First Retreat on 4-Year Undergraduate Curriculum Reform

Date: 29-30 June, 2006

Venue: HK Gold Coast Hote

Aims, Objectives and Participant

Aims:

1. This retreat provides an opportunity for multilateral interaction amongst staff members who are involved in the planning and implementation of undergraduate curriculum and committed to the enhancement of teaching and learning to examine in greater depth the various dimensions of the new 4-year curriculum outlined in the discussion document Transforming Student Learning.
2. It serves the purpose of gathering a critical mass of academic staff who share the common goal of transforming the undergraduate education at HKU. This critical mass will continue to grow as the reform progresses and will be instrumental in shaping the direction of the reform.

Objectives:

At the end of the retreat, participants will :

1. have a better understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the current undergraduate education at HKU;
2. have a better understanding of the conceptual framework and the curriculum framework and structure;
3. be able to collectively formulate the distinctiveness of the new curriculum;
4. be able to determine whether the curriculum framework is robust;
5. have an idea of the way forward in the coming academic year.

Participants:

1. Steering Committee members
2. Teaching Quality Committee members
3. Associate Deans (Teaching and Learning)
4. University Teaching Fellows
5. Deans’ nominees
6. Presenters

Programme (29-30 June 2006)

29 June 2006
2:00 p.m.	Arrival and check-in
2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.	Setting the scene
	The big picture The Aims and Challenges of Introducing a New 4-Year Undergraduate Curriculum in HKU – Professor Richard Y.C. Wong Higher Education Reform: The International Scene – Professor Amy B.M. Tsui Feedback from informal discussions with Faculties – Mr T.G. Edwards Discussion Identifying key issues that SC need to address based on the feedback – Mr T.G. Edwards
4:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.	Tea break
4:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.	Presentation of good practices and interaction – chaired by Dr Peter A. Cunich
	Presentation of good practices from Faculties which illustrate the following: the principles of curriculum design the educational aims the distinctive features how the questions raised under the curriculum components were addressed the enabling curriculum structure 1. Professor Amy H.L. Lau, Faculty of Business and Economics Critical Thinking and Business Judgment (Diverse Learning Experience) 2. Dr C.W. Lam, Faculty of Social Sciences Social Exposure Programme (Polycontextual Inquiry) 3. Dr Yoshiko Nakano, Faculty of Arts Project in Japanese Business (Polycontextual Inquiry) 4. Mr Benny Y.T. Tai, Faculty of Law Love, Marriage, Sex and Family (Multidisciplinary Collaboration) 5. Professor Derek Hodson, Faculty of Education Discussant (Video)
7:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.	Dinner

30 June 2006
6:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.	Breakfast
9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.	Presentation of good practices and interaction (continued) – chaired by Dr Peter A. Cunich
	1. Dr Tara L. Whitehill, Faculty of Education Problem-based Learning (Interdisciplinary Inquiry) Assessment (Multiple forms of assessment) 2. Dr Philip S.L. Beh, Faculty of Medicine & Ms Miranda G. Legg, English Centre English for Problem-based Learning in Medicine (Language Across the Curriculum) 3. Dr Billy C.H. Hau, Faculty of Science HK’s Natural Environment (Development of Civic and Moral Values) Web-based Learning Support (IT in the Curriculum)
10:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.	Tea break
11:00 a.m. – 12:20 p.m.	Presentation of good practices and interaction (continued) – chaired by Dr Peter A. Cunich
	1. Professor Nivritti G. Patil, Faculty of Medicine Institute of Medical and Health Sciences Education (Staff Engagement and Staff Development) 2. Dr W.S. Wong, Faculty of Architecture Interdisciplinary Design Project (Multidisciplinary Collaboration) 3. Professor Derek Hodson, Faculty of Education Discussant (Video)
12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.	Lunch
1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.	Parallel discussion
	The chairmen of the following sub-committees will outline the major issues in the respective dimensions and propose a preliminary work plan for feedback from participants: Academic advisory system – Dr Frederick C.C. Leung Assessment – Dr Tara L. Whitehill (for Dr. Esmonde F. Corbet) Diverse learning experiences – Dr T.G. Edwards IT in the curriculum – Dr Robert M.K. Fox Language across the curriculum – Professor Terry K.F. Au Staff engagement and staff development – Mr Benny Y.T. Tai Student learning experience – Dr Albert W.L. Chau
3:00 p.m. – 3:15 p.m.	Tea break
3:15 p.m. – 4:15 p.m.	Cross-group exchange Participants will be regrouped for exchange of ideas
4:15 p.m. – 4:50 p.m.	Reporting by sub-committee chairmen Sub-committee chairmen will each report on their sub-committees’ work and any other issues raised in regrouping discussion (5 min each)
4:50 p.m. – 5:05 p.m.	Plenary session: wrap-up – Professor Amy B.M. Tsui
5:30 p.m.	Departure

Retreat Feedback

Video Clips

29 June 2006
2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Setting the scene	The big picture The Aims and Challenges of Introducing a New 4-Year Undergraduate Curriculum in HKU – Professor Richard Y.C. Wong (20.MB, Windows Media Player 9 format) Higher Education Reform: The International Scene – Professor Amy B.M. Tsui (18MB, Windows Media Player 9 format) Feedback from informal discussions with Faculties – Mr T.G. Edwards (11MB, Windows Media Player 9 format)
4:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Presentation of good practices and interaction – chaired by Dr Peter A. Cunich	Presentation of good practices from Faculties which illustrate the following: the principles of curriculum design the educational aims the distinctive features how the questions raised under the curriculum components were addressed the enabling curriculum structure 5. Professor Derek Hodson, Faculty of Education Discussant (24MB, Windows Media Player 9 format)