Abstract: This study adopts quantitative approach to compare the students' perceptions in terms of perceived usefulness (PU) and perceived ease of use (PE) of using mobile device-based student response system (SRS) and to investigate the difference in the effects of contributing factors on the students' perceptions at two higher education institutions in Hong Kong. Seventy-eight students were sampled from the two institutions which represent students at their early and final stages of study. The significance of this study is that its findings can help the education management to implement mobile device-based SRS for learning in classrooms at different stages of study. An online survey was conducted to capture the students' perceptions and their contributing factors. The Kruskal-Wallis test results showed that there was no significant difference between the students' perceptions in these two institutions. Multiple regression analysis was then performed to investigate whether other factors that contribute to PU and PE, as those in combining Park et al's (2012) and Venkatesh and Davis' (2000) models, are different in the two groups. The results revealed that the effect of PE on PU and the effect of self-efficacy on PE were larger at the early stage of study.
Abstract: This paper is about developing a conceptual management model of strategic enrolment,
graduation and articulation (SEGA) in self-financing tertiary education in Hong Kong. This research
is significant as it provides information on how SEGA would be viewed as a successful conceptual
management model to (1) maximize enrolment, (2) improve graduation rates and (3) enhance
articulation opportunities within limited educational resources in self-financing tertiary education in
Hong Kong.
The proposed conceptual model of SEGA is modified from the concept of Strategic Enrolment
Management (SEM). However, as the drop-out rates are not significant in Hong Kong self-financing
tertiary education in comparing with the situation in U.S., the parameter of retention will not be
considered in this study. Instead, the parameter of articulation is introduced in this study.
This study seeks to establish a conceptual management model of SEGA which will be applied
to the self-financing tertiary education in Hong Kong; thus, the characteristics of the SEGA conceptual
model are to be discussed. Examining how SEGA would be developed successfully in the three core
areas (i.e. enrolment, graduation, articulation) of self-financing tertiary education in Hong Kong will
be studied in further research.
Abstract: Basically there are two different views on the argument realization of resultative V-V compounds in Mandarin Chinese. One derives the compounds in the lexicon, and the other in syntax. However, some crucial problems remained unclear either in a pure lexical analysis or in a pure syntactic approach. Following Hale and Keyser (1993), this paper adopts a lexical-syntactic approach to Mandarin resultative v-v compounds and assumes that all subject NPs are external to VP/AP but introduced and licensed by the little v, which is a new unsatured predicate resulting from incorporating a light verb with a root verb. Therefore, the external subject NP gets its semantic role through the predication relationship that holds between the subject NP and the little v phrase as a whole, which means that the subject NP should be semantically consistent with the little v, as well as the root verb. Such assumption hence not only account for the problems remained either in the lexical approach or the pure syntactic analysis, but also captures Chinese native speakers’ intuition that V2 plays an important role in the interpretation of V-V compounds.
Abstract: The purpose of this study is to provide a comprehensive understanding of how tourism and hospitality students learn and how they develop their approaches to learning in a self-financed college. The study investigates whether there is a change in students? approaches to learning as they progress through their programmes of study. Data was collected on student approaches to learning at four points: the initial entry to their associate degree programmes, the second year of study (associate degree), the beginning of the first semester of their degree programmes (top-up degree) and the final year of the same programmes. The study is a longitudinal one. It is hoped by that assessing and analyzing students? learning approaches and the direction of any change will allow feedback to be provided to colleges, curriculum planners, and teaching staff about how they are affecting the way their students approach to learning, and thereby assist them to work towards continued improvement and enhancement of learning and teaching.
Abstract: The prevalence of academic stress among the undergraduate students in Hong Kong is serious. The objective of this study is to discuss the causes and effects of academic stress among undergraduate students. It is found that the high expectation on their study, academic overload and friendship network are the major causes of academic stress. High academic stress has a negative impact on academic performance, and will also result in internet addiction, insufficient sleeping time, change in dietary behaviour and mental health problems. After reviewing the causes and effects of academic stress, and some relevant studies and reports of the situations in Hong Kong, recommendations to develop the strategies in dealing with academic stress are suggested.
Abstract: This paper tests the effectiveness of trading range break (TRB) trading rules in the Hang Seng index futures market. Such trading rules are linked up with a test using market high-time and market low-time. It is discovered that the market inefficiency observed by Mok, Li and Lam (2000) has no longer persisted in HSIF market. This particular example is interesting because the market inefficiency does not come together with any trading rule.
Abstract: This paper synthesizes the literature in genre studies in educational context, specifically focussing on genre in systemic functional linguistics tradition. I retrieved the literature mainly from journal articles, book chapters, and research reports. I compared the three traditions of genre at the beginning, explicating the commonalities and differences among the three schools of genre in terms of definition, theoretical framework, and goal. I then focused on research in genre in educational context from systemic functional linguistics. I answered four major research questions by synthesizing the results with the retrieved literature: (1) delineating the historical development of genre studies in educational context; (2) mapping out types of genres that have been studied; (3) exploring the focused areas of studies of these genres; and (4) finally, finding out the research gaps in the field. The synthesis revealed that SFL genre could be applied in a wider context, such as ESL. In addition, more studies in academic writing is highly recommended.
Abstract: In this paper, I focus on surveying the literature on adolescent L2 writing from the perspective of learning how to mean. I retrieved most of the published studies on adolescent L2 writing from 1990 to 2015. I summarized different themes from these studies, such as, factors that influence adolescent L2 writing, adolescent L2 writing teaching and assessing. I concentrated on exploring the findings from different themes, like, (1) Adolescent identity; (2) Home and community influence; (3) Internet and new technology; (4) L1 influence; (5) Classroom instruction; (6) Feedback and error correction; and (7) Assessment. I delineated the overall picture in the field and finding out possible research avenues for future researchers in this field. For example, longitudinal, developmental, L2 writing curriculum research perspectives are proposed for future researchers in the field. The synthesis found that adolescent L2 writing is an emerging field and more research attention is deserved.
Abstract: Bus is one of the significant segments in Hong Kong public transport. Since 1970s, Hong Kong bus companies have faced keen competition with other modes of transport. The purpose of this study is to identify the connection among Intelligent Transportation System (ITS), service quality and customer satisfaction for Hong Kong bus industry with respect to the 5 components of SERVQUAL by comprehensive literature review. The discussion reveals that ITS can enhance service quality of Hong Kong bus companies, as well as its customer satisfaction. Through ITS, Hong Kong bus companies could improve the performance and increase their competitive advantages to compete with Mass Transit Railway (MTR).
Abstract: The present study reports on the findings of the functional text analysis of Chinese adolescent ESL learners L2 writing. I will start with a presentation of literature that focuses on studies of text types and genres in language learning, which helps conceptualize and frame the research questions that pertain to the domain of functional text analysis. Then, I will explain the methodology and theoretical framework: context-based text typology adopted by the present study. After that, I will summarize the results and findings by mapping out the contextual parameters that the students deployed. Finally, I will discuss the features and problems that have been identified in this study.
Abstract: Fruits and vegetables are important parts of healthy eating and they provide excellent sources of vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber in our diet. According to the WHO, inadequate consumption of fruits and vegetables may contribute to as much as 14% of gastrointestinal cancer deaths and 11% of deaths resulted from ischemic heart disease worldwide. Higher risk of all-cause mortality is associated with insufficient fruits and vegetables consumption. Since 2011, Hong Kong has been promoting a 2 Plus 3 a day diet campaign aiming to raise the public's awareness on consuming a minimum of 2 portions of fruits and 3 portions of vegetables daily. Recent statistics showed that 81% of people aged 18 - 64 failed to meet this requirement. This finding suggested a strong demand to identify the underlying determinants that affect fruits and vegetables consumption behaviour that led to this result. This paper focuses on investigating these determinants among university students in Hong Kong. Surveys were conducted in 2015 with 600 participants randomly selected from universities across Hong Kong. The results indicated that 87% of students consuming fruits and vegetables regularly were due to the health benefits associated with fruits and vegetables, almost half of the students (47%) reported that taste of fruits and vegetables had led to their consumptions. Other factors such as gender, accessibility and parents' consumption behaviour were also found to play a role as determinants. Meanwhile, taste, cooking methods and texture of fruits and vegetables were found to play significant roles in preventing their consumptions.
Abstract: The legal and ethics subject is one of the discipline subjects being offered in the hospitality and tourism programs. To investigate the effectiveness of this subject, this paper aims to examine, based on the hospitality and tourism students? perceptions in Hong Kong, (1) based on their work experiences; how much emphasizes their employers stress on those legal issues, and whether there are any discrepancies between students? perception and reality; (2) the usefulness and importance of law subject in general; and (3) what legal issues students face in their workplaces.
From sixteen legal and ethics issues, students perceived a greater importance of those issues than the companies? emphasis. The most discrepancies are employment law, insurance law, and tort. However, students have no different perception in legal issue of ?duty to protect guests? properties.? 63% of students agree that the law subject is the most important subject; and 68% of them believe that the law subject should be assigned to the compulsory category. Students have encountered in various legal issues such as ?employment law,? ?hygiene & safety,? ?duty to protect guest,? and ?contract law?; whereas, students have less encountered in legal issues of discrimination, copyright, and agency relationship. The legal and ethics subject is essential for hospitality and tourism students to apply those legal issues in the workplaces. The contents should focus in employment law, hygiene and safety, and duty to protect guests. In addition, the hospitality and tourism companies can provide more training legal knowledge, so that they can meet the employees? perceptions of those legal applications.
Abstract: As more and more students bring electronic gadgets to the classroom, more and more find teachers struggle to keep students actively engaged in the learning process. Whole brain teaching (WBT) is a relatively new strategy adopted by teachers in the United States. Its purpose is to increase student engagement and, in turn, increase student achievement. Currently, there is very limited literature about the WBT in academic databases. The current literature is mainly about WBT practices in secondary education or lower levels. This is the report of an attempt to use some of the WBT techniques in post-secondary education.
Two WBT techniques were used in teaching the course of Project Management at the top-up degree level. After the course ended, self-administered questionnaires were used to collect student feedback from students. Thirty-five questionnaires were returned, representing a response rate of 85%. The data were analysed using SPSS.
This is one of the first attempts to apply WBT in post-secondary education. The results show that students have generally positive attitudes towards WBT. This is encouraging because it implies that WBT is potentially suitable for Hong Kong students at the top-up degree level. Most items in the questionnaire have high reliability when measured by Cronbach?s Alpha. The questionnaire and experience can be used by future educators to further research into this area.
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