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TRANSCRIPT
Guide for Part-time Teachers
November 2016
Contents
1 INTRODUCTION 1
11 Vision of the School 1
12 Mission of the School 1
13 SCOPEs Learning Centres 2
14 Employment Status and Appointment 3
15 Electronic Identity (EID) account 3
16 Payment of Salary and Benefits 3
17 Facilities and Services 3
18 School Holidays 5
19 Typhoons and Rainstorm Warnings 5
110 Communication 6
111 Staff Development 6
2 QUALITY ASSURANCE 7
21 Implementation of Programmes 7
22 Maintaining and Improving Quality 8
23 Code of Behaviour 9
Appendix Tips on Teaching and Learning 11
1
1 INTRODUCTION
Welcome to CityU SCOPE
The School of Continuing and Professional Education (SCOPE) is one of the
academic units in the City University of Hong Kong It was established as the
extension arm of the University in 1991 Currently more than 200 full time staff
members serve at CityU SCOPE and over 10000 students are enrolled with
different programmes offered by the School CityU SCOPE offers full range of
degree programmes leading to awards from non-local universities jointly with
overseas universities as well as selective day time programmes and part time
continuing education programmes To be quality assured many of our
non-local programmes are accredited by the Hong Kong Council for
Accreditation of Academic and Vocational Qualifications (HKCAAVQ) We hope
that you will enjoy working with the School and find the experience of teaching
students involved in lifelong learning most rewarding This guide aims to
provide you with useful information to enable you to deliver your teaching
efficiently and effectively
11 Our Vision
CityU SCOPE aspires to be a leading school in professional and life-long
education
12 Our Mission
To provide quality life-long education for professional practice retraining and
self-development which anticipates and responds to community needs as well
as social and technological changes
2
13 SCOPEs Learning Centres
Most teaching took place in SCOPErsquos Learning Centres as well as CityUrsquos main campuses and classrooms in Kowloon Tong area
Address Fax and Telephone numbers
Counter Service Hours Abbreviation
CityU Main Campus Tat Chee Avenue Kowloon Hong Kong
General Enquiry 3442 7654 24-hour Emergency Phone 3442 8888
CityU
SCOPE Main Office LGF Academic Exchange Building City University of Hong Kong Tat Chee Avenue Kowloon
Tel 3442 7423 Fax 3442 0399
Mon-Fri 9 am ndash 730 pm Sat 9 am ndash 230 pm Sun amp Public Holiday Closed
AEB
Tsim Sha Tsui East Learning Centre
UG2F amp UG3F ChinaChem Golden Plaza 77 Mody Road Tsim Sha Tsui Kowloon
Tel 3442 7426 3442 7427 Fax 3104 0514
TSTE
Admiralty Learning Centre
8F United Centre 95 Queensway Admiralty Hong Kong
Tel 3442 2111 Fax 2866 9320
UC
SCOPE email scopecityueduhk
Website of SCOPE wwwscopeedu
3
14 Employment Status and Appointment
In terms of employment status all part-time teaching staff are appointed by the
Director of SCOPE and are considered as part-time teaching staff of the University
Part-time teachers are usually employed on an annual basis starting from 1st
September to 31st August of the following year An assignment letter will follow
which stipulates the teaching responsibilities payment duties and period of that
assignment
For those who teach in non-local programmes (programmes leading to non-local
awards) and progression diploma programmes (programmes with articulation to
degrees) they will normally be issued with staff cards to enable them to access to
CityUrsquos library and computing services centre
15 Electronic Identity (EID) Account
All CityU SCOPE part-time staff will be assigned with a CityU EID account It will
enable you to access various online resources of the University such as payroll
record staff development and university communications during your period of
employment
It is important that you would maintain your updated personal data including the
contact details through our Administrative Information Management System (AIMS)
All AIMS functions are developed for self-service purpose and the School does not
have direct access to modify any data
16 Payment of Salary and Benefits
Your salary will normally be paid through the Universityrsquos Payroll via bank auto-pay
Instructors are required to sign-in at CityU SCOPE front office of individual learning
centre at least 10 minutes before the class started to maintain a proper record of
attendance Unless you are an exempt person stipulated by the Mandatory
Provident Fund Schemes Ordinance (ldquothe Ordinancerdquo) you will be enrolled in the
Universityrsquos Mandatory Provident Fund Scheme (ldquothe MPF Schemerdquo) All payroll
records including annual tax return can be accessible from our university portal
AIMS
17 Facilities and Services
There are a number of resources available for part-time staff
i Teacherrsquos Common Room
A teacherrsquos common room is located on the UG3 of our TST East
Centre Please ask our counter staff for card access to the room
4
ii Wi-Fi Network
Wireless local area network is available at CityU SCOPE Main Office
TST East Learning Centre and Admiralty Learning Centre
iii CityU on-line services
Access to University Portal and CANVAS
Email Service with 50GB Quota
iv CityU Computing Services (CSC)
Access to Staff LAN
1600 Pages Print Quota per academic year
Help Desk Support
Computing Services Centre Website httpwwwcityueduhkcsc Service Counter 3442 8340 Help Desk 3442 7658
v CityU Library Services
Access to Library e-Resources and the Library Catalogue
User Education Services (selected)
Materials Loan Service
Loan Quota 10 items
Loan Period 30 days
Book Reservation Quota 2 items
Quota can be used to borrow circulation books or other library materials
with details as follows
Media resources 1 item (in-house)
Semi-closed Closed Access 3 items (5 hours ndash 1 day or overnight)
Equipment
Octopus-card-operated copying service
AV Equipment (in-house)
Public Terminal Special Terminal (with Student LAN)
Self Check Units
Access to Information Space
Run Run Shaw Library Website httpwwwcityueduhklib Information Counter 3442 6882
vi Car Parking
CityU covered car park is opened to visitors for hourly-parking after
office hours on weekdays and full service hours over weekends and
general holidays
vii Discount Privileges
Enjoy discounts at CityU Campus Bookshop
5
viii Dining Services
Access to CityU restaurants and Student Canteen during non-peak
hours
Available to holders of CityU SCOPE part- time staff cards only
18 School Holidays
Each teacher will be provided with a timetable prior to the commencement of the
class
The School observes public holidays announced by the Hong Kong SAR
Government Unless under special arrangements there will be no class on public
holidays
There will normally be no classes on the following evenings
Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival
Winter Solstice
Christmas Eve
New Year Eve
Chinese New Year Eve
Any other special holidays will be announced via circular or notices
19 Typhoons and Rainstorm Warnings
The weather in Hong Kong is unpredictable during typhoon and rainstorm seasons
The School observes the University guidelines on adverse weather arrangements
According to the current guidelines no class will be held upon announcement of
storm warning signal No8 or above After the typhoon passes if the No8 signal is
lowered (before 7 am in the case of morning classes before 12 noon in the case of
afternoon classes and before 4 pm in the case of evening classes) classes will
meet as usual otherwise classes will be postponed For a black rainstorm warning
the same arrangements apply Make-up classes will be arranged for affected
students
For updated information please refer to Adverse Weather Arrangements at
httpwwwcityueduhkcdfoawa
6
110 Communication
There is a number of programme staff looking after the logistics of each programme
Part-time teachers who have queries about course arrangements general
administrative procedures and regulations and request for printing course materials
may contact the programme supporting staff concerned They will serve as your
first point of contact please refer to the assignment letter for details
CityU SCOPE Office hours Monday to Friday 9 am ndash 7 pm Saturday 9 am - 12 noon Sunday amp Public Holidays Closed
111 Staff Development
Part-time teaching staff of CityU SCOPE is entitled to participate in many of the staff
development workshops organized in the CityU They are also invited to attend
curriculum development activities teachersrsquo induction and teachersrsquo meetings
The following online resources in CityU websites are useful references for teaching and learning
Principles Policies amp Practices for Quality Education
httpwwwcityueduhkqacpppepppehtm
University Assessment Policy and Principles for Taught Programmes
httpwwwcityueduhkqacassessment_policyAssessment_Policy_revised_20Jun
e_2014_WD_definitions_updatedpdf
Rules and information on academic honesty
httpwwwcityueduhkprovostacademic_honestyrules_on_academic_honestyhtm
Office of the Education Development and Gateway Education httpwwwcityueduhkedge
Teaching strategies tips and techniques httpwwwcityueduhkedgeresources
Training workshops on teaching and learning
httpwwwcityueduhkedgeworkshop
Outcome Based Teaching amp Learning (OBTL)
httpwwwcityueduhkedgeobtlobtl_teacherhtm
httpwwwcityueduhkedgeobtlobtl_studenthtm
7
2 QUALITY ASSURANCE
The School places quality as its first priority Upon accepting a teaching position
with CityU SCOPE the teachers are expected to work closely with students
Achieving this begins with preparing for courses and the activities in the classroom
But the contribution as a member of the CityU SCOPE teaching staff goes beyond
successful in-class delivery Designing courses and classes is only a part of the
larger picture of designing programmes and maintaining the learning environment
that allows students to achieve their goals Providing high quality education requires
a collective and collaborative effort
The roles and responsibilities of CityU SCOPE instructors in the QA process include
understanding and implementing the arrangements established for the programmes
we are associated with and taking part in the discussions that lead to improvement
in these coursesprogrammes
21 Implementation of Programmes
Every programme leader or programme committee sets up programme under the
QA Framework of CityU SCOPE When programmes are approved the plan for
instruction and assessment is approved These plans take account of CityU
SCOPEs experience and good practice in teaching and learning in a continuing
education context
Instructors should know what arrangements have been made for teaching and
assessing their modulecourse These arrangements depend on the type of
programme you are teaching CityU SCOPE programmes fall into three broad
categories
programmes leading to non-local awards
programmes leading to Continuing Education (CE) Awards
short courses of general or professional interest
The syllabus regulations and assessment of all modulescourses are documented
when the programme is approved Talk to your programme leader and follow the
structure set out CE award programmes operate under their own regulations and
Programme Document You need to be particularly careful to meet the requirements
For instance you may be required to lead students site visits Programmes offered
in partnership with non-local universities through CityU SCOPE have quality
assurance arrangements determined by the partner university including
well-organized arrangements for student assessment You will save yourself and
8
your students from confusion and trouble by understanding what is required from
the beginning Moderation will be carried out on assessments by internal andor
external academic advisors or moderators to assure consistency of standards and
benchmark to equivalent level locally or internationally The moderation exercise
normally takes place in a very tight schedule and we rely on every instructor to
observe the deadlines during the process
22 Maintaining and Improving Quality
Improving the quality of our work requires three main things -- getting the feedback
from students taking opportunities to obtain information from colleagues and
self-reflection
221 Student Feedback
Individual instructors are the key link with students CityU SCOPE is very
concerned to ensure that studentsrsquo learning goals are achieved and students
concerns are known and taken into account Students are also the main source
of information for instructors to assess the success of their own work Seeking
feedback from students is essential for continuous improvement All
programmes and courses have measures in place to collect studentsrsquo feedback
on teaching courses administration and facilities Student feedback comes in a
number of ways
(a) Teaching and Learning Questionnaire (TLQ) 1
(b) Staff-Student Liaison Committee Meetings (SSLC)
(c) Students Focus Group
It is sometimes necessary to handle student complaints If you become aware of
a complaint or you have a dispute with a student that you cannot resolve your
own interests are best served by asking the student to use the formal mechanism
that is available The student should be requested to approach the CityU SCOPE
Communications Officer The Communications Officer has clear procedures to
follow that respect all parties
222 Feedback from Colleagues
Sharing information and getting feedback from your colleagues is another
important resources that you should make use of to improve your performance
1 For details please refer TLQ Policy and Operating Guidelines Policy httpswwwscopeeduPortals0SCOPE_TLQ20Policy_210916pdf
Operating Guidelines httpswwwscopeeduPortals0SCOPE_TLQ20Operating20Guidelines_271016pdf
9
(a) Attend Meetings Programmes are organized by programme committees
CE Award programmes and non-local programmes have quite formal
committees that meet regularly and have the advantage of external advisers
All programmes benefit from on-going discussion among the staff and
student involved It is part of the duty of a module examiner to provide
feedbacks for continuous improvement Part-time teachers are invited to
attend school meetings appropriate to their contribution to the schoolrsquos
teaching activities The meetings provide a good opportunity to share
information about the students the colleagues teaching the same
programme the aims of the programme and sometimes about obstacles
faced and overcome Teachers are also welcome to provide their feedback
during meetings or through instructorrsquos feedback forms
(b) Class Observation The observation is usually conducted by the
Programme Leader or an experienced colleague with the same subject
expertise The purpose of the observation is developmental in nature to
provide feedback for instructors to improve their teaching skill Advance
planning will be organized before the observation with instructors and
feedback session with report will take place soon after the observation New
instructors and new modulescourses will have the priority for observation
223 Self-reflection
Self-reflection is a good way to improve your teaching After each class make
notes to yourself about what went well and what you need to improve These
notes can be the basis of revisions to the next class or the next modulecourse
An audiotape or a videotape of a class can provide information about how one
sounds the organization pacing tone of voice annoying mannerisms etc You
can always discuss teaching with colleagues or read books and articles about
teaching Another more objective way of self-reflection is to compare your own
notes with the feedback provided by student feedback questionnaire and the
report of class observation To improve teaching and learning you may also
develop your own teaching or course portfolios
The key purpose for all these activities that have been prescribed is to ensure
quality continuing education has been delivered
23 Code of Behaviour
231 Professionalism
All course materials should be cleared of intellectual property Always handle
10
examinations examination scripts grade and return of final marks with care and
on time
232 Conflict of Interest
To protect the Universitys interest you are required to report any situation where
your personal interest conflicts with the University and to take appropriate action
to avoid any possible conflict and embarrassment
233 Disclosure of Information
Except in the normal performance of your duties with the University you should
not at any time during or after the termination of your employment without the
prior consent of the University disclose any information relating to the University
which may have come to your knowledge in the course of your employment
234 Intellectual Property
It is the Universitys policy and a term of employment of the Universitys staff that
unless agreed expressly by the University in writing the ownership of all
intellectual property rights in all relevant works created by University staff in the
course of employment with the University shall automatically vest in the
University notwithstanding any rule of law or equality to the contrary
235 Security
Instructors are required to take good care of University property (office furniture
equipment documents) Any damage and loss of property due to carelessness
or general lack of responsibility will be chargeable to you
Your valuable personal property including money jewellery ATM cards and
mobile phones must not be left unattended in areas such as the library canteen
classrooms or anywhere in the campus
236 Sale of Materials and Commercial Promotion
Any sale of books tapes or teaching materials should be arranged through the
School Under no circumstances should instructors collect money from
participants without prior approval from the School Instructors are not permitted
to distribute any commercial promotion leaflets and materials to the participants
without prior approval from the School
11
Appendix Tips on teaching and learning
Successful teaching is based on a partnership between instructor and students The
foundation of this partnership is a clear statement of obligations For the instructor
this means providing a plan at the beginning of the course of the material to be
covered and the activities that will be organised for students The more details you
can give the easier it is for students to manage
Most important is an assessment plan Students need to know right from the start
how you intend to assess their progress What will be the contribution of
assignments and examinations Will you have mid-term test Will there be
presentations and if so how will they be graded When is work due and just as
important when will you return the work with comments and grades Nothing
creates more unnecessary argument and confusion than unclear guidelines about
the assessment of the course
Your major role and responsibility as an instructor is to work with your students and
colleagues to create a productive learning environment Creating an effective
environment for student learning requires that the desired learning outcomes be
clear the teaching and learning opportunities be aligned with these outcomes and
the assessment tasks allow students to demonstrate their achievement of those
learning outcomes In preparing to teach you must decide the curriculum (what you
will teach or rather what you expect the students to learn) the teaching and
learning activities (how you will help the students learn) and the assessment plan
(how you will know if students are learning)
Programme Planning
General Strategies
Be careful not to overload the course with too much material -- keep it
manageable If the course has been given before talk with the staff who have
taught it and review their materials If the course has never been offered review
other available materials textbooks etc Review the constraints (number of
students number of hours other courses they have taken etc) as well as how
your course relates to other courses in the programme
Establish Goals
What should your students know produce or be able to do at the end of your
course What are the intended learning outcomes of the course General terms
12
such as know or understand are not as helpful as more specific ones -- define
identify apply evaluate solve problems and so on Do you also have some
non-content goals eg presentation skills team work etc The clearer you
are about the learning outcomes you desire the easier it will be to plan your
teaching and assessment strategies
Review the Content
Research shows that too much content works against students learning the
material deeply Decide what is basic and essential and must be mastered by
everyone what is only recommended and what is optional What are the core
concepts the classic issues andor the basic conceptual framework in the area
Structure the Course Module
Create a logical arrangement for the material There are different options how
concepts are organized in the field how students will use the information how
students learn from concrete to abstract from theory to practice by increasing
levels of complexity etc
Create a Calendar
List all the class meeting times Note any holidays Fill in tentative topics Plan
schedule for assessment tasks reviews giving and collecting feedback extra
time for difficult topics etc Identify dates you plan to have guest speakers to go
on field trips to need special audio-visual materials etc Make any special
arrangements well in advance (eg ordering a video booking equipment
scheduling visitors) If you wish to make special arrangements for teaching
facilities or need additional audio-visual teaching equipment make a request to
the School at least four working days in advance
Course Materials
Make sure that the material and readings needed for studentsrsquo learning are
available Instructors may request the School to help with the upload of materials
onto CANVAS or the printing of handouts For printing request it has to be
made at least seven working days in advance by using a Printing Request Form
The completed form should be attached to the originals of notes and sent to
CityU SCOPE office at CityU Notes on A4 size white paper and written or
printed in black are preferred for best quality reproduction Remember that
photocopying from books or other material protected by copyright is not
permitted
13
CourseModule Policies
Please familiarize yourself with the policies and regulations related to the study
programme For example regulations about attendance requirement class
participation late works extra-credit assignments academic dishonesty
(plagiarism) grading appeal of assessment results etc Student Handbook is
one of the sources which can provide key information and rules about the
programme
CourseModule Outline or Syllabus
All of this information (including assessment tasks dates etc) needs to be
prepared and given to the students in the first class You may upload them onto
CANVAS or have them printed It forms the basis of your teaching and learning
contract with them laying out your expectations of them and what they expect
out of the coursemodule You may wish to put all this information in your course
outline
Teaching
In planning your teaching there are two areas that need attention The first area to
consider is what you and the students will be doing during your time together in
class the second is what you expect your students to do outside of class
Visit the Classroom Before Your First Class
Is the AV equipment (projector computer visualizer microphone etc) you
require available
Do you know how it works
Is the furniture suitable for the learning activities you have planned
Do you know how to control the lights air condition etc
Have you been given the white-board pens and eraser If so please keep
custody of them and bring them to class as necessary
The First Class
This meeting will set the tone for the rest of the course As with any first meeting
of strangers there are the normal concerns -- who are these people what do
they expect will I be able to perform up to expectations By the end of the first
class the students should know where they are going and how they will get there
know at least some of the other students know that you care about them and
their learning and that the time you spend together will be valuable and
enjoyable
14
Administrative Tasks
Make sure everyone is in the right room Take attendance Discuss the course
outline and explain important policies and procedures deadlines coursemodule
materials safety precautions (eg labs) and emergency procedures (eg
typhoons) Eating drinking and smoking are not allowed and mobile phones
should be turned off
Keep track of students attendance and progress Attendance Registers are
obtainable from the CityU SCOPE office Participants whose names are not
listed on the registers should not be allowed to attend class unless notified
otherwise by CityU SCOPE
Instructors should verify the attendance by signing on the registers following the
last lesson of the coursemodule and return it to the School within one week
following completion of the coursemodule
Create a Positive Learning Environment
Be in the room well before the class starts and welcome the students as they
arrive Introduce yourself to the class telling them something about your
background and your connection to the area and the course Find out something
about the students If the class is small have them introduce themselves In a
large class they could fill out a card with relevant background information about
who they are and why they are taking the course then share some of that
information in groups of 3 or 4 Begin to learn the students names
Set Expectations
Everyone wants the class to be a success Discuss the objectives of the
coursemodule what the student can expect to learn as well as how you plan to
conduct the class (lectures discussions case studies etc) You should tell them
what they will be expected to do (attend participate make presentations etc)
and suggest study strategies resources that they can use To help them and you
know how well prepared they are for this modulecourse you might give a short
un-graded quiz or writing task on pre-requisite or background materials to the
coursemodule
Punctuality
Arrive at the classroom five minutes before start time Ending the classes on time
and not earlier should be practiced For part time evening students lateness is
15
often unavoidable be patient and helpful as latecomers try to catch up
If you must miss a class or arrange for a guest speaker to conduct your lesson
make arrangements well ahead of time and keep students and the CityU SCOPE
office informed The CityU SCOPE rule is that missed classes should be made
up within two weeks
In case of unforeseen absence (or unexpected late arrival) instructors should
inform the School staff concerned or CityU SCOPE Hotline as soon as possible
If the instructor fails to show up classes are automatically cancelled 60 minutes
after the start time
Conducting Your Class
Lectures should capture and hold students attention and to engage them
actively in thinking about the material At their best each student will feel the
instructor is talking directly to himher Reading lectures should be avoided since
the formality limits connection and contact with the learners Prepare your lecture
notes so that you can speak to the important points raised If you must read parts
keep them very short
(a) Beginnings
You need to begin by getting students attention by asking a question making
a provocative statement telling an engaging story mentioning some current
event etc Provide an overview of what you will be talking about and situate it
in relation to previous and future topicsclasses
(b) Maintaining Interest
Research has shown that most students attention will begin to drift after not
much more than 10 minutes of passive listening Thus you need to ensure
that everyone can see and hear you make the organization of the lecture
clear to the students (provide an outline) be enthusiastic use clear
understandable language (be careful of jargon) maintain eye contact vary
your delivery to keep attention (tone of voice pause movement) use
examples and visuals (pictures graphs etc) and keep track of time (dont
rush the ending)
(c) Encouraging Active Engagement
There are different ways to encourage students to be actively engaged in the
class You can break up your lectures (after 10 - 15 minutes) by asking
16
students to work on their own for a few minutes (solve a problem find an
example summarize the major ideas identify the strengths or weaknesses
write down any questions they have etc) and then to compare their work
with the students near them After a few minutes invite some of the students
to share their discussions with the rest of the class This strategy is called
think-pair-share These breaks in the lecture allow the students to work with
the course material and enable you to know how well the students are doing
If you dont have an answer be honest and promise to come back with the
answer next time
(d) Other Interactive Strategies
Besides think-pair-share there are many other ways to actively involve your
students in the class eg case studies role plays debates simulations
interviewing guest speakers student presentations field trips etc Each of
these requires some special preparation by the instructor and the students
They often take more time than lecturing but the learning is often much richer
and the experience more enjoyable
(e) Ending the Class
Dont rush your ending to get in the last few points or just stop in the middle
because you have run out of time Plan to end the session with a summary
(by you or the students) of what has been accomplished Try to tie up loose
ends End with a thought-provoking question preview things to come or
suggest ways to follow up on the material covered Dont go overtime
Learning Activities Outside of Class
Since a good deal of student learning will occur outside of class you need to
carefully plan so that students will spend that time most productively Students
are normally expected to spend at least twice as much time working on their
courses outside of class as they do in class These activities include reading
course materials and textbooks working on assignments preparing for classes
and tests You need to help your students to know what is expected of them
outside of class and how it complements what goes on in class
Designing Learning Activities
Start with the abilities or skills you want the student to develop (problem solving
critiquing texts designing experiments) and then design learning activities that
require the student to involve these abilities of skills (solve problems critique text
design experiments) These tasks could be the repetitionapplication of methods
17
demonstrated in class or tasks can be prelude to class by focusing their study
efforts The case method requires students to review the material and come to
class prepared to participate in a discussion
Assessment
ldquoWill this be on the examinationrdquo Assessment often seems to be the most important
concern of students Our assessment tasks assignments and exams are and
should be designed to measure the most important aspects of our courses - the key
learning outcomes we expect for our students This is the assessment of learning
Knowing what is important and how it will be assessed enables students to set
priorities in organizing and focusing their study efforts Another way to say this is
that assessment shapes learning so if you want to influence what students learn
and how they study adjust assessment Thus our teaching and our assessments
as well as all the other learning activities we design should be aligned with these
desired learning outcomes Preparing for a quiz has a different impact on your
students learning activities than writing a short paper The form of your final exam
will influence how your students study and what they recall
There is also assessment for learning In addition to knowing what is important and
how it will be assessed students also need information or feedback on how well
they are doing or not doing in achieving the goals of the course This additional
information can help them to make timely adjustments to their studies by identifying
those areas where they are doing well and those areas that need more work
Designing Assessment
Start with the learning objectives that are most important Using a variety of
testing formats will enable more students to do their best Develop questions
which assess more than just recall Ask your students to suggest possible items
Prepare clear instructions and try out the timing An exam that is too long for
even the best student to complete helps no one One rule of thumb is that it will
take students four times as long as you to complete the exam
Types of Assessment
There are many forms of quizzes tests and exams multiple-choice true-false
matching short answer essay and problem solving There are also oral exams
and performance tests Variations include open-book take-home and group
tests Each format has its strengths and weaknesses and is best suited to
measuring certain types of learning
In all cases you should be sure that the form of the assessment
18
matchesmeasures the learning outcomes you desire
Reducing Student Anxiety
Since assessments count students anxiety often interferes with their
performance It is essential that you clearly describe the methods of assessment
the format and the dates in the coursemodule syllabus and remind students in
class Other strategies which can help relieve unnecessary anxiety include give
more than one examination thus providing several opportunities for them to
show you what they know give students choices among alternative forms of
assessment avoid pop quizzes give students advice on how to study
encourage them to study in groups provide extra office hours and review
sessions give diagnostic test early in the term provide sampleoldpractice
exams include bonus questions
Returning Students Work
You are expected to mark your tutorial assignments and exam scripts and dont
miss deadlines for the return of students work Assessment supports learning
and your feedback is a key contribution Use class time to discuss the overall
results Collect feedback from the class on the assessment (what was
difficultunexpected how could youthey have improved their preparation)
Grading Assessment
Read the exams without looking at the students names Choose examples of
answers to serve as exemplars or standards Grade question by question rather
than all the questions for a single student Avoid judging on extraneous factors
like handwriting Pace yourself - read only a reasonable number of exams at one
time If possible read some papers twice to determine your own reliability
Contents
1 INTRODUCTION 1
11 Vision of the School 1
12 Mission of the School 1
13 SCOPEs Learning Centres 2
14 Employment Status and Appointment 3
15 Electronic Identity (EID) account 3
16 Payment of Salary and Benefits 3
17 Facilities and Services 3
18 School Holidays 5
19 Typhoons and Rainstorm Warnings 5
110 Communication 6
111 Staff Development 6
2 QUALITY ASSURANCE 7
21 Implementation of Programmes 7
22 Maintaining and Improving Quality 8
23 Code of Behaviour 9
Appendix Tips on Teaching and Learning 11
1
1 INTRODUCTION
Welcome to CityU SCOPE
The School of Continuing and Professional Education (SCOPE) is one of the
academic units in the City University of Hong Kong It was established as the
extension arm of the University in 1991 Currently more than 200 full time staff
members serve at CityU SCOPE and over 10000 students are enrolled with
different programmes offered by the School CityU SCOPE offers full range of
degree programmes leading to awards from non-local universities jointly with
overseas universities as well as selective day time programmes and part time
continuing education programmes To be quality assured many of our
non-local programmes are accredited by the Hong Kong Council for
Accreditation of Academic and Vocational Qualifications (HKCAAVQ) We hope
that you will enjoy working with the School and find the experience of teaching
students involved in lifelong learning most rewarding This guide aims to
provide you with useful information to enable you to deliver your teaching
efficiently and effectively
11 Our Vision
CityU SCOPE aspires to be a leading school in professional and life-long
education
12 Our Mission
To provide quality life-long education for professional practice retraining and
self-development which anticipates and responds to community needs as well
as social and technological changes
2
13 SCOPEs Learning Centres
Most teaching took place in SCOPErsquos Learning Centres as well as CityUrsquos main campuses and classrooms in Kowloon Tong area
Address Fax and Telephone numbers
Counter Service Hours Abbreviation
CityU Main Campus Tat Chee Avenue Kowloon Hong Kong
General Enquiry 3442 7654 24-hour Emergency Phone 3442 8888
CityU
SCOPE Main Office LGF Academic Exchange Building City University of Hong Kong Tat Chee Avenue Kowloon
Tel 3442 7423 Fax 3442 0399
Mon-Fri 9 am ndash 730 pm Sat 9 am ndash 230 pm Sun amp Public Holiday Closed
AEB
Tsim Sha Tsui East Learning Centre
UG2F amp UG3F ChinaChem Golden Plaza 77 Mody Road Tsim Sha Tsui Kowloon
Tel 3442 7426 3442 7427 Fax 3104 0514
TSTE
Admiralty Learning Centre
8F United Centre 95 Queensway Admiralty Hong Kong
Tel 3442 2111 Fax 2866 9320
UC
SCOPE email scopecityueduhk
Website of SCOPE wwwscopeedu
3
14 Employment Status and Appointment
In terms of employment status all part-time teaching staff are appointed by the
Director of SCOPE and are considered as part-time teaching staff of the University
Part-time teachers are usually employed on an annual basis starting from 1st
September to 31st August of the following year An assignment letter will follow
which stipulates the teaching responsibilities payment duties and period of that
assignment
For those who teach in non-local programmes (programmes leading to non-local
awards) and progression diploma programmes (programmes with articulation to
degrees) they will normally be issued with staff cards to enable them to access to
CityUrsquos library and computing services centre
15 Electronic Identity (EID) Account
All CityU SCOPE part-time staff will be assigned with a CityU EID account It will
enable you to access various online resources of the University such as payroll
record staff development and university communications during your period of
employment
It is important that you would maintain your updated personal data including the
contact details through our Administrative Information Management System (AIMS)
All AIMS functions are developed for self-service purpose and the School does not
have direct access to modify any data
16 Payment of Salary and Benefits
Your salary will normally be paid through the Universityrsquos Payroll via bank auto-pay
Instructors are required to sign-in at CityU SCOPE front office of individual learning
centre at least 10 minutes before the class started to maintain a proper record of
attendance Unless you are an exempt person stipulated by the Mandatory
Provident Fund Schemes Ordinance (ldquothe Ordinancerdquo) you will be enrolled in the
Universityrsquos Mandatory Provident Fund Scheme (ldquothe MPF Schemerdquo) All payroll
records including annual tax return can be accessible from our university portal
AIMS
17 Facilities and Services
There are a number of resources available for part-time staff
i Teacherrsquos Common Room
A teacherrsquos common room is located on the UG3 of our TST East
Centre Please ask our counter staff for card access to the room
4
ii Wi-Fi Network
Wireless local area network is available at CityU SCOPE Main Office
TST East Learning Centre and Admiralty Learning Centre
iii CityU on-line services
Access to University Portal and CANVAS
Email Service with 50GB Quota
iv CityU Computing Services (CSC)
Access to Staff LAN
1600 Pages Print Quota per academic year
Help Desk Support
Computing Services Centre Website httpwwwcityueduhkcsc Service Counter 3442 8340 Help Desk 3442 7658
v CityU Library Services
Access to Library e-Resources and the Library Catalogue
User Education Services (selected)
Materials Loan Service
Loan Quota 10 items
Loan Period 30 days
Book Reservation Quota 2 items
Quota can be used to borrow circulation books or other library materials
with details as follows
Media resources 1 item (in-house)
Semi-closed Closed Access 3 items (5 hours ndash 1 day or overnight)
Equipment
Octopus-card-operated copying service
AV Equipment (in-house)
Public Terminal Special Terminal (with Student LAN)
Self Check Units
Access to Information Space
Run Run Shaw Library Website httpwwwcityueduhklib Information Counter 3442 6882
vi Car Parking
CityU covered car park is opened to visitors for hourly-parking after
office hours on weekdays and full service hours over weekends and
general holidays
vii Discount Privileges
Enjoy discounts at CityU Campus Bookshop
5
viii Dining Services
Access to CityU restaurants and Student Canteen during non-peak
hours
Available to holders of CityU SCOPE part- time staff cards only
18 School Holidays
Each teacher will be provided with a timetable prior to the commencement of the
class
The School observes public holidays announced by the Hong Kong SAR
Government Unless under special arrangements there will be no class on public
holidays
There will normally be no classes on the following evenings
Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival
Winter Solstice
Christmas Eve
New Year Eve
Chinese New Year Eve
Any other special holidays will be announced via circular or notices
19 Typhoons and Rainstorm Warnings
The weather in Hong Kong is unpredictable during typhoon and rainstorm seasons
The School observes the University guidelines on adverse weather arrangements
According to the current guidelines no class will be held upon announcement of
storm warning signal No8 or above After the typhoon passes if the No8 signal is
lowered (before 7 am in the case of morning classes before 12 noon in the case of
afternoon classes and before 4 pm in the case of evening classes) classes will
meet as usual otherwise classes will be postponed For a black rainstorm warning
the same arrangements apply Make-up classes will be arranged for affected
students
For updated information please refer to Adverse Weather Arrangements at
httpwwwcityueduhkcdfoawa
6
110 Communication
There is a number of programme staff looking after the logistics of each programme
Part-time teachers who have queries about course arrangements general
administrative procedures and regulations and request for printing course materials
may contact the programme supporting staff concerned They will serve as your
first point of contact please refer to the assignment letter for details
CityU SCOPE Office hours Monday to Friday 9 am ndash 7 pm Saturday 9 am - 12 noon Sunday amp Public Holidays Closed
111 Staff Development
Part-time teaching staff of CityU SCOPE is entitled to participate in many of the staff
development workshops organized in the CityU They are also invited to attend
curriculum development activities teachersrsquo induction and teachersrsquo meetings
The following online resources in CityU websites are useful references for teaching and learning
Principles Policies amp Practices for Quality Education
httpwwwcityueduhkqacpppepppehtm
University Assessment Policy and Principles for Taught Programmes
httpwwwcityueduhkqacassessment_policyAssessment_Policy_revised_20Jun
e_2014_WD_definitions_updatedpdf
Rules and information on academic honesty
httpwwwcityueduhkprovostacademic_honestyrules_on_academic_honestyhtm
Office of the Education Development and Gateway Education httpwwwcityueduhkedge
Teaching strategies tips and techniques httpwwwcityueduhkedgeresources
Training workshops on teaching and learning
httpwwwcityueduhkedgeworkshop
Outcome Based Teaching amp Learning (OBTL)
httpwwwcityueduhkedgeobtlobtl_teacherhtm
httpwwwcityueduhkedgeobtlobtl_studenthtm
7
2 QUALITY ASSURANCE
The School places quality as its first priority Upon accepting a teaching position
with CityU SCOPE the teachers are expected to work closely with students
Achieving this begins with preparing for courses and the activities in the classroom
But the contribution as a member of the CityU SCOPE teaching staff goes beyond
successful in-class delivery Designing courses and classes is only a part of the
larger picture of designing programmes and maintaining the learning environment
that allows students to achieve their goals Providing high quality education requires
a collective and collaborative effort
The roles and responsibilities of CityU SCOPE instructors in the QA process include
understanding and implementing the arrangements established for the programmes
we are associated with and taking part in the discussions that lead to improvement
in these coursesprogrammes
21 Implementation of Programmes
Every programme leader or programme committee sets up programme under the
QA Framework of CityU SCOPE When programmes are approved the plan for
instruction and assessment is approved These plans take account of CityU
SCOPEs experience and good practice in teaching and learning in a continuing
education context
Instructors should know what arrangements have been made for teaching and
assessing their modulecourse These arrangements depend on the type of
programme you are teaching CityU SCOPE programmes fall into three broad
categories
programmes leading to non-local awards
programmes leading to Continuing Education (CE) Awards
short courses of general or professional interest
The syllabus regulations and assessment of all modulescourses are documented
when the programme is approved Talk to your programme leader and follow the
structure set out CE award programmes operate under their own regulations and
Programme Document You need to be particularly careful to meet the requirements
For instance you may be required to lead students site visits Programmes offered
in partnership with non-local universities through CityU SCOPE have quality
assurance arrangements determined by the partner university including
well-organized arrangements for student assessment You will save yourself and
8
your students from confusion and trouble by understanding what is required from
the beginning Moderation will be carried out on assessments by internal andor
external academic advisors or moderators to assure consistency of standards and
benchmark to equivalent level locally or internationally The moderation exercise
normally takes place in a very tight schedule and we rely on every instructor to
observe the deadlines during the process
22 Maintaining and Improving Quality
Improving the quality of our work requires three main things -- getting the feedback
from students taking opportunities to obtain information from colleagues and
self-reflection
221 Student Feedback
Individual instructors are the key link with students CityU SCOPE is very
concerned to ensure that studentsrsquo learning goals are achieved and students
concerns are known and taken into account Students are also the main source
of information for instructors to assess the success of their own work Seeking
feedback from students is essential for continuous improvement All
programmes and courses have measures in place to collect studentsrsquo feedback
on teaching courses administration and facilities Student feedback comes in a
number of ways
(a) Teaching and Learning Questionnaire (TLQ) 1
(b) Staff-Student Liaison Committee Meetings (SSLC)
(c) Students Focus Group
It is sometimes necessary to handle student complaints If you become aware of
a complaint or you have a dispute with a student that you cannot resolve your
own interests are best served by asking the student to use the formal mechanism
that is available The student should be requested to approach the CityU SCOPE
Communications Officer The Communications Officer has clear procedures to
follow that respect all parties
222 Feedback from Colleagues
Sharing information and getting feedback from your colleagues is another
important resources that you should make use of to improve your performance
1 For details please refer TLQ Policy and Operating Guidelines Policy httpswwwscopeeduPortals0SCOPE_TLQ20Policy_210916pdf
Operating Guidelines httpswwwscopeeduPortals0SCOPE_TLQ20Operating20Guidelines_271016pdf
9
(a) Attend Meetings Programmes are organized by programme committees
CE Award programmes and non-local programmes have quite formal
committees that meet regularly and have the advantage of external advisers
All programmes benefit from on-going discussion among the staff and
student involved It is part of the duty of a module examiner to provide
feedbacks for continuous improvement Part-time teachers are invited to
attend school meetings appropriate to their contribution to the schoolrsquos
teaching activities The meetings provide a good opportunity to share
information about the students the colleagues teaching the same
programme the aims of the programme and sometimes about obstacles
faced and overcome Teachers are also welcome to provide their feedback
during meetings or through instructorrsquos feedback forms
(b) Class Observation The observation is usually conducted by the
Programme Leader or an experienced colleague with the same subject
expertise The purpose of the observation is developmental in nature to
provide feedback for instructors to improve their teaching skill Advance
planning will be organized before the observation with instructors and
feedback session with report will take place soon after the observation New
instructors and new modulescourses will have the priority for observation
223 Self-reflection
Self-reflection is a good way to improve your teaching After each class make
notes to yourself about what went well and what you need to improve These
notes can be the basis of revisions to the next class or the next modulecourse
An audiotape or a videotape of a class can provide information about how one
sounds the organization pacing tone of voice annoying mannerisms etc You
can always discuss teaching with colleagues or read books and articles about
teaching Another more objective way of self-reflection is to compare your own
notes with the feedback provided by student feedback questionnaire and the
report of class observation To improve teaching and learning you may also
develop your own teaching or course portfolios
The key purpose for all these activities that have been prescribed is to ensure
quality continuing education has been delivered
23 Code of Behaviour
231 Professionalism
All course materials should be cleared of intellectual property Always handle
10
examinations examination scripts grade and return of final marks with care and
on time
232 Conflict of Interest
To protect the Universitys interest you are required to report any situation where
your personal interest conflicts with the University and to take appropriate action
to avoid any possible conflict and embarrassment
233 Disclosure of Information
Except in the normal performance of your duties with the University you should
not at any time during or after the termination of your employment without the
prior consent of the University disclose any information relating to the University
which may have come to your knowledge in the course of your employment
234 Intellectual Property
It is the Universitys policy and a term of employment of the Universitys staff that
unless agreed expressly by the University in writing the ownership of all
intellectual property rights in all relevant works created by University staff in the
course of employment with the University shall automatically vest in the
University notwithstanding any rule of law or equality to the contrary
235 Security
Instructors are required to take good care of University property (office furniture
equipment documents) Any damage and loss of property due to carelessness
or general lack of responsibility will be chargeable to you
Your valuable personal property including money jewellery ATM cards and
mobile phones must not be left unattended in areas such as the library canteen
classrooms or anywhere in the campus
236 Sale of Materials and Commercial Promotion
Any sale of books tapes or teaching materials should be arranged through the
School Under no circumstances should instructors collect money from
participants without prior approval from the School Instructors are not permitted
to distribute any commercial promotion leaflets and materials to the participants
without prior approval from the School
11
Appendix Tips on teaching and learning
Successful teaching is based on a partnership between instructor and students The
foundation of this partnership is a clear statement of obligations For the instructor
this means providing a plan at the beginning of the course of the material to be
covered and the activities that will be organised for students The more details you
can give the easier it is for students to manage
Most important is an assessment plan Students need to know right from the start
how you intend to assess their progress What will be the contribution of
assignments and examinations Will you have mid-term test Will there be
presentations and if so how will they be graded When is work due and just as
important when will you return the work with comments and grades Nothing
creates more unnecessary argument and confusion than unclear guidelines about
the assessment of the course
Your major role and responsibility as an instructor is to work with your students and
colleagues to create a productive learning environment Creating an effective
environment for student learning requires that the desired learning outcomes be
clear the teaching and learning opportunities be aligned with these outcomes and
the assessment tasks allow students to demonstrate their achievement of those
learning outcomes In preparing to teach you must decide the curriculum (what you
will teach or rather what you expect the students to learn) the teaching and
learning activities (how you will help the students learn) and the assessment plan
(how you will know if students are learning)
Programme Planning
General Strategies
Be careful not to overload the course with too much material -- keep it
manageable If the course has been given before talk with the staff who have
taught it and review their materials If the course has never been offered review
other available materials textbooks etc Review the constraints (number of
students number of hours other courses they have taken etc) as well as how
your course relates to other courses in the programme
Establish Goals
What should your students know produce or be able to do at the end of your
course What are the intended learning outcomes of the course General terms
12
such as know or understand are not as helpful as more specific ones -- define
identify apply evaluate solve problems and so on Do you also have some
non-content goals eg presentation skills team work etc The clearer you
are about the learning outcomes you desire the easier it will be to plan your
teaching and assessment strategies
Review the Content
Research shows that too much content works against students learning the
material deeply Decide what is basic and essential and must be mastered by
everyone what is only recommended and what is optional What are the core
concepts the classic issues andor the basic conceptual framework in the area
Structure the Course Module
Create a logical arrangement for the material There are different options how
concepts are organized in the field how students will use the information how
students learn from concrete to abstract from theory to practice by increasing
levels of complexity etc
Create a Calendar
List all the class meeting times Note any holidays Fill in tentative topics Plan
schedule for assessment tasks reviews giving and collecting feedback extra
time for difficult topics etc Identify dates you plan to have guest speakers to go
on field trips to need special audio-visual materials etc Make any special
arrangements well in advance (eg ordering a video booking equipment
scheduling visitors) If you wish to make special arrangements for teaching
facilities or need additional audio-visual teaching equipment make a request to
the School at least four working days in advance
Course Materials
Make sure that the material and readings needed for studentsrsquo learning are
available Instructors may request the School to help with the upload of materials
onto CANVAS or the printing of handouts For printing request it has to be
made at least seven working days in advance by using a Printing Request Form
The completed form should be attached to the originals of notes and sent to
CityU SCOPE office at CityU Notes on A4 size white paper and written or
printed in black are preferred for best quality reproduction Remember that
photocopying from books or other material protected by copyright is not
permitted
13
CourseModule Policies
Please familiarize yourself with the policies and regulations related to the study
programme For example regulations about attendance requirement class
participation late works extra-credit assignments academic dishonesty
(plagiarism) grading appeal of assessment results etc Student Handbook is
one of the sources which can provide key information and rules about the
programme
CourseModule Outline or Syllabus
All of this information (including assessment tasks dates etc) needs to be
prepared and given to the students in the first class You may upload them onto
CANVAS or have them printed It forms the basis of your teaching and learning
contract with them laying out your expectations of them and what they expect
out of the coursemodule You may wish to put all this information in your course
outline
Teaching
In planning your teaching there are two areas that need attention The first area to
consider is what you and the students will be doing during your time together in
class the second is what you expect your students to do outside of class
Visit the Classroom Before Your First Class
Is the AV equipment (projector computer visualizer microphone etc) you
require available
Do you know how it works
Is the furniture suitable for the learning activities you have planned
Do you know how to control the lights air condition etc
Have you been given the white-board pens and eraser If so please keep
custody of them and bring them to class as necessary
The First Class
This meeting will set the tone for the rest of the course As with any first meeting
of strangers there are the normal concerns -- who are these people what do
they expect will I be able to perform up to expectations By the end of the first
class the students should know where they are going and how they will get there
know at least some of the other students know that you care about them and
their learning and that the time you spend together will be valuable and
enjoyable
14
Administrative Tasks
Make sure everyone is in the right room Take attendance Discuss the course
outline and explain important policies and procedures deadlines coursemodule
materials safety precautions (eg labs) and emergency procedures (eg
typhoons) Eating drinking and smoking are not allowed and mobile phones
should be turned off
Keep track of students attendance and progress Attendance Registers are
obtainable from the CityU SCOPE office Participants whose names are not
listed on the registers should not be allowed to attend class unless notified
otherwise by CityU SCOPE
Instructors should verify the attendance by signing on the registers following the
last lesson of the coursemodule and return it to the School within one week
following completion of the coursemodule
Create a Positive Learning Environment
Be in the room well before the class starts and welcome the students as they
arrive Introduce yourself to the class telling them something about your
background and your connection to the area and the course Find out something
about the students If the class is small have them introduce themselves In a
large class they could fill out a card with relevant background information about
who they are and why they are taking the course then share some of that
information in groups of 3 or 4 Begin to learn the students names
Set Expectations
Everyone wants the class to be a success Discuss the objectives of the
coursemodule what the student can expect to learn as well as how you plan to
conduct the class (lectures discussions case studies etc) You should tell them
what they will be expected to do (attend participate make presentations etc)
and suggest study strategies resources that they can use To help them and you
know how well prepared they are for this modulecourse you might give a short
un-graded quiz or writing task on pre-requisite or background materials to the
coursemodule
Punctuality
Arrive at the classroom five minutes before start time Ending the classes on time
and not earlier should be practiced For part time evening students lateness is
15
often unavoidable be patient and helpful as latecomers try to catch up
If you must miss a class or arrange for a guest speaker to conduct your lesson
make arrangements well ahead of time and keep students and the CityU SCOPE
office informed The CityU SCOPE rule is that missed classes should be made
up within two weeks
In case of unforeseen absence (or unexpected late arrival) instructors should
inform the School staff concerned or CityU SCOPE Hotline as soon as possible
If the instructor fails to show up classes are automatically cancelled 60 minutes
after the start time
Conducting Your Class
Lectures should capture and hold students attention and to engage them
actively in thinking about the material At their best each student will feel the
instructor is talking directly to himher Reading lectures should be avoided since
the formality limits connection and contact with the learners Prepare your lecture
notes so that you can speak to the important points raised If you must read parts
keep them very short
(a) Beginnings
You need to begin by getting students attention by asking a question making
a provocative statement telling an engaging story mentioning some current
event etc Provide an overview of what you will be talking about and situate it
in relation to previous and future topicsclasses
(b) Maintaining Interest
Research has shown that most students attention will begin to drift after not
much more than 10 minutes of passive listening Thus you need to ensure
that everyone can see and hear you make the organization of the lecture
clear to the students (provide an outline) be enthusiastic use clear
understandable language (be careful of jargon) maintain eye contact vary
your delivery to keep attention (tone of voice pause movement) use
examples and visuals (pictures graphs etc) and keep track of time (dont
rush the ending)
(c) Encouraging Active Engagement
There are different ways to encourage students to be actively engaged in the
class You can break up your lectures (after 10 - 15 minutes) by asking
16
students to work on their own for a few minutes (solve a problem find an
example summarize the major ideas identify the strengths or weaknesses
write down any questions they have etc) and then to compare their work
with the students near them After a few minutes invite some of the students
to share their discussions with the rest of the class This strategy is called
think-pair-share These breaks in the lecture allow the students to work with
the course material and enable you to know how well the students are doing
If you dont have an answer be honest and promise to come back with the
answer next time
(d) Other Interactive Strategies
Besides think-pair-share there are many other ways to actively involve your
students in the class eg case studies role plays debates simulations
interviewing guest speakers student presentations field trips etc Each of
these requires some special preparation by the instructor and the students
They often take more time than lecturing but the learning is often much richer
and the experience more enjoyable
(e) Ending the Class
Dont rush your ending to get in the last few points or just stop in the middle
because you have run out of time Plan to end the session with a summary
(by you or the students) of what has been accomplished Try to tie up loose
ends End with a thought-provoking question preview things to come or
suggest ways to follow up on the material covered Dont go overtime
Learning Activities Outside of Class
Since a good deal of student learning will occur outside of class you need to
carefully plan so that students will spend that time most productively Students
are normally expected to spend at least twice as much time working on their
courses outside of class as they do in class These activities include reading
course materials and textbooks working on assignments preparing for classes
and tests You need to help your students to know what is expected of them
outside of class and how it complements what goes on in class
Designing Learning Activities
Start with the abilities or skills you want the student to develop (problem solving
critiquing texts designing experiments) and then design learning activities that
require the student to involve these abilities of skills (solve problems critique text
design experiments) These tasks could be the repetitionapplication of methods
17
demonstrated in class or tasks can be prelude to class by focusing their study
efforts The case method requires students to review the material and come to
class prepared to participate in a discussion
Assessment
ldquoWill this be on the examinationrdquo Assessment often seems to be the most important
concern of students Our assessment tasks assignments and exams are and
should be designed to measure the most important aspects of our courses - the key
learning outcomes we expect for our students This is the assessment of learning
Knowing what is important and how it will be assessed enables students to set
priorities in organizing and focusing their study efforts Another way to say this is
that assessment shapes learning so if you want to influence what students learn
and how they study adjust assessment Thus our teaching and our assessments
as well as all the other learning activities we design should be aligned with these
desired learning outcomes Preparing for a quiz has a different impact on your
students learning activities than writing a short paper The form of your final exam
will influence how your students study and what they recall
There is also assessment for learning In addition to knowing what is important and
how it will be assessed students also need information or feedback on how well
they are doing or not doing in achieving the goals of the course This additional
information can help them to make timely adjustments to their studies by identifying
those areas where they are doing well and those areas that need more work
Designing Assessment
Start with the learning objectives that are most important Using a variety of
testing formats will enable more students to do their best Develop questions
which assess more than just recall Ask your students to suggest possible items
Prepare clear instructions and try out the timing An exam that is too long for
even the best student to complete helps no one One rule of thumb is that it will
take students four times as long as you to complete the exam
Types of Assessment
There are many forms of quizzes tests and exams multiple-choice true-false
matching short answer essay and problem solving There are also oral exams
and performance tests Variations include open-book take-home and group
tests Each format has its strengths and weaknesses and is best suited to
measuring certain types of learning
In all cases you should be sure that the form of the assessment
18
matchesmeasures the learning outcomes you desire
Reducing Student Anxiety
Since assessments count students anxiety often interferes with their
performance It is essential that you clearly describe the methods of assessment
the format and the dates in the coursemodule syllabus and remind students in
class Other strategies which can help relieve unnecessary anxiety include give
more than one examination thus providing several opportunities for them to
show you what they know give students choices among alternative forms of
assessment avoid pop quizzes give students advice on how to study
encourage them to study in groups provide extra office hours and review
sessions give diagnostic test early in the term provide sampleoldpractice
exams include bonus questions
Returning Students Work
You are expected to mark your tutorial assignments and exam scripts and dont
miss deadlines for the return of students work Assessment supports learning
and your feedback is a key contribution Use class time to discuss the overall
results Collect feedback from the class on the assessment (what was
difficultunexpected how could youthey have improved their preparation)
Grading Assessment
Read the exams without looking at the students names Choose examples of
answers to serve as exemplars or standards Grade question by question rather
than all the questions for a single student Avoid judging on extraneous factors
like handwriting Pace yourself - read only a reasonable number of exams at one
time If possible read some papers twice to determine your own reliability
1
1 INTRODUCTION
Welcome to CityU SCOPE
The School of Continuing and Professional Education (SCOPE) is one of the
academic units in the City University of Hong Kong It was established as the
extension arm of the University in 1991 Currently more than 200 full time staff
members serve at CityU SCOPE and over 10000 students are enrolled with
different programmes offered by the School CityU SCOPE offers full range of
degree programmes leading to awards from non-local universities jointly with
overseas universities as well as selective day time programmes and part time
continuing education programmes To be quality assured many of our
non-local programmes are accredited by the Hong Kong Council for
Accreditation of Academic and Vocational Qualifications (HKCAAVQ) We hope
that you will enjoy working with the School and find the experience of teaching
students involved in lifelong learning most rewarding This guide aims to
provide you with useful information to enable you to deliver your teaching
efficiently and effectively
11 Our Vision
CityU SCOPE aspires to be a leading school in professional and life-long
education
12 Our Mission
To provide quality life-long education for professional practice retraining and
self-development which anticipates and responds to community needs as well
as social and technological changes
2
13 SCOPEs Learning Centres
Most teaching took place in SCOPErsquos Learning Centres as well as CityUrsquos main campuses and classrooms in Kowloon Tong area
Address Fax and Telephone numbers
Counter Service Hours Abbreviation
CityU Main Campus Tat Chee Avenue Kowloon Hong Kong
General Enquiry 3442 7654 24-hour Emergency Phone 3442 8888
CityU
SCOPE Main Office LGF Academic Exchange Building City University of Hong Kong Tat Chee Avenue Kowloon
Tel 3442 7423 Fax 3442 0399
Mon-Fri 9 am ndash 730 pm Sat 9 am ndash 230 pm Sun amp Public Holiday Closed
AEB
Tsim Sha Tsui East Learning Centre
UG2F amp UG3F ChinaChem Golden Plaza 77 Mody Road Tsim Sha Tsui Kowloon
Tel 3442 7426 3442 7427 Fax 3104 0514
TSTE
Admiralty Learning Centre
8F United Centre 95 Queensway Admiralty Hong Kong
Tel 3442 2111 Fax 2866 9320
UC
SCOPE email scopecityueduhk
Website of SCOPE wwwscopeedu
3
14 Employment Status and Appointment
In terms of employment status all part-time teaching staff are appointed by the
Director of SCOPE and are considered as part-time teaching staff of the University
Part-time teachers are usually employed on an annual basis starting from 1st
September to 31st August of the following year An assignment letter will follow
which stipulates the teaching responsibilities payment duties and period of that
assignment
For those who teach in non-local programmes (programmes leading to non-local
awards) and progression diploma programmes (programmes with articulation to
degrees) they will normally be issued with staff cards to enable them to access to
CityUrsquos library and computing services centre
15 Electronic Identity (EID) Account
All CityU SCOPE part-time staff will be assigned with a CityU EID account It will
enable you to access various online resources of the University such as payroll
record staff development and university communications during your period of
employment
It is important that you would maintain your updated personal data including the
contact details through our Administrative Information Management System (AIMS)
All AIMS functions are developed for self-service purpose and the School does not
have direct access to modify any data
16 Payment of Salary and Benefits
Your salary will normally be paid through the Universityrsquos Payroll via bank auto-pay
Instructors are required to sign-in at CityU SCOPE front office of individual learning
centre at least 10 minutes before the class started to maintain a proper record of
attendance Unless you are an exempt person stipulated by the Mandatory
Provident Fund Schemes Ordinance (ldquothe Ordinancerdquo) you will be enrolled in the
Universityrsquos Mandatory Provident Fund Scheme (ldquothe MPF Schemerdquo) All payroll
records including annual tax return can be accessible from our university portal
AIMS
17 Facilities and Services
There are a number of resources available for part-time staff
i Teacherrsquos Common Room
A teacherrsquos common room is located on the UG3 of our TST East
Centre Please ask our counter staff for card access to the room
4
ii Wi-Fi Network
Wireless local area network is available at CityU SCOPE Main Office
TST East Learning Centre and Admiralty Learning Centre
iii CityU on-line services
Access to University Portal and CANVAS
Email Service with 50GB Quota
iv CityU Computing Services (CSC)
Access to Staff LAN
1600 Pages Print Quota per academic year
Help Desk Support
Computing Services Centre Website httpwwwcityueduhkcsc Service Counter 3442 8340 Help Desk 3442 7658
v CityU Library Services
Access to Library e-Resources and the Library Catalogue
User Education Services (selected)
Materials Loan Service
Loan Quota 10 items
Loan Period 30 days
Book Reservation Quota 2 items
Quota can be used to borrow circulation books or other library materials
with details as follows
Media resources 1 item (in-house)
Semi-closed Closed Access 3 items (5 hours ndash 1 day or overnight)
Equipment
Octopus-card-operated copying service
AV Equipment (in-house)
Public Terminal Special Terminal (with Student LAN)
Self Check Units
Access to Information Space
Run Run Shaw Library Website httpwwwcityueduhklib Information Counter 3442 6882
vi Car Parking
CityU covered car park is opened to visitors for hourly-parking after
office hours on weekdays and full service hours over weekends and
general holidays
vii Discount Privileges
Enjoy discounts at CityU Campus Bookshop
5
viii Dining Services
Access to CityU restaurants and Student Canteen during non-peak
hours
Available to holders of CityU SCOPE part- time staff cards only
18 School Holidays
Each teacher will be provided with a timetable prior to the commencement of the
class
The School observes public holidays announced by the Hong Kong SAR
Government Unless under special arrangements there will be no class on public
holidays
There will normally be no classes on the following evenings
Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival
Winter Solstice
Christmas Eve
New Year Eve
Chinese New Year Eve
Any other special holidays will be announced via circular or notices
19 Typhoons and Rainstorm Warnings
The weather in Hong Kong is unpredictable during typhoon and rainstorm seasons
The School observes the University guidelines on adverse weather arrangements
According to the current guidelines no class will be held upon announcement of
storm warning signal No8 or above After the typhoon passes if the No8 signal is
lowered (before 7 am in the case of morning classes before 12 noon in the case of
afternoon classes and before 4 pm in the case of evening classes) classes will
meet as usual otherwise classes will be postponed For a black rainstorm warning
the same arrangements apply Make-up classes will be arranged for affected
students
For updated information please refer to Adverse Weather Arrangements at
httpwwwcityueduhkcdfoawa
6
110 Communication
There is a number of programme staff looking after the logistics of each programme
Part-time teachers who have queries about course arrangements general
administrative procedures and regulations and request for printing course materials
may contact the programme supporting staff concerned They will serve as your
first point of contact please refer to the assignment letter for details
CityU SCOPE Office hours Monday to Friday 9 am ndash 7 pm Saturday 9 am - 12 noon Sunday amp Public Holidays Closed
111 Staff Development
Part-time teaching staff of CityU SCOPE is entitled to participate in many of the staff
development workshops organized in the CityU They are also invited to attend
curriculum development activities teachersrsquo induction and teachersrsquo meetings
The following online resources in CityU websites are useful references for teaching and learning
Principles Policies amp Practices for Quality Education
httpwwwcityueduhkqacpppepppehtm
University Assessment Policy and Principles for Taught Programmes
httpwwwcityueduhkqacassessment_policyAssessment_Policy_revised_20Jun
e_2014_WD_definitions_updatedpdf
Rules and information on academic honesty
httpwwwcityueduhkprovostacademic_honestyrules_on_academic_honestyhtm
Office of the Education Development and Gateway Education httpwwwcityueduhkedge
Teaching strategies tips and techniques httpwwwcityueduhkedgeresources
Training workshops on teaching and learning
httpwwwcityueduhkedgeworkshop
Outcome Based Teaching amp Learning (OBTL)
httpwwwcityueduhkedgeobtlobtl_teacherhtm
httpwwwcityueduhkedgeobtlobtl_studenthtm
7
2 QUALITY ASSURANCE
The School places quality as its first priority Upon accepting a teaching position
with CityU SCOPE the teachers are expected to work closely with students
Achieving this begins with preparing for courses and the activities in the classroom
But the contribution as a member of the CityU SCOPE teaching staff goes beyond
successful in-class delivery Designing courses and classes is only a part of the
larger picture of designing programmes and maintaining the learning environment
that allows students to achieve their goals Providing high quality education requires
a collective and collaborative effort
The roles and responsibilities of CityU SCOPE instructors in the QA process include
understanding and implementing the arrangements established for the programmes
we are associated with and taking part in the discussions that lead to improvement
in these coursesprogrammes
21 Implementation of Programmes
Every programme leader or programme committee sets up programme under the
QA Framework of CityU SCOPE When programmes are approved the plan for
instruction and assessment is approved These plans take account of CityU
SCOPEs experience and good practice in teaching and learning in a continuing
education context
Instructors should know what arrangements have been made for teaching and
assessing their modulecourse These arrangements depend on the type of
programme you are teaching CityU SCOPE programmes fall into three broad
categories
programmes leading to non-local awards
programmes leading to Continuing Education (CE) Awards
short courses of general or professional interest
The syllabus regulations and assessment of all modulescourses are documented
when the programme is approved Talk to your programme leader and follow the
structure set out CE award programmes operate under their own regulations and
Programme Document You need to be particularly careful to meet the requirements
For instance you may be required to lead students site visits Programmes offered
in partnership with non-local universities through CityU SCOPE have quality
assurance arrangements determined by the partner university including
well-organized arrangements for student assessment You will save yourself and
8
your students from confusion and trouble by understanding what is required from
the beginning Moderation will be carried out on assessments by internal andor
external academic advisors or moderators to assure consistency of standards and
benchmark to equivalent level locally or internationally The moderation exercise
normally takes place in a very tight schedule and we rely on every instructor to
observe the deadlines during the process
22 Maintaining and Improving Quality
Improving the quality of our work requires three main things -- getting the feedback
from students taking opportunities to obtain information from colleagues and
self-reflection
221 Student Feedback
Individual instructors are the key link with students CityU SCOPE is very
concerned to ensure that studentsrsquo learning goals are achieved and students
concerns are known and taken into account Students are also the main source
of information for instructors to assess the success of their own work Seeking
feedback from students is essential for continuous improvement All
programmes and courses have measures in place to collect studentsrsquo feedback
on teaching courses administration and facilities Student feedback comes in a
number of ways
(a) Teaching and Learning Questionnaire (TLQ) 1
(b) Staff-Student Liaison Committee Meetings (SSLC)
(c) Students Focus Group
It is sometimes necessary to handle student complaints If you become aware of
a complaint or you have a dispute with a student that you cannot resolve your
own interests are best served by asking the student to use the formal mechanism
that is available The student should be requested to approach the CityU SCOPE
Communications Officer The Communications Officer has clear procedures to
follow that respect all parties
222 Feedback from Colleagues
Sharing information and getting feedback from your colleagues is another
important resources that you should make use of to improve your performance
1 For details please refer TLQ Policy and Operating Guidelines Policy httpswwwscopeeduPortals0SCOPE_TLQ20Policy_210916pdf
Operating Guidelines httpswwwscopeeduPortals0SCOPE_TLQ20Operating20Guidelines_271016pdf
9
(a) Attend Meetings Programmes are organized by programme committees
CE Award programmes and non-local programmes have quite formal
committees that meet regularly and have the advantage of external advisers
All programmes benefit from on-going discussion among the staff and
student involved It is part of the duty of a module examiner to provide
feedbacks for continuous improvement Part-time teachers are invited to
attend school meetings appropriate to their contribution to the schoolrsquos
teaching activities The meetings provide a good opportunity to share
information about the students the colleagues teaching the same
programme the aims of the programme and sometimes about obstacles
faced and overcome Teachers are also welcome to provide their feedback
during meetings or through instructorrsquos feedback forms
(b) Class Observation The observation is usually conducted by the
Programme Leader or an experienced colleague with the same subject
expertise The purpose of the observation is developmental in nature to
provide feedback for instructors to improve their teaching skill Advance
planning will be organized before the observation with instructors and
feedback session with report will take place soon after the observation New
instructors and new modulescourses will have the priority for observation
223 Self-reflection
Self-reflection is a good way to improve your teaching After each class make
notes to yourself about what went well and what you need to improve These
notes can be the basis of revisions to the next class or the next modulecourse
An audiotape or a videotape of a class can provide information about how one
sounds the organization pacing tone of voice annoying mannerisms etc You
can always discuss teaching with colleagues or read books and articles about
teaching Another more objective way of self-reflection is to compare your own
notes with the feedback provided by student feedback questionnaire and the
report of class observation To improve teaching and learning you may also
develop your own teaching or course portfolios
The key purpose for all these activities that have been prescribed is to ensure
quality continuing education has been delivered
23 Code of Behaviour
231 Professionalism
All course materials should be cleared of intellectual property Always handle
10
examinations examination scripts grade and return of final marks with care and
on time
232 Conflict of Interest
To protect the Universitys interest you are required to report any situation where
your personal interest conflicts with the University and to take appropriate action
to avoid any possible conflict and embarrassment
233 Disclosure of Information
Except in the normal performance of your duties with the University you should
not at any time during or after the termination of your employment without the
prior consent of the University disclose any information relating to the University
which may have come to your knowledge in the course of your employment
234 Intellectual Property
It is the Universitys policy and a term of employment of the Universitys staff that
unless agreed expressly by the University in writing the ownership of all
intellectual property rights in all relevant works created by University staff in the
course of employment with the University shall automatically vest in the
University notwithstanding any rule of law or equality to the contrary
235 Security
Instructors are required to take good care of University property (office furniture
equipment documents) Any damage and loss of property due to carelessness
or general lack of responsibility will be chargeable to you
Your valuable personal property including money jewellery ATM cards and
mobile phones must not be left unattended in areas such as the library canteen
classrooms or anywhere in the campus
236 Sale of Materials and Commercial Promotion
Any sale of books tapes or teaching materials should be arranged through the
School Under no circumstances should instructors collect money from
participants without prior approval from the School Instructors are not permitted
to distribute any commercial promotion leaflets and materials to the participants
without prior approval from the School
11
Appendix Tips on teaching and learning
Successful teaching is based on a partnership between instructor and students The
foundation of this partnership is a clear statement of obligations For the instructor
this means providing a plan at the beginning of the course of the material to be
covered and the activities that will be organised for students The more details you
can give the easier it is for students to manage
Most important is an assessment plan Students need to know right from the start
how you intend to assess their progress What will be the contribution of
assignments and examinations Will you have mid-term test Will there be
presentations and if so how will they be graded When is work due and just as
important when will you return the work with comments and grades Nothing
creates more unnecessary argument and confusion than unclear guidelines about
the assessment of the course
Your major role and responsibility as an instructor is to work with your students and
colleagues to create a productive learning environment Creating an effective
environment for student learning requires that the desired learning outcomes be
clear the teaching and learning opportunities be aligned with these outcomes and
the assessment tasks allow students to demonstrate their achievement of those
learning outcomes In preparing to teach you must decide the curriculum (what you
will teach or rather what you expect the students to learn) the teaching and
learning activities (how you will help the students learn) and the assessment plan
(how you will know if students are learning)
Programme Planning
General Strategies
Be careful not to overload the course with too much material -- keep it
manageable If the course has been given before talk with the staff who have
taught it and review their materials If the course has never been offered review
other available materials textbooks etc Review the constraints (number of
students number of hours other courses they have taken etc) as well as how
your course relates to other courses in the programme
Establish Goals
What should your students know produce or be able to do at the end of your
course What are the intended learning outcomes of the course General terms
12
such as know or understand are not as helpful as more specific ones -- define
identify apply evaluate solve problems and so on Do you also have some
non-content goals eg presentation skills team work etc The clearer you
are about the learning outcomes you desire the easier it will be to plan your
teaching and assessment strategies
Review the Content
Research shows that too much content works against students learning the
material deeply Decide what is basic and essential and must be mastered by
everyone what is only recommended and what is optional What are the core
concepts the classic issues andor the basic conceptual framework in the area
Structure the Course Module
Create a logical arrangement for the material There are different options how
concepts are organized in the field how students will use the information how
students learn from concrete to abstract from theory to practice by increasing
levels of complexity etc
Create a Calendar
List all the class meeting times Note any holidays Fill in tentative topics Plan
schedule for assessment tasks reviews giving and collecting feedback extra
time for difficult topics etc Identify dates you plan to have guest speakers to go
on field trips to need special audio-visual materials etc Make any special
arrangements well in advance (eg ordering a video booking equipment
scheduling visitors) If you wish to make special arrangements for teaching
facilities or need additional audio-visual teaching equipment make a request to
the School at least four working days in advance
Course Materials
Make sure that the material and readings needed for studentsrsquo learning are
available Instructors may request the School to help with the upload of materials
onto CANVAS or the printing of handouts For printing request it has to be
made at least seven working days in advance by using a Printing Request Form
The completed form should be attached to the originals of notes and sent to
CityU SCOPE office at CityU Notes on A4 size white paper and written or
printed in black are preferred for best quality reproduction Remember that
photocopying from books or other material protected by copyright is not
permitted
13
CourseModule Policies
Please familiarize yourself with the policies and regulations related to the study
programme For example regulations about attendance requirement class
participation late works extra-credit assignments academic dishonesty
(plagiarism) grading appeal of assessment results etc Student Handbook is
one of the sources which can provide key information and rules about the
programme
CourseModule Outline or Syllabus
All of this information (including assessment tasks dates etc) needs to be
prepared and given to the students in the first class You may upload them onto
CANVAS or have them printed It forms the basis of your teaching and learning
contract with them laying out your expectations of them and what they expect
out of the coursemodule You may wish to put all this information in your course
outline
Teaching
In planning your teaching there are two areas that need attention The first area to
consider is what you and the students will be doing during your time together in
class the second is what you expect your students to do outside of class
Visit the Classroom Before Your First Class
Is the AV equipment (projector computer visualizer microphone etc) you
require available
Do you know how it works
Is the furniture suitable for the learning activities you have planned
Do you know how to control the lights air condition etc
Have you been given the white-board pens and eraser If so please keep
custody of them and bring them to class as necessary
The First Class
This meeting will set the tone for the rest of the course As with any first meeting
of strangers there are the normal concerns -- who are these people what do
they expect will I be able to perform up to expectations By the end of the first
class the students should know where they are going and how they will get there
know at least some of the other students know that you care about them and
their learning and that the time you spend together will be valuable and
enjoyable
14
Administrative Tasks
Make sure everyone is in the right room Take attendance Discuss the course
outline and explain important policies and procedures deadlines coursemodule
materials safety precautions (eg labs) and emergency procedures (eg
typhoons) Eating drinking and smoking are not allowed and mobile phones
should be turned off
Keep track of students attendance and progress Attendance Registers are
obtainable from the CityU SCOPE office Participants whose names are not
listed on the registers should not be allowed to attend class unless notified
otherwise by CityU SCOPE
Instructors should verify the attendance by signing on the registers following the
last lesson of the coursemodule and return it to the School within one week
following completion of the coursemodule
Create a Positive Learning Environment
Be in the room well before the class starts and welcome the students as they
arrive Introduce yourself to the class telling them something about your
background and your connection to the area and the course Find out something
about the students If the class is small have them introduce themselves In a
large class they could fill out a card with relevant background information about
who they are and why they are taking the course then share some of that
information in groups of 3 or 4 Begin to learn the students names
Set Expectations
Everyone wants the class to be a success Discuss the objectives of the
coursemodule what the student can expect to learn as well as how you plan to
conduct the class (lectures discussions case studies etc) You should tell them
what they will be expected to do (attend participate make presentations etc)
and suggest study strategies resources that they can use To help them and you
know how well prepared they are for this modulecourse you might give a short
un-graded quiz or writing task on pre-requisite or background materials to the
coursemodule
Punctuality
Arrive at the classroom five minutes before start time Ending the classes on time
and not earlier should be practiced For part time evening students lateness is
15
often unavoidable be patient and helpful as latecomers try to catch up
If you must miss a class or arrange for a guest speaker to conduct your lesson
make arrangements well ahead of time and keep students and the CityU SCOPE
office informed The CityU SCOPE rule is that missed classes should be made
up within two weeks
In case of unforeseen absence (or unexpected late arrival) instructors should
inform the School staff concerned or CityU SCOPE Hotline as soon as possible
If the instructor fails to show up classes are automatically cancelled 60 minutes
after the start time
Conducting Your Class
Lectures should capture and hold students attention and to engage them
actively in thinking about the material At their best each student will feel the
instructor is talking directly to himher Reading lectures should be avoided since
the formality limits connection and contact with the learners Prepare your lecture
notes so that you can speak to the important points raised If you must read parts
keep them very short
(a) Beginnings
You need to begin by getting students attention by asking a question making
a provocative statement telling an engaging story mentioning some current
event etc Provide an overview of what you will be talking about and situate it
in relation to previous and future topicsclasses
(b) Maintaining Interest
Research has shown that most students attention will begin to drift after not
much more than 10 minutes of passive listening Thus you need to ensure
that everyone can see and hear you make the organization of the lecture
clear to the students (provide an outline) be enthusiastic use clear
understandable language (be careful of jargon) maintain eye contact vary
your delivery to keep attention (tone of voice pause movement) use
examples and visuals (pictures graphs etc) and keep track of time (dont
rush the ending)
(c) Encouraging Active Engagement
There are different ways to encourage students to be actively engaged in the
class You can break up your lectures (after 10 - 15 minutes) by asking
16
students to work on their own for a few minutes (solve a problem find an
example summarize the major ideas identify the strengths or weaknesses
write down any questions they have etc) and then to compare their work
with the students near them After a few minutes invite some of the students
to share their discussions with the rest of the class This strategy is called
think-pair-share These breaks in the lecture allow the students to work with
the course material and enable you to know how well the students are doing
If you dont have an answer be honest and promise to come back with the
answer next time
(d) Other Interactive Strategies
Besides think-pair-share there are many other ways to actively involve your
students in the class eg case studies role plays debates simulations
interviewing guest speakers student presentations field trips etc Each of
these requires some special preparation by the instructor and the students
They often take more time than lecturing but the learning is often much richer
and the experience more enjoyable
(e) Ending the Class
Dont rush your ending to get in the last few points or just stop in the middle
because you have run out of time Plan to end the session with a summary
(by you or the students) of what has been accomplished Try to tie up loose
ends End with a thought-provoking question preview things to come or
suggest ways to follow up on the material covered Dont go overtime
Learning Activities Outside of Class
Since a good deal of student learning will occur outside of class you need to
carefully plan so that students will spend that time most productively Students
are normally expected to spend at least twice as much time working on their
courses outside of class as they do in class These activities include reading
course materials and textbooks working on assignments preparing for classes
and tests You need to help your students to know what is expected of them
outside of class and how it complements what goes on in class
Designing Learning Activities
Start with the abilities or skills you want the student to develop (problem solving
critiquing texts designing experiments) and then design learning activities that
require the student to involve these abilities of skills (solve problems critique text
design experiments) These tasks could be the repetitionapplication of methods
17
demonstrated in class or tasks can be prelude to class by focusing their study
efforts The case method requires students to review the material and come to
class prepared to participate in a discussion
Assessment
ldquoWill this be on the examinationrdquo Assessment often seems to be the most important
concern of students Our assessment tasks assignments and exams are and
should be designed to measure the most important aspects of our courses - the key
learning outcomes we expect for our students This is the assessment of learning
Knowing what is important and how it will be assessed enables students to set
priorities in organizing and focusing their study efforts Another way to say this is
that assessment shapes learning so if you want to influence what students learn
and how they study adjust assessment Thus our teaching and our assessments
as well as all the other learning activities we design should be aligned with these
desired learning outcomes Preparing for a quiz has a different impact on your
students learning activities than writing a short paper The form of your final exam
will influence how your students study and what they recall
There is also assessment for learning In addition to knowing what is important and
how it will be assessed students also need information or feedback on how well
they are doing or not doing in achieving the goals of the course This additional
information can help them to make timely adjustments to their studies by identifying
those areas where they are doing well and those areas that need more work
Designing Assessment
Start with the learning objectives that are most important Using a variety of
testing formats will enable more students to do their best Develop questions
which assess more than just recall Ask your students to suggest possible items
Prepare clear instructions and try out the timing An exam that is too long for
even the best student to complete helps no one One rule of thumb is that it will
take students four times as long as you to complete the exam
Types of Assessment
There are many forms of quizzes tests and exams multiple-choice true-false
matching short answer essay and problem solving There are also oral exams
and performance tests Variations include open-book take-home and group
tests Each format has its strengths and weaknesses and is best suited to
measuring certain types of learning
In all cases you should be sure that the form of the assessment
18
matchesmeasures the learning outcomes you desire
Reducing Student Anxiety
Since assessments count students anxiety often interferes with their
performance It is essential that you clearly describe the methods of assessment
the format and the dates in the coursemodule syllabus and remind students in
class Other strategies which can help relieve unnecessary anxiety include give
more than one examination thus providing several opportunities for them to
show you what they know give students choices among alternative forms of
assessment avoid pop quizzes give students advice on how to study
encourage them to study in groups provide extra office hours and review
sessions give diagnostic test early in the term provide sampleoldpractice
exams include bonus questions
Returning Students Work
You are expected to mark your tutorial assignments and exam scripts and dont
miss deadlines for the return of students work Assessment supports learning
and your feedback is a key contribution Use class time to discuss the overall
results Collect feedback from the class on the assessment (what was
difficultunexpected how could youthey have improved their preparation)
Grading Assessment
Read the exams without looking at the students names Choose examples of
answers to serve as exemplars or standards Grade question by question rather
than all the questions for a single student Avoid judging on extraneous factors
like handwriting Pace yourself - read only a reasonable number of exams at one
time If possible read some papers twice to determine your own reliability
2
13 SCOPEs Learning Centres
Most teaching took place in SCOPErsquos Learning Centres as well as CityUrsquos main campuses and classrooms in Kowloon Tong area
Address Fax and Telephone numbers
Counter Service Hours Abbreviation
CityU Main Campus Tat Chee Avenue Kowloon Hong Kong
General Enquiry 3442 7654 24-hour Emergency Phone 3442 8888
CityU
SCOPE Main Office LGF Academic Exchange Building City University of Hong Kong Tat Chee Avenue Kowloon
Tel 3442 7423 Fax 3442 0399
Mon-Fri 9 am ndash 730 pm Sat 9 am ndash 230 pm Sun amp Public Holiday Closed
AEB
Tsim Sha Tsui East Learning Centre
UG2F amp UG3F ChinaChem Golden Plaza 77 Mody Road Tsim Sha Tsui Kowloon
Tel 3442 7426 3442 7427 Fax 3104 0514
TSTE
Admiralty Learning Centre
8F United Centre 95 Queensway Admiralty Hong Kong
Tel 3442 2111 Fax 2866 9320
UC
SCOPE email scopecityueduhk
Website of SCOPE wwwscopeedu
3
14 Employment Status and Appointment
In terms of employment status all part-time teaching staff are appointed by the
Director of SCOPE and are considered as part-time teaching staff of the University
Part-time teachers are usually employed on an annual basis starting from 1st
September to 31st August of the following year An assignment letter will follow
which stipulates the teaching responsibilities payment duties and period of that
assignment
For those who teach in non-local programmes (programmes leading to non-local
awards) and progression diploma programmes (programmes with articulation to
degrees) they will normally be issued with staff cards to enable them to access to
CityUrsquos library and computing services centre
15 Electronic Identity (EID) Account
All CityU SCOPE part-time staff will be assigned with a CityU EID account It will
enable you to access various online resources of the University such as payroll
record staff development and university communications during your period of
employment
It is important that you would maintain your updated personal data including the
contact details through our Administrative Information Management System (AIMS)
All AIMS functions are developed for self-service purpose and the School does not
have direct access to modify any data
16 Payment of Salary and Benefits
Your salary will normally be paid through the Universityrsquos Payroll via bank auto-pay
Instructors are required to sign-in at CityU SCOPE front office of individual learning
centre at least 10 minutes before the class started to maintain a proper record of
attendance Unless you are an exempt person stipulated by the Mandatory
Provident Fund Schemes Ordinance (ldquothe Ordinancerdquo) you will be enrolled in the
Universityrsquos Mandatory Provident Fund Scheme (ldquothe MPF Schemerdquo) All payroll
records including annual tax return can be accessible from our university portal
AIMS
17 Facilities and Services
There are a number of resources available for part-time staff
i Teacherrsquos Common Room
A teacherrsquos common room is located on the UG3 of our TST East
Centre Please ask our counter staff for card access to the room
4
ii Wi-Fi Network
Wireless local area network is available at CityU SCOPE Main Office
TST East Learning Centre and Admiralty Learning Centre
iii CityU on-line services
Access to University Portal and CANVAS
Email Service with 50GB Quota
iv CityU Computing Services (CSC)
Access to Staff LAN
1600 Pages Print Quota per academic year
Help Desk Support
Computing Services Centre Website httpwwwcityueduhkcsc Service Counter 3442 8340 Help Desk 3442 7658
v CityU Library Services
Access to Library e-Resources and the Library Catalogue
User Education Services (selected)
Materials Loan Service
Loan Quota 10 items
Loan Period 30 days
Book Reservation Quota 2 items
Quota can be used to borrow circulation books or other library materials
with details as follows
Media resources 1 item (in-house)
Semi-closed Closed Access 3 items (5 hours ndash 1 day or overnight)
Equipment
Octopus-card-operated copying service
AV Equipment (in-house)
Public Terminal Special Terminal (with Student LAN)
Self Check Units
Access to Information Space
Run Run Shaw Library Website httpwwwcityueduhklib Information Counter 3442 6882
vi Car Parking
CityU covered car park is opened to visitors for hourly-parking after
office hours on weekdays and full service hours over weekends and
general holidays
vii Discount Privileges
Enjoy discounts at CityU Campus Bookshop
5
viii Dining Services
Access to CityU restaurants and Student Canteen during non-peak
hours
Available to holders of CityU SCOPE part- time staff cards only
18 School Holidays
Each teacher will be provided with a timetable prior to the commencement of the
class
The School observes public holidays announced by the Hong Kong SAR
Government Unless under special arrangements there will be no class on public
holidays
There will normally be no classes on the following evenings
Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival
Winter Solstice
Christmas Eve
New Year Eve
Chinese New Year Eve
Any other special holidays will be announced via circular or notices
19 Typhoons and Rainstorm Warnings
The weather in Hong Kong is unpredictable during typhoon and rainstorm seasons
The School observes the University guidelines on adverse weather arrangements
According to the current guidelines no class will be held upon announcement of
storm warning signal No8 or above After the typhoon passes if the No8 signal is
lowered (before 7 am in the case of morning classes before 12 noon in the case of
afternoon classes and before 4 pm in the case of evening classes) classes will
meet as usual otherwise classes will be postponed For a black rainstorm warning
the same arrangements apply Make-up classes will be arranged for affected
students
For updated information please refer to Adverse Weather Arrangements at
httpwwwcityueduhkcdfoawa
6
110 Communication
There is a number of programme staff looking after the logistics of each programme
Part-time teachers who have queries about course arrangements general
administrative procedures and regulations and request for printing course materials
may contact the programme supporting staff concerned They will serve as your
first point of contact please refer to the assignment letter for details
CityU SCOPE Office hours Monday to Friday 9 am ndash 7 pm Saturday 9 am - 12 noon Sunday amp Public Holidays Closed
111 Staff Development
Part-time teaching staff of CityU SCOPE is entitled to participate in many of the staff
development workshops organized in the CityU They are also invited to attend
curriculum development activities teachersrsquo induction and teachersrsquo meetings
The following online resources in CityU websites are useful references for teaching and learning
Principles Policies amp Practices for Quality Education
httpwwwcityueduhkqacpppepppehtm
University Assessment Policy and Principles for Taught Programmes
httpwwwcityueduhkqacassessment_policyAssessment_Policy_revised_20Jun
e_2014_WD_definitions_updatedpdf
Rules and information on academic honesty
httpwwwcityueduhkprovostacademic_honestyrules_on_academic_honestyhtm
Office of the Education Development and Gateway Education httpwwwcityueduhkedge
Teaching strategies tips and techniques httpwwwcityueduhkedgeresources
Training workshops on teaching and learning
httpwwwcityueduhkedgeworkshop
Outcome Based Teaching amp Learning (OBTL)
httpwwwcityueduhkedgeobtlobtl_teacherhtm
httpwwwcityueduhkedgeobtlobtl_studenthtm
7
2 QUALITY ASSURANCE
The School places quality as its first priority Upon accepting a teaching position
with CityU SCOPE the teachers are expected to work closely with students
Achieving this begins with preparing for courses and the activities in the classroom
But the contribution as a member of the CityU SCOPE teaching staff goes beyond
successful in-class delivery Designing courses and classes is only a part of the
larger picture of designing programmes and maintaining the learning environment
that allows students to achieve their goals Providing high quality education requires
a collective and collaborative effort
The roles and responsibilities of CityU SCOPE instructors in the QA process include
understanding and implementing the arrangements established for the programmes
we are associated with and taking part in the discussions that lead to improvement
in these coursesprogrammes
21 Implementation of Programmes
Every programme leader or programme committee sets up programme under the
QA Framework of CityU SCOPE When programmes are approved the plan for
instruction and assessment is approved These plans take account of CityU
SCOPEs experience and good practice in teaching and learning in a continuing
education context
Instructors should know what arrangements have been made for teaching and
assessing their modulecourse These arrangements depend on the type of
programme you are teaching CityU SCOPE programmes fall into three broad
categories
programmes leading to non-local awards
programmes leading to Continuing Education (CE) Awards
short courses of general or professional interest
The syllabus regulations and assessment of all modulescourses are documented
when the programme is approved Talk to your programme leader and follow the
structure set out CE award programmes operate under their own regulations and
Programme Document You need to be particularly careful to meet the requirements
For instance you may be required to lead students site visits Programmes offered
in partnership with non-local universities through CityU SCOPE have quality
assurance arrangements determined by the partner university including
well-organized arrangements for student assessment You will save yourself and
8
your students from confusion and trouble by understanding what is required from
the beginning Moderation will be carried out on assessments by internal andor
external academic advisors or moderators to assure consistency of standards and
benchmark to equivalent level locally or internationally The moderation exercise
normally takes place in a very tight schedule and we rely on every instructor to
observe the deadlines during the process
22 Maintaining and Improving Quality
Improving the quality of our work requires three main things -- getting the feedback
from students taking opportunities to obtain information from colleagues and
self-reflection
221 Student Feedback
Individual instructors are the key link with students CityU SCOPE is very
concerned to ensure that studentsrsquo learning goals are achieved and students
concerns are known and taken into account Students are also the main source
of information for instructors to assess the success of their own work Seeking
feedback from students is essential for continuous improvement All
programmes and courses have measures in place to collect studentsrsquo feedback
on teaching courses administration and facilities Student feedback comes in a
number of ways
(a) Teaching and Learning Questionnaire (TLQ) 1
(b) Staff-Student Liaison Committee Meetings (SSLC)
(c) Students Focus Group
It is sometimes necessary to handle student complaints If you become aware of
a complaint or you have a dispute with a student that you cannot resolve your
own interests are best served by asking the student to use the formal mechanism
that is available The student should be requested to approach the CityU SCOPE
Communications Officer The Communications Officer has clear procedures to
follow that respect all parties
222 Feedback from Colleagues
Sharing information and getting feedback from your colleagues is another
important resources that you should make use of to improve your performance
1 For details please refer TLQ Policy and Operating Guidelines Policy httpswwwscopeeduPortals0SCOPE_TLQ20Policy_210916pdf
Operating Guidelines httpswwwscopeeduPortals0SCOPE_TLQ20Operating20Guidelines_271016pdf
9
(a) Attend Meetings Programmes are organized by programme committees
CE Award programmes and non-local programmes have quite formal
committees that meet regularly and have the advantage of external advisers
All programmes benefit from on-going discussion among the staff and
student involved It is part of the duty of a module examiner to provide
feedbacks for continuous improvement Part-time teachers are invited to
attend school meetings appropriate to their contribution to the schoolrsquos
teaching activities The meetings provide a good opportunity to share
information about the students the colleagues teaching the same
programme the aims of the programme and sometimes about obstacles
faced and overcome Teachers are also welcome to provide their feedback
during meetings or through instructorrsquos feedback forms
(b) Class Observation The observation is usually conducted by the
Programme Leader or an experienced colleague with the same subject
expertise The purpose of the observation is developmental in nature to
provide feedback for instructors to improve their teaching skill Advance
planning will be organized before the observation with instructors and
feedback session with report will take place soon after the observation New
instructors and new modulescourses will have the priority for observation
223 Self-reflection
Self-reflection is a good way to improve your teaching After each class make
notes to yourself about what went well and what you need to improve These
notes can be the basis of revisions to the next class or the next modulecourse
An audiotape or a videotape of a class can provide information about how one
sounds the organization pacing tone of voice annoying mannerisms etc You
can always discuss teaching with colleagues or read books and articles about
teaching Another more objective way of self-reflection is to compare your own
notes with the feedback provided by student feedback questionnaire and the
report of class observation To improve teaching and learning you may also
develop your own teaching or course portfolios
The key purpose for all these activities that have been prescribed is to ensure
quality continuing education has been delivered
23 Code of Behaviour
231 Professionalism
All course materials should be cleared of intellectual property Always handle
10
examinations examination scripts grade and return of final marks with care and
on time
232 Conflict of Interest
To protect the Universitys interest you are required to report any situation where
your personal interest conflicts with the University and to take appropriate action
to avoid any possible conflict and embarrassment
233 Disclosure of Information
Except in the normal performance of your duties with the University you should
not at any time during or after the termination of your employment without the
prior consent of the University disclose any information relating to the University
which may have come to your knowledge in the course of your employment
234 Intellectual Property
It is the Universitys policy and a term of employment of the Universitys staff that
unless agreed expressly by the University in writing the ownership of all
intellectual property rights in all relevant works created by University staff in the
course of employment with the University shall automatically vest in the
University notwithstanding any rule of law or equality to the contrary
235 Security
Instructors are required to take good care of University property (office furniture
equipment documents) Any damage and loss of property due to carelessness
or general lack of responsibility will be chargeable to you
Your valuable personal property including money jewellery ATM cards and
mobile phones must not be left unattended in areas such as the library canteen
classrooms or anywhere in the campus
236 Sale of Materials and Commercial Promotion
Any sale of books tapes or teaching materials should be arranged through the
School Under no circumstances should instructors collect money from
participants without prior approval from the School Instructors are not permitted
to distribute any commercial promotion leaflets and materials to the participants
without prior approval from the School
11
Appendix Tips on teaching and learning
Successful teaching is based on a partnership between instructor and students The
foundation of this partnership is a clear statement of obligations For the instructor
this means providing a plan at the beginning of the course of the material to be
covered and the activities that will be organised for students The more details you
can give the easier it is for students to manage
Most important is an assessment plan Students need to know right from the start
how you intend to assess their progress What will be the contribution of
assignments and examinations Will you have mid-term test Will there be
presentations and if so how will they be graded When is work due and just as
important when will you return the work with comments and grades Nothing
creates more unnecessary argument and confusion than unclear guidelines about
the assessment of the course
Your major role and responsibility as an instructor is to work with your students and
colleagues to create a productive learning environment Creating an effective
environment for student learning requires that the desired learning outcomes be
clear the teaching and learning opportunities be aligned with these outcomes and
the assessment tasks allow students to demonstrate their achievement of those
learning outcomes In preparing to teach you must decide the curriculum (what you
will teach or rather what you expect the students to learn) the teaching and
learning activities (how you will help the students learn) and the assessment plan
(how you will know if students are learning)
Programme Planning
General Strategies
Be careful not to overload the course with too much material -- keep it
manageable If the course has been given before talk with the staff who have
taught it and review their materials If the course has never been offered review
other available materials textbooks etc Review the constraints (number of
students number of hours other courses they have taken etc) as well as how
your course relates to other courses in the programme
Establish Goals
What should your students know produce or be able to do at the end of your
course What are the intended learning outcomes of the course General terms
12
such as know or understand are not as helpful as more specific ones -- define
identify apply evaluate solve problems and so on Do you also have some
non-content goals eg presentation skills team work etc The clearer you
are about the learning outcomes you desire the easier it will be to plan your
teaching and assessment strategies
Review the Content
Research shows that too much content works against students learning the
material deeply Decide what is basic and essential and must be mastered by
everyone what is only recommended and what is optional What are the core
concepts the classic issues andor the basic conceptual framework in the area
Structure the Course Module
Create a logical arrangement for the material There are different options how
concepts are organized in the field how students will use the information how
students learn from concrete to abstract from theory to practice by increasing
levels of complexity etc
Create a Calendar
List all the class meeting times Note any holidays Fill in tentative topics Plan
schedule for assessment tasks reviews giving and collecting feedback extra
time for difficult topics etc Identify dates you plan to have guest speakers to go
on field trips to need special audio-visual materials etc Make any special
arrangements well in advance (eg ordering a video booking equipment
scheduling visitors) If you wish to make special arrangements for teaching
facilities or need additional audio-visual teaching equipment make a request to
the School at least four working days in advance
Course Materials
Make sure that the material and readings needed for studentsrsquo learning are
available Instructors may request the School to help with the upload of materials
onto CANVAS or the printing of handouts For printing request it has to be
made at least seven working days in advance by using a Printing Request Form
The completed form should be attached to the originals of notes and sent to
CityU SCOPE office at CityU Notes on A4 size white paper and written or
printed in black are preferred for best quality reproduction Remember that
photocopying from books or other material protected by copyright is not
permitted
13
CourseModule Policies
Please familiarize yourself with the policies and regulations related to the study
programme For example regulations about attendance requirement class
participation late works extra-credit assignments academic dishonesty
(plagiarism) grading appeal of assessment results etc Student Handbook is
one of the sources which can provide key information and rules about the
programme
CourseModule Outline or Syllabus
All of this information (including assessment tasks dates etc) needs to be
prepared and given to the students in the first class You may upload them onto
CANVAS or have them printed It forms the basis of your teaching and learning
contract with them laying out your expectations of them and what they expect
out of the coursemodule You may wish to put all this information in your course
outline
Teaching
In planning your teaching there are two areas that need attention The first area to
consider is what you and the students will be doing during your time together in
class the second is what you expect your students to do outside of class
Visit the Classroom Before Your First Class
Is the AV equipment (projector computer visualizer microphone etc) you
require available
Do you know how it works
Is the furniture suitable for the learning activities you have planned
Do you know how to control the lights air condition etc
Have you been given the white-board pens and eraser If so please keep
custody of them and bring them to class as necessary
The First Class
This meeting will set the tone for the rest of the course As with any first meeting
of strangers there are the normal concerns -- who are these people what do
they expect will I be able to perform up to expectations By the end of the first
class the students should know where they are going and how they will get there
know at least some of the other students know that you care about them and
their learning and that the time you spend together will be valuable and
enjoyable
14
Administrative Tasks
Make sure everyone is in the right room Take attendance Discuss the course
outline and explain important policies and procedures deadlines coursemodule
materials safety precautions (eg labs) and emergency procedures (eg
typhoons) Eating drinking and smoking are not allowed and mobile phones
should be turned off
Keep track of students attendance and progress Attendance Registers are
obtainable from the CityU SCOPE office Participants whose names are not
listed on the registers should not be allowed to attend class unless notified
otherwise by CityU SCOPE
Instructors should verify the attendance by signing on the registers following the
last lesson of the coursemodule and return it to the School within one week
following completion of the coursemodule
Create a Positive Learning Environment
Be in the room well before the class starts and welcome the students as they
arrive Introduce yourself to the class telling them something about your
background and your connection to the area and the course Find out something
about the students If the class is small have them introduce themselves In a
large class they could fill out a card with relevant background information about
who they are and why they are taking the course then share some of that
information in groups of 3 or 4 Begin to learn the students names
Set Expectations
Everyone wants the class to be a success Discuss the objectives of the
coursemodule what the student can expect to learn as well as how you plan to
conduct the class (lectures discussions case studies etc) You should tell them
what they will be expected to do (attend participate make presentations etc)
and suggest study strategies resources that they can use To help them and you
know how well prepared they are for this modulecourse you might give a short
un-graded quiz or writing task on pre-requisite or background materials to the
coursemodule
Punctuality
Arrive at the classroom five minutes before start time Ending the classes on time
and not earlier should be practiced For part time evening students lateness is
15
often unavoidable be patient and helpful as latecomers try to catch up
If you must miss a class or arrange for a guest speaker to conduct your lesson
make arrangements well ahead of time and keep students and the CityU SCOPE
office informed The CityU SCOPE rule is that missed classes should be made
up within two weeks
In case of unforeseen absence (or unexpected late arrival) instructors should
inform the School staff concerned or CityU SCOPE Hotline as soon as possible
If the instructor fails to show up classes are automatically cancelled 60 minutes
after the start time
Conducting Your Class
Lectures should capture and hold students attention and to engage them
actively in thinking about the material At their best each student will feel the
instructor is talking directly to himher Reading lectures should be avoided since
the formality limits connection and contact with the learners Prepare your lecture
notes so that you can speak to the important points raised If you must read parts
keep them very short
(a) Beginnings
You need to begin by getting students attention by asking a question making
a provocative statement telling an engaging story mentioning some current
event etc Provide an overview of what you will be talking about and situate it
in relation to previous and future topicsclasses
(b) Maintaining Interest
Research has shown that most students attention will begin to drift after not
much more than 10 minutes of passive listening Thus you need to ensure
that everyone can see and hear you make the organization of the lecture
clear to the students (provide an outline) be enthusiastic use clear
understandable language (be careful of jargon) maintain eye contact vary
your delivery to keep attention (tone of voice pause movement) use
examples and visuals (pictures graphs etc) and keep track of time (dont
rush the ending)
(c) Encouraging Active Engagement
There are different ways to encourage students to be actively engaged in the
class You can break up your lectures (after 10 - 15 minutes) by asking
16
students to work on their own for a few minutes (solve a problem find an
example summarize the major ideas identify the strengths or weaknesses
write down any questions they have etc) and then to compare their work
with the students near them After a few minutes invite some of the students
to share their discussions with the rest of the class This strategy is called
think-pair-share These breaks in the lecture allow the students to work with
the course material and enable you to know how well the students are doing
If you dont have an answer be honest and promise to come back with the
answer next time
(d) Other Interactive Strategies
Besides think-pair-share there are many other ways to actively involve your
students in the class eg case studies role plays debates simulations
interviewing guest speakers student presentations field trips etc Each of
these requires some special preparation by the instructor and the students
They often take more time than lecturing but the learning is often much richer
and the experience more enjoyable
(e) Ending the Class
Dont rush your ending to get in the last few points or just stop in the middle
because you have run out of time Plan to end the session with a summary
(by you or the students) of what has been accomplished Try to tie up loose
ends End with a thought-provoking question preview things to come or
suggest ways to follow up on the material covered Dont go overtime
Learning Activities Outside of Class
Since a good deal of student learning will occur outside of class you need to
carefully plan so that students will spend that time most productively Students
are normally expected to spend at least twice as much time working on their
courses outside of class as they do in class These activities include reading
course materials and textbooks working on assignments preparing for classes
and tests You need to help your students to know what is expected of them
outside of class and how it complements what goes on in class
Designing Learning Activities
Start with the abilities or skills you want the student to develop (problem solving
critiquing texts designing experiments) and then design learning activities that
require the student to involve these abilities of skills (solve problems critique text
design experiments) These tasks could be the repetitionapplication of methods
17
demonstrated in class or tasks can be prelude to class by focusing their study
efforts The case method requires students to review the material and come to
class prepared to participate in a discussion
Assessment
ldquoWill this be on the examinationrdquo Assessment often seems to be the most important
concern of students Our assessment tasks assignments and exams are and
should be designed to measure the most important aspects of our courses - the key
learning outcomes we expect for our students This is the assessment of learning
Knowing what is important and how it will be assessed enables students to set
priorities in organizing and focusing their study efforts Another way to say this is
that assessment shapes learning so if you want to influence what students learn
and how they study adjust assessment Thus our teaching and our assessments
as well as all the other learning activities we design should be aligned with these
desired learning outcomes Preparing for a quiz has a different impact on your
students learning activities than writing a short paper The form of your final exam
will influence how your students study and what they recall
There is also assessment for learning In addition to knowing what is important and
how it will be assessed students also need information or feedback on how well
they are doing or not doing in achieving the goals of the course This additional
information can help them to make timely adjustments to their studies by identifying
those areas where they are doing well and those areas that need more work
Designing Assessment
Start with the learning objectives that are most important Using a variety of
testing formats will enable more students to do their best Develop questions
which assess more than just recall Ask your students to suggest possible items
Prepare clear instructions and try out the timing An exam that is too long for
even the best student to complete helps no one One rule of thumb is that it will
take students four times as long as you to complete the exam
Types of Assessment
There are many forms of quizzes tests and exams multiple-choice true-false
matching short answer essay and problem solving There are also oral exams
and performance tests Variations include open-book take-home and group
tests Each format has its strengths and weaknesses and is best suited to
measuring certain types of learning
In all cases you should be sure that the form of the assessment
18
matchesmeasures the learning outcomes you desire
Reducing Student Anxiety
Since assessments count students anxiety often interferes with their
performance It is essential that you clearly describe the methods of assessment
the format and the dates in the coursemodule syllabus and remind students in
class Other strategies which can help relieve unnecessary anxiety include give
more than one examination thus providing several opportunities for them to
show you what they know give students choices among alternative forms of
assessment avoid pop quizzes give students advice on how to study
encourage them to study in groups provide extra office hours and review
sessions give diagnostic test early in the term provide sampleoldpractice
exams include bonus questions
Returning Students Work
You are expected to mark your tutorial assignments and exam scripts and dont
miss deadlines for the return of students work Assessment supports learning
and your feedback is a key contribution Use class time to discuss the overall
results Collect feedback from the class on the assessment (what was
difficultunexpected how could youthey have improved their preparation)
Grading Assessment
Read the exams without looking at the students names Choose examples of
answers to serve as exemplars or standards Grade question by question rather
than all the questions for a single student Avoid judging on extraneous factors
like handwriting Pace yourself - read only a reasonable number of exams at one
time If possible read some papers twice to determine your own reliability
3
14 Employment Status and Appointment
In terms of employment status all part-time teaching staff are appointed by the
Director of SCOPE and are considered as part-time teaching staff of the University
Part-time teachers are usually employed on an annual basis starting from 1st
September to 31st August of the following year An assignment letter will follow
which stipulates the teaching responsibilities payment duties and period of that
assignment
For those who teach in non-local programmes (programmes leading to non-local
awards) and progression diploma programmes (programmes with articulation to
degrees) they will normally be issued with staff cards to enable them to access to
CityUrsquos library and computing services centre
15 Electronic Identity (EID) Account
All CityU SCOPE part-time staff will be assigned with a CityU EID account It will
enable you to access various online resources of the University such as payroll
record staff development and university communications during your period of
employment
It is important that you would maintain your updated personal data including the
contact details through our Administrative Information Management System (AIMS)
All AIMS functions are developed for self-service purpose and the School does not
have direct access to modify any data
16 Payment of Salary and Benefits
Your salary will normally be paid through the Universityrsquos Payroll via bank auto-pay
Instructors are required to sign-in at CityU SCOPE front office of individual learning
centre at least 10 minutes before the class started to maintain a proper record of
attendance Unless you are an exempt person stipulated by the Mandatory
Provident Fund Schemes Ordinance (ldquothe Ordinancerdquo) you will be enrolled in the
Universityrsquos Mandatory Provident Fund Scheme (ldquothe MPF Schemerdquo) All payroll
records including annual tax return can be accessible from our university portal
AIMS
17 Facilities and Services
There are a number of resources available for part-time staff
i Teacherrsquos Common Room
A teacherrsquos common room is located on the UG3 of our TST East
Centre Please ask our counter staff for card access to the room
4
ii Wi-Fi Network
Wireless local area network is available at CityU SCOPE Main Office
TST East Learning Centre and Admiralty Learning Centre
iii CityU on-line services
Access to University Portal and CANVAS
Email Service with 50GB Quota
iv CityU Computing Services (CSC)
Access to Staff LAN
1600 Pages Print Quota per academic year
Help Desk Support
Computing Services Centre Website httpwwwcityueduhkcsc Service Counter 3442 8340 Help Desk 3442 7658
v CityU Library Services
Access to Library e-Resources and the Library Catalogue
User Education Services (selected)
Materials Loan Service
Loan Quota 10 items
Loan Period 30 days
Book Reservation Quota 2 items
Quota can be used to borrow circulation books or other library materials
with details as follows
Media resources 1 item (in-house)
Semi-closed Closed Access 3 items (5 hours ndash 1 day or overnight)
Equipment
Octopus-card-operated copying service
AV Equipment (in-house)
Public Terminal Special Terminal (with Student LAN)
Self Check Units
Access to Information Space
Run Run Shaw Library Website httpwwwcityueduhklib Information Counter 3442 6882
vi Car Parking
CityU covered car park is opened to visitors for hourly-parking after
office hours on weekdays and full service hours over weekends and
general holidays
vii Discount Privileges
Enjoy discounts at CityU Campus Bookshop
5
viii Dining Services
Access to CityU restaurants and Student Canteen during non-peak
hours
Available to holders of CityU SCOPE part- time staff cards only
18 School Holidays
Each teacher will be provided with a timetable prior to the commencement of the
class
The School observes public holidays announced by the Hong Kong SAR
Government Unless under special arrangements there will be no class on public
holidays
There will normally be no classes on the following evenings
Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival
Winter Solstice
Christmas Eve
New Year Eve
Chinese New Year Eve
Any other special holidays will be announced via circular or notices
19 Typhoons and Rainstorm Warnings
The weather in Hong Kong is unpredictable during typhoon and rainstorm seasons
The School observes the University guidelines on adverse weather arrangements
According to the current guidelines no class will be held upon announcement of
storm warning signal No8 or above After the typhoon passes if the No8 signal is
lowered (before 7 am in the case of morning classes before 12 noon in the case of
afternoon classes and before 4 pm in the case of evening classes) classes will
meet as usual otherwise classes will be postponed For a black rainstorm warning
the same arrangements apply Make-up classes will be arranged for affected
students
For updated information please refer to Adverse Weather Arrangements at
httpwwwcityueduhkcdfoawa
6
110 Communication
There is a number of programme staff looking after the logistics of each programme
Part-time teachers who have queries about course arrangements general
administrative procedures and regulations and request for printing course materials
may contact the programme supporting staff concerned They will serve as your
first point of contact please refer to the assignment letter for details
CityU SCOPE Office hours Monday to Friday 9 am ndash 7 pm Saturday 9 am - 12 noon Sunday amp Public Holidays Closed
111 Staff Development
Part-time teaching staff of CityU SCOPE is entitled to participate in many of the staff
development workshops organized in the CityU They are also invited to attend
curriculum development activities teachersrsquo induction and teachersrsquo meetings
The following online resources in CityU websites are useful references for teaching and learning
Principles Policies amp Practices for Quality Education
httpwwwcityueduhkqacpppepppehtm
University Assessment Policy and Principles for Taught Programmes
httpwwwcityueduhkqacassessment_policyAssessment_Policy_revised_20Jun
e_2014_WD_definitions_updatedpdf
Rules and information on academic honesty
httpwwwcityueduhkprovostacademic_honestyrules_on_academic_honestyhtm
Office of the Education Development and Gateway Education httpwwwcityueduhkedge
Teaching strategies tips and techniques httpwwwcityueduhkedgeresources
Training workshops on teaching and learning
httpwwwcityueduhkedgeworkshop
Outcome Based Teaching amp Learning (OBTL)
httpwwwcityueduhkedgeobtlobtl_teacherhtm
httpwwwcityueduhkedgeobtlobtl_studenthtm
7
2 QUALITY ASSURANCE
The School places quality as its first priority Upon accepting a teaching position
with CityU SCOPE the teachers are expected to work closely with students
Achieving this begins with preparing for courses and the activities in the classroom
But the contribution as a member of the CityU SCOPE teaching staff goes beyond
successful in-class delivery Designing courses and classes is only a part of the
larger picture of designing programmes and maintaining the learning environment
that allows students to achieve their goals Providing high quality education requires
a collective and collaborative effort
The roles and responsibilities of CityU SCOPE instructors in the QA process include
understanding and implementing the arrangements established for the programmes
we are associated with and taking part in the discussions that lead to improvement
in these coursesprogrammes
21 Implementation of Programmes
Every programme leader or programme committee sets up programme under the
QA Framework of CityU SCOPE When programmes are approved the plan for
instruction and assessment is approved These plans take account of CityU
SCOPEs experience and good practice in teaching and learning in a continuing
education context
Instructors should know what arrangements have been made for teaching and
assessing their modulecourse These arrangements depend on the type of
programme you are teaching CityU SCOPE programmes fall into three broad
categories
programmes leading to non-local awards
programmes leading to Continuing Education (CE) Awards
short courses of general or professional interest
The syllabus regulations and assessment of all modulescourses are documented
when the programme is approved Talk to your programme leader and follow the
structure set out CE award programmes operate under their own regulations and
Programme Document You need to be particularly careful to meet the requirements
For instance you may be required to lead students site visits Programmes offered
in partnership with non-local universities through CityU SCOPE have quality
assurance arrangements determined by the partner university including
well-organized arrangements for student assessment You will save yourself and
8
your students from confusion and trouble by understanding what is required from
the beginning Moderation will be carried out on assessments by internal andor
external academic advisors or moderators to assure consistency of standards and
benchmark to equivalent level locally or internationally The moderation exercise
normally takes place in a very tight schedule and we rely on every instructor to
observe the deadlines during the process
22 Maintaining and Improving Quality
Improving the quality of our work requires three main things -- getting the feedback
from students taking opportunities to obtain information from colleagues and
self-reflection
221 Student Feedback
Individual instructors are the key link with students CityU SCOPE is very
concerned to ensure that studentsrsquo learning goals are achieved and students
concerns are known and taken into account Students are also the main source
of information for instructors to assess the success of their own work Seeking
feedback from students is essential for continuous improvement All
programmes and courses have measures in place to collect studentsrsquo feedback
on teaching courses administration and facilities Student feedback comes in a
number of ways
(a) Teaching and Learning Questionnaire (TLQ) 1
(b) Staff-Student Liaison Committee Meetings (SSLC)
(c) Students Focus Group
It is sometimes necessary to handle student complaints If you become aware of
a complaint or you have a dispute with a student that you cannot resolve your
own interests are best served by asking the student to use the formal mechanism
that is available The student should be requested to approach the CityU SCOPE
Communications Officer The Communications Officer has clear procedures to
follow that respect all parties
222 Feedback from Colleagues
Sharing information and getting feedback from your colleagues is another
important resources that you should make use of to improve your performance
1 For details please refer TLQ Policy and Operating Guidelines Policy httpswwwscopeeduPortals0SCOPE_TLQ20Policy_210916pdf
Operating Guidelines httpswwwscopeeduPortals0SCOPE_TLQ20Operating20Guidelines_271016pdf
9
(a) Attend Meetings Programmes are organized by programme committees
CE Award programmes and non-local programmes have quite formal
committees that meet regularly and have the advantage of external advisers
All programmes benefit from on-going discussion among the staff and
student involved It is part of the duty of a module examiner to provide
feedbacks for continuous improvement Part-time teachers are invited to
attend school meetings appropriate to their contribution to the schoolrsquos
teaching activities The meetings provide a good opportunity to share
information about the students the colleagues teaching the same
programme the aims of the programme and sometimes about obstacles
faced and overcome Teachers are also welcome to provide their feedback
during meetings or through instructorrsquos feedback forms
(b) Class Observation The observation is usually conducted by the
Programme Leader or an experienced colleague with the same subject
expertise The purpose of the observation is developmental in nature to
provide feedback for instructors to improve their teaching skill Advance
planning will be organized before the observation with instructors and
feedback session with report will take place soon after the observation New
instructors and new modulescourses will have the priority for observation
223 Self-reflection
Self-reflection is a good way to improve your teaching After each class make
notes to yourself about what went well and what you need to improve These
notes can be the basis of revisions to the next class or the next modulecourse
An audiotape or a videotape of a class can provide information about how one
sounds the organization pacing tone of voice annoying mannerisms etc You
can always discuss teaching with colleagues or read books and articles about
teaching Another more objective way of self-reflection is to compare your own
notes with the feedback provided by student feedback questionnaire and the
report of class observation To improve teaching and learning you may also
develop your own teaching or course portfolios
The key purpose for all these activities that have been prescribed is to ensure
quality continuing education has been delivered
23 Code of Behaviour
231 Professionalism
All course materials should be cleared of intellectual property Always handle
10
examinations examination scripts grade and return of final marks with care and
on time
232 Conflict of Interest
To protect the Universitys interest you are required to report any situation where
your personal interest conflicts with the University and to take appropriate action
to avoid any possible conflict and embarrassment
233 Disclosure of Information
Except in the normal performance of your duties with the University you should
not at any time during or after the termination of your employment without the
prior consent of the University disclose any information relating to the University
which may have come to your knowledge in the course of your employment
234 Intellectual Property
It is the Universitys policy and a term of employment of the Universitys staff that
unless agreed expressly by the University in writing the ownership of all
intellectual property rights in all relevant works created by University staff in the
course of employment with the University shall automatically vest in the
University notwithstanding any rule of law or equality to the contrary
235 Security
Instructors are required to take good care of University property (office furniture
equipment documents) Any damage and loss of property due to carelessness
or general lack of responsibility will be chargeable to you
Your valuable personal property including money jewellery ATM cards and
mobile phones must not be left unattended in areas such as the library canteen
classrooms or anywhere in the campus
236 Sale of Materials and Commercial Promotion
Any sale of books tapes or teaching materials should be arranged through the
School Under no circumstances should instructors collect money from
participants without prior approval from the School Instructors are not permitted
to distribute any commercial promotion leaflets and materials to the participants
without prior approval from the School
11
Appendix Tips on teaching and learning
Successful teaching is based on a partnership between instructor and students The
foundation of this partnership is a clear statement of obligations For the instructor
this means providing a plan at the beginning of the course of the material to be
covered and the activities that will be organised for students The more details you
can give the easier it is for students to manage
Most important is an assessment plan Students need to know right from the start
how you intend to assess their progress What will be the contribution of
assignments and examinations Will you have mid-term test Will there be
presentations and if so how will they be graded When is work due and just as
important when will you return the work with comments and grades Nothing
creates more unnecessary argument and confusion than unclear guidelines about
the assessment of the course
Your major role and responsibility as an instructor is to work with your students and
colleagues to create a productive learning environment Creating an effective
environment for student learning requires that the desired learning outcomes be
clear the teaching and learning opportunities be aligned with these outcomes and
the assessment tasks allow students to demonstrate their achievement of those
learning outcomes In preparing to teach you must decide the curriculum (what you
will teach or rather what you expect the students to learn) the teaching and
learning activities (how you will help the students learn) and the assessment plan
(how you will know if students are learning)
Programme Planning
General Strategies
Be careful not to overload the course with too much material -- keep it
manageable If the course has been given before talk with the staff who have
taught it and review their materials If the course has never been offered review
other available materials textbooks etc Review the constraints (number of
students number of hours other courses they have taken etc) as well as how
your course relates to other courses in the programme
Establish Goals
What should your students know produce or be able to do at the end of your
course What are the intended learning outcomes of the course General terms
12
such as know or understand are not as helpful as more specific ones -- define
identify apply evaluate solve problems and so on Do you also have some
non-content goals eg presentation skills team work etc The clearer you
are about the learning outcomes you desire the easier it will be to plan your
teaching and assessment strategies
Review the Content
Research shows that too much content works against students learning the
material deeply Decide what is basic and essential and must be mastered by
everyone what is only recommended and what is optional What are the core
concepts the classic issues andor the basic conceptual framework in the area
Structure the Course Module
Create a logical arrangement for the material There are different options how
concepts are organized in the field how students will use the information how
students learn from concrete to abstract from theory to practice by increasing
levels of complexity etc
Create a Calendar
List all the class meeting times Note any holidays Fill in tentative topics Plan
schedule for assessment tasks reviews giving and collecting feedback extra
time for difficult topics etc Identify dates you plan to have guest speakers to go
on field trips to need special audio-visual materials etc Make any special
arrangements well in advance (eg ordering a video booking equipment
scheduling visitors) If you wish to make special arrangements for teaching
facilities or need additional audio-visual teaching equipment make a request to
the School at least four working days in advance
Course Materials
Make sure that the material and readings needed for studentsrsquo learning are
available Instructors may request the School to help with the upload of materials
onto CANVAS or the printing of handouts For printing request it has to be
made at least seven working days in advance by using a Printing Request Form
The completed form should be attached to the originals of notes and sent to
CityU SCOPE office at CityU Notes on A4 size white paper and written or
printed in black are preferred for best quality reproduction Remember that
photocopying from books or other material protected by copyright is not
permitted
13
CourseModule Policies
Please familiarize yourself with the policies and regulations related to the study
programme For example regulations about attendance requirement class
participation late works extra-credit assignments academic dishonesty
(plagiarism) grading appeal of assessment results etc Student Handbook is
one of the sources which can provide key information and rules about the
programme
CourseModule Outline or Syllabus
All of this information (including assessment tasks dates etc) needs to be
prepared and given to the students in the first class You may upload them onto
CANVAS or have them printed It forms the basis of your teaching and learning
contract with them laying out your expectations of them and what they expect
out of the coursemodule You may wish to put all this information in your course
outline
Teaching
In planning your teaching there are two areas that need attention The first area to
consider is what you and the students will be doing during your time together in
class the second is what you expect your students to do outside of class
Visit the Classroom Before Your First Class
Is the AV equipment (projector computer visualizer microphone etc) you
require available
Do you know how it works
Is the furniture suitable for the learning activities you have planned
Do you know how to control the lights air condition etc
Have you been given the white-board pens and eraser If so please keep
custody of them and bring them to class as necessary
The First Class
This meeting will set the tone for the rest of the course As with any first meeting
of strangers there are the normal concerns -- who are these people what do
they expect will I be able to perform up to expectations By the end of the first
class the students should know where they are going and how they will get there
know at least some of the other students know that you care about them and
their learning and that the time you spend together will be valuable and
enjoyable
14
Administrative Tasks
Make sure everyone is in the right room Take attendance Discuss the course
outline and explain important policies and procedures deadlines coursemodule
materials safety precautions (eg labs) and emergency procedures (eg
typhoons) Eating drinking and smoking are not allowed and mobile phones
should be turned off
Keep track of students attendance and progress Attendance Registers are
obtainable from the CityU SCOPE office Participants whose names are not
listed on the registers should not be allowed to attend class unless notified
otherwise by CityU SCOPE
Instructors should verify the attendance by signing on the registers following the
last lesson of the coursemodule and return it to the School within one week
following completion of the coursemodule
Create a Positive Learning Environment
Be in the room well before the class starts and welcome the students as they
arrive Introduce yourself to the class telling them something about your
background and your connection to the area and the course Find out something
about the students If the class is small have them introduce themselves In a
large class they could fill out a card with relevant background information about
who they are and why they are taking the course then share some of that
information in groups of 3 or 4 Begin to learn the students names
Set Expectations
Everyone wants the class to be a success Discuss the objectives of the
coursemodule what the student can expect to learn as well as how you plan to
conduct the class (lectures discussions case studies etc) You should tell them
what they will be expected to do (attend participate make presentations etc)
and suggest study strategies resources that they can use To help them and you
know how well prepared they are for this modulecourse you might give a short
un-graded quiz or writing task on pre-requisite or background materials to the
coursemodule
Punctuality
Arrive at the classroom five minutes before start time Ending the classes on time
and not earlier should be practiced For part time evening students lateness is
15
often unavoidable be patient and helpful as latecomers try to catch up
If you must miss a class or arrange for a guest speaker to conduct your lesson
make arrangements well ahead of time and keep students and the CityU SCOPE
office informed The CityU SCOPE rule is that missed classes should be made
up within two weeks
In case of unforeseen absence (or unexpected late arrival) instructors should
inform the School staff concerned or CityU SCOPE Hotline as soon as possible
If the instructor fails to show up classes are automatically cancelled 60 minutes
after the start time
Conducting Your Class
Lectures should capture and hold students attention and to engage them
actively in thinking about the material At their best each student will feel the
instructor is talking directly to himher Reading lectures should be avoided since
the formality limits connection and contact with the learners Prepare your lecture
notes so that you can speak to the important points raised If you must read parts
keep them very short
(a) Beginnings
You need to begin by getting students attention by asking a question making
a provocative statement telling an engaging story mentioning some current
event etc Provide an overview of what you will be talking about and situate it
in relation to previous and future topicsclasses
(b) Maintaining Interest
Research has shown that most students attention will begin to drift after not
much more than 10 minutes of passive listening Thus you need to ensure
that everyone can see and hear you make the organization of the lecture
clear to the students (provide an outline) be enthusiastic use clear
understandable language (be careful of jargon) maintain eye contact vary
your delivery to keep attention (tone of voice pause movement) use
examples and visuals (pictures graphs etc) and keep track of time (dont
rush the ending)
(c) Encouraging Active Engagement
There are different ways to encourage students to be actively engaged in the
class You can break up your lectures (after 10 - 15 minutes) by asking
16
students to work on their own for a few minutes (solve a problem find an
example summarize the major ideas identify the strengths or weaknesses
write down any questions they have etc) and then to compare their work
with the students near them After a few minutes invite some of the students
to share their discussions with the rest of the class This strategy is called
think-pair-share These breaks in the lecture allow the students to work with
the course material and enable you to know how well the students are doing
If you dont have an answer be honest and promise to come back with the
answer next time
(d) Other Interactive Strategies
Besides think-pair-share there are many other ways to actively involve your
students in the class eg case studies role plays debates simulations
interviewing guest speakers student presentations field trips etc Each of
these requires some special preparation by the instructor and the students
They often take more time than lecturing but the learning is often much richer
and the experience more enjoyable
(e) Ending the Class
Dont rush your ending to get in the last few points or just stop in the middle
because you have run out of time Plan to end the session with a summary
(by you or the students) of what has been accomplished Try to tie up loose
ends End with a thought-provoking question preview things to come or
suggest ways to follow up on the material covered Dont go overtime
Learning Activities Outside of Class
Since a good deal of student learning will occur outside of class you need to
carefully plan so that students will spend that time most productively Students
are normally expected to spend at least twice as much time working on their
courses outside of class as they do in class These activities include reading
course materials and textbooks working on assignments preparing for classes
and tests You need to help your students to know what is expected of them
outside of class and how it complements what goes on in class
Designing Learning Activities
Start with the abilities or skills you want the student to develop (problem solving
critiquing texts designing experiments) and then design learning activities that
require the student to involve these abilities of skills (solve problems critique text
design experiments) These tasks could be the repetitionapplication of methods
17
demonstrated in class or tasks can be prelude to class by focusing their study
efforts The case method requires students to review the material and come to
class prepared to participate in a discussion
Assessment
ldquoWill this be on the examinationrdquo Assessment often seems to be the most important
concern of students Our assessment tasks assignments and exams are and
should be designed to measure the most important aspects of our courses - the key
learning outcomes we expect for our students This is the assessment of learning
Knowing what is important and how it will be assessed enables students to set
priorities in organizing and focusing their study efforts Another way to say this is
that assessment shapes learning so if you want to influence what students learn
and how they study adjust assessment Thus our teaching and our assessments
as well as all the other learning activities we design should be aligned with these
desired learning outcomes Preparing for a quiz has a different impact on your
students learning activities than writing a short paper The form of your final exam
will influence how your students study and what they recall
There is also assessment for learning In addition to knowing what is important and
how it will be assessed students also need information or feedback on how well
they are doing or not doing in achieving the goals of the course This additional
information can help them to make timely adjustments to their studies by identifying
those areas where they are doing well and those areas that need more work
Designing Assessment
Start with the learning objectives that are most important Using a variety of
testing formats will enable more students to do their best Develop questions
which assess more than just recall Ask your students to suggest possible items
Prepare clear instructions and try out the timing An exam that is too long for
even the best student to complete helps no one One rule of thumb is that it will
take students four times as long as you to complete the exam
Types of Assessment
There are many forms of quizzes tests and exams multiple-choice true-false
matching short answer essay and problem solving There are also oral exams
and performance tests Variations include open-book take-home and group
tests Each format has its strengths and weaknesses and is best suited to
measuring certain types of learning
In all cases you should be sure that the form of the assessment
18
matchesmeasures the learning outcomes you desire
Reducing Student Anxiety
Since assessments count students anxiety often interferes with their
performance It is essential that you clearly describe the methods of assessment
the format and the dates in the coursemodule syllabus and remind students in
class Other strategies which can help relieve unnecessary anxiety include give
more than one examination thus providing several opportunities for them to
show you what they know give students choices among alternative forms of
assessment avoid pop quizzes give students advice on how to study
encourage them to study in groups provide extra office hours and review
sessions give diagnostic test early in the term provide sampleoldpractice
exams include bonus questions
Returning Students Work
You are expected to mark your tutorial assignments and exam scripts and dont
miss deadlines for the return of students work Assessment supports learning
and your feedback is a key contribution Use class time to discuss the overall
results Collect feedback from the class on the assessment (what was
difficultunexpected how could youthey have improved their preparation)
Grading Assessment
Read the exams without looking at the students names Choose examples of
answers to serve as exemplars or standards Grade question by question rather
than all the questions for a single student Avoid judging on extraneous factors
like handwriting Pace yourself - read only a reasonable number of exams at one
time If possible read some papers twice to determine your own reliability
4
ii Wi-Fi Network
Wireless local area network is available at CityU SCOPE Main Office
TST East Learning Centre and Admiralty Learning Centre
iii CityU on-line services
Access to University Portal and CANVAS
Email Service with 50GB Quota
iv CityU Computing Services (CSC)
Access to Staff LAN
1600 Pages Print Quota per academic year
Help Desk Support
Computing Services Centre Website httpwwwcityueduhkcsc Service Counter 3442 8340 Help Desk 3442 7658
v CityU Library Services
Access to Library e-Resources and the Library Catalogue
User Education Services (selected)
Materials Loan Service
Loan Quota 10 items
Loan Period 30 days
Book Reservation Quota 2 items
Quota can be used to borrow circulation books or other library materials
with details as follows
Media resources 1 item (in-house)
Semi-closed Closed Access 3 items (5 hours ndash 1 day or overnight)
Equipment
Octopus-card-operated copying service
AV Equipment (in-house)
Public Terminal Special Terminal (with Student LAN)
Self Check Units
Access to Information Space
Run Run Shaw Library Website httpwwwcityueduhklib Information Counter 3442 6882
vi Car Parking
CityU covered car park is opened to visitors for hourly-parking after
office hours on weekdays and full service hours over weekends and
general holidays
vii Discount Privileges
Enjoy discounts at CityU Campus Bookshop
5
viii Dining Services
Access to CityU restaurants and Student Canteen during non-peak
hours
Available to holders of CityU SCOPE part- time staff cards only
18 School Holidays
Each teacher will be provided with a timetable prior to the commencement of the
class
The School observes public holidays announced by the Hong Kong SAR
Government Unless under special arrangements there will be no class on public
holidays
There will normally be no classes on the following evenings
Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival
Winter Solstice
Christmas Eve
New Year Eve
Chinese New Year Eve
Any other special holidays will be announced via circular or notices
19 Typhoons and Rainstorm Warnings
The weather in Hong Kong is unpredictable during typhoon and rainstorm seasons
The School observes the University guidelines on adverse weather arrangements
According to the current guidelines no class will be held upon announcement of
storm warning signal No8 or above After the typhoon passes if the No8 signal is
lowered (before 7 am in the case of morning classes before 12 noon in the case of
afternoon classes and before 4 pm in the case of evening classes) classes will
meet as usual otherwise classes will be postponed For a black rainstorm warning
the same arrangements apply Make-up classes will be arranged for affected
students
For updated information please refer to Adverse Weather Arrangements at
httpwwwcityueduhkcdfoawa
6
110 Communication
There is a number of programme staff looking after the logistics of each programme
Part-time teachers who have queries about course arrangements general
administrative procedures and regulations and request for printing course materials
may contact the programme supporting staff concerned They will serve as your
first point of contact please refer to the assignment letter for details
CityU SCOPE Office hours Monday to Friday 9 am ndash 7 pm Saturday 9 am - 12 noon Sunday amp Public Holidays Closed
111 Staff Development
Part-time teaching staff of CityU SCOPE is entitled to participate in many of the staff
development workshops organized in the CityU They are also invited to attend
curriculum development activities teachersrsquo induction and teachersrsquo meetings
The following online resources in CityU websites are useful references for teaching and learning
Principles Policies amp Practices for Quality Education
httpwwwcityueduhkqacpppepppehtm
University Assessment Policy and Principles for Taught Programmes
httpwwwcityueduhkqacassessment_policyAssessment_Policy_revised_20Jun
e_2014_WD_definitions_updatedpdf
Rules and information on academic honesty
httpwwwcityueduhkprovostacademic_honestyrules_on_academic_honestyhtm
Office of the Education Development and Gateway Education httpwwwcityueduhkedge
Teaching strategies tips and techniques httpwwwcityueduhkedgeresources
Training workshops on teaching and learning
httpwwwcityueduhkedgeworkshop
Outcome Based Teaching amp Learning (OBTL)
httpwwwcityueduhkedgeobtlobtl_teacherhtm
httpwwwcityueduhkedgeobtlobtl_studenthtm
7
2 QUALITY ASSURANCE
The School places quality as its first priority Upon accepting a teaching position
with CityU SCOPE the teachers are expected to work closely with students
Achieving this begins with preparing for courses and the activities in the classroom
But the contribution as a member of the CityU SCOPE teaching staff goes beyond
successful in-class delivery Designing courses and classes is only a part of the
larger picture of designing programmes and maintaining the learning environment
that allows students to achieve their goals Providing high quality education requires
a collective and collaborative effort
The roles and responsibilities of CityU SCOPE instructors in the QA process include
understanding and implementing the arrangements established for the programmes
we are associated with and taking part in the discussions that lead to improvement
in these coursesprogrammes
21 Implementation of Programmes
Every programme leader or programme committee sets up programme under the
QA Framework of CityU SCOPE When programmes are approved the plan for
instruction and assessment is approved These plans take account of CityU
SCOPEs experience and good practice in teaching and learning in a continuing
education context
Instructors should know what arrangements have been made for teaching and
assessing their modulecourse These arrangements depend on the type of
programme you are teaching CityU SCOPE programmes fall into three broad
categories
programmes leading to non-local awards
programmes leading to Continuing Education (CE) Awards
short courses of general or professional interest
The syllabus regulations and assessment of all modulescourses are documented
when the programme is approved Talk to your programme leader and follow the
structure set out CE award programmes operate under their own regulations and
Programme Document You need to be particularly careful to meet the requirements
For instance you may be required to lead students site visits Programmes offered
in partnership with non-local universities through CityU SCOPE have quality
assurance arrangements determined by the partner university including
well-organized arrangements for student assessment You will save yourself and
8
your students from confusion and trouble by understanding what is required from
the beginning Moderation will be carried out on assessments by internal andor
external academic advisors or moderators to assure consistency of standards and
benchmark to equivalent level locally or internationally The moderation exercise
normally takes place in a very tight schedule and we rely on every instructor to
observe the deadlines during the process
22 Maintaining and Improving Quality
Improving the quality of our work requires three main things -- getting the feedback
from students taking opportunities to obtain information from colleagues and
self-reflection
221 Student Feedback
Individual instructors are the key link with students CityU SCOPE is very
concerned to ensure that studentsrsquo learning goals are achieved and students
concerns are known and taken into account Students are also the main source
of information for instructors to assess the success of their own work Seeking
feedback from students is essential for continuous improvement All
programmes and courses have measures in place to collect studentsrsquo feedback
on teaching courses administration and facilities Student feedback comes in a
number of ways
(a) Teaching and Learning Questionnaire (TLQ) 1
(b) Staff-Student Liaison Committee Meetings (SSLC)
(c) Students Focus Group
It is sometimes necessary to handle student complaints If you become aware of
a complaint or you have a dispute with a student that you cannot resolve your
own interests are best served by asking the student to use the formal mechanism
that is available The student should be requested to approach the CityU SCOPE
Communications Officer The Communications Officer has clear procedures to
follow that respect all parties
222 Feedback from Colleagues
Sharing information and getting feedback from your colleagues is another
important resources that you should make use of to improve your performance
1 For details please refer TLQ Policy and Operating Guidelines Policy httpswwwscopeeduPortals0SCOPE_TLQ20Policy_210916pdf
Operating Guidelines httpswwwscopeeduPortals0SCOPE_TLQ20Operating20Guidelines_271016pdf
9
(a) Attend Meetings Programmes are organized by programme committees
CE Award programmes and non-local programmes have quite formal
committees that meet regularly and have the advantage of external advisers
All programmes benefit from on-going discussion among the staff and
student involved It is part of the duty of a module examiner to provide
feedbacks for continuous improvement Part-time teachers are invited to
attend school meetings appropriate to their contribution to the schoolrsquos
teaching activities The meetings provide a good opportunity to share
information about the students the colleagues teaching the same
programme the aims of the programme and sometimes about obstacles
faced and overcome Teachers are also welcome to provide their feedback
during meetings or through instructorrsquos feedback forms
(b) Class Observation The observation is usually conducted by the
Programme Leader or an experienced colleague with the same subject
expertise The purpose of the observation is developmental in nature to
provide feedback for instructors to improve their teaching skill Advance
planning will be organized before the observation with instructors and
feedback session with report will take place soon after the observation New
instructors and new modulescourses will have the priority for observation
223 Self-reflection
Self-reflection is a good way to improve your teaching After each class make
notes to yourself about what went well and what you need to improve These
notes can be the basis of revisions to the next class or the next modulecourse
An audiotape or a videotape of a class can provide information about how one
sounds the organization pacing tone of voice annoying mannerisms etc You
can always discuss teaching with colleagues or read books and articles about
teaching Another more objective way of self-reflection is to compare your own
notes with the feedback provided by student feedback questionnaire and the
report of class observation To improve teaching and learning you may also
develop your own teaching or course portfolios
The key purpose for all these activities that have been prescribed is to ensure
quality continuing education has been delivered
23 Code of Behaviour
231 Professionalism
All course materials should be cleared of intellectual property Always handle
10
examinations examination scripts grade and return of final marks with care and
on time
232 Conflict of Interest
To protect the Universitys interest you are required to report any situation where
your personal interest conflicts with the University and to take appropriate action
to avoid any possible conflict and embarrassment
233 Disclosure of Information
Except in the normal performance of your duties with the University you should
not at any time during or after the termination of your employment without the
prior consent of the University disclose any information relating to the University
which may have come to your knowledge in the course of your employment
234 Intellectual Property
It is the Universitys policy and a term of employment of the Universitys staff that
unless agreed expressly by the University in writing the ownership of all
intellectual property rights in all relevant works created by University staff in the
course of employment with the University shall automatically vest in the
University notwithstanding any rule of law or equality to the contrary
235 Security
Instructors are required to take good care of University property (office furniture
equipment documents) Any damage and loss of property due to carelessness
or general lack of responsibility will be chargeable to you
Your valuable personal property including money jewellery ATM cards and
mobile phones must not be left unattended in areas such as the library canteen
classrooms or anywhere in the campus
236 Sale of Materials and Commercial Promotion
Any sale of books tapes or teaching materials should be arranged through the
School Under no circumstances should instructors collect money from
participants without prior approval from the School Instructors are not permitted
to distribute any commercial promotion leaflets and materials to the participants
without prior approval from the School
11
Appendix Tips on teaching and learning
Successful teaching is based on a partnership between instructor and students The
foundation of this partnership is a clear statement of obligations For the instructor
this means providing a plan at the beginning of the course of the material to be
covered and the activities that will be organised for students The more details you
can give the easier it is for students to manage
Most important is an assessment plan Students need to know right from the start
how you intend to assess their progress What will be the contribution of
assignments and examinations Will you have mid-term test Will there be
presentations and if so how will they be graded When is work due and just as
important when will you return the work with comments and grades Nothing
creates more unnecessary argument and confusion than unclear guidelines about
the assessment of the course
Your major role and responsibility as an instructor is to work with your students and
colleagues to create a productive learning environment Creating an effective
environment for student learning requires that the desired learning outcomes be
clear the teaching and learning opportunities be aligned with these outcomes and
the assessment tasks allow students to demonstrate their achievement of those
learning outcomes In preparing to teach you must decide the curriculum (what you
will teach or rather what you expect the students to learn) the teaching and
learning activities (how you will help the students learn) and the assessment plan
(how you will know if students are learning)
Programme Planning
General Strategies
Be careful not to overload the course with too much material -- keep it
manageable If the course has been given before talk with the staff who have
taught it and review their materials If the course has never been offered review
other available materials textbooks etc Review the constraints (number of
students number of hours other courses they have taken etc) as well as how
your course relates to other courses in the programme
Establish Goals
What should your students know produce or be able to do at the end of your
course What are the intended learning outcomes of the course General terms
12
such as know or understand are not as helpful as more specific ones -- define
identify apply evaluate solve problems and so on Do you also have some
non-content goals eg presentation skills team work etc The clearer you
are about the learning outcomes you desire the easier it will be to plan your
teaching and assessment strategies
Review the Content
Research shows that too much content works against students learning the
material deeply Decide what is basic and essential and must be mastered by
everyone what is only recommended and what is optional What are the core
concepts the classic issues andor the basic conceptual framework in the area
Structure the Course Module
Create a logical arrangement for the material There are different options how
concepts are organized in the field how students will use the information how
students learn from concrete to abstract from theory to practice by increasing
levels of complexity etc
Create a Calendar
List all the class meeting times Note any holidays Fill in tentative topics Plan
schedule for assessment tasks reviews giving and collecting feedback extra
time for difficult topics etc Identify dates you plan to have guest speakers to go
on field trips to need special audio-visual materials etc Make any special
arrangements well in advance (eg ordering a video booking equipment
scheduling visitors) If you wish to make special arrangements for teaching
facilities or need additional audio-visual teaching equipment make a request to
the School at least four working days in advance
Course Materials
Make sure that the material and readings needed for studentsrsquo learning are
available Instructors may request the School to help with the upload of materials
onto CANVAS or the printing of handouts For printing request it has to be
made at least seven working days in advance by using a Printing Request Form
The completed form should be attached to the originals of notes and sent to
CityU SCOPE office at CityU Notes on A4 size white paper and written or
printed in black are preferred for best quality reproduction Remember that
photocopying from books or other material protected by copyright is not
permitted
13
CourseModule Policies
Please familiarize yourself with the policies and regulations related to the study
programme For example regulations about attendance requirement class
participation late works extra-credit assignments academic dishonesty
(plagiarism) grading appeal of assessment results etc Student Handbook is
one of the sources which can provide key information and rules about the
programme
CourseModule Outline or Syllabus
All of this information (including assessment tasks dates etc) needs to be
prepared and given to the students in the first class You may upload them onto
CANVAS or have them printed It forms the basis of your teaching and learning
contract with them laying out your expectations of them and what they expect
out of the coursemodule You may wish to put all this information in your course
outline
Teaching
In planning your teaching there are two areas that need attention The first area to
consider is what you and the students will be doing during your time together in
class the second is what you expect your students to do outside of class
Visit the Classroom Before Your First Class
Is the AV equipment (projector computer visualizer microphone etc) you
require available
Do you know how it works
Is the furniture suitable for the learning activities you have planned
Do you know how to control the lights air condition etc
Have you been given the white-board pens and eraser If so please keep
custody of them and bring them to class as necessary
The First Class
This meeting will set the tone for the rest of the course As with any first meeting
of strangers there are the normal concerns -- who are these people what do
they expect will I be able to perform up to expectations By the end of the first
class the students should know where they are going and how they will get there
know at least some of the other students know that you care about them and
their learning and that the time you spend together will be valuable and
enjoyable
14
Administrative Tasks
Make sure everyone is in the right room Take attendance Discuss the course
outline and explain important policies and procedures deadlines coursemodule
materials safety precautions (eg labs) and emergency procedures (eg
typhoons) Eating drinking and smoking are not allowed and mobile phones
should be turned off
Keep track of students attendance and progress Attendance Registers are
obtainable from the CityU SCOPE office Participants whose names are not
listed on the registers should not be allowed to attend class unless notified
otherwise by CityU SCOPE
Instructors should verify the attendance by signing on the registers following the
last lesson of the coursemodule and return it to the School within one week
following completion of the coursemodule
Create a Positive Learning Environment
Be in the room well before the class starts and welcome the students as they
arrive Introduce yourself to the class telling them something about your
background and your connection to the area and the course Find out something
about the students If the class is small have them introduce themselves In a
large class they could fill out a card with relevant background information about
who they are and why they are taking the course then share some of that
information in groups of 3 or 4 Begin to learn the students names
Set Expectations
Everyone wants the class to be a success Discuss the objectives of the
coursemodule what the student can expect to learn as well as how you plan to
conduct the class (lectures discussions case studies etc) You should tell them
what they will be expected to do (attend participate make presentations etc)
and suggest study strategies resources that they can use To help them and you
know how well prepared they are for this modulecourse you might give a short
un-graded quiz or writing task on pre-requisite or background materials to the
coursemodule
Punctuality
Arrive at the classroom five minutes before start time Ending the classes on time
and not earlier should be practiced For part time evening students lateness is
15
often unavoidable be patient and helpful as latecomers try to catch up
If you must miss a class or arrange for a guest speaker to conduct your lesson
make arrangements well ahead of time and keep students and the CityU SCOPE
office informed The CityU SCOPE rule is that missed classes should be made
up within two weeks
In case of unforeseen absence (or unexpected late arrival) instructors should
inform the School staff concerned or CityU SCOPE Hotline as soon as possible
If the instructor fails to show up classes are automatically cancelled 60 minutes
after the start time
Conducting Your Class
Lectures should capture and hold students attention and to engage them
actively in thinking about the material At their best each student will feel the
instructor is talking directly to himher Reading lectures should be avoided since
the formality limits connection and contact with the learners Prepare your lecture
notes so that you can speak to the important points raised If you must read parts
keep them very short
(a) Beginnings
You need to begin by getting students attention by asking a question making
a provocative statement telling an engaging story mentioning some current
event etc Provide an overview of what you will be talking about and situate it
in relation to previous and future topicsclasses
(b) Maintaining Interest
Research has shown that most students attention will begin to drift after not
much more than 10 minutes of passive listening Thus you need to ensure
that everyone can see and hear you make the organization of the lecture
clear to the students (provide an outline) be enthusiastic use clear
understandable language (be careful of jargon) maintain eye contact vary
your delivery to keep attention (tone of voice pause movement) use
examples and visuals (pictures graphs etc) and keep track of time (dont
rush the ending)
(c) Encouraging Active Engagement
There are different ways to encourage students to be actively engaged in the
class You can break up your lectures (after 10 - 15 minutes) by asking
16
students to work on their own for a few minutes (solve a problem find an
example summarize the major ideas identify the strengths or weaknesses
write down any questions they have etc) and then to compare their work
with the students near them After a few minutes invite some of the students
to share their discussions with the rest of the class This strategy is called
think-pair-share These breaks in the lecture allow the students to work with
the course material and enable you to know how well the students are doing
If you dont have an answer be honest and promise to come back with the
answer next time
(d) Other Interactive Strategies
Besides think-pair-share there are many other ways to actively involve your
students in the class eg case studies role plays debates simulations
interviewing guest speakers student presentations field trips etc Each of
these requires some special preparation by the instructor and the students
They often take more time than lecturing but the learning is often much richer
and the experience more enjoyable
(e) Ending the Class
Dont rush your ending to get in the last few points or just stop in the middle
because you have run out of time Plan to end the session with a summary
(by you or the students) of what has been accomplished Try to tie up loose
ends End with a thought-provoking question preview things to come or
suggest ways to follow up on the material covered Dont go overtime
Learning Activities Outside of Class
Since a good deal of student learning will occur outside of class you need to
carefully plan so that students will spend that time most productively Students
are normally expected to spend at least twice as much time working on their
courses outside of class as they do in class These activities include reading
course materials and textbooks working on assignments preparing for classes
and tests You need to help your students to know what is expected of them
outside of class and how it complements what goes on in class
Designing Learning Activities
Start with the abilities or skills you want the student to develop (problem solving
critiquing texts designing experiments) and then design learning activities that
require the student to involve these abilities of skills (solve problems critique text
design experiments) These tasks could be the repetitionapplication of methods
17
demonstrated in class or tasks can be prelude to class by focusing their study
efforts The case method requires students to review the material and come to
class prepared to participate in a discussion
Assessment
ldquoWill this be on the examinationrdquo Assessment often seems to be the most important
concern of students Our assessment tasks assignments and exams are and
should be designed to measure the most important aspects of our courses - the key
learning outcomes we expect for our students This is the assessment of learning
Knowing what is important and how it will be assessed enables students to set
priorities in organizing and focusing their study efforts Another way to say this is
that assessment shapes learning so if you want to influence what students learn
and how they study adjust assessment Thus our teaching and our assessments
as well as all the other learning activities we design should be aligned with these
desired learning outcomes Preparing for a quiz has a different impact on your
students learning activities than writing a short paper The form of your final exam
will influence how your students study and what they recall
There is also assessment for learning In addition to knowing what is important and
how it will be assessed students also need information or feedback on how well
they are doing or not doing in achieving the goals of the course This additional
information can help them to make timely adjustments to their studies by identifying
those areas where they are doing well and those areas that need more work
Designing Assessment
Start with the learning objectives that are most important Using a variety of
testing formats will enable more students to do their best Develop questions
which assess more than just recall Ask your students to suggest possible items
Prepare clear instructions and try out the timing An exam that is too long for
even the best student to complete helps no one One rule of thumb is that it will
take students four times as long as you to complete the exam
Types of Assessment
There are many forms of quizzes tests and exams multiple-choice true-false
matching short answer essay and problem solving There are also oral exams
and performance tests Variations include open-book take-home and group
tests Each format has its strengths and weaknesses and is best suited to
measuring certain types of learning
In all cases you should be sure that the form of the assessment
18
matchesmeasures the learning outcomes you desire
Reducing Student Anxiety
Since assessments count students anxiety often interferes with their
performance It is essential that you clearly describe the methods of assessment
the format and the dates in the coursemodule syllabus and remind students in
class Other strategies which can help relieve unnecessary anxiety include give
more than one examination thus providing several opportunities for them to
show you what they know give students choices among alternative forms of
assessment avoid pop quizzes give students advice on how to study
encourage them to study in groups provide extra office hours and review
sessions give diagnostic test early in the term provide sampleoldpractice
exams include bonus questions
Returning Students Work
You are expected to mark your tutorial assignments and exam scripts and dont
miss deadlines for the return of students work Assessment supports learning
and your feedback is a key contribution Use class time to discuss the overall
results Collect feedback from the class on the assessment (what was
difficultunexpected how could youthey have improved their preparation)
Grading Assessment
Read the exams without looking at the students names Choose examples of
answers to serve as exemplars or standards Grade question by question rather
than all the questions for a single student Avoid judging on extraneous factors
like handwriting Pace yourself - read only a reasonable number of exams at one
time If possible read some papers twice to determine your own reliability
5
viii Dining Services
Access to CityU restaurants and Student Canteen during non-peak
hours
Available to holders of CityU SCOPE part- time staff cards only
18 School Holidays
Each teacher will be provided with a timetable prior to the commencement of the
class
The School observes public holidays announced by the Hong Kong SAR
Government Unless under special arrangements there will be no class on public
holidays
There will normally be no classes on the following evenings
Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival
Winter Solstice
Christmas Eve
New Year Eve
Chinese New Year Eve
Any other special holidays will be announced via circular or notices
19 Typhoons and Rainstorm Warnings
The weather in Hong Kong is unpredictable during typhoon and rainstorm seasons
The School observes the University guidelines on adverse weather arrangements
According to the current guidelines no class will be held upon announcement of
storm warning signal No8 or above After the typhoon passes if the No8 signal is
lowered (before 7 am in the case of morning classes before 12 noon in the case of
afternoon classes and before 4 pm in the case of evening classes) classes will
meet as usual otherwise classes will be postponed For a black rainstorm warning
the same arrangements apply Make-up classes will be arranged for affected
students
For updated information please refer to Adverse Weather Arrangements at
httpwwwcityueduhkcdfoawa
6
110 Communication
There is a number of programme staff looking after the logistics of each programme
Part-time teachers who have queries about course arrangements general
administrative procedures and regulations and request for printing course materials
may contact the programme supporting staff concerned They will serve as your
first point of contact please refer to the assignment letter for details
CityU SCOPE Office hours Monday to Friday 9 am ndash 7 pm Saturday 9 am - 12 noon Sunday amp Public Holidays Closed
111 Staff Development
Part-time teaching staff of CityU SCOPE is entitled to participate in many of the staff
development workshops organized in the CityU They are also invited to attend
curriculum development activities teachersrsquo induction and teachersrsquo meetings
The following online resources in CityU websites are useful references for teaching and learning
Principles Policies amp Practices for Quality Education
httpwwwcityueduhkqacpppepppehtm
University Assessment Policy and Principles for Taught Programmes
httpwwwcityueduhkqacassessment_policyAssessment_Policy_revised_20Jun
e_2014_WD_definitions_updatedpdf
Rules and information on academic honesty
httpwwwcityueduhkprovostacademic_honestyrules_on_academic_honestyhtm
Office of the Education Development and Gateway Education httpwwwcityueduhkedge
Teaching strategies tips and techniques httpwwwcityueduhkedgeresources
Training workshops on teaching and learning
httpwwwcityueduhkedgeworkshop
Outcome Based Teaching amp Learning (OBTL)
httpwwwcityueduhkedgeobtlobtl_teacherhtm
httpwwwcityueduhkedgeobtlobtl_studenthtm
7
2 QUALITY ASSURANCE
The School places quality as its first priority Upon accepting a teaching position
with CityU SCOPE the teachers are expected to work closely with students
Achieving this begins with preparing for courses and the activities in the classroom
But the contribution as a member of the CityU SCOPE teaching staff goes beyond
successful in-class delivery Designing courses and classes is only a part of the
larger picture of designing programmes and maintaining the learning environment
that allows students to achieve their goals Providing high quality education requires
a collective and collaborative effort
The roles and responsibilities of CityU SCOPE instructors in the QA process include
understanding and implementing the arrangements established for the programmes
we are associated with and taking part in the discussions that lead to improvement
in these coursesprogrammes
21 Implementation of Programmes
Every programme leader or programme committee sets up programme under the
QA Framework of CityU SCOPE When programmes are approved the plan for
instruction and assessment is approved These plans take account of CityU
SCOPEs experience and good practice in teaching and learning in a continuing
education context
Instructors should know what arrangements have been made for teaching and
assessing their modulecourse These arrangements depend on the type of
programme you are teaching CityU SCOPE programmes fall into three broad
categories
programmes leading to non-local awards
programmes leading to Continuing Education (CE) Awards
short courses of general or professional interest
The syllabus regulations and assessment of all modulescourses are documented
when the programme is approved Talk to your programme leader and follow the
structure set out CE award programmes operate under their own regulations and
Programme Document You need to be particularly careful to meet the requirements
For instance you may be required to lead students site visits Programmes offered
in partnership with non-local universities through CityU SCOPE have quality
assurance arrangements determined by the partner university including
well-organized arrangements for student assessment You will save yourself and
8
your students from confusion and trouble by understanding what is required from
the beginning Moderation will be carried out on assessments by internal andor
external academic advisors or moderators to assure consistency of standards and
benchmark to equivalent level locally or internationally The moderation exercise
normally takes place in a very tight schedule and we rely on every instructor to
observe the deadlines during the process
22 Maintaining and Improving Quality
Improving the quality of our work requires three main things -- getting the feedback
from students taking opportunities to obtain information from colleagues and
self-reflection
221 Student Feedback
Individual instructors are the key link with students CityU SCOPE is very
concerned to ensure that studentsrsquo learning goals are achieved and students
concerns are known and taken into account Students are also the main source
of information for instructors to assess the success of their own work Seeking
feedback from students is essential for continuous improvement All
programmes and courses have measures in place to collect studentsrsquo feedback
on teaching courses administration and facilities Student feedback comes in a
number of ways
(a) Teaching and Learning Questionnaire (TLQ) 1
(b) Staff-Student Liaison Committee Meetings (SSLC)
(c) Students Focus Group
It is sometimes necessary to handle student complaints If you become aware of
a complaint or you have a dispute with a student that you cannot resolve your
own interests are best served by asking the student to use the formal mechanism
that is available The student should be requested to approach the CityU SCOPE
Communications Officer The Communications Officer has clear procedures to
follow that respect all parties
222 Feedback from Colleagues
Sharing information and getting feedback from your colleagues is another
important resources that you should make use of to improve your performance
1 For details please refer TLQ Policy and Operating Guidelines Policy httpswwwscopeeduPortals0SCOPE_TLQ20Policy_210916pdf
Operating Guidelines httpswwwscopeeduPortals0SCOPE_TLQ20Operating20Guidelines_271016pdf
9
(a) Attend Meetings Programmes are organized by programme committees
CE Award programmes and non-local programmes have quite formal
committees that meet regularly and have the advantage of external advisers
All programmes benefit from on-going discussion among the staff and
student involved It is part of the duty of a module examiner to provide
feedbacks for continuous improvement Part-time teachers are invited to
attend school meetings appropriate to their contribution to the schoolrsquos
teaching activities The meetings provide a good opportunity to share
information about the students the colleagues teaching the same
programme the aims of the programme and sometimes about obstacles
faced and overcome Teachers are also welcome to provide their feedback
during meetings or through instructorrsquos feedback forms
(b) Class Observation The observation is usually conducted by the
Programme Leader or an experienced colleague with the same subject
expertise The purpose of the observation is developmental in nature to
provide feedback for instructors to improve their teaching skill Advance
planning will be organized before the observation with instructors and
feedback session with report will take place soon after the observation New
instructors and new modulescourses will have the priority for observation
223 Self-reflection
Self-reflection is a good way to improve your teaching After each class make
notes to yourself about what went well and what you need to improve These
notes can be the basis of revisions to the next class or the next modulecourse
An audiotape or a videotape of a class can provide information about how one
sounds the organization pacing tone of voice annoying mannerisms etc You
can always discuss teaching with colleagues or read books and articles about
teaching Another more objective way of self-reflection is to compare your own
notes with the feedback provided by student feedback questionnaire and the
report of class observation To improve teaching and learning you may also
develop your own teaching or course portfolios
The key purpose for all these activities that have been prescribed is to ensure
quality continuing education has been delivered
23 Code of Behaviour
231 Professionalism
All course materials should be cleared of intellectual property Always handle
10
examinations examination scripts grade and return of final marks with care and
on time
232 Conflict of Interest
To protect the Universitys interest you are required to report any situation where
your personal interest conflicts with the University and to take appropriate action
to avoid any possible conflict and embarrassment
233 Disclosure of Information
Except in the normal performance of your duties with the University you should
not at any time during or after the termination of your employment without the
prior consent of the University disclose any information relating to the University
which may have come to your knowledge in the course of your employment
234 Intellectual Property
It is the Universitys policy and a term of employment of the Universitys staff that
unless agreed expressly by the University in writing the ownership of all
intellectual property rights in all relevant works created by University staff in the
course of employment with the University shall automatically vest in the
University notwithstanding any rule of law or equality to the contrary
235 Security
Instructors are required to take good care of University property (office furniture
equipment documents) Any damage and loss of property due to carelessness
or general lack of responsibility will be chargeable to you
Your valuable personal property including money jewellery ATM cards and
mobile phones must not be left unattended in areas such as the library canteen
classrooms or anywhere in the campus
236 Sale of Materials and Commercial Promotion
Any sale of books tapes or teaching materials should be arranged through the
School Under no circumstances should instructors collect money from
participants without prior approval from the School Instructors are not permitted
to distribute any commercial promotion leaflets and materials to the participants
without prior approval from the School
11
Appendix Tips on teaching and learning
Successful teaching is based on a partnership between instructor and students The
foundation of this partnership is a clear statement of obligations For the instructor
this means providing a plan at the beginning of the course of the material to be
covered and the activities that will be organised for students The more details you
can give the easier it is for students to manage
Most important is an assessment plan Students need to know right from the start
how you intend to assess their progress What will be the contribution of
assignments and examinations Will you have mid-term test Will there be
presentations and if so how will they be graded When is work due and just as
important when will you return the work with comments and grades Nothing
creates more unnecessary argument and confusion than unclear guidelines about
the assessment of the course
Your major role and responsibility as an instructor is to work with your students and
colleagues to create a productive learning environment Creating an effective
environment for student learning requires that the desired learning outcomes be
clear the teaching and learning opportunities be aligned with these outcomes and
the assessment tasks allow students to demonstrate their achievement of those
learning outcomes In preparing to teach you must decide the curriculum (what you
will teach or rather what you expect the students to learn) the teaching and
learning activities (how you will help the students learn) and the assessment plan
(how you will know if students are learning)
Programme Planning
General Strategies
Be careful not to overload the course with too much material -- keep it
manageable If the course has been given before talk with the staff who have
taught it and review their materials If the course has never been offered review
other available materials textbooks etc Review the constraints (number of
students number of hours other courses they have taken etc) as well as how
your course relates to other courses in the programme
Establish Goals
What should your students know produce or be able to do at the end of your
course What are the intended learning outcomes of the course General terms
12
such as know or understand are not as helpful as more specific ones -- define
identify apply evaluate solve problems and so on Do you also have some
non-content goals eg presentation skills team work etc The clearer you
are about the learning outcomes you desire the easier it will be to plan your
teaching and assessment strategies
Review the Content
Research shows that too much content works against students learning the
material deeply Decide what is basic and essential and must be mastered by
everyone what is only recommended and what is optional What are the core
concepts the classic issues andor the basic conceptual framework in the area
Structure the Course Module
Create a logical arrangement for the material There are different options how
concepts are organized in the field how students will use the information how
students learn from concrete to abstract from theory to practice by increasing
levels of complexity etc
Create a Calendar
List all the class meeting times Note any holidays Fill in tentative topics Plan
schedule for assessment tasks reviews giving and collecting feedback extra
time for difficult topics etc Identify dates you plan to have guest speakers to go
on field trips to need special audio-visual materials etc Make any special
arrangements well in advance (eg ordering a video booking equipment
scheduling visitors) If you wish to make special arrangements for teaching
facilities or need additional audio-visual teaching equipment make a request to
the School at least four working days in advance
Course Materials
Make sure that the material and readings needed for studentsrsquo learning are
available Instructors may request the School to help with the upload of materials
onto CANVAS or the printing of handouts For printing request it has to be
made at least seven working days in advance by using a Printing Request Form
The completed form should be attached to the originals of notes and sent to
CityU SCOPE office at CityU Notes on A4 size white paper and written or
printed in black are preferred for best quality reproduction Remember that
photocopying from books or other material protected by copyright is not
permitted
13
CourseModule Policies
Please familiarize yourself with the policies and regulations related to the study
programme For example regulations about attendance requirement class
participation late works extra-credit assignments academic dishonesty
(plagiarism) grading appeal of assessment results etc Student Handbook is
one of the sources which can provide key information and rules about the
programme
CourseModule Outline or Syllabus
All of this information (including assessment tasks dates etc) needs to be
prepared and given to the students in the first class You may upload them onto
CANVAS or have them printed It forms the basis of your teaching and learning
contract with them laying out your expectations of them and what they expect
out of the coursemodule You may wish to put all this information in your course
outline
Teaching
In planning your teaching there are two areas that need attention The first area to
consider is what you and the students will be doing during your time together in
class the second is what you expect your students to do outside of class
Visit the Classroom Before Your First Class
Is the AV equipment (projector computer visualizer microphone etc) you
require available
Do you know how it works
Is the furniture suitable for the learning activities you have planned
Do you know how to control the lights air condition etc
Have you been given the white-board pens and eraser If so please keep
custody of them and bring them to class as necessary
The First Class
This meeting will set the tone for the rest of the course As with any first meeting
of strangers there are the normal concerns -- who are these people what do
they expect will I be able to perform up to expectations By the end of the first
class the students should know where they are going and how they will get there
know at least some of the other students know that you care about them and
their learning and that the time you spend together will be valuable and
enjoyable
14
Administrative Tasks
Make sure everyone is in the right room Take attendance Discuss the course
outline and explain important policies and procedures deadlines coursemodule
materials safety precautions (eg labs) and emergency procedures (eg
typhoons) Eating drinking and smoking are not allowed and mobile phones
should be turned off
Keep track of students attendance and progress Attendance Registers are
obtainable from the CityU SCOPE office Participants whose names are not
listed on the registers should not be allowed to attend class unless notified
otherwise by CityU SCOPE
Instructors should verify the attendance by signing on the registers following the
last lesson of the coursemodule and return it to the School within one week
following completion of the coursemodule
Create a Positive Learning Environment
Be in the room well before the class starts and welcome the students as they
arrive Introduce yourself to the class telling them something about your
background and your connection to the area and the course Find out something
about the students If the class is small have them introduce themselves In a
large class they could fill out a card with relevant background information about
who they are and why they are taking the course then share some of that
information in groups of 3 or 4 Begin to learn the students names
Set Expectations
Everyone wants the class to be a success Discuss the objectives of the
coursemodule what the student can expect to learn as well as how you plan to
conduct the class (lectures discussions case studies etc) You should tell them
what they will be expected to do (attend participate make presentations etc)
and suggest study strategies resources that they can use To help them and you
know how well prepared they are for this modulecourse you might give a short
un-graded quiz or writing task on pre-requisite or background materials to the
coursemodule
Punctuality
Arrive at the classroom five minutes before start time Ending the classes on time
and not earlier should be practiced For part time evening students lateness is
15
often unavoidable be patient and helpful as latecomers try to catch up
If you must miss a class or arrange for a guest speaker to conduct your lesson
make arrangements well ahead of time and keep students and the CityU SCOPE
office informed The CityU SCOPE rule is that missed classes should be made
up within two weeks
In case of unforeseen absence (or unexpected late arrival) instructors should
inform the School staff concerned or CityU SCOPE Hotline as soon as possible
If the instructor fails to show up classes are automatically cancelled 60 minutes
after the start time
Conducting Your Class
Lectures should capture and hold students attention and to engage them
actively in thinking about the material At their best each student will feel the
instructor is talking directly to himher Reading lectures should be avoided since
the formality limits connection and contact with the learners Prepare your lecture
notes so that you can speak to the important points raised If you must read parts
keep them very short
(a) Beginnings
You need to begin by getting students attention by asking a question making
a provocative statement telling an engaging story mentioning some current
event etc Provide an overview of what you will be talking about and situate it
in relation to previous and future topicsclasses
(b) Maintaining Interest
Research has shown that most students attention will begin to drift after not
much more than 10 minutes of passive listening Thus you need to ensure
that everyone can see and hear you make the organization of the lecture
clear to the students (provide an outline) be enthusiastic use clear
understandable language (be careful of jargon) maintain eye contact vary
your delivery to keep attention (tone of voice pause movement) use
examples and visuals (pictures graphs etc) and keep track of time (dont
rush the ending)
(c) Encouraging Active Engagement
There are different ways to encourage students to be actively engaged in the
class You can break up your lectures (after 10 - 15 minutes) by asking
16
students to work on their own for a few minutes (solve a problem find an
example summarize the major ideas identify the strengths or weaknesses
write down any questions they have etc) and then to compare their work
with the students near them After a few minutes invite some of the students
to share their discussions with the rest of the class This strategy is called
think-pair-share These breaks in the lecture allow the students to work with
the course material and enable you to know how well the students are doing
If you dont have an answer be honest and promise to come back with the
answer next time
(d) Other Interactive Strategies
Besides think-pair-share there are many other ways to actively involve your
students in the class eg case studies role plays debates simulations
interviewing guest speakers student presentations field trips etc Each of
these requires some special preparation by the instructor and the students
They often take more time than lecturing but the learning is often much richer
and the experience more enjoyable
(e) Ending the Class
Dont rush your ending to get in the last few points or just stop in the middle
because you have run out of time Plan to end the session with a summary
(by you or the students) of what has been accomplished Try to tie up loose
ends End with a thought-provoking question preview things to come or
suggest ways to follow up on the material covered Dont go overtime
Learning Activities Outside of Class
Since a good deal of student learning will occur outside of class you need to
carefully plan so that students will spend that time most productively Students
are normally expected to spend at least twice as much time working on their
courses outside of class as they do in class These activities include reading
course materials and textbooks working on assignments preparing for classes
and tests You need to help your students to know what is expected of them
outside of class and how it complements what goes on in class
Designing Learning Activities
Start with the abilities or skills you want the student to develop (problem solving
critiquing texts designing experiments) and then design learning activities that
require the student to involve these abilities of skills (solve problems critique text
design experiments) These tasks could be the repetitionapplication of methods
17
demonstrated in class or tasks can be prelude to class by focusing their study
efforts The case method requires students to review the material and come to
class prepared to participate in a discussion
Assessment
ldquoWill this be on the examinationrdquo Assessment often seems to be the most important
concern of students Our assessment tasks assignments and exams are and
should be designed to measure the most important aspects of our courses - the key
learning outcomes we expect for our students This is the assessment of learning
Knowing what is important and how it will be assessed enables students to set
priorities in organizing and focusing their study efforts Another way to say this is
that assessment shapes learning so if you want to influence what students learn
and how they study adjust assessment Thus our teaching and our assessments
as well as all the other learning activities we design should be aligned with these
desired learning outcomes Preparing for a quiz has a different impact on your
students learning activities than writing a short paper The form of your final exam
will influence how your students study and what they recall
There is also assessment for learning In addition to knowing what is important and
how it will be assessed students also need information or feedback on how well
they are doing or not doing in achieving the goals of the course This additional
information can help them to make timely adjustments to their studies by identifying
those areas where they are doing well and those areas that need more work
Designing Assessment
Start with the learning objectives that are most important Using a variety of
testing formats will enable more students to do their best Develop questions
which assess more than just recall Ask your students to suggest possible items
Prepare clear instructions and try out the timing An exam that is too long for
even the best student to complete helps no one One rule of thumb is that it will
take students four times as long as you to complete the exam
Types of Assessment
There are many forms of quizzes tests and exams multiple-choice true-false
matching short answer essay and problem solving There are also oral exams
and performance tests Variations include open-book take-home and group
tests Each format has its strengths and weaknesses and is best suited to
measuring certain types of learning
In all cases you should be sure that the form of the assessment
18
matchesmeasures the learning outcomes you desire
Reducing Student Anxiety
Since assessments count students anxiety often interferes with their
performance It is essential that you clearly describe the methods of assessment
the format and the dates in the coursemodule syllabus and remind students in
class Other strategies which can help relieve unnecessary anxiety include give
more than one examination thus providing several opportunities for them to
show you what they know give students choices among alternative forms of
assessment avoid pop quizzes give students advice on how to study
encourage them to study in groups provide extra office hours and review
sessions give diagnostic test early in the term provide sampleoldpractice
exams include bonus questions
Returning Students Work
You are expected to mark your tutorial assignments and exam scripts and dont
miss deadlines for the return of students work Assessment supports learning
and your feedback is a key contribution Use class time to discuss the overall
results Collect feedback from the class on the assessment (what was
difficultunexpected how could youthey have improved their preparation)
Grading Assessment
Read the exams without looking at the students names Choose examples of
answers to serve as exemplars or standards Grade question by question rather
than all the questions for a single student Avoid judging on extraneous factors
like handwriting Pace yourself - read only a reasonable number of exams at one
time If possible read some papers twice to determine your own reliability
6
110 Communication
There is a number of programme staff looking after the logistics of each programme
Part-time teachers who have queries about course arrangements general
administrative procedures and regulations and request for printing course materials
may contact the programme supporting staff concerned They will serve as your
first point of contact please refer to the assignment letter for details
CityU SCOPE Office hours Monday to Friday 9 am ndash 7 pm Saturday 9 am - 12 noon Sunday amp Public Holidays Closed
111 Staff Development
Part-time teaching staff of CityU SCOPE is entitled to participate in many of the staff
development workshops organized in the CityU They are also invited to attend
curriculum development activities teachersrsquo induction and teachersrsquo meetings
The following online resources in CityU websites are useful references for teaching and learning
Principles Policies amp Practices for Quality Education
httpwwwcityueduhkqacpppepppehtm
University Assessment Policy and Principles for Taught Programmes
httpwwwcityueduhkqacassessment_policyAssessment_Policy_revised_20Jun
e_2014_WD_definitions_updatedpdf
Rules and information on academic honesty
httpwwwcityueduhkprovostacademic_honestyrules_on_academic_honestyhtm
Office of the Education Development and Gateway Education httpwwwcityueduhkedge
Teaching strategies tips and techniques httpwwwcityueduhkedgeresources
Training workshops on teaching and learning
httpwwwcityueduhkedgeworkshop
Outcome Based Teaching amp Learning (OBTL)
httpwwwcityueduhkedgeobtlobtl_teacherhtm
httpwwwcityueduhkedgeobtlobtl_studenthtm
7
2 QUALITY ASSURANCE
The School places quality as its first priority Upon accepting a teaching position
with CityU SCOPE the teachers are expected to work closely with students
Achieving this begins with preparing for courses and the activities in the classroom
But the contribution as a member of the CityU SCOPE teaching staff goes beyond
successful in-class delivery Designing courses and classes is only a part of the
larger picture of designing programmes and maintaining the learning environment
that allows students to achieve their goals Providing high quality education requires
a collective and collaborative effort
The roles and responsibilities of CityU SCOPE instructors in the QA process include
understanding and implementing the arrangements established for the programmes
we are associated with and taking part in the discussions that lead to improvement
in these coursesprogrammes
21 Implementation of Programmes
Every programme leader or programme committee sets up programme under the
QA Framework of CityU SCOPE When programmes are approved the plan for
instruction and assessment is approved These plans take account of CityU
SCOPEs experience and good practice in teaching and learning in a continuing
education context
Instructors should know what arrangements have been made for teaching and
assessing their modulecourse These arrangements depend on the type of
programme you are teaching CityU SCOPE programmes fall into three broad
categories
programmes leading to non-local awards
programmes leading to Continuing Education (CE) Awards
short courses of general or professional interest
The syllabus regulations and assessment of all modulescourses are documented
when the programme is approved Talk to your programme leader and follow the
structure set out CE award programmes operate under their own regulations and
Programme Document You need to be particularly careful to meet the requirements
For instance you may be required to lead students site visits Programmes offered
in partnership with non-local universities through CityU SCOPE have quality
assurance arrangements determined by the partner university including
well-organized arrangements for student assessment You will save yourself and
8
your students from confusion and trouble by understanding what is required from
the beginning Moderation will be carried out on assessments by internal andor
external academic advisors or moderators to assure consistency of standards and
benchmark to equivalent level locally or internationally The moderation exercise
normally takes place in a very tight schedule and we rely on every instructor to
observe the deadlines during the process
22 Maintaining and Improving Quality
Improving the quality of our work requires three main things -- getting the feedback
from students taking opportunities to obtain information from colleagues and
self-reflection
221 Student Feedback
Individual instructors are the key link with students CityU SCOPE is very
concerned to ensure that studentsrsquo learning goals are achieved and students
concerns are known and taken into account Students are also the main source
of information for instructors to assess the success of their own work Seeking
feedback from students is essential for continuous improvement All
programmes and courses have measures in place to collect studentsrsquo feedback
on teaching courses administration and facilities Student feedback comes in a
number of ways
(a) Teaching and Learning Questionnaire (TLQ) 1
(b) Staff-Student Liaison Committee Meetings (SSLC)
(c) Students Focus Group
It is sometimes necessary to handle student complaints If you become aware of
a complaint or you have a dispute with a student that you cannot resolve your
own interests are best served by asking the student to use the formal mechanism
that is available The student should be requested to approach the CityU SCOPE
Communications Officer The Communications Officer has clear procedures to
follow that respect all parties
222 Feedback from Colleagues
Sharing information and getting feedback from your colleagues is another
important resources that you should make use of to improve your performance
1 For details please refer TLQ Policy and Operating Guidelines Policy httpswwwscopeeduPortals0SCOPE_TLQ20Policy_210916pdf
Operating Guidelines httpswwwscopeeduPortals0SCOPE_TLQ20Operating20Guidelines_271016pdf
9
(a) Attend Meetings Programmes are organized by programme committees
CE Award programmes and non-local programmes have quite formal
committees that meet regularly and have the advantage of external advisers
All programmes benefit from on-going discussion among the staff and
student involved It is part of the duty of a module examiner to provide
feedbacks for continuous improvement Part-time teachers are invited to
attend school meetings appropriate to their contribution to the schoolrsquos
teaching activities The meetings provide a good opportunity to share
information about the students the colleagues teaching the same
programme the aims of the programme and sometimes about obstacles
faced and overcome Teachers are also welcome to provide their feedback
during meetings or through instructorrsquos feedback forms
(b) Class Observation The observation is usually conducted by the
Programme Leader or an experienced colleague with the same subject
expertise The purpose of the observation is developmental in nature to
provide feedback for instructors to improve their teaching skill Advance
planning will be organized before the observation with instructors and
feedback session with report will take place soon after the observation New
instructors and new modulescourses will have the priority for observation
223 Self-reflection
Self-reflection is a good way to improve your teaching After each class make
notes to yourself about what went well and what you need to improve These
notes can be the basis of revisions to the next class or the next modulecourse
An audiotape or a videotape of a class can provide information about how one
sounds the organization pacing tone of voice annoying mannerisms etc You
can always discuss teaching with colleagues or read books and articles about
teaching Another more objective way of self-reflection is to compare your own
notes with the feedback provided by student feedback questionnaire and the
report of class observation To improve teaching and learning you may also
develop your own teaching or course portfolios
The key purpose for all these activities that have been prescribed is to ensure
quality continuing education has been delivered
23 Code of Behaviour
231 Professionalism
All course materials should be cleared of intellectual property Always handle
10
examinations examination scripts grade and return of final marks with care and
on time
232 Conflict of Interest
To protect the Universitys interest you are required to report any situation where
your personal interest conflicts with the University and to take appropriate action
to avoid any possible conflict and embarrassment
233 Disclosure of Information
Except in the normal performance of your duties with the University you should
not at any time during or after the termination of your employment without the
prior consent of the University disclose any information relating to the University
which may have come to your knowledge in the course of your employment
234 Intellectual Property
It is the Universitys policy and a term of employment of the Universitys staff that
unless agreed expressly by the University in writing the ownership of all
intellectual property rights in all relevant works created by University staff in the
course of employment with the University shall automatically vest in the
University notwithstanding any rule of law or equality to the contrary
235 Security
Instructors are required to take good care of University property (office furniture
equipment documents) Any damage and loss of property due to carelessness
or general lack of responsibility will be chargeable to you
Your valuable personal property including money jewellery ATM cards and
mobile phones must not be left unattended in areas such as the library canteen
classrooms or anywhere in the campus
236 Sale of Materials and Commercial Promotion
Any sale of books tapes or teaching materials should be arranged through the
School Under no circumstances should instructors collect money from
participants without prior approval from the School Instructors are not permitted
to distribute any commercial promotion leaflets and materials to the participants
without prior approval from the School
11
Appendix Tips on teaching and learning
Successful teaching is based on a partnership between instructor and students The
foundation of this partnership is a clear statement of obligations For the instructor
this means providing a plan at the beginning of the course of the material to be
covered and the activities that will be organised for students The more details you
can give the easier it is for students to manage
Most important is an assessment plan Students need to know right from the start
how you intend to assess their progress What will be the contribution of
assignments and examinations Will you have mid-term test Will there be
presentations and if so how will they be graded When is work due and just as
important when will you return the work with comments and grades Nothing
creates more unnecessary argument and confusion than unclear guidelines about
the assessment of the course
Your major role and responsibility as an instructor is to work with your students and
colleagues to create a productive learning environment Creating an effective
environment for student learning requires that the desired learning outcomes be
clear the teaching and learning opportunities be aligned with these outcomes and
the assessment tasks allow students to demonstrate their achievement of those
learning outcomes In preparing to teach you must decide the curriculum (what you
will teach or rather what you expect the students to learn) the teaching and
learning activities (how you will help the students learn) and the assessment plan
(how you will know if students are learning)
Programme Planning
General Strategies
Be careful not to overload the course with too much material -- keep it
manageable If the course has been given before talk with the staff who have
taught it and review their materials If the course has never been offered review
other available materials textbooks etc Review the constraints (number of
students number of hours other courses they have taken etc) as well as how
your course relates to other courses in the programme
Establish Goals
What should your students know produce or be able to do at the end of your
course What are the intended learning outcomes of the course General terms
12
such as know or understand are not as helpful as more specific ones -- define
identify apply evaluate solve problems and so on Do you also have some
non-content goals eg presentation skills team work etc The clearer you
are about the learning outcomes you desire the easier it will be to plan your
teaching and assessment strategies
Review the Content
Research shows that too much content works against students learning the
material deeply Decide what is basic and essential and must be mastered by
everyone what is only recommended and what is optional What are the core
concepts the classic issues andor the basic conceptual framework in the area
Structure the Course Module
Create a logical arrangement for the material There are different options how
concepts are organized in the field how students will use the information how
students learn from concrete to abstract from theory to practice by increasing
levels of complexity etc
Create a Calendar
List all the class meeting times Note any holidays Fill in tentative topics Plan
schedule for assessment tasks reviews giving and collecting feedback extra
time for difficult topics etc Identify dates you plan to have guest speakers to go
on field trips to need special audio-visual materials etc Make any special
arrangements well in advance (eg ordering a video booking equipment
scheduling visitors) If you wish to make special arrangements for teaching
facilities or need additional audio-visual teaching equipment make a request to
the School at least four working days in advance
Course Materials
Make sure that the material and readings needed for studentsrsquo learning are
available Instructors may request the School to help with the upload of materials
onto CANVAS or the printing of handouts For printing request it has to be
made at least seven working days in advance by using a Printing Request Form
The completed form should be attached to the originals of notes and sent to
CityU SCOPE office at CityU Notes on A4 size white paper and written or
printed in black are preferred for best quality reproduction Remember that
photocopying from books or other material protected by copyright is not
permitted
13
CourseModule Policies
Please familiarize yourself with the policies and regulations related to the study
programme For example regulations about attendance requirement class
participation late works extra-credit assignments academic dishonesty
(plagiarism) grading appeal of assessment results etc Student Handbook is
one of the sources which can provide key information and rules about the
programme
CourseModule Outline or Syllabus
All of this information (including assessment tasks dates etc) needs to be
prepared and given to the students in the first class You may upload them onto
CANVAS or have them printed It forms the basis of your teaching and learning
contract with them laying out your expectations of them and what they expect
out of the coursemodule You may wish to put all this information in your course
outline
Teaching
In planning your teaching there are two areas that need attention The first area to
consider is what you and the students will be doing during your time together in
class the second is what you expect your students to do outside of class
Visit the Classroom Before Your First Class
Is the AV equipment (projector computer visualizer microphone etc) you
require available
Do you know how it works
Is the furniture suitable for the learning activities you have planned
Do you know how to control the lights air condition etc
Have you been given the white-board pens and eraser If so please keep
custody of them and bring them to class as necessary
The First Class
This meeting will set the tone for the rest of the course As with any first meeting
of strangers there are the normal concerns -- who are these people what do
they expect will I be able to perform up to expectations By the end of the first
class the students should know where they are going and how they will get there
know at least some of the other students know that you care about them and
their learning and that the time you spend together will be valuable and
enjoyable
14
Administrative Tasks
Make sure everyone is in the right room Take attendance Discuss the course
outline and explain important policies and procedures deadlines coursemodule
materials safety precautions (eg labs) and emergency procedures (eg
typhoons) Eating drinking and smoking are not allowed and mobile phones
should be turned off
Keep track of students attendance and progress Attendance Registers are
obtainable from the CityU SCOPE office Participants whose names are not
listed on the registers should not be allowed to attend class unless notified
otherwise by CityU SCOPE
Instructors should verify the attendance by signing on the registers following the
last lesson of the coursemodule and return it to the School within one week
following completion of the coursemodule
Create a Positive Learning Environment
Be in the room well before the class starts and welcome the students as they
arrive Introduce yourself to the class telling them something about your
background and your connection to the area and the course Find out something
about the students If the class is small have them introduce themselves In a
large class they could fill out a card with relevant background information about
who they are and why they are taking the course then share some of that
information in groups of 3 or 4 Begin to learn the students names
Set Expectations
Everyone wants the class to be a success Discuss the objectives of the
coursemodule what the student can expect to learn as well as how you plan to
conduct the class (lectures discussions case studies etc) You should tell them
what they will be expected to do (attend participate make presentations etc)
and suggest study strategies resources that they can use To help them and you
know how well prepared they are for this modulecourse you might give a short
un-graded quiz or writing task on pre-requisite or background materials to the
coursemodule
Punctuality
Arrive at the classroom five minutes before start time Ending the classes on time
and not earlier should be practiced For part time evening students lateness is
15
often unavoidable be patient and helpful as latecomers try to catch up
If you must miss a class or arrange for a guest speaker to conduct your lesson
make arrangements well ahead of time and keep students and the CityU SCOPE
office informed The CityU SCOPE rule is that missed classes should be made
up within two weeks
In case of unforeseen absence (or unexpected late arrival) instructors should
inform the School staff concerned or CityU SCOPE Hotline as soon as possible
If the instructor fails to show up classes are automatically cancelled 60 minutes
after the start time
Conducting Your Class
Lectures should capture and hold students attention and to engage them
actively in thinking about the material At their best each student will feel the
instructor is talking directly to himher Reading lectures should be avoided since
the formality limits connection and contact with the learners Prepare your lecture
notes so that you can speak to the important points raised If you must read parts
keep them very short
(a) Beginnings
You need to begin by getting students attention by asking a question making
a provocative statement telling an engaging story mentioning some current
event etc Provide an overview of what you will be talking about and situate it
in relation to previous and future topicsclasses
(b) Maintaining Interest
Research has shown that most students attention will begin to drift after not
much more than 10 minutes of passive listening Thus you need to ensure
that everyone can see and hear you make the organization of the lecture
clear to the students (provide an outline) be enthusiastic use clear
understandable language (be careful of jargon) maintain eye contact vary
your delivery to keep attention (tone of voice pause movement) use
examples and visuals (pictures graphs etc) and keep track of time (dont
rush the ending)
(c) Encouraging Active Engagement
There are different ways to encourage students to be actively engaged in the
class You can break up your lectures (after 10 - 15 minutes) by asking
16
students to work on their own for a few minutes (solve a problem find an
example summarize the major ideas identify the strengths or weaknesses
write down any questions they have etc) and then to compare their work
with the students near them After a few minutes invite some of the students
to share their discussions with the rest of the class This strategy is called
think-pair-share These breaks in the lecture allow the students to work with
the course material and enable you to know how well the students are doing
If you dont have an answer be honest and promise to come back with the
answer next time
(d) Other Interactive Strategies
Besides think-pair-share there are many other ways to actively involve your
students in the class eg case studies role plays debates simulations
interviewing guest speakers student presentations field trips etc Each of
these requires some special preparation by the instructor and the students
They often take more time than lecturing but the learning is often much richer
and the experience more enjoyable
(e) Ending the Class
Dont rush your ending to get in the last few points or just stop in the middle
because you have run out of time Plan to end the session with a summary
(by you or the students) of what has been accomplished Try to tie up loose
ends End with a thought-provoking question preview things to come or
suggest ways to follow up on the material covered Dont go overtime
Learning Activities Outside of Class
Since a good deal of student learning will occur outside of class you need to
carefully plan so that students will spend that time most productively Students
are normally expected to spend at least twice as much time working on their
courses outside of class as they do in class These activities include reading
course materials and textbooks working on assignments preparing for classes
and tests You need to help your students to know what is expected of them
outside of class and how it complements what goes on in class
Designing Learning Activities
Start with the abilities or skills you want the student to develop (problem solving
critiquing texts designing experiments) and then design learning activities that
require the student to involve these abilities of skills (solve problems critique text
design experiments) These tasks could be the repetitionapplication of methods
17
demonstrated in class or tasks can be prelude to class by focusing their study
efforts The case method requires students to review the material and come to
class prepared to participate in a discussion
Assessment
ldquoWill this be on the examinationrdquo Assessment often seems to be the most important
concern of students Our assessment tasks assignments and exams are and
should be designed to measure the most important aspects of our courses - the key
learning outcomes we expect for our students This is the assessment of learning
Knowing what is important and how it will be assessed enables students to set
priorities in organizing and focusing their study efforts Another way to say this is
that assessment shapes learning so if you want to influence what students learn
and how they study adjust assessment Thus our teaching and our assessments
as well as all the other learning activities we design should be aligned with these
desired learning outcomes Preparing for a quiz has a different impact on your
students learning activities than writing a short paper The form of your final exam
will influence how your students study and what they recall
There is also assessment for learning In addition to knowing what is important and
how it will be assessed students also need information or feedback on how well
they are doing or not doing in achieving the goals of the course This additional
information can help them to make timely adjustments to their studies by identifying
those areas where they are doing well and those areas that need more work
Designing Assessment
Start with the learning objectives that are most important Using a variety of
testing formats will enable more students to do their best Develop questions
which assess more than just recall Ask your students to suggest possible items
Prepare clear instructions and try out the timing An exam that is too long for
even the best student to complete helps no one One rule of thumb is that it will
take students four times as long as you to complete the exam
Types of Assessment
There are many forms of quizzes tests and exams multiple-choice true-false
matching short answer essay and problem solving There are also oral exams
and performance tests Variations include open-book take-home and group
tests Each format has its strengths and weaknesses and is best suited to
measuring certain types of learning
In all cases you should be sure that the form of the assessment
18
matchesmeasures the learning outcomes you desire
Reducing Student Anxiety
Since assessments count students anxiety often interferes with their
performance It is essential that you clearly describe the methods of assessment
the format and the dates in the coursemodule syllabus and remind students in
class Other strategies which can help relieve unnecessary anxiety include give
more than one examination thus providing several opportunities for them to
show you what they know give students choices among alternative forms of
assessment avoid pop quizzes give students advice on how to study
encourage them to study in groups provide extra office hours and review
sessions give diagnostic test early in the term provide sampleoldpractice
exams include bonus questions
Returning Students Work
You are expected to mark your tutorial assignments and exam scripts and dont
miss deadlines for the return of students work Assessment supports learning
and your feedback is a key contribution Use class time to discuss the overall
results Collect feedback from the class on the assessment (what was
difficultunexpected how could youthey have improved their preparation)
Grading Assessment
Read the exams without looking at the students names Choose examples of
answers to serve as exemplars or standards Grade question by question rather
than all the questions for a single student Avoid judging on extraneous factors
like handwriting Pace yourself - read only a reasonable number of exams at one
time If possible read some papers twice to determine your own reliability
7
2 QUALITY ASSURANCE
The School places quality as its first priority Upon accepting a teaching position
with CityU SCOPE the teachers are expected to work closely with students
Achieving this begins with preparing for courses and the activities in the classroom
But the contribution as a member of the CityU SCOPE teaching staff goes beyond
successful in-class delivery Designing courses and classes is only a part of the
larger picture of designing programmes and maintaining the learning environment
that allows students to achieve their goals Providing high quality education requires
a collective and collaborative effort
The roles and responsibilities of CityU SCOPE instructors in the QA process include
understanding and implementing the arrangements established for the programmes
we are associated with and taking part in the discussions that lead to improvement
in these coursesprogrammes
21 Implementation of Programmes
Every programme leader or programme committee sets up programme under the
QA Framework of CityU SCOPE When programmes are approved the plan for
instruction and assessment is approved These plans take account of CityU
SCOPEs experience and good practice in teaching and learning in a continuing
education context
Instructors should know what arrangements have been made for teaching and
assessing their modulecourse These arrangements depend on the type of
programme you are teaching CityU SCOPE programmes fall into three broad
categories
programmes leading to non-local awards
programmes leading to Continuing Education (CE) Awards
short courses of general or professional interest
The syllabus regulations and assessment of all modulescourses are documented
when the programme is approved Talk to your programme leader and follow the
structure set out CE award programmes operate under their own regulations and
Programme Document You need to be particularly careful to meet the requirements
For instance you may be required to lead students site visits Programmes offered
in partnership with non-local universities through CityU SCOPE have quality
assurance arrangements determined by the partner university including
well-organized arrangements for student assessment You will save yourself and
8
your students from confusion and trouble by understanding what is required from
the beginning Moderation will be carried out on assessments by internal andor
external academic advisors or moderators to assure consistency of standards and
benchmark to equivalent level locally or internationally The moderation exercise
normally takes place in a very tight schedule and we rely on every instructor to
observe the deadlines during the process
22 Maintaining and Improving Quality
Improving the quality of our work requires three main things -- getting the feedback
from students taking opportunities to obtain information from colleagues and
self-reflection
221 Student Feedback
Individual instructors are the key link with students CityU SCOPE is very
concerned to ensure that studentsrsquo learning goals are achieved and students
concerns are known and taken into account Students are also the main source
of information for instructors to assess the success of their own work Seeking
feedback from students is essential for continuous improvement All
programmes and courses have measures in place to collect studentsrsquo feedback
on teaching courses administration and facilities Student feedback comes in a
number of ways
(a) Teaching and Learning Questionnaire (TLQ) 1
(b) Staff-Student Liaison Committee Meetings (SSLC)
(c) Students Focus Group
It is sometimes necessary to handle student complaints If you become aware of
a complaint or you have a dispute with a student that you cannot resolve your
own interests are best served by asking the student to use the formal mechanism
that is available The student should be requested to approach the CityU SCOPE
Communications Officer The Communications Officer has clear procedures to
follow that respect all parties
222 Feedback from Colleagues
Sharing information and getting feedback from your colleagues is another
important resources that you should make use of to improve your performance
1 For details please refer TLQ Policy and Operating Guidelines Policy httpswwwscopeeduPortals0SCOPE_TLQ20Policy_210916pdf
Operating Guidelines httpswwwscopeeduPortals0SCOPE_TLQ20Operating20Guidelines_271016pdf
9
(a) Attend Meetings Programmes are organized by programme committees
CE Award programmes and non-local programmes have quite formal
committees that meet regularly and have the advantage of external advisers
All programmes benefit from on-going discussion among the staff and
student involved It is part of the duty of a module examiner to provide
feedbacks for continuous improvement Part-time teachers are invited to
attend school meetings appropriate to their contribution to the schoolrsquos
teaching activities The meetings provide a good opportunity to share
information about the students the colleagues teaching the same
programme the aims of the programme and sometimes about obstacles
faced and overcome Teachers are also welcome to provide their feedback
during meetings or through instructorrsquos feedback forms
(b) Class Observation The observation is usually conducted by the
Programme Leader or an experienced colleague with the same subject
expertise The purpose of the observation is developmental in nature to
provide feedback for instructors to improve their teaching skill Advance
planning will be organized before the observation with instructors and
feedback session with report will take place soon after the observation New
instructors and new modulescourses will have the priority for observation
223 Self-reflection
Self-reflection is a good way to improve your teaching After each class make
notes to yourself about what went well and what you need to improve These
notes can be the basis of revisions to the next class or the next modulecourse
An audiotape or a videotape of a class can provide information about how one
sounds the organization pacing tone of voice annoying mannerisms etc You
can always discuss teaching with colleagues or read books and articles about
teaching Another more objective way of self-reflection is to compare your own
notes with the feedback provided by student feedback questionnaire and the
report of class observation To improve teaching and learning you may also
develop your own teaching or course portfolios
The key purpose for all these activities that have been prescribed is to ensure
quality continuing education has been delivered
23 Code of Behaviour
231 Professionalism
All course materials should be cleared of intellectual property Always handle
10
examinations examination scripts grade and return of final marks with care and
on time
232 Conflict of Interest
To protect the Universitys interest you are required to report any situation where
your personal interest conflicts with the University and to take appropriate action
to avoid any possible conflict and embarrassment
233 Disclosure of Information
Except in the normal performance of your duties with the University you should
not at any time during or after the termination of your employment without the
prior consent of the University disclose any information relating to the University
which may have come to your knowledge in the course of your employment
234 Intellectual Property
It is the Universitys policy and a term of employment of the Universitys staff that
unless agreed expressly by the University in writing the ownership of all
intellectual property rights in all relevant works created by University staff in the
course of employment with the University shall automatically vest in the
University notwithstanding any rule of law or equality to the contrary
235 Security
Instructors are required to take good care of University property (office furniture
equipment documents) Any damage and loss of property due to carelessness
or general lack of responsibility will be chargeable to you
Your valuable personal property including money jewellery ATM cards and
mobile phones must not be left unattended in areas such as the library canteen
classrooms or anywhere in the campus
236 Sale of Materials and Commercial Promotion
Any sale of books tapes or teaching materials should be arranged through the
School Under no circumstances should instructors collect money from
participants without prior approval from the School Instructors are not permitted
to distribute any commercial promotion leaflets and materials to the participants
without prior approval from the School
11
Appendix Tips on teaching and learning
Successful teaching is based on a partnership between instructor and students The
foundation of this partnership is a clear statement of obligations For the instructor
this means providing a plan at the beginning of the course of the material to be
covered and the activities that will be organised for students The more details you
can give the easier it is for students to manage
Most important is an assessment plan Students need to know right from the start
how you intend to assess their progress What will be the contribution of
assignments and examinations Will you have mid-term test Will there be
presentations and if so how will they be graded When is work due and just as
important when will you return the work with comments and grades Nothing
creates more unnecessary argument and confusion than unclear guidelines about
the assessment of the course
Your major role and responsibility as an instructor is to work with your students and
colleagues to create a productive learning environment Creating an effective
environment for student learning requires that the desired learning outcomes be
clear the teaching and learning opportunities be aligned with these outcomes and
the assessment tasks allow students to demonstrate their achievement of those
learning outcomes In preparing to teach you must decide the curriculum (what you
will teach or rather what you expect the students to learn) the teaching and
learning activities (how you will help the students learn) and the assessment plan
(how you will know if students are learning)
Programme Planning
General Strategies
Be careful not to overload the course with too much material -- keep it
manageable If the course has been given before talk with the staff who have
taught it and review their materials If the course has never been offered review
other available materials textbooks etc Review the constraints (number of
students number of hours other courses they have taken etc) as well as how
your course relates to other courses in the programme
Establish Goals
What should your students know produce or be able to do at the end of your
course What are the intended learning outcomes of the course General terms
12
such as know or understand are not as helpful as more specific ones -- define
identify apply evaluate solve problems and so on Do you also have some
non-content goals eg presentation skills team work etc The clearer you
are about the learning outcomes you desire the easier it will be to plan your
teaching and assessment strategies
Review the Content
Research shows that too much content works against students learning the
material deeply Decide what is basic and essential and must be mastered by
everyone what is only recommended and what is optional What are the core
concepts the classic issues andor the basic conceptual framework in the area
Structure the Course Module
Create a logical arrangement for the material There are different options how
concepts are organized in the field how students will use the information how
students learn from concrete to abstract from theory to practice by increasing
levels of complexity etc
Create a Calendar
List all the class meeting times Note any holidays Fill in tentative topics Plan
schedule for assessment tasks reviews giving and collecting feedback extra
time for difficult topics etc Identify dates you plan to have guest speakers to go
on field trips to need special audio-visual materials etc Make any special
arrangements well in advance (eg ordering a video booking equipment
scheduling visitors) If you wish to make special arrangements for teaching
facilities or need additional audio-visual teaching equipment make a request to
the School at least four working days in advance
Course Materials
Make sure that the material and readings needed for studentsrsquo learning are
available Instructors may request the School to help with the upload of materials
onto CANVAS or the printing of handouts For printing request it has to be
made at least seven working days in advance by using a Printing Request Form
The completed form should be attached to the originals of notes and sent to
CityU SCOPE office at CityU Notes on A4 size white paper and written or
printed in black are preferred for best quality reproduction Remember that
photocopying from books or other material protected by copyright is not
permitted
13
CourseModule Policies
Please familiarize yourself with the policies and regulations related to the study
programme For example regulations about attendance requirement class
participation late works extra-credit assignments academic dishonesty
(plagiarism) grading appeal of assessment results etc Student Handbook is
one of the sources which can provide key information and rules about the
programme
CourseModule Outline or Syllabus
All of this information (including assessment tasks dates etc) needs to be
prepared and given to the students in the first class You may upload them onto
CANVAS or have them printed It forms the basis of your teaching and learning
contract with them laying out your expectations of them and what they expect
out of the coursemodule You may wish to put all this information in your course
outline
Teaching
In planning your teaching there are two areas that need attention The first area to
consider is what you and the students will be doing during your time together in
class the second is what you expect your students to do outside of class
Visit the Classroom Before Your First Class
Is the AV equipment (projector computer visualizer microphone etc) you
require available
Do you know how it works
Is the furniture suitable for the learning activities you have planned
Do you know how to control the lights air condition etc
Have you been given the white-board pens and eraser If so please keep
custody of them and bring them to class as necessary
The First Class
This meeting will set the tone for the rest of the course As with any first meeting
of strangers there are the normal concerns -- who are these people what do
they expect will I be able to perform up to expectations By the end of the first
class the students should know where they are going and how they will get there
know at least some of the other students know that you care about them and
their learning and that the time you spend together will be valuable and
enjoyable
14
Administrative Tasks
Make sure everyone is in the right room Take attendance Discuss the course
outline and explain important policies and procedures deadlines coursemodule
materials safety precautions (eg labs) and emergency procedures (eg
typhoons) Eating drinking and smoking are not allowed and mobile phones
should be turned off
Keep track of students attendance and progress Attendance Registers are
obtainable from the CityU SCOPE office Participants whose names are not
listed on the registers should not be allowed to attend class unless notified
otherwise by CityU SCOPE
Instructors should verify the attendance by signing on the registers following the
last lesson of the coursemodule and return it to the School within one week
following completion of the coursemodule
Create a Positive Learning Environment
Be in the room well before the class starts and welcome the students as they
arrive Introduce yourself to the class telling them something about your
background and your connection to the area and the course Find out something
about the students If the class is small have them introduce themselves In a
large class they could fill out a card with relevant background information about
who they are and why they are taking the course then share some of that
information in groups of 3 or 4 Begin to learn the students names
Set Expectations
Everyone wants the class to be a success Discuss the objectives of the
coursemodule what the student can expect to learn as well as how you plan to
conduct the class (lectures discussions case studies etc) You should tell them
what they will be expected to do (attend participate make presentations etc)
and suggest study strategies resources that they can use To help them and you
know how well prepared they are for this modulecourse you might give a short
un-graded quiz or writing task on pre-requisite or background materials to the
coursemodule
Punctuality
Arrive at the classroom five minutes before start time Ending the classes on time
and not earlier should be practiced For part time evening students lateness is
15
often unavoidable be patient and helpful as latecomers try to catch up
If you must miss a class or arrange for a guest speaker to conduct your lesson
make arrangements well ahead of time and keep students and the CityU SCOPE
office informed The CityU SCOPE rule is that missed classes should be made
up within two weeks
In case of unforeseen absence (or unexpected late arrival) instructors should
inform the School staff concerned or CityU SCOPE Hotline as soon as possible
If the instructor fails to show up classes are automatically cancelled 60 minutes
after the start time
Conducting Your Class
Lectures should capture and hold students attention and to engage them
actively in thinking about the material At their best each student will feel the
instructor is talking directly to himher Reading lectures should be avoided since
the formality limits connection and contact with the learners Prepare your lecture
notes so that you can speak to the important points raised If you must read parts
keep them very short
(a) Beginnings
You need to begin by getting students attention by asking a question making
a provocative statement telling an engaging story mentioning some current
event etc Provide an overview of what you will be talking about and situate it
in relation to previous and future topicsclasses
(b) Maintaining Interest
Research has shown that most students attention will begin to drift after not
much more than 10 minutes of passive listening Thus you need to ensure
that everyone can see and hear you make the organization of the lecture
clear to the students (provide an outline) be enthusiastic use clear
understandable language (be careful of jargon) maintain eye contact vary
your delivery to keep attention (tone of voice pause movement) use
examples and visuals (pictures graphs etc) and keep track of time (dont
rush the ending)
(c) Encouraging Active Engagement
There are different ways to encourage students to be actively engaged in the
class You can break up your lectures (after 10 - 15 minutes) by asking
16
students to work on their own for a few minutes (solve a problem find an
example summarize the major ideas identify the strengths or weaknesses
write down any questions they have etc) and then to compare their work
with the students near them After a few minutes invite some of the students
to share their discussions with the rest of the class This strategy is called
think-pair-share These breaks in the lecture allow the students to work with
the course material and enable you to know how well the students are doing
If you dont have an answer be honest and promise to come back with the
answer next time
(d) Other Interactive Strategies
Besides think-pair-share there are many other ways to actively involve your
students in the class eg case studies role plays debates simulations
interviewing guest speakers student presentations field trips etc Each of
these requires some special preparation by the instructor and the students
They often take more time than lecturing but the learning is often much richer
and the experience more enjoyable
(e) Ending the Class
Dont rush your ending to get in the last few points or just stop in the middle
because you have run out of time Plan to end the session with a summary
(by you or the students) of what has been accomplished Try to tie up loose
ends End with a thought-provoking question preview things to come or
suggest ways to follow up on the material covered Dont go overtime
Learning Activities Outside of Class
Since a good deal of student learning will occur outside of class you need to
carefully plan so that students will spend that time most productively Students
are normally expected to spend at least twice as much time working on their
courses outside of class as they do in class These activities include reading
course materials and textbooks working on assignments preparing for classes
and tests You need to help your students to know what is expected of them
outside of class and how it complements what goes on in class
Designing Learning Activities
Start with the abilities or skills you want the student to develop (problem solving
critiquing texts designing experiments) and then design learning activities that
require the student to involve these abilities of skills (solve problems critique text
design experiments) These tasks could be the repetitionapplication of methods
17
demonstrated in class or tasks can be prelude to class by focusing their study
efforts The case method requires students to review the material and come to
class prepared to participate in a discussion
Assessment
ldquoWill this be on the examinationrdquo Assessment often seems to be the most important
concern of students Our assessment tasks assignments and exams are and
should be designed to measure the most important aspects of our courses - the key
learning outcomes we expect for our students This is the assessment of learning
Knowing what is important and how it will be assessed enables students to set
priorities in organizing and focusing their study efforts Another way to say this is
that assessment shapes learning so if you want to influence what students learn
and how they study adjust assessment Thus our teaching and our assessments
as well as all the other learning activities we design should be aligned with these
desired learning outcomes Preparing for a quiz has a different impact on your
students learning activities than writing a short paper The form of your final exam
will influence how your students study and what they recall
There is also assessment for learning In addition to knowing what is important and
how it will be assessed students also need information or feedback on how well
they are doing or not doing in achieving the goals of the course This additional
information can help them to make timely adjustments to their studies by identifying
those areas where they are doing well and those areas that need more work
Designing Assessment
Start with the learning objectives that are most important Using a variety of
testing formats will enable more students to do their best Develop questions
which assess more than just recall Ask your students to suggest possible items
Prepare clear instructions and try out the timing An exam that is too long for
even the best student to complete helps no one One rule of thumb is that it will
take students four times as long as you to complete the exam
Types of Assessment
There are many forms of quizzes tests and exams multiple-choice true-false
matching short answer essay and problem solving There are also oral exams
and performance tests Variations include open-book take-home and group
tests Each format has its strengths and weaknesses and is best suited to
measuring certain types of learning
In all cases you should be sure that the form of the assessment
18
matchesmeasures the learning outcomes you desire
Reducing Student Anxiety
Since assessments count students anxiety often interferes with their
performance It is essential that you clearly describe the methods of assessment
the format and the dates in the coursemodule syllabus and remind students in
class Other strategies which can help relieve unnecessary anxiety include give
more than one examination thus providing several opportunities for them to
show you what they know give students choices among alternative forms of
assessment avoid pop quizzes give students advice on how to study
encourage them to study in groups provide extra office hours and review
sessions give diagnostic test early in the term provide sampleoldpractice
exams include bonus questions
Returning Students Work
You are expected to mark your tutorial assignments and exam scripts and dont
miss deadlines for the return of students work Assessment supports learning
and your feedback is a key contribution Use class time to discuss the overall
results Collect feedback from the class on the assessment (what was
difficultunexpected how could youthey have improved their preparation)
Grading Assessment
Read the exams without looking at the students names Choose examples of
answers to serve as exemplars or standards Grade question by question rather
than all the questions for a single student Avoid judging on extraneous factors
like handwriting Pace yourself - read only a reasonable number of exams at one
time If possible read some papers twice to determine your own reliability
8
your students from confusion and trouble by understanding what is required from
the beginning Moderation will be carried out on assessments by internal andor
external academic advisors or moderators to assure consistency of standards and
benchmark to equivalent level locally or internationally The moderation exercise
normally takes place in a very tight schedule and we rely on every instructor to
observe the deadlines during the process
22 Maintaining and Improving Quality
Improving the quality of our work requires three main things -- getting the feedback
from students taking opportunities to obtain information from colleagues and
self-reflection
221 Student Feedback
Individual instructors are the key link with students CityU SCOPE is very
concerned to ensure that studentsrsquo learning goals are achieved and students
concerns are known and taken into account Students are also the main source
of information for instructors to assess the success of their own work Seeking
feedback from students is essential for continuous improvement All
programmes and courses have measures in place to collect studentsrsquo feedback
on teaching courses administration and facilities Student feedback comes in a
number of ways
(a) Teaching and Learning Questionnaire (TLQ) 1
(b) Staff-Student Liaison Committee Meetings (SSLC)
(c) Students Focus Group
It is sometimes necessary to handle student complaints If you become aware of
a complaint or you have a dispute with a student that you cannot resolve your
own interests are best served by asking the student to use the formal mechanism
that is available The student should be requested to approach the CityU SCOPE
Communications Officer The Communications Officer has clear procedures to
follow that respect all parties
222 Feedback from Colleagues
Sharing information and getting feedback from your colleagues is another
important resources that you should make use of to improve your performance
1 For details please refer TLQ Policy and Operating Guidelines Policy httpswwwscopeeduPortals0SCOPE_TLQ20Policy_210916pdf
Operating Guidelines httpswwwscopeeduPortals0SCOPE_TLQ20Operating20Guidelines_271016pdf
9
(a) Attend Meetings Programmes are organized by programme committees
CE Award programmes and non-local programmes have quite formal
committees that meet regularly and have the advantage of external advisers
All programmes benefit from on-going discussion among the staff and
student involved It is part of the duty of a module examiner to provide
feedbacks for continuous improvement Part-time teachers are invited to
attend school meetings appropriate to their contribution to the schoolrsquos
teaching activities The meetings provide a good opportunity to share
information about the students the colleagues teaching the same
programme the aims of the programme and sometimes about obstacles
faced and overcome Teachers are also welcome to provide their feedback
during meetings or through instructorrsquos feedback forms
(b) Class Observation The observation is usually conducted by the
Programme Leader or an experienced colleague with the same subject
expertise The purpose of the observation is developmental in nature to
provide feedback for instructors to improve their teaching skill Advance
planning will be organized before the observation with instructors and
feedback session with report will take place soon after the observation New
instructors and new modulescourses will have the priority for observation
223 Self-reflection
Self-reflection is a good way to improve your teaching After each class make
notes to yourself about what went well and what you need to improve These
notes can be the basis of revisions to the next class or the next modulecourse
An audiotape or a videotape of a class can provide information about how one
sounds the organization pacing tone of voice annoying mannerisms etc You
can always discuss teaching with colleagues or read books and articles about
teaching Another more objective way of self-reflection is to compare your own
notes with the feedback provided by student feedback questionnaire and the
report of class observation To improve teaching and learning you may also
develop your own teaching or course portfolios
The key purpose for all these activities that have been prescribed is to ensure
quality continuing education has been delivered
23 Code of Behaviour
231 Professionalism
All course materials should be cleared of intellectual property Always handle
10
examinations examination scripts grade and return of final marks with care and
on time
232 Conflict of Interest
To protect the Universitys interest you are required to report any situation where
your personal interest conflicts with the University and to take appropriate action
to avoid any possible conflict and embarrassment
233 Disclosure of Information
Except in the normal performance of your duties with the University you should
not at any time during or after the termination of your employment without the
prior consent of the University disclose any information relating to the University
which may have come to your knowledge in the course of your employment
234 Intellectual Property
It is the Universitys policy and a term of employment of the Universitys staff that
unless agreed expressly by the University in writing the ownership of all
intellectual property rights in all relevant works created by University staff in the
course of employment with the University shall automatically vest in the
University notwithstanding any rule of law or equality to the contrary
235 Security
Instructors are required to take good care of University property (office furniture
equipment documents) Any damage and loss of property due to carelessness
or general lack of responsibility will be chargeable to you
Your valuable personal property including money jewellery ATM cards and
mobile phones must not be left unattended in areas such as the library canteen
classrooms or anywhere in the campus
236 Sale of Materials and Commercial Promotion
Any sale of books tapes or teaching materials should be arranged through the
School Under no circumstances should instructors collect money from
participants without prior approval from the School Instructors are not permitted
to distribute any commercial promotion leaflets and materials to the participants
without prior approval from the School
11
Appendix Tips on teaching and learning
Successful teaching is based on a partnership between instructor and students The
foundation of this partnership is a clear statement of obligations For the instructor
this means providing a plan at the beginning of the course of the material to be
covered and the activities that will be organised for students The more details you
can give the easier it is for students to manage
Most important is an assessment plan Students need to know right from the start
how you intend to assess their progress What will be the contribution of
assignments and examinations Will you have mid-term test Will there be
presentations and if so how will they be graded When is work due and just as
important when will you return the work with comments and grades Nothing
creates more unnecessary argument and confusion than unclear guidelines about
the assessment of the course
Your major role and responsibility as an instructor is to work with your students and
colleagues to create a productive learning environment Creating an effective
environment for student learning requires that the desired learning outcomes be
clear the teaching and learning opportunities be aligned with these outcomes and
the assessment tasks allow students to demonstrate their achievement of those
learning outcomes In preparing to teach you must decide the curriculum (what you
will teach or rather what you expect the students to learn) the teaching and
learning activities (how you will help the students learn) and the assessment plan
(how you will know if students are learning)
Programme Planning
General Strategies
Be careful not to overload the course with too much material -- keep it
manageable If the course has been given before talk with the staff who have
taught it and review their materials If the course has never been offered review
other available materials textbooks etc Review the constraints (number of
students number of hours other courses they have taken etc) as well as how
your course relates to other courses in the programme
Establish Goals
What should your students know produce or be able to do at the end of your
course What are the intended learning outcomes of the course General terms
12
such as know or understand are not as helpful as more specific ones -- define
identify apply evaluate solve problems and so on Do you also have some
non-content goals eg presentation skills team work etc The clearer you
are about the learning outcomes you desire the easier it will be to plan your
teaching and assessment strategies
Review the Content
Research shows that too much content works against students learning the
material deeply Decide what is basic and essential and must be mastered by
everyone what is only recommended and what is optional What are the core
concepts the classic issues andor the basic conceptual framework in the area
Structure the Course Module
Create a logical arrangement for the material There are different options how
concepts are organized in the field how students will use the information how
students learn from concrete to abstract from theory to practice by increasing
levels of complexity etc
Create a Calendar
List all the class meeting times Note any holidays Fill in tentative topics Plan
schedule for assessment tasks reviews giving and collecting feedback extra
time for difficult topics etc Identify dates you plan to have guest speakers to go
on field trips to need special audio-visual materials etc Make any special
arrangements well in advance (eg ordering a video booking equipment
scheduling visitors) If you wish to make special arrangements for teaching
facilities or need additional audio-visual teaching equipment make a request to
the School at least four working days in advance
Course Materials
Make sure that the material and readings needed for studentsrsquo learning are
available Instructors may request the School to help with the upload of materials
onto CANVAS or the printing of handouts For printing request it has to be
made at least seven working days in advance by using a Printing Request Form
The completed form should be attached to the originals of notes and sent to
CityU SCOPE office at CityU Notes on A4 size white paper and written or
printed in black are preferred for best quality reproduction Remember that
photocopying from books or other material protected by copyright is not
permitted
13
CourseModule Policies
Please familiarize yourself with the policies and regulations related to the study
programme For example regulations about attendance requirement class
participation late works extra-credit assignments academic dishonesty
(plagiarism) grading appeal of assessment results etc Student Handbook is
one of the sources which can provide key information and rules about the
programme
CourseModule Outline or Syllabus
All of this information (including assessment tasks dates etc) needs to be
prepared and given to the students in the first class You may upload them onto
CANVAS or have them printed It forms the basis of your teaching and learning
contract with them laying out your expectations of them and what they expect
out of the coursemodule You may wish to put all this information in your course
outline
Teaching
In planning your teaching there are two areas that need attention The first area to
consider is what you and the students will be doing during your time together in
class the second is what you expect your students to do outside of class
Visit the Classroom Before Your First Class
Is the AV equipment (projector computer visualizer microphone etc) you
require available
Do you know how it works
Is the furniture suitable for the learning activities you have planned
Do you know how to control the lights air condition etc
Have you been given the white-board pens and eraser If so please keep
custody of them and bring them to class as necessary
The First Class
This meeting will set the tone for the rest of the course As with any first meeting
of strangers there are the normal concerns -- who are these people what do
they expect will I be able to perform up to expectations By the end of the first
class the students should know where they are going and how they will get there
know at least some of the other students know that you care about them and
their learning and that the time you spend together will be valuable and
enjoyable
14
Administrative Tasks
Make sure everyone is in the right room Take attendance Discuss the course
outline and explain important policies and procedures deadlines coursemodule
materials safety precautions (eg labs) and emergency procedures (eg
typhoons) Eating drinking and smoking are not allowed and mobile phones
should be turned off
Keep track of students attendance and progress Attendance Registers are
obtainable from the CityU SCOPE office Participants whose names are not
listed on the registers should not be allowed to attend class unless notified
otherwise by CityU SCOPE
Instructors should verify the attendance by signing on the registers following the
last lesson of the coursemodule and return it to the School within one week
following completion of the coursemodule
Create a Positive Learning Environment
Be in the room well before the class starts and welcome the students as they
arrive Introduce yourself to the class telling them something about your
background and your connection to the area and the course Find out something
about the students If the class is small have them introduce themselves In a
large class they could fill out a card with relevant background information about
who they are and why they are taking the course then share some of that
information in groups of 3 or 4 Begin to learn the students names
Set Expectations
Everyone wants the class to be a success Discuss the objectives of the
coursemodule what the student can expect to learn as well as how you plan to
conduct the class (lectures discussions case studies etc) You should tell them
what they will be expected to do (attend participate make presentations etc)
and suggest study strategies resources that they can use To help them and you
know how well prepared they are for this modulecourse you might give a short
un-graded quiz or writing task on pre-requisite or background materials to the
coursemodule
Punctuality
Arrive at the classroom five minutes before start time Ending the classes on time
and not earlier should be practiced For part time evening students lateness is
15
often unavoidable be patient and helpful as latecomers try to catch up
If you must miss a class or arrange for a guest speaker to conduct your lesson
make arrangements well ahead of time and keep students and the CityU SCOPE
office informed The CityU SCOPE rule is that missed classes should be made
up within two weeks
In case of unforeseen absence (or unexpected late arrival) instructors should
inform the School staff concerned or CityU SCOPE Hotline as soon as possible
If the instructor fails to show up classes are automatically cancelled 60 minutes
after the start time
Conducting Your Class
Lectures should capture and hold students attention and to engage them
actively in thinking about the material At their best each student will feel the
instructor is talking directly to himher Reading lectures should be avoided since
the formality limits connection and contact with the learners Prepare your lecture
notes so that you can speak to the important points raised If you must read parts
keep them very short
(a) Beginnings
You need to begin by getting students attention by asking a question making
a provocative statement telling an engaging story mentioning some current
event etc Provide an overview of what you will be talking about and situate it
in relation to previous and future topicsclasses
(b) Maintaining Interest
Research has shown that most students attention will begin to drift after not
much more than 10 minutes of passive listening Thus you need to ensure
that everyone can see and hear you make the organization of the lecture
clear to the students (provide an outline) be enthusiastic use clear
understandable language (be careful of jargon) maintain eye contact vary
your delivery to keep attention (tone of voice pause movement) use
examples and visuals (pictures graphs etc) and keep track of time (dont
rush the ending)
(c) Encouraging Active Engagement
There are different ways to encourage students to be actively engaged in the
class You can break up your lectures (after 10 - 15 minutes) by asking
16
students to work on their own for a few minutes (solve a problem find an
example summarize the major ideas identify the strengths or weaknesses
write down any questions they have etc) and then to compare their work
with the students near them After a few minutes invite some of the students
to share their discussions with the rest of the class This strategy is called
think-pair-share These breaks in the lecture allow the students to work with
the course material and enable you to know how well the students are doing
If you dont have an answer be honest and promise to come back with the
answer next time
(d) Other Interactive Strategies
Besides think-pair-share there are many other ways to actively involve your
students in the class eg case studies role plays debates simulations
interviewing guest speakers student presentations field trips etc Each of
these requires some special preparation by the instructor and the students
They often take more time than lecturing but the learning is often much richer
and the experience more enjoyable
(e) Ending the Class
Dont rush your ending to get in the last few points or just stop in the middle
because you have run out of time Plan to end the session with a summary
(by you or the students) of what has been accomplished Try to tie up loose
ends End with a thought-provoking question preview things to come or
suggest ways to follow up on the material covered Dont go overtime
Learning Activities Outside of Class
Since a good deal of student learning will occur outside of class you need to
carefully plan so that students will spend that time most productively Students
are normally expected to spend at least twice as much time working on their
courses outside of class as they do in class These activities include reading
course materials and textbooks working on assignments preparing for classes
and tests You need to help your students to know what is expected of them
outside of class and how it complements what goes on in class
Designing Learning Activities
Start with the abilities or skills you want the student to develop (problem solving
critiquing texts designing experiments) and then design learning activities that
require the student to involve these abilities of skills (solve problems critique text
design experiments) These tasks could be the repetitionapplication of methods
17
demonstrated in class or tasks can be prelude to class by focusing their study
efforts The case method requires students to review the material and come to
class prepared to participate in a discussion
Assessment
ldquoWill this be on the examinationrdquo Assessment often seems to be the most important
concern of students Our assessment tasks assignments and exams are and
should be designed to measure the most important aspects of our courses - the key
learning outcomes we expect for our students This is the assessment of learning
Knowing what is important and how it will be assessed enables students to set
priorities in organizing and focusing their study efforts Another way to say this is
that assessment shapes learning so if you want to influence what students learn
and how they study adjust assessment Thus our teaching and our assessments
as well as all the other learning activities we design should be aligned with these
desired learning outcomes Preparing for a quiz has a different impact on your
students learning activities than writing a short paper The form of your final exam
will influence how your students study and what they recall
There is also assessment for learning In addition to knowing what is important and
how it will be assessed students also need information or feedback on how well
they are doing or not doing in achieving the goals of the course This additional
information can help them to make timely adjustments to their studies by identifying
those areas where they are doing well and those areas that need more work
Designing Assessment
Start with the learning objectives that are most important Using a variety of
testing formats will enable more students to do their best Develop questions
which assess more than just recall Ask your students to suggest possible items
Prepare clear instructions and try out the timing An exam that is too long for
even the best student to complete helps no one One rule of thumb is that it will
take students four times as long as you to complete the exam
Types of Assessment
There are many forms of quizzes tests and exams multiple-choice true-false
matching short answer essay and problem solving There are also oral exams
and performance tests Variations include open-book take-home and group
tests Each format has its strengths and weaknesses and is best suited to
measuring certain types of learning
In all cases you should be sure that the form of the assessment
18
matchesmeasures the learning outcomes you desire
Reducing Student Anxiety
Since assessments count students anxiety often interferes with their
performance It is essential that you clearly describe the methods of assessment
the format and the dates in the coursemodule syllabus and remind students in
class Other strategies which can help relieve unnecessary anxiety include give
more than one examination thus providing several opportunities for them to
show you what they know give students choices among alternative forms of
assessment avoid pop quizzes give students advice on how to study
encourage them to study in groups provide extra office hours and review
sessions give diagnostic test early in the term provide sampleoldpractice
exams include bonus questions
Returning Students Work
You are expected to mark your tutorial assignments and exam scripts and dont
miss deadlines for the return of students work Assessment supports learning
and your feedback is a key contribution Use class time to discuss the overall
results Collect feedback from the class on the assessment (what was
difficultunexpected how could youthey have improved their preparation)
Grading Assessment
Read the exams without looking at the students names Choose examples of
answers to serve as exemplars or standards Grade question by question rather
than all the questions for a single student Avoid judging on extraneous factors
like handwriting Pace yourself - read only a reasonable number of exams at one
time If possible read some papers twice to determine your own reliability
9
(a) Attend Meetings Programmes are organized by programme committees
CE Award programmes and non-local programmes have quite formal
committees that meet regularly and have the advantage of external advisers
All programmes benefit from on-going discussion among the staff and
student involved It is part of the duty of a module examiner to provide
feedbacks for continuous improvement Part-time teachers are invited to
attend school meetings appropriate to their contribution to the schoolrsquos
teaching activities The meetings provide a good opportunity to share
information about the students the colleagues teaching the same
programme the aims of the programme and sometimes about obstacles
faced and overcome Teachers are also welcome to provide their feedback
during meetings or through instructorrsquos feedback forms
(b) Class Observation The observation is usually conducted by the
Programme Leader or an experienced colleague with the same subject
expertise The purpose of the observation is developmental in nature to
provide feedback for instructors to improve their teaching skill Advance
planning will be organized before the observation with instructors and
feedback session with report will take place soon after the observation New
instructors and new modulescourses will have the priority for observation
223 Self-reflection
Self-reflection is a good way to improve your teaching After each class make
notes to yourself about what went well and what you need to improve These
notes can be the basis of revisions to the next class or the next modulecourse
An audiotape or a videotape of a class can provide information about how one
sounds the organization pacing tone of voice annoying mannerisms etc You
can always discuss teaching with colleagues or read books and articles about
teaching Another more objective way of self-reflection is to compare your own
notes with the feedback provided by student feedback questionnaire and the
report of class observation To improve teaching and learning you may also
develop your own teaching or course portfolios
The key purpose for all these activities that have been prescribed is to ensure
quality continuing education has been delivered
23 Code of Behaviour
231 Professionalism
All course materials should be cleared of intellectual property Always handle
10
examinations examination scripts grade and return of final marks with care and
on time
232 Conflict of Interest
To protect the Universitys interest you are required to report any situation where
your personal interest conflicts with the University and to take appropriate action
to avoid any possible conflict and embarrassment
233 Disclosure of Information
Except in the normal performance of your duties with the University you should
not at any time during or after the termination of your employment without the
prior consent of the University disclose any information relating to the University
which may have come to your knowledge in the course of your employment
234 Intellectual Property
It is the Universitys policy and a term of employment of the Universitys staff that
unless agreed expressly by the University in writing the ownership of all
intellectual property rights in all relevant works created by University staff in the
course of employment with the University shall automatically vest in the
University notwithstanding any rule of law or equality to the contrary
235 Security
Instructors are required to take good care of University property (office furniture
equipment documents) Any damage and loss of property due to carelessness
or general lack of responsibility will be chargeable to you
Your valuable personal property including money jewellery ATM cards and
mobile phones must not be left unattended in areas such as the library canteen
classrooms or anywhere in the campus
236 Sale of Materials and Commercial Promotion
Any sale of books tapes or teaching materials should be arranged through the
School Under no circumstances should instructors collect money from
participants without prior approval from the School Instructors are not permitted
to distribute any commercial promotion leaflets and materials to the participants
without prior approval from the School
11
Appendix Tips on teaching and learning
Successful teaching is based on a partnership between instructor and students The
foundation of this partnership is a clear statement of obligations For the instructor
this means providing a plan at the beginning of the course of the material to be
covered and the activities that will be organised for students The more details you
can give the easier it is for students to manage
Most important is an assessment plan Students need to know right from the start
how you intend to assess their progress What will be the contribution of
assignments and examinations Will you have mid-term test Will there be
presentations and if so how will they be graded When is work due and just as
important when will you return the work with comments and grades Nothing
creates more unnecessary argument and confusion than unclear guidelines about
the assessment of the course
Your major role and responsibility as an instructor is to work with your students and
colleagues to create a productive learning environment Creating an effective
environment for student learning requires that the desired learning outcomes be
clear the teaching and learning opportunities be aligned with these outcomes and
the assessment tasks allow students to demonstrate their achievement of those
learning outcomes In preparing to teach you must decide the curriculum (what you
will teach or rather what you expect the students to learn) the teaching and
learning activities (how you will help the students learn) and the assessment plan
(how you will know if students are learning)
Programme Planning
General Strategies
Be careful not to overload the course with too much material -- keep it
manageable If the course has been given before talk with the staff who have
taught it and review their materials If the course has never been offered review
other available materials textbooks etc Review the constraints (number of
students number of hours other courses they have taken etc) as well as how
your course relates to other courses in the programme
Establish Goals
What should your students know produce or be able to do at the end of your
course What are the intended learning outcomes of the course General terms
12
such as know or understand are not as helpful as more specific ones -- define
identify apply evaluate solve problems and so on Do you also have some
non-content goals eg presentation skills team work etc The clearer you
are about the learning outcomes you desire the easier it will be to plan your
teaching and assessment strategies
Review the Content
Research shows that too much content works against students learning the
material deeply Decide what is basic and essential and must be mastered by
everyone what is only recommended and what is optional What are the core
concepts the classic issues andor the basic conceptual framework in the area
Structure the Course Module
Create a logical arrangement for the material There are different options how
concepts are organized in the field how students will use the information how
students learn from concrete to abstract from theory to practice by increasing
levels of complexity etc
Create a Calendar
List all the class meeting times Note any holidays Fill in tentative topics Plan
schedule for assessment tasks reviews giving and collecting feedback extra
time for difficult topics etc Identify dates you plan to have guest speakers to go
on field trips to need special audio-visual materials etc Make any special
arrangements well in advance (eg ordering a video booking equipment
scheduling visitors) If you wish to make special arrangements for teaching
facilities or need additional audio-visual teaching equipment make a request to
the School at least four working days in advance
Course Materials
Make sure that the material and readings needed for studentsrsquo learning are
available Instructors may request the School to help with the upload of materials
onto CANVAS or the printing of handouts For printing request it has to be
made at least seven working days in advance by using a Printing Request Form
The completed form should be attached to the originals of notes and sent to
CityU SCOPE office at CityU Notes on A4 size white paper and written or
printed in black are preferred for best quality reproduction Remember that
photocopying from books or other material protected by copyright is not
permitted
13
CourseModule Policies
Please familiarize yourself with the policies and regulations related to the study
programme For example regulations about attendance requirement class
participation late works extra-credit assignments academic dishonesty
(plagiarism) grading appeal of assessment results etc Student Handbook is
one of the sources which can provide key information and rules about the
programme
CourseModule Outline or Syllabus
All of this information (including assessment tasks dates etc) needs to be
prepared and given to the students in the first class You may upload them onto
CANVAS or have them printed It forms the basis of your teaching and learning
contract with them laying out your expectations of them and what they expect
out of the coursemodule You may wish to put all this information in your course
outline
Teaching
In planning your teaching there are two areas that need attention The first area to
consider is what you and the students will be doing during your time together in
class the second is what you expect your students to do outside of class
Visit the Classroom Before Your First Class
Is the AV equipment (projector computer visualizer microphone etc) you
require available
Do you know how it works
Is the furniture suitable for the learning activities you have planned
Do you know how to control the lights air condition etc
Have you been given the white-board pens and eraser If so please keep
custody of them and bring them to class as necessary
The First Class
This meeting will set the tone for the rest of the course As with any first meeting
of strangers there are the normal concerns -- who are these people what do
they expect will I be able to perform up to expectations By the end of the first
class the students should know where they are going and how they will get there
know at least some of the other students know that you care about them and
their learning and that the time you spend together will be valuable and
enjoyable
14
Administrative Tasks
Make sure everyone is in the right room Take attendance Discuss the course
outline and explain important policies and procedures deadlines coursemodule
materials safety precautions (eg labs) and emergency procedures (eg
typhoons) Eating drinking and smoking are not allowed and mobile phones
should be turned off
Keep track of students attendance and progress Attendance Registers are
obtainable from the CityU SCOPE office Participants whose names are not
listed on the registers should not be allowed to attend class unless notified
otherwise by CityU SCOPE
Instructors should verify the attendance by signing on the registers following the
last lesson of the coursemodule and return it to the School within one week
following completion of the coursemodule
Create a Positive Learning Environment
Be in the room well before the class starts and welcome the students as they
arrive Introduce yourself to the class telling them something about your
background and your connection to the area and the course Find out something
about the students If the class is small have them introduce themselves In a
large class they could fill out a card with relevant background information about
who they are and why they are taking the course then share some of that
information in groups of 3 or 4 Begin to learn the students names
Set Expectations
Everyone wants the class to be a success Discuss the objectives of the
coursemodule what the student can expect to learn as well as how you plan to
conduct the class (lectures discussions case studies etc) You should tell them
what they will be expected to do (attend participate make presentations etc)
and suggest study strategies resources that they can use To help them and you
know how well prepared they are for this modulecourse you might give a short
un-graded quiz or writing task on pre-requisite or background materials to the
coursemodule
Punctuality
Arrive at the classroom five minutes before start time Ending the classes on time
and not earlier should be practiced For part time evening students lateness is
15
often unavoidable be patient and helpful as latecomers try to catch up
If you must miss a class or arrange for a guest speaker to conduct your lesson
make arrangements well ahead of time and keep students and the CityU SCOPE
office informed The CityU SCOPE rule is that missed classes should be made
up within two weeks
In case of unforeseen absence (or unexpected late arrival) instructors should
inform the School staff concerned or CityU SCOPE Hotline as soon as possible
If the instructor fails to show up classes are automatically cancelled 60 minutes
after the start time
Conducting Your Class
Lectures should capture and hold students attention and to engage them
actively in thinking about the material At their best each student will feel the
instructor is talking directly to himher Reading lectures should be avoided since
the formality limits connection and contact with the learners Prepare your lecture
notes so that you can speak to the important points raised If you must read parts
keep them very short
(a) Beginnings
You need to begin by getting students attention by asking a question making
a provocative statement telling an engaging story mentioning some current
event etc Provide an overview of what you will be talking about and situate it
in relation to previous and future topicsclasses
(b) Maintaining Interest
Research has shown that most students attention will begin to drift after not
much more than 10 minutes of passive listening Thus you need to ensure
that everyone can see and hear you make the organization of the lecture
clear to the students (provide an outline) be enthusiastic use clear
understandable language (be careful of jargon) maintain eye contact vary
your delivery to keep attention (tone of voice pause movement) use
examples and visuals (pictures graphs etc) and keep track of time (dont
rush the ending)
(c) Encouraging Active Engagement
There are different ways to encourage students to be actively engaged in the
class You can break up your lectures (after 10 - 15 minutes) by asking
16
students to work on their own for a few minutes (solve a problem find an
example summarize the major ideas identify the strengths or weaknesses
write down any questions they have etc) and then to compare their work
with the students near them After a few minutes invite some of the students
to share their discussions with the rest of the class This strategy is called
think-pair-share These breaks in the lecture allow the students to work with
the course material and enable you to know how well the students are doing
If you dont have an answer be honest and promise to come back with the
answer next time
(d) Other Interactive Strategies
Besides think-pair-share there are many other ways to actively involve your
students in the class eg case studies role plays debates simulations
interviewing guest speakers student presentations field trips etc Each of
these requires some special preparation by the instructor and the students
They often take more time than lecturing but the learning is often much richer
and the experience more enjoyable
(e) Ending the Class
Dont rush your ending to get in the last few points or just stop in the middle
because you have run out of time Plan to end the session with a summary
(by you or the students) of what has been accomplished Try to tie up loose
ends End with a thought-provoking question preview things to come or
suggest ways to follow up on the material covered Dont go overtime
Learning Activities Outside of Class
Since a good deal of student learning will occur outside of class you need to
carefully plan so that students will spend that time most productively Students
are normally expected to spend at least twice as much time working on their
courses outside of class as they do in class These activities include reading
course materials and textbooks working on assignments preparing for classes
and tests You need to help your students to know what is expected of them
outside of class and how it complements what goes on in class
Designing Learning Activities
Start with the abilities or skills you want the student to develop (problem solving
critiquing texts designing experiments) and then design learning activities that
require the student to involve these abilities of skills (solve problems critique text
design experiments) These tasks could be the repetitionapplication of methods
17
demonstrated in class or tasks can be prelude to class by focusing their study
efforts The case method requires students to review the material and come to
class prepared to participate in a discussion
Assessment
ldquoWill this be on the examinationrdquo Assessment often seems to be the most important
concern of students Our assessment tasks assignments and exams are and
should be designed to measure the most important aspects of our courses - the key
learning outcomes we expect for our students This is the assessment of learning
Knowing what is important and how it will be assessed enables students to set
priorities in organizing and focusing their study efforts Another way to say this is
that assessment shapes learning so if you want to influence what students learn
and how they study adjust assessment Thus our teaching and our assessments
as well as all the other learning activities we design should be aligned with these
desired learning outcomes Preparing for a quiz has a different impact on your
students learning activities than writing a short paper The form of your final exam
will influence how your students study and what they recall
There is also assessment for learning In addition to knowing what is important and
how it will be assessed students also need information or feedback on how well
they are doing or not doing in achieving the goals of the course This additional
information can help them to make timely adjustments to their studies by identifying
those areas where they are doing well and those areas that need more work
Designing Assessment
Start with the learning objectives that are most important Using a variety of
testing formats will enable more students to do their best Develop questions
which assess more than just recall Ask your students to suggest possible items
Prepare clear instructions and try out the timing An exam that is too long for
even the best student to complete helps no one One rule of thumb is that it will
take students four times as long as you to complete the exam
Types of Assessment
There are many forms of quizzes tests and exams multiple-choice true-false
matching short answer essay and problem solving There are also oral exams
and performance tests Variations include open-book take-home and group
tests Each format has its strengths and weaknesses and is best suited to
measuring certain types of learning
In all cases you should be sure that the form of the assessment
18
matchesmeasures the learning outcomes you desire
Reducing Student Anxiety
Since assessments count students anxiety often interferes with their
performance It is essential that you clearly describe the methods of assessment
the format and the dates in the coursemodule syllabus and remind students in
class Other strategies which can help relieve unnecessary anxiety include give
more than one examination thus providing several opportunities for them to
show you what they know give students choices among alternative forms of
assessment avoid pop quizzes give students advice on how to study
encourage them to study in groups provide extra office hours and review
sessions give diagnostic test early in the term provide sampleoldpractice
exams include bonus questions
Returning Students Work
You are expected to mark your tutorial assignments and exam scripts and dont
miss deadlines for the return of students work Assessment supports learning
and your feedback is a key contribution Use class time to discuss the overall
results Collect feedback from the class on the assessment (what was
difficultunexpected how could youthey have improved their preparation)
Grading Assessment
Read the exams without looking at the students names Choose examples of
answers to serve as exemplars or standards Grade question by question rather
than all the questions for a single student Avoid judging on extraneous factors
like handwriting Pace yourself - read only a reasonable number of exams at one
time If possible read some papers twice to determine your own reliability
10
examinations examination scripts grade and return of final marks with care and
on time
232 Conflict of Interest
To protect the Universitys interest you are required to report any situation where
your personal interest conflicts with the University and to take appropriate action
to avoid any possible conflict and embarrassment
233 Disclosure of Information
Except in the normal performance of your duties with the University you should
not at any time during or after the termination of your employment without the
prior consent of the University disclose any information relating to the University
which may have come to your knowledge in the course of your employment
234 Intellectual Property
It is the Universitys policy and a term of employment of the Universitys staff that
unless agreed expressly by the University in writing the ownership of all
intellectual property rights in all relevant works created by University staff in the
course of employment with the University shall automatically vest in the
University notwithstanding any rule of law or equality to the contrary
235 Security
Instructors are required to take good care of University property (office furniture
equipment documents) Any damage and loss of property due to carelessness
or general lack of responsibility will be chargeable to you
Your valuable personal property including money jewellery ATM cards and
mobile phones must not be left unattended in areas such as the library canteen
classrooms or anywhere in the campus
236 Sale of Materials and Commercial Promotion
Any sale of books tapes or teaching materials should be arranged through the
School Under no circumstances should instructors collect money from
participants without prior approval from the School Instructors are not permitted
to distribute any commercial promotion leaflets and materials to the participants
without prior approval from the School
11
Appendix Tips on teaching and learning
Successful teaching is based on a partnership between instructor and students The
foundation of this partnership is a clear statement of obligations For the instructor
this means providing a plan at the beginning of the course of the material to be
covered and the activities that will be organised for students The more details you
can give the easier it is for students to manage
Most important is an assessment plan Students need to know right from the start
how you intend to assess their progress What will be the contribution of
assignments and examinations Will you have mid-term test Will there be
presentations and if so how will they be graded When is work due and just as
important when will you return the work with comments and grades Nothing
creates more unnecessary argument and confusion than unclear guidelines about
the assessment of the course
Your major role and responsibility as an instructor is to work with your students and
colleagues to create a productive learning environment Creating an effective
environment for student learning requires that the desired learning outcomes be
clear the teaching and learning opportunities be aligned with these outcomes and
the assessment tasks allow students to demonstrate their achievement of those
learning outcomes In preparing to teach you must decide the curriculum (what you
will teach or rather what you expect the students to learn) the teaching and
learning activities (how you will help the students learn) and the assessment plan
(how you will know if students are learning)
Programme Planning
General Strategies
Be careful not to overload the course with too much material -- keep it
manageable If the course has been given before talk with the staff who have
taught it and review their materials If the course has never been offered review
other available materials textbooks etc Review the constraints (number of
students number of hours other courses they have taken etc) as well as how
your course relates to other courses in the programme
Establish Goals
What should your students know produce or be able to do at the end of your
course What are the intended learning outcomes of the course General terms
12
such as know or understand are not as helpful as more specific ones -- define
identify apply evaluate solve problems and so on Do you also have some
non-content goals eg presentation skills team work etc The clearer you
are about the learning outcomes you desire the easier it will be to plan your
teaching and assessment strategies
Review the Content
Research shows that too much content works against students learning the
material deeply Decide what is basic and essential and must be mastered by
everyone what is only recommended and what is optional What are the core
concepts the classic issues andor the basic conceptual framework in the area
Structure the Course Module
Create a logical arrangement for the material There are different options how
concepts are organized in the field how students will use the information how
students learn from concrete to abstract from theory to practice by increasing
levels of complexity etc
Create a Calendar
List all the class meeting times Note any holidays Fill in tentative topics Plan
schedule for assessment tasks reviews giving and collecting feedback extra
time for difficult topics etc Identify dates you plan to have guest speakers to go
on field trips to need special audio-visual materials etc Make any special
arrangements well in advance (eg ordering a video booking equipment
scheduling visitors) If you wish to make special arrangements for teaching
facilities or need additional audio-visual teaching equipment make a request to
the School at least four working days in advance
Course Materials
Make sure that the material and readings needed for studentsrsquo learning are
available Instructors may request the School to help with the upload of materials
onto CANVAS or the printing of handouts For printing request it has to be
made at least seven working days in advance by using a Printing Request Form
The completed form should be attached to the originals of notes and sent to
CityU SCOPE office at CityU Notes on A4 size white paper and written or
printed in black are preferred for best quality reproduction Remember that
photocopying from books or other material protected by copyright is not
permitted
13
CourseModule Policies
Please familiarize yourself with the policies and regulations related to the study
programme For example regulations about attendance requirement class
participation late works extra-credit assignments academic dishonesty
(plagiarism) grading appeal of assessment results etc Student Handbook is
one of the sources which can provide key information and rules about the
programme
CourseModule Outline or Syllabus
All of this information (including assessment tasks dates etc) needs to be
prepared and given to the students in the first class You may upload them onto
CANVAS or have them printed It forms the basis of your teaching and learning
contract with them laying out your expectations of them and what they expect
out of the coursemodule You may wish to put all this information in your course
outline
Teaching
In planning your teaching there are two areas that need attention The first area to
consider is what you and the students will be doing during your time together in
class the second is what you expect your students to do outside of class
Visit the Classroom Before Your First Class
Is the AV equipment (projector computer visualizer microphone etc) you
require available
Do you know how it works
Is the furniture suitable for the learning activities you have planned
Do you know how to control the lights air condition etc
Have you been given the white-board pens and eraser If so please keep
custody of them and bring them to class as necessary
The First Class
This meeting will set the tone for the rest of the course As with any first meeting
of strangers there are the normal concerns -- who are these people what do
they expect will I be able to perform up to expectations By the end of the first
class the students should know where they are going and how they will get there
know at least some of the other students know that you care about them and
their learning and that the time you spend together will be valuable and
enjoyable
14
Administrative Tasks
Make sure everyone is in the right room Take attendance Discuss the course
outline and explain important policies and procedures deadlines coursemodule
materials safety precautions (eg labs) and emergency procedures (eg
typhoons) Eating drinking and smoking are not allowed and mobile phones
should be turned off
Keep track of students attendance and progress Attendance Registers are
obtainable from the CityU SCOPE office Participants whose names are not
listed on the registers should not be allowed to attend class unless notified
otherwise by CityU SCOPE
Instructors should verify the attendance by signing on the registers following the
last lesson of the coursemodule and return it to the School within one week
following completion of the coursemodule
Create a Positive Learning Environment
Be in the room well before the class starts and welcome the students as they
arrive Introduce yourself to the class telling them something about your
background and your connection to the area and the course Find out something
about the students If the class is small have them introduce themselves In a
large class they could fill out a card with relevant background information about
who they are and why they are taking the course then share some of that
information in groups of 3 or 4 Begin to learn the students names
Set Expectations
Everyone wants the class to be a success Discuss the objectives of the
coursemodule what the student can expect to learn as well as how you plan to
conduct the class (lectures discussions case studies etc) You should tell them
what they will be expected to do (attend participate make presentations etc)
and suggest study strategies resources that they can use To help them and you
know how well prepared they are for this modulecourse you might give a short
un-graded quiz or writing task on pre-requisite or background materials to the
coursemodule
Punctuality
Arrive at the classroom five minutes before start time Ending the classes on time
and not earlier should be practiced For part time evening students lateness is
15
often unavoidable be patient and helpful as latecomers try to catch up
If you must miss a class or arrange for a guest speaker to conduct your lesson
make arrangements well ahead of time and keep students and the CityU SCOPE
office informed The CityU SCOPE rule is that missed classes should be made
up within two weeks
In case of unforeseen absence (or unexpected late arrival) instructors should
inform the School staff concerned or CityU SCOPE Hotline as soon as possible
If the instructor fails to show up classes are automatically cancelled 60 minutes
after the start time
Conducting Your Class
Lectures should capture and hold students attention and to engage them
actively in thinking about the material At their best each student will feel the
instructor is talking directly to himher Reading lectures should be avoided since
the formality limits connection and contact with the learners Prepare your lecture
notes so that you can speak to the important points raised If you must read parts
keep them very short
(a) Beginnings
You need to begin by getting students attention by asking a question making
a provocative statement telling an engaging story mentioning some current
event etc Provide an overview of what you will be talking about and situate it
in relation to previous and future topicsclasses
(b) Maintaining Interest
Research has shown that most students attention will begin to drift after not
much more than 10 minutes of passive listening Thus you need to ensure
that everyone can see and hear you make the organization of the lecture
clear to the students (provide an outline) be enthusiastic use clear
understandable language (be careful of jargon) maintain eye contact vary
your delivery to keep attention (tone of voice pause movement) use
examples and visuals (pictures graphs etc) and keep track of time (dont
rush the ending)
(c) Encouraging Active Engagement
There are different ways to encourage students to be actively engaged in the
class You can break up your lectures (after 10 - 15 minutes) by asking
16
students to work on their own for a few minutes (solve a problem find an
example summarize the major ideas identify the strengths or weaknesses
write down any questions they have etc) and then to compare their work
with the students near them After a few minutes invite some of the students
to share their discussions with the rest of the class This strategy is called
think-pair-share These breaks in the lecture allow the students to work with
the course material and enable you to know how well the students are doing
If you dont have an answer be honest and promise to come back with the
answer next time
(d) Other Interactive Strategies
Besides think-pair-share there are many other ways to actively involve your
students in the class eg case studies role plays debates simulations
interviewing guest speakers student presentations field trips etc Each of
these requires some special preparation by the instructor and the students
They often take more time than lecturing but the learning is often much richer
and the experience more enjoyable
(e) Ending the Class
Dont rush your ending to get in the last few points or just stop in the middle
because you have run out of time Plan to end the session with a summary
(by you or the students) of what has been accomplished Try to tie up loose
ends End with a thought-provoking question preview things to come or
suggest ways to follow up on the material covered Dont go overtime
Learning Activities Outside of Class
Since a good deal of student learning will occur outside of class you need to
carefully plan so that students will spend that time most productively Students
are normally expected to spend at least twice as much time working on their
courses outside of class as they do in class These activities include reading
course materials and textbooks working on assignments preparing for classes
and tests You need to help your students to know what is expected of them
outside of class and how it complements what goes on in class
Designing Learning Activities
Start with the abilities or skills you want the student to develop (problem solving
critiquing texts designing experiments) and then design learning activities that
require the student to involve these abilities of skills (solve problems critique text
design experiments) These tasks could be the repetitionapplication of methods
17
demonstrated in class or tasks can be prelude to class by focusing their study
efforts The case method requires students to review the material and come to
class prepared to participate in a discussion
Assessment
ldquoWill this be on the examinationrdquo Assessment often seems to be the most important
concern of students Our assessment tasks assignments and exams are and
should be designed to measure the most important aspects of our courses - the key
learning outcomes we expect for our students This is the assessment of learning
Knowing what is important and how it will be assessed enables students to set
priorities in organizing and focusing their study efforts Another way to say this is
that assessment shapes learning so if you want to influence what students learn
and how they study adjust assessment Thus our teaching and our assessments
as well as all the other learning activities we design should be aligned with these
desired learning outcomes Preparing for a quiz has a different impact on your
students learning activities than writing a short paper The form of your final exam
will influence how your students study and what they recall
There is also assessment for learning In addition to knowing what is important and
how it will be assessed students also need information or feedback on how well
they are doing or not doing in achieving the goals of the course This additional
information can help them to make timely adjustments to their studies by identifying
those areas where they are doing well and those areas that need more work
Designing Assessment
Start with the learning objectives that are most important Using a variety of
testing formats will enable more students to do their best Develop questions
which assess more than just recall Ask your students to suggest possible items
Prepare clear instructions and try out the timing An exam that is too long for
even the best student to complete helps no one One rule of thumb is that it will
take students four times as long as you to complete the exam
Types of Assessment
There are many forms of quizzes tests and exams multiple-choice true-false
matching short answer essay and problem solving There are also oral exams
and performance tests Variations include open-book take-home and group
tests Each format has its strengths and weaknesses and is best suited to
measuring certain types of learning
In all cases you should be sure that the form of the assessment
18
matchesmeasures the learning outcomes you desire
Reducing Student Anxiety
Since assessments count students anxiety often interferes with their
performance It is essential that you clearly describe the methods of assessment
the format and the dates in the coursemodule syllabus and remind students in
class Other strategies which can help relieve unnecessary anxiety include give
more than one examination thus providing several opportunities for them to
show you what they know give students choices among alternative forms of
assessment avoid pop quizzes give students advice on how to study
encourage them to study in groups provide extra office hours and review
sessions give diagnostic test early in the term provide sampleoldpractice
exams include bonus questions
Returning Students Work
You are expected to mark your tutorial assignments and exam scripts and dont
miss deadlines for the return of students work Assessment supports learning
and your feedback is a key contribution Use class time to discuss the overall
results Collect feedback from the class on the assessment (what was
difficultunexpected how could youthey have improved their preparation)
Grading Assessment
Read the exams without looking at the students names Choose examples of
answers to serve as exemplars or standards Grade question by question rather
than all the questions for a single student Avoid judging on extraneous factors
like handwriting Pace yourself - read only a reasonable number of exams at one
time If possible read some papers twice to determine your own reliability
11
Appendix Tips on teaching and learning
Successful teaching is based on a partnership between instructor and students The
foundation of this partnership is a clear statement of obligations For the instructor
this means providing a plan at the beginning of the course of the material to be
covered and the activities that will be organised for students The more details you
can give the easier it is for students to manage
Most important is an assessment plan Students need to know right from the start
how you intend to assess their progress What will be the contribution of
assignments and examinations Will you have mid-term test Will there be
presentations and if so how will they be graded When is work due and just as
important when will you return the work with comments and grades Nothing
creates more unnecessary argument and confusion than unclear guidelines about
the assessment of the course
Your major role and responsibility as an instructor is to work with your students and
colleagues to create a productive learning environment Creating an effective
environment for student learning requires that the desired learning outcomes be
clear the teaching and learning opportunities be aligned with these outcomes and
the assessment tasks allow students to demonstrate their achievement of those
learning outcomes In preparing to teach you must decide the curriculum (what you
will teach or rather what you expect the students to learn) the teaching and
learning activities (how you will help the students learn) and the assessment plan
(how you will know if students are learning)
Programme Planning
General Strategies
Be careful not to overload the course with too much material -- keep it
manageable If the course has been given before talk with the staff who have
taught it and review their materials If the course has never been offered review
other available materials textbooks etc Review the constraints (number of
students number of hours other courses they have taken etc) as well as how
your course relates to other courses in the programme
Establish Goals
What should your students know produce or be able to do at the end of your
course What are the intended learning outcomes of the course General terms
12
such as know or understand are not as helpful as more specific ones -- define
identify apply evaluate solve problems and so on Do you also have some
non-content goals eg presentation skills team work etc The clearer you
are about the learning outcomes you desire the easier it will be to plan your
teaching and assessment strategies
Review the Content
Research shows that too much content works against students learning the
material deeply Decide what is basic and essential and must be mastered by
everyone what is only recommended and what is optional What are the core
concepts the classic issues andor the basic conceptual framework in the area
Structure the Course Module
Create a logical arrangement for the material There are different options how
concepts are organized in the field how students will use the information how
students learn from concrete to abstract from theory to practice by increasing
levels of complexity etc
Create a Calendar
List all the class meeting times Note any holidays Fill in tentative topics Plan
schedule for assessment tasks reviews giving and collecting feedback extra
time for difficult topics etc Identify dates you plan to have guest speakers to go
on field trips to need special audio-visual materials etc Make any special
arrangements well in advance (eg ordering a video booking equipment
scheduling visitors) If you wish to make special arrangements for teaching
facilities or need additional audio-visual teaching equipment make a request to
the School at least four working days in advance
Course Materials
Make sure that the material and readings needed for studentsrsquo learning are
available Instructors may request the School to help with the upload of materials
onto CANVAS or the printing of handouts For printing request it has to be
made at least seven working days in advance by using a Printing Request Form
The completed form should be attached to the originals of notes and sent to
CityU SCOPE office at CityU Notes on A4 size white paper and written or
printed in black are preferred for best quality reproduction Remember that
photocopying from books or other material protected by copyright is not
permitted
13
CourseModule Policies
Please familiarize yourself with the policies and regulations related to the study
programme For example regulations about attendance requirement class
participation late works extra-credit assignments academic dishonesty
(plagiarism) grading appeal of assessment results etc Student Handbook is
one of the sources which can provide key information and rules about the
programme
CourseModule Outline or Syllabus
All of this information (including assessment tasks dates etc) needs to be
prepared and given to the students in the first class You may upload them onto
CANVAS or have them printed It forms the basis of your teaching and learning
contract with them laying out your expectations of them and what they expect
out of the coursemodule You may wish to put all this information in your course
outline
Teaching
In planning your teaching there are two areas that need attention The first area to
consider is what you and the students will be doing during your time together in
class the second is what you expect your students to do outside of class
Visit the Classroom Before Your First Class
Is the AV equipment (projector computer visualizer microphone etc) you
require available
Do you know how it works
Is the furniture suitable for the learning activities you have planned
Do you know how to control the lights air condition etc
Have you been given the white-board pens and eraser If so please keep
custody of them and bring them to class as necessary
The First Class
This meeting will set the tone for the rest of the course As with any first meeting
of strangers there are the normal concerns -- who are these people what do
they expect will I be able to perform up to expectations By the end of the first
class the students should know where they are going and how they will get there
know at least some of the other students know that you care about them and
their learning and that the time you spend together will be valuable and
enjoyable
14
Administrative Tasks
Make sure everyone is in the right room Take attendance Discuss the course
outline and explain important policies and procedures deadlines coursemodule
materials safety precautions (eg labs) and emergency procedures (eg
typhoons) Eating drinking and smoking are not allowed and mobile phones
should be turned off
Keep track of students attendance and progress Attendance Registers are
obtainable from the CityU SCOPE office Participants whose names are not
listed on the registers should not be allowed to attend class unless notified
otherwise by CityU SCOPE
Instructors should verify the attendance by signing on the registers following the
last lesson of the coursemodule and return it to the School within one week
following completion of the coursemodule
Create a Positive Learning Environment
Be in the room well before the class starts and welcome the students as they
arrive Introduce yourself to the class telling them something about your
background and your connection to the area and the course Find out something
about the students If the class is small have them introduce themselves In a
large class they could fill out a card with relevant background information about
who they are and why they are taking the course then share some of that
information in groups of 3 or 4 Begin to learn the students names
Set Expectations
Everyone wants the class to be a success Discuss the objectives of the
coursemodule what the student can expect to learn as well as how you plan to
conduct the class (lectures discussions case studies etc) You should tell them
what they will be expected to do (attend participate make presentations etc)
and suggest study strategies resources that they can use To help them and you
know how well prepared they are for this modulecourse you might give a short
un-graded quiz or writing task on pre-requisite or background materials to the
coursemodule
Punctuality
Arrive at the classroom five minutes before start time Ending the classes on time
and not earlier should be practiced For part time evening students lateness is
15
often unavoidable be patient and helpful as latecomers try to catch up
If you must miss a class or arrange for a guest speaker to conduct your lesson
make arrangements well ahead of time and keep students and the CityU SCOPE
office informed The CityU SCOPE rule is that missed classes should be made
up within two weeks
In case of unforeseen absence (or unexpected late arrival) instructors should
inform the School staff concerned or CityU SCOPE Hotline as soon as possible
If the instructor fails to show up classes are automatically cancelled 60 minutes
after the start time
Conducting Your Class
Lectures should capture and hold students attention and to engage them
actively in thinking about the material At their best each student will feel the
instructor is talking directly to himher Reading lectures should be avoided since
the formality limits connection and contact with the learners Prepare your lecture
notes so that you can speak to the important points raised If you must read parts
keep them very short
(a) Beginnings
You need to begin by getting students attention by asking a question making
a provocative statement telling an engaging story mentioning some current
event etc Provide an overview of what you will be talking about and situate it
in relation to previous and future topicsclasses
(b) Maintaining Interest
Research has shown that most students attention will begin to drift after not
much more than 10 minutes of passive listening Thus you need to ensure
that everyone can see and hear you make the organization of the lecture
clear to the students (provide an outline) be enthusiastic use clear
understandable language (be careful of jargon) maintain eye contact vary
your delivery to keep attention (tone of voice pause movement) use
examples and visuals (pictures graphs etc) and keep track of time (dont
rush the ending)
(c) Encouraging Active Engagement
There are different ways to encourage students to be actively engaged in the
class You can break up your lectures (after 10 - 15 minutes) by asking
16
students to work on their own for a few minutes (solve a problem find an
example summarize the major ideas identify the strengths or weaknesses
write down any questions they have etc) and then to compare their work
with the students near them After a few minutes invite some of the students
to share their discussions with the rest of the class This strategy is called
think-pair-share These breaks in the lecture allow the students to work with
the course material and enable you to know how well the students are doing
If you dont have an answer be honest and promise to come back with the
answer next time
(d) Other Interactive Strategies
Besides think-pair-share there are many other ways to actively involve your
students in the class eg case studies role plays debates simulations
interviewing guest speakers student presentations field trips etc Each of
these requires some special preparation by the instructor and the students
They often take more time than lecturing but the learning is often much richer
and the experience more enjoyable
(e) Ending the Class
Dont rush your ending to get in the last few points or just stop in the middle
because you have run out of time Plan to end the session with a summary
(by you or the students) of what has been accomplished Try to tie up loose
ends End with a thought-provoking question preview things to come or
suggest ways to follow up on the material covered Dont go overtime
Learning Activities Outside of Class
Since a good deal of student learning will occur outside of class you need to
carefully plan so that students will spend that time most productively Students
are normally expected to spend at least twice as much time working on their
courses outside of class as they do in class These activities include reading
course materials and textbooks working on assignments preparing for classes
and tests You need to help your students to know what is expected of them
outside of class and how it complements what goes on in class
Designing Learning Activities
Start with the abilities or skills you want the student to develop (problem solving
critiquing texts designing experiments) and then design learning activities that
require the student to involve these abilities of skills (solve problems critique text
design experiments) These tasks could be the repetitionapplication of methods
17
demonstrated in class or tasks can be prelude to class by focusing their study
efforts The case method requires students to review the material and come to
class prepared to participate in a discussion
Assessment
ldquoWill this be on the examinationrdquo Assessment often seems to be the most important
concern of students Our assessment tasks assignments and exams are and
should be designed to measure the most important aspects of our courses - the key
learning outcomes we expect for our students This is the assessment of learning
Knowing what is important and how it will be assessed enables students to set
priorities in organizing and focusing their study efforts Another way to say this is
that assessment shapes learning so if you want to influence what students learn
and how they study adjust assessment Thus our teaching and our assessments
as well as all the other learning activities we design should be aligned with these
desired learning outcomes Preparing for a quiz has a different impact on your
students learning activities than writing a short paper The form of your final exam
will influence how your students study and what they recall
There is also assessment for learning In addition to knowing what is important and
how it will be assessed students also need information or feedback on how well
they are doing or not doing in achieving the goals of the course This additional
information can help them to make timely adjustments to their studies by identifying
those areas where they are doing well and those areas that need more work
Designing Assessment
Start with the learning objectives that are most important Using a variety of
testing formats will enable more students to do their best Develop questions
which assess more than just recall Ask your students to suggest possible items
Prepare clear instructions and try out the timing An exam that is too long for
even the best student to complete helps no one One rule of thumb is that it will
take students four times as long as you to complete the exam
Types of Assessment
There are many forms of quizzes tests and exams multiple-choice true-false
matching short answer essay and problem solving There are also oral exams
and performance tests Variations include open-book take-home and group
tests Each format has its strengths and weaknesses and is best suited to
measuring certain types of learning
In all cases you should be sure that the form of the assessment
18
matchesmeasures the learning outcomes you desire
Reducing Student Anxiety
Since assessments count students anxiety often interferes with their
performance It is essential that you clearly describe the methods of assessment
the format and the dates in the coursemodule syllabus and remind students in
class Other strategies which can help relieve unnecessary anxiety include give
more than one examination thus providing several opportunities for them to
show you what they know give students choices among alternative forms of
assessment avoid pop quizzes give students advice on how to study
encourage them to study in groups provide extra office hours and review
sessions give diagnostic test early in the term provide sampleoldpractice
exams include bonus questions
Returning Students Work
You are expected to mark your tutorial assignments and exam scripts and dont
miss deadlines for the return of students work Assessment supports learning
and your feedback is a key contribution Use class time to discuss the overall
results Collect feedback from the class on the assessment (what was
difficultunexpected how could youthey have improved their preparation)
Grading Assessment
Read the exams without looking at the students names Choose examples of
answers to serve as exemplars or standards Grade question by question rather
than all the questions for a single student Avoid judging on extraneous factors
like handwriting Pace yourself - read only a reasonable number of exams at one
time If possible read some papers twice to determine your own reliability
12
such as know or understand are not as helpful as more specific ones -- define
identify apply evaluate solve problems and so on Do you also have some
non-content goals eg presentation skills team work etc The clearer you
are about the learning outcomes you desire the easier it will be to plan your
teaching and assessment strategies
Review the Content
Research shows that too much content works against students learning the
material deeply Decide what is basic and essential and must be mastered by
everyone what is only recommended and what is optional What are the core
concepts the classic issues andor the basic conceptual framework in the area
Structure the Course Module
Create a logical arrangement for the material There are different options how
concepts are organized in the field how students will use the information how
students learn from concrete to abstract from theory to practice by increasing
levels of complexity etc
Create a Calendar
List all the class meeting times Note any holidays Fill in tentative topics Plan
schedule for assessment tasks reviews giving and collecting feedback extra
time for difficult topics etc Identify dates you plan to have guest speakers to go
on field trips to need special audio-visual materials etc Make any special
arrangements well in advance (eg ordering a video booking equipment
scheduling visitors) If you wish to make special arrangements for teaching
facilities or need additional audio-visual teaching equipment make a request to
the School at least four working days in advance
Course Materials
Make sure that the material and readings needed for studentsrsquo learning are
available Instructors may request the School to help with the upload of materials
onto CANVAS or the printing of handouts For printing request it has to be
made at least seven working days in advance by using a Printing Request Form
The completed form should be attached to the originals of notes and sent to
CityU SCOPE office at CityU Notes on A4 size white paper and written or
printed in black are preferred for best quality reproduction Remember that
photocopying from books or other material protected by copyright is not
permitted
13
CourseModule Policies
Please familiarize yourself with the policies and regulations related to the study
programme For example regulations about attendance requirement class
participation late works extra-credit assignments academic dishonesty
(plagiarism) grading appeal of assessment results etc Student Handbook is
one of the sources which can provide key information and rules about the
programme
CourseModule Outline or Syllabus
All of this information (including assessment tasks dates etc) needs to be
prepared and given to the students in the first class You may upload them onto
CANVAS or have them printed It forms the basis of your teaching and learning
contract with them laying out your expectations of them and what they expect
out of the coursemodule You may wish to put all this information in your course
outline
Teaching
In planning your teaching there are two areas that need attention The first area to
consider is what you and the students will be doing during your time together in
class the second is what you expect your students to do outside of class
Visit the Classroom Before Your First Class
Is the AV equipment (projector computer visualizer microphone etc) you
require available
Do you know how it works
Is the furniture suitable for the learning activities you have planned
Do you know how to control the lights air condition etc
Have you been given the white-board pens and eraser If so please keep
custody of them and bring them to class as necessary
The First Class
This meeting will set the tone for the rest of the course As with any first meeting
of strangers there are the normal concerns -- who are these people what do
they expect will I be able to perform up to expectations By the end of the first
class the students should know where they are going and how they will get there
know at least some of the other students know that you care about them and
their learning and that the time you spend together will be valuable and
enjoyable
14
Administrative Tasks
Make sure everyone is in the right room Take attendance Discuss the course
outline and explain important policies and procedures deadlines coursemodule
materials safety precautions (eg labs) and emergency procedures (eg
typhoons) Eating drinking and smoking are not allowed and mobile phones
should be turned off
Keep track of students attendance and progress Attendance Registers are
obtainable from the CityU SCOPE office Participants whose names are not
listed on the registers should not be allowed to attend class unless notified
otherwise by CityU SCOPE
Instructors should verify the attendance by signing on the registers following the
last lesson of the coursemodule and return it to the School within one week
following completion of the coursemodule
Create a Positive Learning Environment
Be in the room well before the class starts and welcome the students as they
arrive Introduce yourself to the class telling them something about your
background and your connection to the area and the course Find out something
about the students If the class is small have them introduce themselves In a
large class they could fill out a card with relevant background information about
who they are and why they are taking the course then share some of that
information in groups of 3 or 4 Begin to learn the students names
Set Expectations
Everyone wants the class to be a success Discuss the objectives of the
coursemodule what the student can expect to learn as well as how you plan to
conduct the class (lectures discussions case studies etc) You should tell them
what they will be expected to do (attend participate make presentations etc)
and suggest study strategies resources that they can use To help them and you
know how well prepared they are for this modulecourse you might give a short
un-graded quiz or writing task on pre-requisite or background materials to the
coursemodule
Punctuality
Arrive at the classroom five minutes before start time Ending the classes on time
and not earlier should be practiced For part time evening students lateness is
15
often unavoidable be patient and helpful as latecomers try to catch up
If you must miss a class or arrange for a guest speaker to conduct your lesson
make arrangements well ahead of time and keep students and the CityU SCOPE
office informed The CityU SCOPE rule is that missed classes should be made
up within two weeks
In case of unforeseen absence (or unexpected late arrival) instructors should
inform the School staff concerned or CityU SCOPE Hotline as soon as possible
If the instructor fails to show up classes are automatically cancelled 60 minutes
after the start time
Conducting Your Class
Lectures should capture and hold students attention and to engage them
actively in thinking about the material At their best each student will feel the
instructor is talking directly to himher Reading lectures should be avoided since
the formality limits connection and contact with the learners Prepare your lecture
notes so that you can speak to the important points raised If you must read parts
keep them very short
(a) Beginnings
You need to begin by getting students attention by asking a question making
a provocative statement telling an engaging story mentioning some current
event etc Provide an overview of what you will be talking about and situate it
in relation to previous and future topicsclasses
(b) Maintaining Interest
Research has shown that most students attention will begin to drift after not
much more than 10 minutes of passive listening Thus you need to ensure
that everyone can see and hear you make the organization of the lecture
clear to the students (provide an outline) be enthusiastic use clear
understandable language (be careful of jargon) maintain eye contact vary
your delivery to keep attention (tone of voice pause movement) use
examples and visuals (pictures graphs etc) and keep track of time (dont
rush the ending)
(c) Encouraging Active Engagement
There are different ways to encourage students to be actively engaged in the
class You can break up your lectures (after 10 - 15 minutes) by asking
16
students to work on their own for a few minutes (solve a problem find an
example summarize the major ideas identify the strengths or weaknesses
write down any questions they have etc) and then to compare their work
with the students near them After a few minutes invite some of the students
to share their discussions with the rest of the class This strategy is called
think-pair-share These breaks in the lecture allow the students to work with
the course material and enable you to know how well the students are doing
If you dont have an answer be honest and promise to come back with the
answer next time
(d) Other Interactive Strategies
Besides think-pair-share there are many other ways to actively involve your
students in the class eg case studies role plays debates simulations
interviewing guest speakers student presentations field trips etc Each of
these requires some special preparation by the instructor and the students
They often take more time than lecturing but the learning is often much richer
and the experience more enjoyable
(e) Ending the Class
Dont rush your ending to get in the last few points or just stop in the middle
because you have run out of time Plan to end the session with a summary
(by you or the students) of what has been accomplished Try to tie up loose
ends End with a thought-provoking question preview things to come or
suggest ways to follow up on the material covered Dont go overtime
Learning Activities Outside of Class
Since a good deal of student learning will occur outside of class you need to
carefully plan so that students will spend that time most productively Students
are normally expected to spend at least twice as much time working on their
courses outside of class as they do in class These activities include reading
course materials and textbooks working on assignments preparing for classes
and tests You need to help your students to know what is expected of them
outside of class and how it complements what goes on in class
Designing Learning Activities
Start with the abilities or skills you want the student to develop (problem solving
critiquing texts designing experiments) and then design learning activities that
require the student to involve these abilities of skills (solve problems critique text
design experiments) These tasks could be the repetitionapplication of methods
17
demonstrated in class or tasks can be prelude to class by focusing their study
efforts The case method requires students to review the material and come to
class prepared to participate in a discussion
Assessment
ldquoWill this be on the examinationrdquo Assessment often seems to be the most important
concern of students Our assessment tasks assignments and exams are and
should be designed to measure the most important aspects of our courses - the key
learning outcomes we expect for our students This is the assessment of learning
Knowing what is important and how it will be assessed enables students to set
priorities in organizing and focusing their study efforts Another way to say this is
that assessment shapes learning so if you want to influence what students learn
and how they study adjust assessment Thus our teaching and our assessments
as well as all the other learning activities we design should be aligned with these
desired learning outcomes Preparing for a quiz has a different impact on your
students learning activities than writing a short paper The form of your final exam
will influence how your students study and what they recall
There is also assessment for learning In addition to knowing what is important and
how it will be assessed students also need information or feedback on how well
they are doing or not doing in achieving the goals of the course This additional
information can help them to make timely adjustments to their studies by identifying
those areas where they are doing well and those areas that need more work
Designing Assessment
Start with the learning objectives that are most important Using a variety of
testing formats will enable more students to do their best Develop questions
which assess more than just recall Ask your students to suggest possible items
Prepare clear instructions and try out the timing An exam that is too long for
even the best student to complete helps no one One rule of thumb is that it will
take students four times as long as you to complete the exam
Types of Assessment
There are many forms of quizzes tests and exams multiple-choice true-false
matching short answer essay and problem solving There are also oral exams
and performance tests Variations include open-book take-home and group
tests Each format has its strengths and weaknesses and is best suited to
measuring certain types of learning
In all cases you should be sure that the form of the assessment
18
matchesmeasures the learning outcomes you desire
Reducing Student Anxiety
Since assessments count students anxiety often interferes with their
performance It is essential that you clearly describe the methods of assessment
the format and the dates in the coursemodule syllabus and remind students in
class Other strategies which can help relieve unnecessary anxiety include give
more than one examination thus providing several opportunities for them to
show you what they know give students choices among alternative forms of
assessment avoid pop quizzes give students advice on how to study
encourage them to study in groups provide extra office hours and review
sessions give diagnostic test early in the term provide sampleoldpractice
exams include bonus questions
Returning Students Work
You are expected to mark your tutorial assignments and exam scripts and dont
miss deadlines for the return of students work Assessment supports learning
and your feedback is a key contribution Use class time to discuss the overall
results Collect feedback from the class on the assessment (what was
difficultunexpected how could youthey have improved their preparation)
Grading Assessment
Read the exams without looking at the students names Choose examples of
answers to serve as exemplars or standards Grade question by question rather
than all the questions for a single student Avoid judging on extraneous factors
like handwriting Pace yourself - read only a reasonable number of exams at one
time If possible read some papers twice to determine your own reliability
13
CourseModule Policies
Please familiarize yourself with the policies and regulations related to the study
programme For example regulations about attendance requirement class
participation late works extra-credit assignments academic dishonesty
(plagiarism) grading appeal of assessment results etc Student Handbook is
one of the sources which can provide key information and rules about the
programme
CourseModule Outline or Syllabus
All of this information (including assessment tasks dates etc) needs to be
prepared and given to the students in the first class You may upload them onto
CANVAS or have them printed It forms the basis of your teaching and learning
contract with them laying out your expectations of them and what they expect
out of the coursemodule You may wish to put all this information in your course
outline
Teaching
In planning your teaching there are two areas that need attention The first area to
consider is what you and the students will be doing during your time together in
class the second is what you expect your students to do outside of class
Visit the Classroom Before Your First Class
Is the AV equipment (projector computer visualizer microphone etc) you
require available
Do you know how it works
Is the furniture suitable for the learning activities you have planned
Do you know how to control the lights air condition etc
Have you been given the white-board pens and eraser If so please keep
custody of them and bring them to class as necessary
The First Class
This meeting will set the tone for the rest of the course As with any first meeting
of strangers there are the normal concerns -- who are these people what do
they expect will I be able to perform up to expectations By the end of the first
class the students should know where they are going and how they will get there
know at least some of the other students know that you care about them and
their learning and that the time you spend together will be valuable and
enjoyable
14
Administrative Tasks
Make sure everyone is in the right room Take attendance Discuss the course
outline and explain important policies and procedures deadlines coursemodule
materials safety precautions (eg labs) and emergency procedures (eg
typhoons) Eating drinking and smoking are not allowed and mobile phones
should be turned off
Keep track of students attendance and progress Attendance Registers are
obtainable from the CityU SCOPE office Participants whose names are not
listed on the registers should not be allowed to attend class unless notified
otherwise by CityU SCOPE
Instructors should verify the attendance by signing on the registers following the
last lesson of the coursemodule and return it to the School within one week
following completion of the coursemodule
Create a Positive Learning Environment
Be in the room well before the class starts and welcome the students as they
arrive Introduce yourself to the class telling them something about your
background and your connection to the area and the course Find out something
about the students If the class is small have them introduce themselves In a
large class they could fill out a card with relevant background information about
who they are and why they are taking the course then share some of that
information in groups of 3 or 4 Begin to learn the students names
Set Expectations
Everyone wants the class to be a success Discuss the objectives of the
coursemodule what the student can expect to learn as well as how you plan to
conduct the class (lectures discussions case studies etc) You should tell them
what they will be expected to do (attend participate make presentations etc)
and suggest study strategies resources that they can use To help them and you
know how well prepared they are for this modulecourse you might give a short
un-graded quiz or writing task on pre-requisite or background materials to the
coursemodule
Punctuality
Arrive at the classroom five minutes before start time Ending the classes on time
and not earlier should be practiced For part time evening students lateness is
15
often unavoidable be patient and helpful as latecomers try to catch up
If you must miss a class or arrange for a guest speaker to conduct your lesson
make arrangements well ahead of time and keep students and the CityU SCOPE
office informed The CityU SCOPE rule is that missed classes should be made
up within two weeks
In case of unforeseen absence (or unexpected late arrival) instructors should
inform the School staff concerned or CityU SCOPE Hotline as soon as possible
If the instructor fails to show up classes are automatically cancelled 60 minutes
after the start time
Conducting Your Class
Lectures should capture and hold students attention and to engage them
actively in thinking about the material At their best each student will feel the
instructor is talking directly to himher Reading lectures should be avoided since
the formality limits connection and contact with the learners Prepare your lecture
notes so that you can speak to the important points raised If you must read parts
keep them very short
(a) Beginnings
You need to begin by getting students attention by asking a question making
a provocative statement telling an engaging story mentioning some current
event etc Provide an overview of what you will be talking about and situate it
in relation to previous and future topicsclasses
(b) Maintaining Interest
Research has shown that most students attention will begin to drift after not
much more than 10 minutes of passive listening Thus you need to ensure
that everyone can see and hear you make the organization of the lecture
clear to the students (provide an outline) be enthusiastic use clear
understandable language (be careful of jargon) maintain eye contact vary
your delivery to keep attention (tone of voice pause movement) use
examples and visuals (pictures graphs etc) and keep track of time (dont
rush the ending)
(c) Encouraging Active Engagement
There are different ways to encourage students to be actively engaged in the
class You can break up your lectures (after 10 - 15 minutes) by asking
16
students to work on their own for a few minutes (solve a problem find an
example summarize the major ideas identify the strengths or weaknesses
write down any questions they have etc) and then to compare their work
with the students near them After a few minutes invite some of the students
to share their discussions with the rest of the class This strategy is called
think-pair-share These breaks in the lecture allow the students to work with
the course material and enable you to know how well the students are doing
If you dont have an answer be honest and promise to come back with the
answer next time
(d) Other Interactive Strategies
Besides think-pair-share there are many other ways to actively involve your
students in the class eg case studies role plays debates simulations
interviewing guest speakers student presentations field trips etc Each of
these requires some special preparation by the instructor and the students
They often take more time than lecturing but the learning is often much richer
and the experience more enjoyable
(e) Ending the Class
Dont rush your ending to get in the last few points or just stop in the middle
because you have run out of time Plan to end the session with a summary
(by you or the students) of what has been accomplished Try to tie up loose
ends End with a thought-provoking question preview things to come or
suggest ways to follow up on the material covered Dont go overtime
Learning Activities Outside of Class
Since a good deal of student learning will occur outside of class you need to
carefully plan so that students will spend that time most productively Students
are normally expected to spend at least twice as much time working on their
courses outside of class as they do in class These activities include reading
course materials and textbooks working on assignments preparing for classes
and tests You need to help your students to know what is expected of them
outside of class and how it complements what goes on in class
Designing Learning Activities
Start with the abilities or skills you want the student to develop (problem solving
critiquing texts designing experiments) and then design learning activities that
require the student to involve these abilities of skills (solve problems critique text
design experiments) These tasks could be the repetitionapplication of methods
17
demonstrated in class or tasks can be prelude to class by focusing their study
efforts The case method requires students to review the material and come to
class prepared to participate in a discussion
Assessment
ldquoWill this be on the examinationrdquo Assessment often seems to be the most important
concern of students Our assessment tasks assignments and exams are and
should be designed to measure the most important aspects of our courses - the key
learning outcomes we expect for our students This is the assessment of learning
Knowing what is important and how it will be assessed enables students to set
priorities in organizing and focusing their study efforts Another way to say this is
that assessment shapes learning so if you want to influence what students learn
and how they study adjust assessment Thus our teaching and our assessments
as well as all the other learning activities we design should be aligned with these
desired learning outcomes Preparing for a quiz has a different impact on your
students learning activities than writing a short paper The form of your final exam
will influence how your students study and what they recall
There is also assessment for learning In addition to knowing what is important and
how it will be assessed students also need information or feedback on how well
they are doing or not doing in achieving the goals of the course This additional
information can help them to make timely adjustments to their studies by identifying
those areas where they are doing well and those areas that need more work
Designing Assessment
Start with the learning objectives that are most important Using a variety of
testing formats will enable more students to do their best Develop questions
which assess more than just recall Ask your students to suggest possible items
Prepare clear instructions and try out the timing An exam that is too long for
even the best student to complete helps no one One rule of thumb is that it will
take students four times as long as you to complete the exam
Types of Assessment
There are many forms of quizzes tests and exams multiple-choice true-false
matching short answer essay and problem solving There are also oral exams
and performance tests Variations include open-book take-home and group
tests Each format has its strengths and weaknesses and is best suited to
measuring certain types of learning
In all cases you should be sure that the form of the assessment
18
matchesmeasures the learning outcomes you desire
Reducing Student Anxiety
Since assessments count students anxiety often interferes with their
performance It is essential that you clearly describe the methods of assessment
the format and the dates in the coursemodule syllabus and remind students in
class Other strategies which can help relieve unnecessary anxiety include give
more than one examination thus providing several opportunities for them to
show you what they know give students choices among alternative forms of
assessment avoid pop quizzes give students advice on how to study
encourage them to study in groups provide extra office hours and review
sessions give diagnostic test early in the term provide sampleoldpractice
exams include bonus questions
Returning Students Work
You are expected to mark your tutorial assignments and exam scripts and dont
miss deadlines for the return of students work Assessment supports learning
and your feedback is a key contribution Use class time to discuss the overall
results Collect feedback from the class on the assessment (what was
difficultunexpected how could youthey have improved their preparation)
Grading Assessment
Read the exams without looking at the students names Choose examples of
answers to serve as exemplars or standards Grade question by question rather
than all the questions for a single student Avoid judging on extraneous factors
like handwriting Pace yourself - read only a reasonable number of exams at one
time If possible read some papers twice to determine your own reliability
14
Administrative Tasks
Make sure everyone is in the right room Take attendance Discuss the course
outline and explain important policies and procedures deadlines coursemodule
materials safety precautions (eg labs) and emergency procedures (eg
typhoons) Eating drinking and smoking are not allowed and mobile phones
should be turned off
Keep track of students attendance and progress Attendance Registers are
obtainable from the CityU SCOPE office Participants whose names are not
listed on the registers should not be allowed to attend class unless notified
otherwise by CityU SCOPE
Instructors should verify the attendance by signing on the registers following the
last lesson of the coursemodule and return it to the School within one week
following completion of the coursemodule
Create a Positive Learning Environment
Be in the room well before the class starts and welcome the students as they
arrive Introduce yourself to the class telling them something about your
background and your connection to the area and the course Find out something
about the students If the class is small have them introduce themselves In a
large class they could fill out a card with relevant background information about
who they are and why they are taking the course then share some of that
information in groups of 3 or 4 Begin to learn the students names
Set Expectations
Everyone wants the class to be a success Discuss the objectives of the
coursemodule what the student can expect to learn as well as how you plan to
conduct the class (lectures discussions case studies etc) You should tell them
what they will be expected to do (attend participate make presentations etc)
and suggest study strategies resources that they can use To help them and you
know how well prepared they are for this modulecourse you might give a short
un-graded quiz or writing task on pre-requisite or background materials to the
coursemodule
Punctuality
Arrive at the classroom five minutes before start time Ending the classes on time
and not earlier should be practiced For part time evening students lateness is
15
often unavoidable be patient and helpful as latecomers try to catch up
If you must miss a class or arrange for a guest speaker to conduct your lesson
make arrangements well ahead of time and keep students and the CityU SCOPE
office informed The CityU SCOPE rule is that missed classes should be made
up within two weeks
In case of unforeseen absence (or unexpected late arrival) instructors should
inform the School staff concerned or CityU SCOPE Hotline as soon as possible
If the instructor fails to show up classes are automatically cancelled 60 minutes
after the start time
Conducting Your Class
Lectures should capture and hold students attention and to engage them
actively in thinking about the material At their best each student will feel the
instructor is talking directly to himher Reading lectures should be avoided since
the formality limits connection and contact with the learners Prepare your lecture
notes so that you can speak to the important points raised If you must read parts
keep them very short
(a) Beginnings
You need to begin by getting students attention by asking a question making
a provocative statement telling an engaging story mentioning some current
event etc Provide an overview of what you will be talking about and situate it
in relation to previous and future topicsclasses
(b) Maintaining Interest
Research has shown that most students attention will begin to drift after not
much more than 10 minutes of passive listening Thus you need to ensure
that everyone can see and hear you make the organization of the lecture
clear to the students (provide an outline) be enthusiastic use clear
understandable language (be careful of jargon) maintain eye contact vary
your delivery to keep attention (tone of voice pause movement) use
examples and visuals (pictures graphs etc) and keep track of time (dont
rush the ending)
(c) Encouraging Active Engagement
There are different ways to encourage students to be actively engaged in the
class You can break up your lectures (after 10 - 15 minutes) by asking
16
students to work on their own for a few minutes (solve a problem find an
example summarize the major ideas identify the strengths or weaknesses
write down any questions they have etc) and then to compare their work
with the students near them After a few minutes invite some of the students
to share their discussions with the rest of the class This strategy is called
think-pair-share These breaks in the lecture allow the students to work with
the course material and enable you to know how well the students are doing
If you dont have an answer be honest and promise to come back with the
answer next time
(d) Other Interactive Strategies
Besides think-pair-share there are many other ways to actively involve your
students in the class eg case studies role plays debates simulations
interviewing guest speakers student presentations field trips etc Each of
these requires some special preparation by the instructor and the students
They often take more time than lecturing but the learning is often much richer
and the experience more enjoyable
(e) Ending the Class
Dont rush your ending to get in the last few points or just stop in the middle
because you have run out of time Plan to end the session with a summary
(by you or the students) of what has been accomplished Try to tie up loose
ends End with a thought-provoking question preview things to come or
suggest ways to follow up on the material covered Dont go overtime
Learning Activities Outside of Class
Since a good deal of student learning will occur outside of class you need to
carefully plan so that students will spend that time most productively Students
are normally expected to spend at least twice as much time working on their
courses outside of class as they do in class These activities include reading
course materials and textbooks working on assignments preparing for classes
and tests You need to help your students to know what is expected of them
outside of class and how it complements what goes on in class
Designing Learning Activities
Start with the abilities or skills you want the student to develop (problem solving
critiquing texts designing experiments) and then design learning activities that
require the student to involve these abilities of skills (solve problems critique text
design experiments) These tasks could be the repetitionapplication of methods
17
demonstrated in class or tasks can be prelude to class by focusing their study
efforts The case method requires students to review the material and come to
class prepared to participate in a discussion
Assessment
ldquoWill this be on the examinationrdquo Assessment often seems to be the most important
concern of students Our assessment tasks assignments and exams are and
should be designed to measure the most important aspects of our courses - the key
learning outcomes we expect for our students This is the assessment of learning
Knowing what is important and how it will be assessed enables students to set
priorities in organizing and focusing their study efforts Another way to say this is
that assessment shapes learning so if you want to influence what students learn
and how they study adjust assessment Thus our teaching and our assessments
as well as all the other learning activities we design should be aligned with these
desired learning outcomes Preparing for a quiz has a different impact on your
students learning activities than writing a short paper The form of your final exam
will influence how your students study and what they recall
There is also assessment for learning In addition to knowing what is important and
how it will be assessed students also need information or feedback on how well
they are doing or not doing in achieving the goals of the course This additional
information can help them to make timely adjustments to their studies by identifying
those areas where they are doing well and those areas that need more work
Designing Assessment
Start with the learning objectives that are most important Using a variety of
testing formats will enable more students to do their best Develop questions
which assess more than just recall Ask your students to suggest possible items
Prepare clear instructions and try out the timing An exam that is too long for
even the best student to complete helps no one One rule of thumb is that it will
take students four times as long as you to complete the exam
Types of Assessment
There are many forms of quizzes tests and exams multiple-choice true-false
matching short answer essay and problem solving There are also oral exams
and performance tests Variations include open-book take-home and group
tests Each format has its strengths and weaknesses and is best suited to
measuring certain types of learning
In all cases you should be sure that the form of the assessment
18
matchesmeasures the learning outcomes you desire
Reducing Student Anxiety
Since assessments count students anxiety often interferes with their
performance It is essential that you clearly describe the methods of assessment
the format and the dates in the coursemodule syllabus and remind students in
class Other strategies which can help relieve unnecessary anxiety include give
more than one examination thus providing several opportunities for them to
show you what they know give students choices among alternative forms of
assessment avoid pop quizzes give students advice on how to study
encourage them to study in groups provide extra office hours and review
sessions give diagnostic test early in the term provide sampleoldpractice
exams include bonus questions
Returning Students Work
You are expected to mark your tutorial assignments and exam scripts and dont
miss deadlines for the return of students work Assessment supports learning
and your feedback is a key contribution Use class time to discuss the overall
results Collect feedback from the class on the assessment (what was
difficultunexpected how could youthey have improved their preparation)
Grading Assessment
Read the exams without looking at the students names Choose examples of
answers to serve as exemplars or standards Grade question by question rather
than all the questions for a single student Avoid judging on extraneous factors
like handwriting Pace yourself - read only a reasonable number of exams at one
time If possible read some papers twice to determine your own reliability
15
often unavoidable be patient and helpful as latecomers try to catch up
If you must miss a class or arrange for a guest speaker to conduct your lesson
make arrangements well ahead of time and keep students and the CityU SCOPE
office informed The CityU SCOPE rule is that missed classes should be made
up within two weeks
In case of unforeseen absence (or unexpected late arrival) instructors should
inform the School staff concerned or CityU SCOPE Hotline as soon as possible
If the instructor fails to show up classes are automatically cancelled 60 minutes
after the start time
Conducting Your Class
Lectures should capture and hold students attention and to engage them
actively in thinking about the material At their best each student will feel the
instructor is talking directly to himher Reading lectures should be avoided since
the formality limits connection and contact with the learners Prepare your lecture
notes so that you can speak to the important points raised If you must read parts
keep them very short
(a) Beginnings
You need to begin by getting students attention by asking a question making
a provocative statement telling an engaging story mentioning some current
event etc Provide an overview of what you will be talking about and situate it
in relation to previous and future topicsclasses
(b) Maintaining Interest
Research has shown that most students attention will begin to drift after not
much more than 10 minutes of passive listening Thus you need to ensure
that everyone can see and hear you make the organization of the lecture
clear to the students (provide an outline) be enthusiastic use clear
understandable language (be careful of jargon) maintain eye contact vary
your delivery to keep attention (tone of voice pause movement) use
examples and visuals (pictures graphs etc) and keep track of time (dont
rush the ending)
(c) Encouraging Active Engagement
There are different ways to encourage students to be actively engaged in the
class You can break up your lectures (after 10 - 15 minutes) by asking
16
students to work on their own for a few minutes (solve a problem find an
example summarize the major ideas identify the strengths or weaknesses
write down any questions they have etc) and then to compare their work
with the students near them After a few minutes invite some of the students
to share their discussions with the rest of the class This strategy is called
think-pair-share These breaks in the lecture allow the students to work with
the course material and enable you to know how well the students are doing
If you dont have an answer be honest and promise to come back with the
answer next time
(d) Other Interactive Strategies
Besides think-pair-share there are many other ways to actively involve your
students in the class eg case studies role plays debates simulations
interviewing guest speakers student presentations field trips etc Each of
these requires some special preparation by the instructor and the students
They often take more time than lecturing but the learning is often much richer
and the experience more enjoyable
(e) Ending the Class
Dont rush your ending to get in the last few points or just stop in the middle
because you have run out of time Plan to end the session with a summary
(by you or the students) of what has been accomplished Try to tie up loose
ends End with a thought-provoking question preview things to come or
suggest ways to follow up on the material covered Dont go overtime
Learning Activities Outside of Class
Since a good deal of student learning will occur outside of class you need to
carefully plan so that students will spend that time most productively Students
are normally expected to spend at least twice as much time working on their
courses outside of class as they do in class These activities include reading
course materials and textbooks working on assignments preparing for classes
and tests You need to help your students to know what is expected of them
outside of class and how it complements what goes on in class
Designing Learning Activities
Start with the abilities or skills you want the student to develop (problem solving
critiquing texts designing experiments) and then design learning activities that
require the student to involve these abilities of skills (solve problems critique text
design experiments) These tasks could be the repetitionapplication of methods
17
demonstrated in class or tasks can be prelude to class by focusing their study
efforts The case method requires students to review the material and come to
class prepared to participate in a discussion
Assessment
ldquoWill this be on the examinationrdquo Assessment often seems to be the most important
concern of students Our assessment tasks assignments and exams are and
should be designed to measure the most important aspects of our courses - the key
learning outcomes we expect for our students This is the assessment of learning
Knowing what is important and how it will be assessed enables students to set
priorities in organizing and focusing their study efforts Another way to say this is
that assessment shapes learning so if you want to influence what students learn
and how they study adjust assessment Thus our teaching and our assessments
as well as all the other learning activities we design should be aligned with these
desired learning outcomes Preparing for a quiz has a different impact on your
students learning activities than writing a short paper The form of your final exam
will influence how your students study and what they recall
There is also assessment for learning In addition to knowing what is important and
how it will be assessed students also need information or feedback on how well
they are doing or not doing in achieving the goals of the course This additional
information can help them to make timely adjustments to their studies by identifying
those areas where they are doing well and those areas that need more work
Designing Assessment
Start with the learning objectives that are most important Using a variety of
testing formats will enable more students to do their best Develop questions
which assess more than just recall Ask your students to suggest possible items
Prepare clear instructions and try out the timing An exam that is too long for
even the best student to complete helps no one One rule of thumb is that it will
take students four times as long as you to complete the exam
Types of Assessment
There are many forms of quizzes tests and exams multiple-choice true-false
matching short answer essay and problem solving There are also oral exams
and performance tests Variations include open-book take-home and group
tests Each format has its strengths and weaknesses and is best suited to
measuring certain types of learning
In all cases you should be sure that the form of the assessment
18
matchesmeasures the learning outcomes you desire
Reducing Student Anxiety
Since assessments count students anxiety often interferes with their
performance It is essential that you clearly describe the methods of assessment
the format and the dates in the coursemodule syllabus and remind students in
class Other strategies which can help relieve unnecessary anxiety include give
more than one examination thus providing several opportunities for them to
show you what they know give students choices among alternative forms of
assessment avoid pop quizzes give students advice on how to study
encourage them to study in groups provide extra office hours and review
sessions give diagnostic test early in the term provide sampleoldpractice
exams include bonus questions
Returning Students Work
You are expected to mark your tutorial assignments and exam scripts and dont
miss deadlines for the return of students work Assessment supports learning
and your feedback is a key contribution Use class time to discuss the overall
results Collect feedback from the class on the assessment (what was
difficultunexpected how could youthey have improved their preparation)
Grading Assessment
Read the exams without looking at the students names Choose examples of
answers to serve as exemplars or standards Grade question by question rather
than all the questions for a single student Avoid judging on extraneous factors
like handwriting Pace yourself - read only a reasonable number of exams at one
time If possible read some papers twice to determine your own reliability
16
students to work on their own for a few minutes (solve a problem find an
example summarize the major ideas identify the strengths or weaknesses
write down any questions they have etc) and then to compare their work
with the students near them After a few minutes invite some of the students
to share their discussions with the rest of the class This strategy is called
think-pair-share These breaks in the lecture allow the students to work with
the course material and enable you to know how well the students are doing
If you dont have an answer be honest and promise to come back with the
answer next time
(d) Other Interactive Strategies
Besides think-pair-share there are many other ways to actively involve your
students in the class eg case studies role plays debates simulations
interviewing guest speakers student presentations field trips etc Each of
these requires some special preparation by the instructor and the students
They often take more time than lecturing but the learning is often much richer
and the experience more enjoyable
(e) Ending the Class
Dont rush your ending to get in the last few points or just stop in the middle
because you have run out of time Plan to end the session with a summary
(by you or the students) of what has been accomplished Try to tie up loose
ends End with a thought-provoking question preview things to come or
suggest ways to follow up on the material covered Dont go overtime
Learning Activities Outside of Class
Since a good deal of student learning will occur outside of class you need to
carefully plan so that students will spend that time most productively Students
are normally expected to spend at least twice as much time working on their
courses outside of class as they do in class These activities include reading
course materials and textbooks working on assignments preparing for classes
and tests You need to help your students to know what is expected of them
outside of class and how it complements what goes on in class
Designing Learning Activities
Start with the abilities or skills you want the student to develop (problem solving
critiquing texts designing experiments) and then design learning activities that
require the student to involve these abilities of skills (solve problems critique text
design experiments) These tasks could be the repetitionapplication of methods
17
demonstrated in class or tasks can be prelude to class by focusing their study
efforts The case method requires students to review the material and come to
class prepared to participate in a discussion
Assessment
ldquoWill this be on the examinationrdquo Assessment often seems to be the most important
concern of students Our assessment tasks assignments and exams are and
should be designed to measure the most important aspects of our courses - the key
learning outcomes we expect for our students This is the assessment of learning
Knowing what is important and how it will be assessed enables students to set
priorities in organizing and focusing their study efforts Another way to say this is
that assessment shapes learning so if you want to influence what students learn
and how they study adjust assessment Thus our teaching and our assessments
as well as all the other learning activities we design should be aligned with these
desired learning outcomes Preparing for a quiz has a different impact on your
students learning activities than writing a short paper The form of your final exam
will influence how your students study and what they recall
There is also assessment for learning In addition to knowing what is important and
how it will be assessed students also need information or feedback on how well
they are doing or not doing in achieving the goals of the course This additional
information can help them to make timely adjustments to their studies by identifying
those areas where they are doing well and those areas that need more work
Designing Assessment
Start with the learning objectives that are most important Using a variety of
testing formats will enable more students to do their best Develop questions
which assess more than just recall Ask your students to suggest possible items
Prepare clear instructions and try out the timing An exam that is too long for
even the best student to complete helps no one One rule of thumb is that it will
take students four times as long as you to complete the exam
Types of Assessment
There are many forms of quizzes tests and exams multiple-choice true-false
matching short answer essay and problem solving There are also oral exams
and performance tests Variations include open-book take-home and group
tests Each format has its strengths and weaknesses and is best suited to
measuring certain types of learning
In all cases you should be sure that the form of the assessment
18
matchesmeasures the learning outcomes you desire
Reducing Student Anxiety
Since assessments count students anxiety often interferes with their
performance It is essential that you clearly describe the methods of assessment
the format and the dates in the coursemodule syllabus and remind students in
class Other strategies which can help relieve unnecessary anxiety include give
more than one examination thus providing several opportunities for them to
show you what they know give students choices among alternative forms of
assessment avoid pop quizzes give students advice on how to study
encourage them to study in groups provide extra office hours and review
sessions give diagnostic test early in the term provide sampleoldpractice
exams include bonus questions
Returning Students Work
You are expected to mark your tutorial assignments and exam scripts and dont
miss deadlines for the return of students work Assessment supports learning
and your feedback is a key contribution Use class time to discuss the overall
results Collect feedback from the class on the assessment (what was
difficultunexpected how could youthey have improved their preparation)
Grading Assessment
Read the exams without looking at the students names Choose examples of
answers to serve as exemplars or standards Grade question by question rather
than all the questions for a single student Avoid judging on extraneous factors
like handwriting Pace yourself - read only a reasonable number of exams at one
time If possible read some papers twice to determine your own reliability
17
demonstrated in class or tasks can be prelude to class by focusing their study
efforts The case method requires students to review the material and come to
class prepared to participate in a discussion
Assessment
ldquoWill this be on the examinationrdquo Assessment often seems to be the most important
concern of students Our assessment tasks assignments and exams are and
should be designed to measure the most important aspects of our courses - the key
learning outcomes we expect for our students This is the assessment of learning
Knowing what is important and how it will be assessed enables students to set
priorities in organizing and focusing their study efforts Another way to say this is
that assessment shapes learning so if you want to influence what students learn
and how they study adjust assessment Thus our teaching and our assessments
as well as all the other learning activities we design should be aligned with these
desired learning outcomes Preparing for a quiz has a different impact on your
students learning activities than writing a short paper The form of your final exam
will influence how your students study and what they recall
There is also assessment for learning In addition to knowing what is important and
how it will be assessed students also need information or feedback on how well
they are doing or not doing in achieving the goals of the course This additional
information can help them to make timely adjustments to their studies by identifying
those areas where they are doing well and those areas that need more work
Designing Assessment
Start with the learning objectives that are most important Using a variety of
testing formats will enable more students to do their best Develop questions
which assess more than just recall Ask your students to suggest possible items
Prepare clear instructions and try out the timing An exam that is too long for
even the best student to complete helps no one One rule of thumb is that it will
take students four times as long as you to complete the exam
Types of Assessment
There are many forms of quizzes tests and exams multiple-choice true-false
matching short answer essay and problem solving There are also oral exams
and performance tests Variations include open-book take-home and group
tests Each format has its strengths and weaknesses and is best suited to
measuring certain types of learning
In all cases you should be sure that the form of the assessment
18
matchesmeasures the learning outcomes you desire
Reducing Student Anxiety
Since assessments count students anxiety often interferes with their
performance It is essential that you clearly describe the methods of assessment
the format and the dates in the coursemodule syllabus and remind students in
class Other strategies which can help relieve unnecessary anxiety include give
more than one examination thus providing several opportunities for them to
show you what they know give students choices among alternative forms of
assessment avoid pop quizzes give students advice on how to study
encourage them to study in groups provide extra office hours and review
sessions give diagnostic test early in the term provide sampleoldpractice
exams include bonus questions
Returning Students Work
You are expected to mark your tutorial assignments and exam scripts and dont
miss deadlines for the return of students work Assessment supports learning
and your feedback is a key contribution Use class time to discuss the overall
results Collect feedback from the class on the assessment (what was
difficultunexpected how could youthey have improved their preparation)
Grading Assessment
Read the exams without looking at the students names Choose examples of
answers to serve as exemplars or standards Grade question by question rather
than all the questions for a single student Avoid judging on extraneous factors
like handwriting Pace yourself - read only a reasonable number of exams at one
time If possible read some papers twice to determine your own reliability
18
matchesmeasures the learning outcomes you desire
Reducing Student Anxiety
Since assessments count students anxiety often interferes with their
performance It is essential that you clearly describe the methods of assessment
the format and the dates in the coursemodule syllabus and remind students in
class Other strategies which can help relieve unnecessary anxiety include give
more than one examination thus providing several opportunities for them to
show you what they know give students choices among alternative forms of
assessment avoid pop quizzes give students advice on how to study
encourage them to study in groups provide extra office hours and review
sessions give diagnostic test early in the term provide sampleoldpractice
exams include bonus questions
Returning Students Work
You are expected to mark your tutorial assignments and exam scripts and dont
miss deadlines for the return of students work Assessment supports learning
and your feedback is a key contribution Use class time to discuss the overall
results Collect feedback from the class on the assessment (what was
difficultunexpected how could youthey have improved their preparation)
Grading Assessment
Read the exams without looking at the students names Choose examples of
answers to serve as exemplars or standards Grade question by question rather
than all the questions for a single student Avoid judging on extraneous factors
like handwriting Pace yourself - read only a reasonable number of exams at one
time If possible read some papers twice to determine your own reliability