published_or_final_version / abstract / toc / Educational Psychology / Master / Master of Social Sciences

For second language learners in Hong Kong EMI secondary schools, there is lack of an effective pedagogy for teachers to help students acquire functional academic English language proficiency in content subject classrooms. From previous studies, genre-based pedagogy was welcomed by both teachers and students in Australia. Also, genre-based pedagogy was implemented in some CLIL programmes in Europe, though the effectiveness of genre-based pedagogy in developing students’ academic literacy was not clear. The present study aims to evaluate whether genre-based pedagogy can be applied to help students improve academic literacy in Science in EMI secondary schools effectively. In the study, eight teachers, twenty Form one students and ten Form two students from a band one EMI girl school were recruited as participants. Student participants were asked to have English remedial classes after school and teacher participants were asked to observe those classes. Afterwards, some of them were selected to fill in the questionnaires and have interviews. Results showed that genre-based pedagogy was effective in developing students’ academic literacy in Hong Kong EMI secondary schools. Besides, the findings revealed that all the students and the majority of teachers agreed to apply genre-based pedagogy into other subjects at whole school level. The findings suggested that EMI schools teachers should apply genre-based pedagogy in every subject. Meanwhile, teachers are recommended to have more professional training on genre-based pedagogy. / published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

Tertiary institutions across the world continue to seek ways to enhance not only the knowledge students gain during a degree course but also the generic skills that they develop. Employers today assume discipline knowledge in graduates and are looking for skills that enable graduates to be work ready. Deep learning, which focuses on understanding rather than memorizing, has been shown to enhance better understanding and conceptualization of academic materials as well as better development of generic skills (e.g. analytical and problem-solving skills). Most researchers in the past have examined student learning in relation to deep learning, separately in the Students’ Approaches to Learning (SAL) and Achievement Goals (AG) perspectives. The present study therefore investigated how constructs from the SAL perspective: perceptions of course learning environment and approaches to learning, and constructs from the AG perspective: achievement goals, work together to enhance student learning and lead to more positive learning outcomes. Single-point-in-time and longitudinal studies were conducted among undergraduate students of a university in Hong Kong using paper and online survey through class visits and email, respectively. There were 849 and 651 students included in the single-point-in-time analyses of Study 1 and 2 respectively. A total of 183 cases were included in the longitudinal study. Analyses of structural equation modeling were conducted, and the results showed that achievement goals mediated the relationship between students’ perceptions of course learning environment and approaches to learning. This mediating relationship as a result could influence students learning outcomes in terms of GPA and perception of the development of generic skills. In particular, students’ perceptions of good teaching helped to promote the adoption of mastery goals which facilitated use of a deep approach to learning, as a result, were related to the perception of better development of generic skills. Students’ perceptions of a heavy workload promoted the adoption of performance-avoidance goals which encouraged use of a surface approach to learning and related to a lower GPA. Analyses of variance were used to compare students with single goal and multiple goals adoptions (i.e. adopting both mastery and performance-approach goals) in relation to approaches to learning and learning outcomes. The results demonstrated that adopting single mastery goals is beneficial in promoting a deep approach to learning, GPA and perception of better development of generic skills. Overall, the present study has demonstrated that the inclusion of achievement goals in the SAL perspectives provides a more comprehensive picture of the learning process among university students. To promote better learning outcomes, instructors should emphasize on understanding rather than memorization, develop mastery of knowledge and skills as their purpose for learning, avoid heavy workload, and enhance their teaching by adopting strategies such as explaining things clearly, providing helpful feedback and understanding the difficulties that students have in their learning. / published_or_final_version / Education / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

published_or_final_version / Education / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

published_or_final_version / abstract / toc / Educational Psychology / Master / Master of Social Sciences

published_or_final_version / abstract / Sociology / Master / Master of Philosophy

published_or_final_version / abstract / Education / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Science in Information Technology in Education

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education