About the course
Service-Learning (SL) is an experiential learning approach that combines community service with academic study and reflection to nurture students’ empathy and social responsibility.
This course is tailored for educators and practitioners at the higher education level. Face-to-face components will be held.
A PolyU Continuing Education certificate will be awarded upon satisfactory completion of the course.
Course Components
- E-Learning module and concept tests
- Face-to-face lectures, seminars, and on-site visits (40 hours)
- Design your own SL program with professional feedback
What will you learn?
- Fundamental principles and theories of academic SL
- SL and other forms of community-engaged experiential learning
- High-impact pedagogical factors, potential pitfalls, and risks
- Effective SL programs design
- Assessment of student performance and facilitation of student reflection
- Research and evaluation of SL programs
Eligibility
- Bachelor’s degree awarded by a recognised institution
- Priority will be given to teaching/academic staff at higher education institutions
Course Fee
HKD 4,000 – 6,000 (depending on the course location and specific arrangements)
Participants who demonstrate financial need may be eligible for financial aid upon satisfactory completion of the course.
Why choose PolyU?
With over a decade of development, PolyU’s SL has grown from 6 subjects and 200 students in 2012 to over 70 subjects and more than 4,500 students annually now.
Our service projects have expanded beyond Hong Kong and the Chinese Mainland to countries such as Cambodia, Indonesia, Kyrgyzstan, Myanmar, Rwanda, Vietnam, Tanzania, and The Philippines. These projects improve the lives of people in need and inspire students to become responsible professionals and global citizens.
Award-Winning Excellence
- Silver Winner of the QS Reimagine Education Awards 2024
- Winner of THE Awards Asia 2022: Teaching and Learning Strategy of the Year
- 2020 International Research Award from the International Association for Research on Service-Learning and Community Engagement (IARSLCE)
About the Instructors
(Left to right: Professor Stephen Chan; Professor Grace Ngai)
Professor Grace Ngai – Head of Service-Learning and Leadership Office (SLLO) and Associate Professor of Department of Computing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Board member of IARSLCE
Professor Stephen Chan – Founding Head of SLLO, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Both Professor Ngai and Professor Chan have been instrumental in integrating SL into PolyU’s curriculum, expanding projects globally, and pioneering innovative pedagogical practices.
Innovative pedagogical practices pioneered:
- Multicultural student teams through partnerships with local NGOs
- Service-learning exchange and internship programs
- Global SL classroom, allowing PolyU students and their overseas peers to:
○ Attend the same lectures via video conferencing
○ Develop project ideas collaboratively
○ Implement projects together in person at the service location
E-poster
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