Adding diversity to an undergraduate curriculum: Psychology as an example of how to deal with the challenges of internationalization

Principal Supervisor

Professor Helene H.L. Fung, Department of Psychology

Duration

3 years

Approved Budget

HK $100,000

 
  • Project Objectives
  • Key deliverables expected
  • Evaluation of deliverables/outcomes
  • Dissemination of deliverables/outcomes

Project Objectives

To deal with the challenges of internationalization, including the development of teaching materials, the exposure to, and integration of, students from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds, and the development of effective assessment tools.

Key deliverables expected and timelines for completion

  • Development of a set of teaching and learning materials on psychology that incorporates and integrates perspectives from different parts of the world. (Jan to August 2013)


  • Development of learning activities and assignments that encourage interaction and discussion between students, and between students and guest speakers, of different ethnic and/or cultural backgrounds. (Sept to Dec 2013)


  • Development of short-term and long-term assessments of critical thinking and diversity awareness. (Jan 2014 to June 2015)


  • Arrangements for evaluation of project deliverables/outcomes

    The new teaching materials, learning activities and assessments developed will be implemented in four of our undergraduate courses. Before and after the implementation, students’ diversity awareness and critical thinking will be measured by the Miville-Guzman Universality-Diversity Scale (Miville et al., 1999) and the California Critical Thinking Skills Test: College Level (Facione, 1990) respectively. Changes in scores between these two measures will reflect the effectiveness of the curriculum. Students’ opinions toward the new learning activities and assignments will also be sought during CTE.

    Means for disseminating project deliverables/outcomes

  • Through teaching seminars, websites, presentations at CLEAR workshops and educational conferences.