CUHK
News Centre

Being the internet hub in Hong Kong, The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) has been a pioneer in information technology. As early as more than a decade ago, CUHK took the lead to administer a mandatory Information Technology Proficiency Test as a graduation pre-requisite for all students. The initiative was affirmed and commended by the Quality Assurance Council of the University Grants Committee. Seeing the need for providing related education to keep up with the pace of the rapid advances of information technology (IT), CUHK introduces a new IT foundation course as part of the university core of the new four-year normative curriculum, replacing the IT proficiency test. The course aims at strengthening students’ basic concepts of the digital world, developing their life-long learning ability with the use of IT to meet job requirements and imparting in-depth knowledge in ethical issues, information privacy and security in the cyber world. The goal is to nurture students to become proficient and conscientious internet citizens – Netizens. 

Basic IT Knowledge to Help Decision-making

Starting from 2012, all CUHK students must complete the one-unit IT foundation course in Year 1 to enhance their four-year undergraduate study. The course will introduce how modern information technologies – from hardware to software, network, data storage and communications – change society and people’s lifestyles. Most young people nowadays have access to and are familiar with a variety of information technologies at their early ages. University students should have a deeper understanding of the underlying concepts, possibilities and limitations of these technologies when employing them to solve problems in daily lives and work. For example, how to choose between internet service providers offering network covered by optical fibres and copper wires? Is cloud or USB storage a better choice for doing group projects with classmates? Students will gain basic IT knowledge that allows them to make wise and effective use of IT. 

Practical Skills to Boost Efficiency

The new course also aims at enhancing students’ practical IT skills, allowing them to develop more efficient and environmental-friendly solutions in their daily lives, study and work. Students will learn how to automate retrieval, processing, evaluation and analysis of data from the numerous and fast-changing resources on the internet such as stock quotes and weather information. They will also learn to use online collaboration tools to share and edit their project work simultaneously. 

Sense of Morality for a Good Netizen

The essence of the course is to raise students’ awareness of internet ethics, security and data protection. It will inspire students to reflect upon moral, cultural and legal issues in the digital era, e.g., how to evaluate, filter, and cite information obtained from the internet? Is it safe to use and disseminate information on the internet? How will information leakage affect our daily lives? How to maintain standards of morality and ethics given the freedom of speech and free flow of information on the internet? To be a good Netizen, one must learn and appreciate various cultures and legislations so that one can use, protect and provide information in a reasonable and lawful manner. 

Innovative Teaching to Boost Learning Motivation

The new course will make extensive use of IT as teaching tools. The University will provide abundant internet bandwidth for students to gain access to real-time digital teaching resources during classes. Online teaching platforms, forums and discussion boards will also be available to encourage self-learning and e-learning after class.

As part of the course requirements, students have to complete a group project analysing current ethical, cultural and legal issues on IT. They have to present their work by producing a video to be uploaded for online peer review, to promote interactive discussion and enhance their relevant production skills. An ‘IT clinic’ operated by teaching assistants will also be set up to attend to students’ queries, offering an additional channel for continuous learning and after-class discussion.