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Collecting feedback from students through course, program and other evaluation questionnaires has become a costly and time consuming process for most colleges. Converting to data collection through the internet, rather than completion on paper, can result in a cheaper and more efficient process. This article examines several research questions which need to be answered to establish that results collected by the two modes of administration are equivalent. Data were gathered for a program evaluation questionnaire from undergraduate students at a university in Hong Kong. Students were able to choose between completion on paper or through the internet. In six of the seven Faculties the number of responses through each mode was roughly the same. Students in the Engineering Faculty favored the internet. Scores on the 14 out of 18 scales in the instrument showed small differences by mode of response, which became smaller still with controls for pertinent demographic variables. The main response question addressed in the study was whether there was any difference in the way respondents to the two modes interpreted the questions. The study demonstrated the equivalence of the two data sets by showing that both could be fitted to a common model with structural equation modeling (SEM). Five levels of tests of invariance further confirmed the comparability of data by mode of administration. This study, therefore suggests that changing to internet collection for course and program evaluations will not affect the comparability of ratings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports on the findings of a qualitative study which investigated a group of English as a second language (ESL) university students' perceptions of their global identities in intercultural English as a lingua franca (ELF) communication at an international university in Hong Kong. Drawing on data collected via in-depth interviews and elicited journals, the paper found that these students shared a number of similarities in how they perceived and characterized their global identities in ELF contexts on campus. The analysis revealed that the expression of their global identities involved not only identification with the wider global community, but also acceptance of linguistic variation in the global use of English, display of communicative competence to ensure mutual understanding in lingua franca communication, and positive orientations toward hybrid linguistic practices in ELF settings. The findings reported in this paper will contribute to our understanding of the linguistic and cultural dimensions in the expression of global identities among ESL university students in ELF communication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports the results of a convenient sample survey of 500 Hong Kong university students conducted in May 2003. The main aim of the survey was to investigate the respondents’ perception of the residential environment and its implications for the quality of life (QOL). Results indicated that the respondents were generally satisfied with the residential environment, scoring a mean satisfaction rating of 3.32, on a 5-point Likert scale. The type, size and age of a respondent’s home, years of occupancy and attending university were found to be significantly related to the overall satisfaction. Transport (4.37), environmental quality (4.30), and public utilities (4.25) were reported to be the most important infrastructures for the QOL, but environmental quality (3.21), education (3.11) and greening (2.98) were considered to be the least satisfactory ones. The desirable distribution of facilities and services was defined by their functions and the new urban designs were appreciated by the respondents. Although available space was less than the ideal and public transport was a serious concern, the respondents had adapted well to the high-density environment and enjoyed the urban life in Hong Kong. It is hoped that the results and findings of this study can provide a reference for the formulation of future development strategy in Hong Kong. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports a study of the effectiveness of an innovative approach to staff development, the conceptual change approach, which attempts to change teachers' frameworks for conceptualising teaching and learning. The evaluation investigated the programme at three levels: the impact on the conceptions of teaching of the participants, the resultant impact on teaching practices, and the consequential effect on student learning. Encouraging results were obtained. The programme brought about detectable conceptual change or conceptual development in two-thirds of the sample group. Subsequently, all the `changed' teachers received better ratings on their teaching practices from their students in the following academic year while none of those who did not change their conceptions showed similar gains in student rating scores. A resultant positive impact on their students' studying approaches was observed for half of the teachers who changed their conceptions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

College transfer students are those who follow a different trajectory in their higher education journeys than traditional students, completing a sub-degree before pursuing a bachelor's degree at a university. While the possibility of transferring makes higher education accessible to these students, previous studies have found that they face various challenges, from issues with course load to language challenges. This study aims to examine (1) the critical factors contributing to the success of transfer students in a language course; and (2) how transfer students perform better or worse than those who enter university directly. This study conducted learning analytics with 700 college transfer students in Hong Kong, retrieving their demographic and learning data from the learning management system and the university academic registry. The results suggest that English exam scores, current semester GPA, graduating GPA at community college and current course load are important predictors of transfer students' success in language courses. This study also finds that transfer students have lower levels of language proficiency than direct entrants. It concludes with specific recommendations to make higher education more accessible to transfer students and suggestions on how to use learning analytics to track students with different trajectories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emotional intelligence (EI) is foundational to students' success in the university. However, past studies on EI in the higher education context have mostly focused on how EI is related to academic achievement neglecting student engagement and other learning-related outcomes (e.g., generic outcomes). In this study, we examined whether and how individual differences in EI influence students' learning, engagement, and achievement during their first year at university. An explanatory sequential mixed-methods design was used to garner both quantitative and qualitative insights. We recruited and followed up with 560 first-year students in Hong Kong. The quantitative findings revealed a strong EI gradient with more emotionally intelligent students having higher levels of learning, engagement, and achievement. Qualitative findings corroborated the quantitative results and further showed that emotionally intelligent students are goal-directed, assertive, and self-regulated. Taken together, this study sheds light on the importance of EI for the optimal functioning of first year university students. Theoretical and practical implications of the findings are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is growing research interest in experiential avoidance and psychological inflexibility across cultures. The original Multidimensional Experiential Avoidance Questionnaire (MEAQ) has strong construct validity, but its length has greatly restricted its application in research and clinical practice. In this study, we validated a 15-item version of the MEAQ in Hong Kong Chinese using student (n = 349) and clinical (n = 200) samples. This short version showed good internal consistency, convergence, and discriminant validity with measures of avoidance, psychopathology, and well-being. Implications for research and clinical practice were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined gambling behavior and correlates of pathological gambling among college and university students in Hong Kong. A survey questionnaire was administered to 510 Chinese students (302 men, 208 women) recruited from twelve tertiary institutions. The standardized questionnaire included questions on socio-demographic background, preferred lifetime and past-year gambling forms, attitudes towards gambling, perceived life satisfaction, social influence, intention to seek help, and a gambling screen to assess problematic gambling. The response rate is 86%. Results indicate the prevalence rate of lifetime and past-year gambling are 79.6% and 41.8% respectively with male domination. Many (60%) started gambling before 18 years. The estimate of lifetime vulnerability to pathological gambling is 14.7%. Pathological gambling is associated with the male gender, Internet gambling, monthly gambling expenditure, gambling attitude, betting on a great variety of games, and life dissatisfaction. Survey results have implications for campus awareness programs and future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the out-of-class learning activities undertaken, at the students' volition, by groups of students. Data were gathered through 57 individual and 15 focus group interviews with university students in Hong Kong. Group activities reported included: copying, sharing material, consulting peers, consulting teachers, studying and working together, revising together before examinations, discussing, collaborating across years, forming study groups and participating in extracurricular activities. Activities could be placed on a spectrum from low to high task-involvement. Some activities, such as copying, occurred at only one end of the spectrum. Most occurred in somewhat different forms across the spectrum. It was possible to categorise these activities into two categories labelled avoider and engager behaviour. Avoider behaviour was displayed by those who collaborated to minimise the time individual members spent on assigned tasks. Engager behaviour was characterised by seeking to reach a communal understanding of course content. Adoption of either behaviour was influenced by the teaching and learning environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of the present study was to examine the relationships between personality characteristics, time perspective (TP), and positive orientation (PO) across three countries representing different cultures: Chile, Hong Kong, and Poland. The participants were university students; they completed the Zimbardo time perspective inventory, the ten-item personality inventory, and the positive orientation scale. We investigated whether PO could be predicted by personality traits and TP. The study revealed that TP dimensions predicted PO even after controlling for personality traits. This effect was found in all three countries. Additionally, the study revealed the role of balanced time perspective as a moderator between personality traits and PO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article focuses on a comparative study of how diverse subject disciplines in different higher education institutions in Australia and Hong Kong approached the challenge of internationalising the curriculum (IoC). Case study analysis identifies five conditions conducive to improving intercultural student interaction, engagement and adaptation through an internationalised higher education curriculum. The findings suggest that opportunities for IoC, such as those outlined, afford multiple benefits for both domestic and international students in higher education. These include, better cross-cultural mixing, intercultural competency development and adaptation to different higher education contexts. Implications for higher education institutions interested in creating conditions that facilitate an internationalised curriculum are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Values are guiding principles in our life. While some studies found spiritual values to be 'healthier,' Sagiv and Schwartz (Eur J Soc Psychol 30:177-198, ) showed that people holding non-spiritual values were higher on affective well-being. We examined the predictive power of these two types of values with a longitudinal data set collected from Chinese students mainly in Hong Kong. Structural equation modeling revealed that spiritual values (as well as family income) positively predicted quality of life a year later. Non-spiritual, self-enhancement values, did not show any association. Results suggest that developing spiritual values may promote well-being through enabling individuals to find meaning and purpose in life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Notwithstanding the voluminous studies of Hong Kong's anticorruption experience and the admiration the ICAC has earned from other governments as a model for 'institutional engineering,' little is known about how the public in Hong Kong has perceived and responded to corruption. Less clear is what factors beyond a powerful and independent anticorruption agency have made the Hong Kong experience possible. Drawing on original survey data collected in Hong Kong in 2010-2011, this study investigates what determines individual propensities to accept or reject corruption and explores the role of a zero-tolerance culture in preventing corruption. Evidence confirms the existence of a low tolerance for corruption in Hong Kong. It also reveals a more significant impact of informal institutions than formal ones on corruption tolerance levels. As the very first study of zero tolerance of corruption, this research adds considerable depth to our understanding of why Hong Kong has become one of the most corruption-free societies in the world and of the importance of civic engagement in deterring actual and potential corruption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To determine the effect of age on the prevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection during a routine screening programme of first-year students enrolled in Health Sciences Studies at the Chinese University of Hong Kong from 2001 to 2009. Methods: In a retrospective cohort study, data on the hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) status was retrieved from the University Health Service and analysed according to the age of the student at testing and year of birth. Results: Of the 2,688 students enrolled in the study group, 79 (2.9 %) tested positive for HBsAg. The prevalence increased significantly from 0.9, 2.3, 4.3 to 5.5 % for those tested at age ≤18, 19, 20 and ≥ 21 years, respectively ( p < 0.001). On logistic regression analysis, taking age ≤18 years and year of birth before 1983 (before the availability of HBV vaccination) as the reference group, HBV infection increased progressively with age, with an adjusted odds ratio of 3.36 [95 % confidence interval (CI) 1.01-11.23], 6.04 (95 % CI 1.74-20.98) and 11.61 (95 % CI 3.20-42.13) for age 19, 20 and ≥21 years, respectively. There was no significant change in the odds ratio after adjustment for the year of birth before and after introduction of the vaccination programme. Conclusion: Among the university students enrolled in our study, the overall prevalence of HBV infection before and after the introduction of HBV vaccination was lower than the 10 % found in the general population. There was, however, a significant progressive increase with age at testing from ≤18 to ≥21 years, suggesting a previously overlooked contribution of horizontal transmission to the high prevalence of HBV infection found in our adult population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study, using the theory of planned behavior (TPB), investigated psychological correlates of intention to gamble and problem gambling among Chinese college students. Nine hundred and thirty two Chinese college students (aged from 18 to 25 years) in Hong Kong and Macao were surveyed. The findings generally support the efficacy of the TPB in explaining gambling intention and problems among Chinese college students. Specifically, the results of the path analysis indicate gambling intention and perceived control over gambling as the most proximal predictors of problem gambling, whereas attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived control, which are TPB components, influence gambling intention. Thus, these three TPB components should make up the core contents of the prevention and intervention efforts against problem gambling for Chinese college students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While a large amount of research has been conducted in the West on domestic violence related issues, only a small number of studies have focused specifically on Chinese societies. Using survey data collected from Beijing, Hong Kong, and Taipei, this study compares college students' preferences for traditional and proactive police intervention into domestic violence and assesses the determinants of such preferences in the three Chinese societies. The findings indicate that Hong Kong students showed the highest level of support for traditional police response, followed by students in Beijing and Taipei, while students in Taipei displayed the strongest preference for proactive police response, followed by students in Hong Kong and Beijing. College students' preferences for traditional police response were shaped mainly by their locality, whereas their preferences for proactive police intervention were influenced chiefly by their attitudes toward violence and gender roles. Directions for future research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]