Abstract
Understanding students’ learning experiences from their perspectives is an effective way to inform the University the effectiveness of the education we provide. Questionnaire surveys are usually adopted to gauge students’ views and self-perceptions. Centre for Learning Enhancement And Research (CLEAR), in collaboration with the Colleges, the Office of University General Education (OGE), the Office of Student Affairs (OSA), and the Office of Admissions and Financial Aid (OAFA), has administered an entry survey (Entry Class Questionnaire- ECQ) to all Year 1 students since 2012 when the first cohort of students going through the new senior secondary curriculum (“3+3+4” curriculum) were admitted. The First Year Experience Questionnaire (FYEQ) is also administered to Year 1 students. Seeing that 2016 is an opportune time to collect information about how students ‘summarise’ their university education, the same collaborative units designed and administered a comprehensive “Exit survey” for final year students/ graduates in July 2016 in order to track the development of the first cohort of students who have gone through the new curriculum. With the addition of the exit survey, the University will have a comprehensive set of longitudinal data about our students.
The main objective of this project is to collect data as one of the evidence of evaluating on the effectives of new curriculum at University, Faculty, Programme and College levels. This project mainly involves the continuation process of data collection, analysis and reporting of Undergraduate exit survey and dissemination of results through CUHK SharePoint and data visualization platform. In order to have a completed longitudinal dataset from entry to exit point of CUHK students, this project also supports the annual data collection, reporting, and revision of ECQ and First Year Experience Questionnaire (FYEQ).
Brief write-up
Project objectives
The main objective of this project is to collect data as one evidence to evaluate the effectiveness of the new curriculum at University, Faculty, Programme and College levels.
Activities, process and outcomes
Mirrored after the Entry Class Questionnaire (ECQ), the Undergraduate Exit Survey (UEQ) was designed to collect the feedback of final year students on their undergraduate experience at CUHK and administered online. Analysis and reporting were conducted. Results serve as evidence for programme review.
The process of annual data collection, analysis and reporting of Entry Class Questionnaire (ECQ), First Year Experience Questionnaire (FYEQ) continued.
The FYEQ was modified to collect student feedback on both their first year academic and non-academic experience.
Data visualization tools were used to present survey data and findings.
Deliverables and evaluation
Deliverables of the project included
- The Undergraduate Exit Questionnaire (UEQ)
- Expanded FYEQ
- Reports on the findings of the ECQ, FYEQ and UEQ
- The use of data visualization was useful and the support of large scale and popular data visualisation tools such as Microsoft Power BI might be needed.
Dissemination, diffusion, impact and sharing of good practices
- Summary statistics of the surveys was submitted to Senate Committee on Teaching and Learning (SCTL) and Senate Committee on Language Enhancement. Significant findings were highlighted for further enhancement of student experience and curriculum design.
- Selected findings of the surveys were introduced in the Professional Development Course (PDC) for new teachers. The PDC participants agreed that the rich findings enhanced their understanding of CUHK students and about teaching at CUHK.
- Selected comparisons of the perceptions between graduates from the old curriculum and new curriculum (admitted in 2012) were presented in the Teaching and Learning Expo in 2016.
- Summary statistics of the surveys were disseminated to programmes, Colleges, Office of Student Affairs, and General Education units.
