The first batch of students required to take Service-Learning subjects entered PolyU in September 2012 and subsequently graduated in May 2016. The students were able to complete their SL requirements and graduate on time. But the process, had not really been completely smooth sailing. There have been a number of challenges which were, fortunately, successfully met with the concerted efforts of many parties.
The general guidelines on SL does not specify the point in time in a 4-year program when a student should take the required SL subject. Hence an academic department can decide on the timing for each of their academic programs, if they wish. Typically it is specified in a document called an “Indicative Program Profession Pattern” or something similar.
There are some practical considerations as to when the students should or would take SL. During the first year of a 4-year program, or at least in the first semester, the “freshman” student has not yet had much exposure to university education yet. If SL is supposed to be an application of knowledge learned at university, whether from the major studies or from general education, then it may not make much sense for the freshman to take SL in the fist year, particularly in the very first semester. On the other hand, during the final, “senior” year of studies, a student is often doing an important capstone project, applying for graduate studies, and/or looking for a job. It may not be an ideal situation to take a SL subject, which is quite demanding in its own way. Hence students are generally expected to take their SL subject in the second (sophomore) or third (junior) year of studies.
The actually data accumulated indicate that many students begin to take SL in the second semester of the first year in relatively small numbers. They begin to take SL in larger numbers in the first summer, and the numbers continue to be large throughout the second and third year. By the final year only a small number of students remain who have yet to take their SL subject. There are many students who want to take general education subjects, including SL, early on. Reasons vary. Some have not yet made up their mind on their major when they enter PolyU; hence they are inclined to take general education subjects in their first year rather than subjects in their major. Others may be inclined to take general education subjects because they perceive general education subjects as easier. They may be trying to boost their academic records early on, to keep up their academic performance to retain their entry scholarship, etc. Some may do it to get general educations subjects out of the way so that they can concentrate on their major subjects in the subsequent years.
Some try to get into their favourite SL subject as early as possible - so that they can try again, and again, in later years. For example, projects in Rwanda takes us to sites in remote mountains which are truly out-of-the-beaten-path. There villagers still live in adobe houses built with mud bricks dried under the sun, but are not fired. There is no running water nor electricity. Villagers live and cook pretty much like their ancestors did hundreds of years ago. Some students are scared by the challenges. But there are enough students who are, on the contrary, attracted. Some feel, perhaps correctly, that even if they join a tour to visit Rwanda it is highly unlikely that they can spend any significant amount of time, if any, in a truly authentic native village in the remote mountains of Rwanda. Hence it truly is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
There are also several other subjects with their own special attractions. The number of places for some of these subjects are limited by the nature of the project, logistics, costs incurred, etc. For these reasons the competition to enrol in some SL subjects can become quite keen.
At the other extreme, a small percentage remain not having taken SL even by the end of the fourth year. These tend to be students who are facing other challenges. Some have health issues which slow down their progress. Some have financial problems. Others may be performing poorly academically in general. Generally they have more serious or broader issues that impact their studies. We have not encountered cases where a student fails to graduate only because of failure in finding a suitable SL subject, or otherwise failing to complete the SL subject requirement. Understanding the demand for SL places helps us prepare the supply.
No comments:
Post a Comment