Using standardised SPOCs to prepare Hong Kong students for service-learning programmes

Abstract

Service-learning and blended learning have both been touted in recent decades aspedagogical tools which may be used to enhance students’ learning over moretraditional instruction methods. This paper will present the initial findings fromthe pilot run of a small, private online course (SPOC) which was used in conjunctionto face-to-face methods to prepare students in Hong Kong for their upcomingservice-learning programme. The SPOC was utilised in one class each from threeUniversity Grants Committee-funded institutions, as well as opened up for self-enrolment at a fourth, for a total enrolment of 122 students. Following thecompletion of the course, students were asked to complete an online survey to gaugetheir reactions to the course, and face-to-face interviews were conducted to providefurther insights through qualitative analysis.