Trialing project-based learning in a new EAP ESP course: A collaborative reflective practice of three college English teachers

Currently in many Chinese universities, the traditional College English course is facing the risk of being ‘marginalized’, replaced or even removed, and many hours previously allocated to the course are now being taken by EAP or ESP. At X University in northern China, a curriculum reform as such is taking place, as a result of which a new course has been created called ‘xue ke’ English. Despite the fact that ‘xue ke’ means subject literally, the course designer has made it clear that subject content is not the target, nor is the course the same as EAP or ESP. This curriculum initiative, while possibly having been justified with a rationale of some kind (e.g. to meet with changing social and/or academic needs of students and/or institutions), this is posing a great challenge for, as well as considerable pressure on, a number of College English teachers who have taught this single course for almost their entire teaching career. In such a context, three teachers formed a peer support group in Semester One this year, to work collaboratively co-tackling the challenge, and they chose Project-Based Learning (PBL) for the new course. This presentation will report on the implementation of this project, including the overall designing, operational procedure, and the teachers’ reflections. Based on discussion, pre-agreement was reached on the purpose and manner of collaboration as offering peer support for more effective teaching and learning and fulfilling and pleasant professional development. A WeChat group was set up as the chief platform for messaging, idea-sharing, and resource-exchanging. Physical meetings were supplementary, with sound agenda but flexible time, and venues. Mosoteach cloud class (lan mo yun ban ke) was established as a tool for virtual learning, employed both in and after class. Discussions were held at the beginning of the semester which determined only brief outlines for PBL implementation and allowed space for everyone to autonomously explore in their own way. Constant further discussions followed, which generated a great deal of opportunities for peer learning and lesson plan modifications. A reflective journal, in a greater or lesser detailed manner, was also kept by each teacher to record the journey of the collaboration. At the end of the semester, it was commonly recognized that, although challenges existed, the collaboration was overall a success and they were all willing to continue with it and endeavor to refine it to be a more professional and productive approach

Special report on Lingnan College 30th anniversary

Since its foundation in 1967, Lingnan College reached its 30th anniversary in 1997. Over the last three decades, Lingnan College grew and transformed from a small private college operating with a few classrooms to a degree-granting institution with a new and purpose-built campus in Tuen Mun. Lingnan College\u27s 30th anniversary celebration in 1998 reached the apex and the year also marked the 110th anniversary of Lingnan University in Canton founded in 1888. Special report was published in South China Morning Post to commemorate and celebrate the occasion of the 30th anniversary and the College\u27s remarkable achievements over the years.https://commons.ln.edu.hk/lingnan_milestone_newspapers/1006/thumbnail.jp

Productive partnerships: cross-departmental connections in a tertiary context

This chapter describes the development of productive and collegial relationships in a cross-departmental capacity-building project. The MMTP built on a first year experience program-the FYI Program (using the acronym that could stand for First Year Infusion or For Your Information)that we had designed, and had been conducting within our Faculty of Education for 1 year. Even though the program had involved a fairly small number of students, we were convinced that it had the potential to assist the 1 st year students in their transition into university study. It also provided a positive faculty response to student retention and progression issues (for further details, see Noble & Henderson, 2008). We used the Associate Fellowship to extend this first year program, and to promote the approach we used through the development of a professional development toolkit

Joseph Chamberlain Sixth Form College: report from the Inspectorate (FEFC inspection report; 23/95 and 12/99)

Comprises two Further Education Funding Council (FEFC) inspection reports for the periods 1994-95 and 1998-9

Systematic education in Dolma Ling leading to gender equality

The primary aim in establishing Dolma Ling Institute is to raise the education standard and improve the opportunity for nuns to study advanced Buddhist philosophy and doctrine. During the Tibetan Women's Association fourth working committee meeting in Dharamsala in October, 1992, His Holiness the Dalai Lama said, " In our society , we have as a legacy from the past the notion that nuns engage in ritual only and do not study Buddhist texts. This should be changed." His Holiness has in this way been urging the nuns to study higher Buddhist philosophy, in order to gain a deeper knowledge of Buddhism. Whenever His Holiness visits the Tibetan nunneries, he takes the opportunity to ecourage them to study. Dolma Ling Institute is specifically non sectarian and intented to provide nuns from all lineages with the opportunity to study to develop their full academic and spiritual potential. The crucial purpose of the overall project is to allow scholastically gifted nuns to attain the highest level of religious studies, that is the Geshe degree. This much respected degree has up until now only been attained by monks. Enabling women to participate in the study course leading to this goal will give them the confidence to take on roles as teachers and leaders within the communities. ..

Japanese Education and Japanese Elementary School

Pendidikan merupakan jantung kehidupan bagi masyarakat Jepang. Sebagai negara yang miskin sumber daya alam serta rawan bencana alam, bangsa Jepang sangat menggantungkan kepada proses pendidikan dalam memberdayakan sumber daya manusianya untuk mempertahankan kelangsungan hidup bangsa serta bersaing dengan bangsa-bangsa lain di dunia dalam bidang politik, ekonomi, teknologi dan lain-lain. Dibandingkan dengan negara-negara lain terutama dari kelompok G8(kelompok Negara-negara industri maju di dunia,) Jepang mempunyai sistem pendidikan yang unik. Kalau negara industri maju lainnya menitik beratkan dalam pengembangan intelegensi tapi Jepang lebih memberdayakan mental untuk bekerja keras, bergotong royong dan kesetia kawanan sosial, dan pantang menyerah dalam menghadapi setiap permasalahan. Pendidikan Jepang pada awalnya banyak dipengaruhi oleh Cina, namun dalam iperkembangan selanjutnya Jepang juga mengadopsi sistem pendidikan barat dengan tetap mempertahankan ruh pendidikan Jepang sendiri yakni sikap mental pantang menyerah dan menjunjung tinggi gotong royong sesama bangsa Jepang sendiri. Sekolah dasar di Jepang mengutamakan pembentukan sikap dan mental di awal-awal tahun mulai kelas satu sampai kelas tiga kemudian mulai memfokuskan pengkajian ilmu pengetahuan mulai kelas empat sekolah dasar dan seterusnya. Matematika, ilmu pengetahuan(Sain), dan teknologi merupakan aspek penting dalam kurikulum pendidikan di Jepang dalam pembentukan pola pikir yang logis, sistematis dan prosedural bagi bangsa Jepang. Mulai tahun 2002, pelajaran bahasa Inggris resmi masuk dalam kurikulum sekolah dasar di Jepang

Lingnan College Hong Kong : prospectus for post advanced level programmes (years 3-5) starting September 1980

https://commons.ln.edu.hk/lingnan_prospectus/1004/thumbnail.jp

Politeness and face in digitally reconfigured e-learning spaces

This paper has two starting points. The first is a theorization about the way in which “rhetorical space” is reshaped in asynchronous, online, learning environments. In particular, an asynchronous bulletin- board (ABB) discussion offers both opportunities and constraints for teaching and learning. The learning that occurs will be affected by the affordances implicit in the design of the conversational space itself and the communicative practices engaged in by both teachers and students. The second starting point is a small case study, utilizing action research and discourse analytical strategies, whose research participants were the author and students involved in “delivering” and “receiving” an online education course at post-graduate level using asynchronous discussion. The course, taught in English, had a mix of Chinese students (for whom English was an additional language) and native English speakers. The paper will report on students’ perceptions of what worked for them and what didn’t in respect of this elearning environment. It will also use concepts such as politeness, face and positioning to analyse aspects of the participants’ communicative practices and will draw conclusions from these in respect of how successful learning can occur in elearning environments with multicultural and multilingual students. It will make connections between the findings of this case study and other research on asynchronous, web-based learning and will makes some suggestions about what is needed in respect of the future research agenda

Confucius Institute at Universitas Al Azhar, Jakarta the Unseen Power of China

China's soft power is a difficult concept to measure if the Confucius Institute is the only source relied on. Joseph Nye's concept of soft power puts a strong emphasis on “the power of attraction” as a tool to persuade or “to shape the preferences of others” in the worlds of business and politics. To understand how this soft power - or the Confucius Institute - works, we have to determine the “observable” power of the “intangible” attraction embedded in it. This observable but intangible attraction is assumed to be “embedded”in the language and culture offered by the Institute, namely so-called “shared values”. However, without having attended its classes, it is difficult to see which values are being shared with the local students. Despite this handicap, it is very apparent that the image of China itself has acted as an attraction. An attraction to China was visible already, even before the Confucius Institute was established. For Indonesians, China is a big country which has exerted its power there for a long time through its diaspora and/or exports. Therefore, the Confucius Institute is just one of the many forms of Chinese-ness within their purview. Certainly, the Confucius Institute might have assisted in adjusting negative impressions and expelling some of the reservations the Indonesians have about China. Nevertheless, its influence extends to only a limited number of people who are closely engaged with the Institute