The Education Development Office of City University of Hong Kong (CityU) has organised the Strategic

Teaching Enhancement Programme (STEP) again this year to help colleagues meet the challenges of the new four-year curriculum to be launched in 2012, and familiarise themselves with Outcomes Based Teaching and Learning (OBTL).

 

At the first STEP workshop on 30 September, Professor Paul Lam Kwan-sing, Acting Vice-President (Undergraduate Education), and Dr Jerry Yu Jer-tsang, Chief Information Officer, outlined details of the new four-year curriculum and the challenges and opportunities it may bring to the University.

 

“The design of our programmes will be more comprehensive when a clearly defined blueprint of the four-year curriculum is finalised in 2010. In addition to the introduction of General Education courses, students will be able to choose electives. It is expected that our well-designed four-year curriculum will attract more outstanding students to study at CityU,” said Professor Lam.

 

Dr Yu explained the philosophy of General Education and the issues that must be addressed in implementing the four-year curriculum. There will be administration challenges to overcome, such as handling the increased admissions and dealing with the double-cohort.

 

Dr Yu drew an analogy to explain the difference between the existing curriculum and the new four-year curriculum. “Under the new curriculum, students are not going to have a set meal but a buffet. They can freely choose different courses for their majors, double majors and minors, as the new curriculum will provide

broader and more in-depth knowledge,” he said.

 

Ten workshops will be organised for STEP 2008 from 30 September to 9 December, covering various topics that include progress on the introduction of General Education courses and OBTL-related issues.

 

For more details and STEP 2008 registration, please visit http://www.pd4n48r.xyz/edo/workshops/step.htm