Understanding Understanding Our StudentsOur StudentsUnderstanding Understanding Our StudentsOur Students

Kam-Por Kwan

Senior Officer (Educational Development) 2766 6287

etkpkwan@polyu.edu.hk

PREPARING TO TEACH: Introductory Programme for New Teaching Staff

ObjectivesObjectivesObjectivesObjectives

To develop a better understanding of our students in terms of :– what they want from university education – their general academic ability– how they normally go about their studies– what they expect from their teachers

To discuss the implications of the student characteristics for teaching

What are our students like?What are our students like?What are our students like?What are our students like?

Identifying profile of PolyU studentsIdentifying profile of PolyU studentsIdentifying profile of PolyU studentsIdentifying profile of PolyU students

Task 1: Paired discussion (10 minutes)

Based on either your experience or expectation, draw up the profile of a typical student in your own course:

• Why do they enroll in your course?

• What able are they academically?

• What are their strengths and weaknesses?

• How do they go about their studies?

• What do they expect from their teachers?

What students expect What students expect from university education?from university education?What students expect What students expect from university education?from university education?

What do students want to get from university education ?

Goals of university educationGoals of university educationGoals of university educationGoals of university education

2.6

2.8

2.4

2.22.1

2.2

2.4

1

2

3

generaleducation

professionalqualification

languageproficiency

developcharacter

experience U life

furtherstudies &research

study aninteresting

subject

[ 1= little importance 2= some 3= high importance]

Source: SAO, PolyU (1998)

Understanding students’ goalsUnderstanding students’ goalsUnderstanding students’ goalsUnderstanding students’ goalsStudents have multiple goals:

– Passing exams / getting a qualification– Gaining social approval / status– Acquiring subject /professional knowledge

and skills– Developing generic skills: interpersonal

skills, problem-solving, creativity, etc.– Achieving personal development: self

confidence, sense of achievement, moral development, etc.

Students’ goals are not fixedStudents’ goals are not fixed

Students’ goals have important effects on their learning

Students’ goals change in the course of their study

Goals are affected by the student’s feeling of his/her achieving the goals or otherwise in a particular learning situation

If students are denied the chance to achieve higher-level goals, they may turn to lower-level ones

Helping students to achieve goals Helping students to achieve goals Helping students to achieve goals Helping students to achieve goals

Task 2: Group discussion (10 minutes)

What can we do to help students realize and achieve the desirable goals of university education?

Helping students achieve their goalsHelping students achieve their goalsHelping students achieve their goalsHelping students achieve their goals

Explain the ‘whys’ of learning tasks

Emphasize thinking and problem-solving rather then memorization and recall

Focus on process as well as outcomes of learning

Encourage collaborative group learning

Give students autonomy and choice

Ensure reasonable workload

General academic abilityGeneral academic abilityGeneral academic abilityGeneral academic ability

1.7

2.82.4 2.4

1.82.3 2.3

0

1

2

3

4

5

FAST FBIS FCOM FCLU FENG FHSS ALL

Score point average of the best 2 subjects of admitted students Source: MIO, PolyU (1996)

[ A= 5 B= 4 C= 3 D= 2 E= 1 F= 0 ]

3.22

3.09

3.16

3.18

2.69

2.69

3.2

3.13

2.43

3.44

1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4

adaptablity

analytical ability

general knowledge

study skills

communication skills

English writing

English speaking

Chinese writing

computer literacy

time management

Self-perceived abilitySelf-perceived abilitySelf-perceived abilitySelf-perceived ability

Source: SAO, PolyU (1998)

[ 1= lowest 4= highest ]

Helping student to learnHelping student to learnHelping student to learnHelping student to learn

Task 3: Group discussion (10 minutes)

What are the major things we need to consider in planning our teaching? How can we help this group of students to learn effectively at university?

Some strategiesSome strategiesSome strategiesSome strategies Have a realistic expectation of the ability of your

students Check initial knowledge Help students to ‘bridge’ their knowledge Give appropriate reading materials Proceed progressively in teaching:

move from fundamentals to more complex

from more guidance to more independent Teach students how to learn Help students develop confidence

How students go aboutHow students go about their studies their studiesHow students go aboutHow students go about their studies their studies

Hong Kong students are heavily assessment-driven in their learning

Students may approach their learning differently in different subjects: depending on their perception of the demand of the learning situation:

– surface approach

– deep approach

– achieving approach

How students spend their timeHow students spend their timeHow students spend their timeHow students spend their time

formal class(15.7 hrs)

other study(21.8 hrs)travel & eat

(27.3 hrs)

PT job(3.8 hrs)

sleep(17.1 hrs)

club & other activities(33.2 hrs)

12 am to 7 am(49 hrs)

Average no. of hours per week spent on various activities

Source: “A Week in the Life of a Hong Kong Student” Project

Getting students engagedGetting students engagedGetting students engagedGetting students engaged

Students are more likely to engage in learning task that they are interested in and have confidence of successful completion:

Clear instructions on what, how and when

Manageable tasks and reasonable deadline

Appeal to personal interest or needs

Choice and autonomy

Feedback on progress

What students expect What students expect from their teachersfrom their teachersWhat students expect What students expect from their teachersfrom their teachers

What do students expect from their teachers?

Good university teaching in the Good university teaching in the eyes of studentseyes of studentsGood university teaching in the Good university teaching in the eyes of studentseyes of students

Head Knowledge and expertise Personal experience and insights Able to help students understand

Hand Teaching skills: presentation and questioning

skills, etc. Teach students to think

Heart Concern for students’ learning and well-being Empathy and support

ConclusionConclusionConclusionConclusion Teaching is about helping students learn Teaching is most effective when:

– it is pitched at the right level for the students

– it matches with students’ goals and expectations

– it encourages the engagement of the students in the learning process

– students feel respected and achieving Need to consider the characteristics of your

students