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The rise and fall of Hong Kong’s ‘begpackers’

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  1. #111

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    I remember many decades ago, before I went to uni then became an academic and everything that followed, a manager saying to me that he loved business reports from non graduates because they were short and to the point.

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  2. #112

    [QUOTE=angeluscomplex;3599082]The University I attended in the UK. has as one of its stipulations for its MA. course within the same field as my BA. that students are expected/required to read independently of their classes/lectures/seminars and even their prescribed reading list. You are expected to be able to research, analyse, critique and observe by YOURSELF critically and be able to formulate ideas and observations in such a way that they are not merely regurgitating their lecturers' opinions etc. This was true of my BA. Our final year had as its core dissertations not exams, in which we were required to put these to the test. It's how I got a 2:1 (GPA approx. 3.0)
    o the test. It's how I got a 2:1 (GPA approx. 3.0)

    HK./China emphasizes regurgitation, even its work environs require and demand blind obedience, it's easier than thinking for yourself. Just follow the rules, just blindly copy the notes and don't bother questioning or critiquing because your lecturers are always right. It doesn't matter that you can't comprehend the notes/the rationale behind anything, just memorize it to attain high marks. Just blindly follow, don't bother reading anything else since it's not what your lecturers want. Thinking outside of the box, critiquing, offering up your own version, questioning, thinking, providing alternative explanations, even different yet equally valid theories/methodologies/research examples is just rebelling, being difficult, tall poppy syndrome-esque, showing off, or you're trying to insult Chinese education in favour of British/Western pedagogy /learning methods.

    Especially when it comes to teaching English to young students, the accepted MOD. is to teach as the others teach/as the books dictate/stipulate because (highly privileged insider info alert) the people who run these centers/educational "consultancies" are quite happy to admit to their staff that their students are mentally incapable of understanding anything that isn't dumbed down. An example would be having to use overly simplified language, reading materials that aren't so much reading as they are glorified picture books that the parents could for all intents and purposes pick up at the libraries, materials for the teachers have to be dumbed down too, to simplified language and instructions that even p6 students would probably have no problem comprehending them. If you consider that your staff (Even parents!) who are teaching the courses are no cleverer than their students, there's a problem. This is why I've had to teach my employers SIMPLE. ENGLISH.GRAMMAR. They don't have to know this stuff, as long as they have status and money to hire people who know better than them. That's why English is taught in Chinese, that's why English is going backwards in Hong Kong. If you show that you know better English than HK. people, they become ashamed. If it's "worked" in the past, that must mean that it will always work. I've met someone who has always used Chinese to teach English, won't teach any other way. Got intimidated when she met someone who speaks it fluently, can teach in English.

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  3. #113
    Quote Originally Posted by angeluscomplex:
    The University I attended in the UK. has as one of its stipulations for its MA. course within the same field as my BA. that students are expected/required to read independently of their classes/lectures/seminars and even their prescribed reading list. You are expected to be able to research, analyse, critique and observe by YOURSELF critically and be able to formulate ideas and observations in such a way that they are not merely regurgitating their lecturers' opinions etc. This was true of my BA. Our final year had as its core dissertations not exams, in which we were required to put these to the test. It's how I got a 2:1 (GPA approx. 3.0)

    HK./China emphasizes regurgitation, even its work environs require and demand blind obedience, it's easier than thinking for yourself. Just follow the rules, just blindly copy the notes and don't bother questioning or critiquing because your lecturers are always right. It doesn't matter that you can't comprehend the notes/the rationale behind anything, just memorize it to attain high marks. Just blindly follow, don't bother reading anything else since it's not what your lecturers want. Thinking outside of the box, critiquing, offering up your own version, questioning, providing alternative explanations, even different yet equally valid theories/methodologies/research examples is just rebelling, being difficult, tall poppy syndrome-esque, showing off, or you're trying to insult Chinese education in favour of British/Western pedagogy /learning methods.
    I think people (and even some teachers dare I say) sometimes forget that Chinese and English are totally different languages and Hong Kong students in general change from the medium of Chinese to English at the age of around 11 or stay in Chinese medium schools until they enter universities here, where many subjects are in English. They are not like children in the UK who are more than likely to be educated in one language. Maybe I shall be attacked for generalizing!

    Students at university in Hong Kong also have to research, analyse and critique themselves. These skills are taught in their first year. Do you work in a university in Hong Kong? If so, which one?
    By the way, there are many Chinese students studying at UK universities and quite a few of them achieve 2:1 and they are trilingual. It should be noted that it is easier to enter a British or Australia university than one in Hong Kong because of the intense competition in this city.

  4. #114
    Quote Originally Posted by hullexile:
    I remember many decades ago, before I went to uni then became an academic and everything that followed, a manager saying to me that he loved business reports from non graduates because they were short and to the point.
    Yes. Business people like short reports as they are easy to read and time is money but people with academic and legal backgrounds tend to be rather detailed.

  5. #115

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    Quote Originally Posted by Bernadette J W:
    I think people (and even some teachers dare I say) sometimes forget that Chinese and English are totally different languages and Hong Kong students in general change from the medium of Chinese to English at the age of around 11 or stay in Chinese medium schools until they enter universities here, where many subjects are in English. They are not like children in the UK who are more than likely to be educated in one language. Maybe I shall be attacked for generalizing!

    Students at university in Hong Kong also have to research, analyse and critique themselves. These skills are taught in their first year. Do you work in a university in Hong Kong? If so, which one?
    By the way, there are many Chinese students studying at UK universities and quite a few of them achieve 2:1 and they are trilingual. It should be noted that it is easier to enter a British or Australia university than one in Hong Kong because of the intense competition in this city.
    Not sure what the first paragraph has to do with the price of butter. I don't think anyone on this site forgets that Chinese is a totally different language. My kids are trilingual, as in fluent in all three of the languages they speak I would expect that to aid their learning not hinder it in any way. Remember your audience here, most are not fresh off the boat expats with little contact with the local population.
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  6. #116

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    Quote Originally Posted by Bernadette J W:
    Yes. Business people like short reports as they are easy to read and time is money but people with academic and legal backgrounds tend to be rather detailed.
    Or verbose
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  7. #117

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    I think we've gone waaaay beyond the original topic.

    Perhaps time for a break / new threads if appropriate?

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