SLS-6a5 Easy subjects?

One of the real challenges that we keep facing is rather mundane.  We try very hard, and have a rigorous process in place, to ensure that SL subjects are academically sound and challenging.  However, there is always some subjects or teachers that are perceived by the students as easier than others.  They can be easier in the sense that the work is less challenging - it can be objectively true or it may only be a perception.  Perhaps a smaller amount of work is required.  Perhaps a lower degree of difficulty is demanded.  Perhaps it is mainly group work as opposed to individual work - hence making it is easier to free-ride.  A subject can  be “easy” simply because the grading is more lenient.  Perhaps a lot of As are given.  In this sense the situation with SL subjects may not seem much different from other types of academic subjects in terms of student preferences towards certain “easy” subjects.  

Perhaps the work is more straightforward rather than cognitively challenging.  Perhaps the work is more prescribed rather than open-ended.  This aspect may be particularly relevant in with Hong Kong and perhaps Mainland China, where the dominant mode of learning is often considered to be closed-form, prescriptive with definite right and wrong solutions.  Many students training in this manner tend to favour SL subjects where they are assured they can carry out their tasks successfully in a definite, step-by-step manner. This type of projects, unfortunately, are somewhat artificial, while the real problems of the world are typically messy, ill-defined and even “wicked”.  

The situation may be made more intense because of the nature of SL.   SL is experiential, rather than theoretical.  It involves a lot of interactions with people.  It often challenges the students with unfamiliar and uncomfortable situations.  It compels the students to examine their own assumptions, values and beliefs.  The challenges may invoke strong emotional responses from the students.  It may,  in turn, heighten their preferences for or against certain SL subjects.  

Of course, many students do choose a subject based on their interest and do not mind working hard on something that interest them.  But human nature as it is, certain subjects are over-subscribed because they are perceived as “easier” subjects.  At one point, we encountered a situation where students literally sell their places in such highly desirable subjects to each other through a black market.  As soon as we hear of such practices, we quickly change the registration procedures to plug the loop holes that allow such undesirable practice to take place.  Fortunately, and hopefully, such practices are rare and quickly caught.  

The university, of course, work hard to ensure that no SL subjects are unreasonably easy, that all SL subjects are academically sounds and demand comparable amounts of work.  SL should not prescribe routine work without rigorous cognitive challenges.  Subjects should not make it easy for students to free-ride.  A reasonable degree of challenge to the students’ assumptions, values and beliefs is necessary for serious reflection and civic learning. Relevant teachers and departments are made aware of some of these perceptions on campus, among teaches, administrators and students.  Self-respecting academics and departments do wish to be rigorous as well as being perceived to be  rigorous in their teaching.