and time management skills …”

24 What Students Expect of Their Teachers “Good” teachers and “good” teaching make students feel more satisfied about their learning experience, enhance their confidence in studying a subject, and motivate them to learn more about it.”

25 What Students Expect of Their Teachers HEAD: Knowledge of the subject HANDS: Teaching skills HEART: Attitudes towards teaching and concern for students

26 What Students Expect of Their Teachers Head “I feel he is a good lecturer because he has a very good foundation of basic knowledge. He is very rich in terms of both theoretical and practical views.”

27 What Students Expect of Their Teachers Hands Clear and systematic presentation Teaching at the right level Use of learning aids Arousing students’ interests Encouraging active learning Stimulating students to think

28 What Students Expect of Their Teachers Hands “He presented his lectures in a logical order. I could learn more from this subject than the others.”

29 What Students Expect of Their Teachers Hands “The lecturer teaches us the theories in depth, progressing gradually from the easy to the more difficult parts.”

30 What Students Expect of Their Teachers Hands “She teaches in a creative way. She does not simply talk to us in a monologue. She shows us some videos and tapes, and asks us to have oral practice.”

31 What Students Expect of Their Teachers Hands “The most satisfying subject is the one in which I can participate actively in the learning process … “

32 What Students Expect of Their Teachers Hands “If they can make me think more, I can learn more. If the lecturer simply tries to present a lot of information and asks me to copy down the notes, he cannot stimulate me to think.”

33 What Students Expect of Their Teachers Heart Concern for student learning Helpfulness Empathy for students Enthusiasm towards subject and /or teaching

34 What Students Expect of Their Teachers Heart “Whether a teacher is really good or not depends on his attitude - whether he is teaching and tries his best.”

35 What Students Expect of Their Teachers Heart “He is willing to answer our questions. Even if we ask him some ‘stupid’ questions, he will patiently point out our misconceptions and guide us to think on the right tract.”

36 What Students Expect of Their Teachers Heart “To me, a good lecturer should be able to relate to students … and show concern for them.. He should be polite and sincere in answering students’ questions.”

37 What Students Expect of Their Teachers Heart “He has the heart for teaching. I see him working very hard all the time, preparing a lot of things for his lectures …”

38 Implications for Teaching Understand students’ perspectives and expectations of university study Set a realistic workload Make the curriculum flexible Provide opportunities for interaction Ensure adequate resources for study Make your expectations known to students

39 Implications for Teaching Be interested and enthusiastic in what you are teaching. Care that your students become as interested and knowledgeable in the subject as you are. Appreciate the fact that they may have difficulties and work with them.

40 Thank you