Abstract:
This project aimed at developing a self-learning kit on personal and psychosocial development entitled “The Ultimate Handbook for Internship Students” for students’ preparation of their Field Experience (FE) and internships. Four aspects in personal development were identified in particular which are emotional management, social relationships and communication, leadership, and self-understanding and self-esteem, according to the feedback received from internship providers, teachers and students. The learning kit was designed taking into account the feedback collected from the collaborating partners who offered fieldwork experience placements, and adoption of the positive education approach (Norrish, Williams, O’Connor, & Robinson, 2013). Activities including self-assessments, case studies, knowledge/skill enrichment exercises, reflections and mini-quizzes were included in the kit for each aspect. A total of 120 students who were planning for their practicum were recruited for this pilot project. The analysis of the questionnaire and students’ qualitative responses indicated the majority of participants reported significant increment in the four areas after the use of self-learning kit. Seminars and sharing sessions were held for both students and teaching members in the University to promote self-directed learning among students as well as the awareness of FE and internship supervisors on supporting the personal and psychosocial development of students.
Code:
T0172
Principal Project Supervisors:
Keywords provided by authors:
- Curriculum Development
- Personal and Psychosocial Development
- Self-learning
- Internships
- Field experience
Start Date:
01 Oct 2016
End Date:
30 Sep 2017
Status:
Completed
Result:
Before student participants started their practicum, they completed a pre-study questionnaire on outcomes related to the four aspects and were given information about the project. Upon completion of the self-learning kit, they filled in a post-study questionnaire for outcomes of the four aspects related to personal development (emotional management, social relationships and communication, leadership, and self-understanding and self-esteem). The analysis of the questionnaire data as well as students’ qualitative responses indicated the majority of participants reported significant increment in the four areas after the use of self-learning kit. In particular, most participants indicated in the pre-study questionnaire that they had general to high levels of the four areas. In the post-study questionnaire, most participants reported that they had a considerable level of enhancement or a very high level of enhancement in the four areas after the use of the self-learning kit. Further, based on students’ response and feedback to the activities in self-learning kit (i.e. self-assessments, mini quizzes, reflection exercises), most participants reported that the self-learning kit has enhanced their knowledge of and skills in emotional management, social relationships and communication, and leadership, so that they can be more competent and confident in handling personal and interpersonal issues in their FE or internships.
Impact:
Based on the positive education approach (Norrish, Williams, O’Connor, & Robinson, 2013), this project aimed to enhance the competencies and self-efficacies on handling personal and interpersonal issues of students who completed Field Experience or internships through enriching their knowledge of and skills in emotional management, social relationships and communication, leadership as well as improving their self-esteem and self-understanding relating to career development. In this pilot project, a self-learning kit, consisting of content on emotional management, social relationships and communication, leadership, and self-understanding and self-esteem, was adopted by 120 students, who prepared their practicum in 2017-2018. Most student participants gained improvement in the four aspects and better prepared for dealing with personal and interpersonal issues that they would encounter in their practicum. This project not only promoted the self-directed learning in students through developing and adopting a self-learning kit, but also enhanced the awareness of FE and internship supervisors on supporting the personal and psychosocial development of students. In the long run, the self-learning kit can be used by students enrolling in other programs who have to complete practicum with proper adaptation. It can also be used with final-year students who will soon transit from study to work.
Deliverables:
Seminars/ Presentations/ Sharing Sessions
(2017, March) Sharing Session on TDG Project “Enhancing Students’ Personal and Psychosocial Development with Self-learning Kit” presented by Dr Chan Wing Yan Anita, Ms Tang Hau Yu Christine and Dr Wan Lai Yin Sarah at Learning and Teaching @EdUHK Festival 2017 at Education University of Hong Kong on 31 March 2017. (https://repository.eduhk.hk/en/publications/e5501e03-d474-4668-ade8-cb4a...)
2018年4月25日。「以自我導向學習手冊提升實習學生的個人、心理及社會發展」，由溫麗妍、陳詠欣、鄧巧孺主講，香港教育大學。(Number of participants: 32)
Teaching and Learning Resources/ Materials (including online resources)
溫麗妍、陳詠欣和鄧巧孺 (2017)：《愉快實習：自我裝備天書》，香港，香港教育大學。[ISBN:978-988-13719-3-5] (https://repository.eduhk.hk/en/publications/579f57dc-7f1c-404c-be54-00d6bc49534c)
Financial Year:
2015-16
Type:
TDG