HKU CAES Annual Report 2022-2023

MA Programmes CAES runs a Master of Arts in Applied Linguistics (MAAL) programme and co-runs a Master of Arts in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages [MA(TESOL)] programme with the Faculty of Education. The entry to the two programmes was highly competitive in the 2022-2023 academic year. In the 2022-2023 academic year, the MAAL programme experienced further growth, with its cohort size increased from 62 to 93. Various strategies were implemented to accommodate this expansion. For all core courses, a combined lecture and seminar format was introduced. All students attended lectures together, after which they were divided into two smaller subclasses which prioritised interactions and discussions. The MAAL programme offers two capstone options, namely dissertation and portfolio. As for the portfolio option, students were given the choice between developing scholarly-informed English/Applied Linguistics materials, and a theoretical discussion of an Applied Linguistics topic. MAAL7006 Psycholinguistics, a new elective course, was introduced in the 2022-2023 academic year. By offering a wider range of electives, the MAAL programme would be able to cater to diverse learning needs and enhance the learning experience for students. Our MAAL courses continued to receive high satisfaction ratings from students in the 2022-2023 academic year, notably with high course effectiveness and teacher effectiveness averages in the Student Feedback on Teaching and Learning (SFTL) questionnaires. The effectiveness averages are shown in this table: MAAL Programme Expansion MAAL students were offered a variety of co-curricular events for broadening their learning experience. Speakers from the Department of Foreign Languages and Applied Linguistics at Yuan Ze University, Taiwan, delivered two talks over Zoom on virtual reality and gamification for our MAAL teachers and students on 3 April 2023, attracting over 40 participants. A good number of MAAL students also participated in the CAES 30 th Anniversary Colloquium on New frontiers for language instruction: Theory, research and pedagogy on 17 May 2023. The co- curricular learning experience provided students with valuable insights into the latest trends and innovations in the field. The half-day MAAL programme meeting was held on 6 March 2023 with all MAAL teachers and supervisors, followed by a team lunch. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the programme offerings and strategic plans to prepare for future programme expansion. The discussion topics included: 1. Teaching and learning matters concerning core courses, elective courses, and capstone experience; 2. Assessment-related issues; and 3. Co-curricular/academic support. During the meeting, teachers and supervisors engaged in meaningful discussions, fostering a positive and collaborative atmosphere. This exchange of ideas contributed to the ongoing development and future growth of the MAAL programme. In the 2022-2023 academic year, fourteen students graduated with an overall distinction, accounting for 14.6% of the 2023 winter graduating cohort. Two top-performing students were selected to receive the Peter Cheung Memorial Prize. MAAL Co-Curricular Learning Experience MAAL ProgrammeMeeting Students’ Academic Achievements MAAL Capstone Experience MAAL NewCourse Offering MAAL Student Feedback on Teaching and Learning Course effectiveness Teacher effectiveness Semester 1 average 85.0 84.6 Semester 2 average 90.9 91.3 Whole year average 88.0 87.9 MAAL SFTL Scores 2022-2023 20 ANNUAL REPORT 2022-2023 19