How Do Students Select Courses in a Liberal Arts University in Hong Kong

: a Mixed-Methods Study

Abstract

Undergraduate students need to choose different (elective) courses each term. This study examines the Course Selection (CS) decision by undergraduate students at a liberal arts university in Hong Kong. It suggests the use of Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) with CS. In addition, this study tries to compare the CS decisions of local (Hong Kong) students with those of mainland (Chinese) students. It builds a 5-factor model ((1) degree of concern about assessment methods, (2) instructor-related issues, (3) interest and career effects, (4) demanding courses and (5) weighting of assessments) using factor analysis and found that Factors 1, 2, 3 and 4 are statistically different between local and mainland students. Using qualitative analysis, themes are identified concerning CS (mainland students: (1) prefer an interesting course, but academic results are a prerequisite; (2) prefer certain qualities of the instructor, but this is not a decisive factor; (3) prefer to balance workload and individual assessment rather than conducting group projects; (4) prefer to have daytime classes and no days off; (5) take advice from peers but make their own decisions; and (6) prefer courses not to have SL elements and local students: (1) regard interest as their top priority; (2) prefer certain qualities/skills of the instructor; (3) are neutral regarding workload but prefer certain assessment methods; (4) have no preference regarding class time but wish to have a day off; (5) are minimally influenced by peers; and (6) dislike Service Learning). Two new factors emerged in this study, and they are (1) the day/time of courses and (2) service-learning elements. This study fills the research gap using a mixed-methods approach provides evidence to support the findings from previous studies and gives insights into the field of CS in the undergraduate context.

Date of Award	5 Dec 2023
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	University of Bristol
Supervisor	Lisa Lucas (Supervisor)