SLS-4b Explosion - Heavy Work in Scaling Up

Ever since the university decided in 2010 to make service-learning a graduation requirement, we were under severe pressure to develop sufficient service-learning subjects for the students.  Based on our own prior experience in organising service-learning projects, and practice at other leading universities, we expected that the classes would be relatively small.  Our previous groups were 20-30 each at most. We decided we could probably handle 40 students in one class.  Partly it was because intensive field work is required and in-field support and guidance is important for achieving good learning outcomes. 

Our initial target was an annual intake of 2,400 students for the 4-year undergraduate programs.  Hence we need a minimum of 60 subjects, with 70 subjects as a target in order to provide a buffer.  The first cohort entered PolyU in 2012, and was expected to graduate in 2016.  By 2016, we expected to have a full set of students in place and an average of 2,400 students taking service-learning subjects at steady state.  That means starting from around 2011, we have to develop an average of almost 20 new subjects each year in order to meet the demand.  The pressure was on. 

We had developed an alternate (Plan B), just in case we could not develop sufficient subjects for all the 2,400 students each year.  We were prepared to allow the students to take a free elective subject, in lieu of the required service-learning subject, in order to graduate, until we have sufficient capacity.  That is far from ideal, of course.  First of all, it defeats the purpose of the service-learning requirement.  Secondly, once that option is made available, the urgency in developing service-learning subjects will be greatly reduced, possibly making it even harder to achieve the goal.  Hence we decided to push will all steam ahead.  Nevertheless, our senior management remain quite concerned, for quite some time.  We were repeatedly being asked whether we could develop sufficient subjects.

The sub-committee for service-learning subjects, together with the Office of Service-Learning, took a very active approach.  Calls for new subject proposals were made twice each year.  The sub-committee worked practically around the clock to process the proposals, provide feedback and suggestions, and process the re-submissions as soon as possible.  The OSL run numerous workshops on writing proposals and other aspects of service-learning, offer to take colleagues on service-learning projects to gain personal and practical experience.  OSL, together with members of the sub-committee, meet with subject proposers and teams individually, to explain decisions and recommendations, and suggest revisions.