policy & reform universities develop these skills, despite increased emphasis over the last 20 years on group work and class presentations( partly in response to employer feedback). But employers could still reasonably presume that interacting with others at university would develop these skills more effectively than sitting at home with a computer.
These employer concerns are likely to be more significant for undergraduate than for postgraduate courses. Most postgraduate students already have a full-time work history, and often study with their employer’ s support. The employer does not need to use proxy measures of non-academic attributes such as whether a student was enrolled on or off campus. But for job-seekers with bachelor degrees and no full-time work history, mode of study may still count in employers’ eyes.
For young people especially, university remains a social experience as well as an exercise in learning and credentialing. In a survey of Year 12 student perceptions of university, more than 80 per cent agreed with the proposition that“ life at university sounds exciting”.
This seems to translate into enrolment preferences. For students aged 21 or less in 2011, only around 10 per cent were enrolled in even one off-campus subject.
By contrast, for mature-age students aged between 30-60, more than half were enrolled in at least one subject off-campus.
None of this means that on-campus universities should be complacent about the online alternative. If students rarely come to campus despite their official oncampus enrolment status, then they are potential recruits for an online course if it is cheaper, better or faster.
Fortunately, technology can improve the educational experience for on-campus students as well as online students. Adaptive learning technologies can be integrated into on-campus courses as well as online courses. Some Australian universities are already doing this.
Innovations such as“ flipped classrooms”, where students view video lectures online and then work on assignments or problemsolving in class can make campus-based education more stimulating and useful. Lecturers and tutors can focus on what the students are having trouble with, rather than delivering basic course content.
Some Australian universities already use flipped classrooms, and increasingly, university buildings contain learning spaces designed for discussion rather than lectures.
If students see value in coming to campus for personal discussion they cannot get online, it will help create the strong social environment that distinguishes on-campus courses from their online alternatives. Universities will also need to pay ongoing attention to the non-academic student experience.
Universities face many obstacles as they adapt to new technologies and shifting markets. Cuts to public funding and inflexible student contributions limit scope for investing in new technologies.
Potential policy instability caused by controversy over a separate student amenities fee is a political problem that makes investment in these services risky. Academics and their union tend to resist change, which could delay introduction of new teaching methods.
Despite these difficulties, there is nothing inherent to the on-campus university that predicts its demise. They are not like retailers who have found that their customers can get exactly the same goods online for less. On-campus universities can still offer distinct higher education products for which there are no full online substitutes. n
Andrew Norton’ s report The online evolution: when technology meets tradition in higher education is available from the Grattan Institute website, grattan. edu. au
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University is a government-funded tertiary institution in Hong Kong. It offers programmes at various levels including Doctorate, Master’ s, and Bachelor’ s degrees. It has a full-time academic staff strength of around 1,200. The total consolidated expenditure budget of the University is close to HK $ 5 billion per year.
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL AND ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING
The Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering is recognised by the local and international communities in conducting application oriented research in civil and environmental engineering fields, and has well established connections with industrial partners and government agencies in Hong Kong. The new appointees will further add to the existing research strengths in hydraulic engineering and environmental engineering of the Department.
The Department currently has more than 35 faculty members and about 34 technical and administrative personnel and is committed to the international standards of excellence in teaching, research and services. Please visit the website at http:// www. cee. polyu. edu. hk for more information about the Department.
( 1) Assistant Professor in Environmental Engineering / Occupational Health The Department is seeking a highly motivated individual with a PhD degree in( i) Environmental Noise;( ii) Occupational Safety or related fields.
The appointee will be required to( a) teach relevant subjects in Environmental Engineering / Occupational Safety areas including Noise Assessment and Control, Occupational Safety and Health at various levels;( b) supervise student projects and theses;( c) initiate, lead and participate in research activities; and( d) undertake relevant administrative duties.
Applicants should( a) have a first degree in Engineering or Applied Science;( b) have a PhD degree in Noise or Occupational Safety or related fields;( c) have strong commitment to excellence in teaching and research;( d) have a good record of research and scholarship; and( e) be able to demonstrate effective classroom teaching skills and have good interpersonal skills. Preference will be given to those with relevant professional qualifications and working experience.
( 2) Assistant Professor in Hydraulic Engineering / Hydrologic Engineering The Department is seeking a highly motivated individual with a PhD degree in( i) Hydraulic Engineering or( ii) Hydrologic Engineering.
The appointee will be required to( a) teach relevant subjects at various levels;( b) supervise student projects and theses;( c) initiate, lead and participate in research activities; and( d) undertake relevant administrative duties.
Applicants should( a) have a PhD degree in Hydraulic Engineering or Hydrologic Engineering;( b) have strong commitment to excellence in teaching and research;( c) have a good record of research and scholarship; and( d) be able to demonstrate effective classroom teaching skills and have good interpersonal skills. Preference will be given to those with demonstrated track record and expertise in hydraulic engineering or hydrologic engineering. Preference will also be given to those with an undergraduate degree in Civil Engineering. Relevant professional qualifications and working experience as a civil engineer will be an asset.
Remuneration and Conditions of Service A highly competitive remuneration package will be offered. Initial appointments will be on a fixed-term gratuity-bearing contract. Re-engagement thereafter is subject to mutual agreement. Applicants should state their current and expected salary in the application.
Application Please submit application form via email to hrstaff @ polyu. edu. hk; by fax at( 852) 2364 2166; or by mail to Human Resources Office, 13 / F, Li Ka Shing Tower, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong. If you would like to provide a separate curriculum vitae, please still complete the application form which will help speed up the recruitment process. Application forms can be obtained via the above channels or downloaded from http:// www. polyu. edu. hk / hro / job. htm. Recruitment will continue until the positions are filled. Initial consideration of applications will commence on 2 July 2013. Details of the University’ s Personal Information Collection Statement for recruitment can be found at http:// www. polyu. edu. hk / hro / jobpics. htm.
www. campusreview. com. au May 2013 | 15