Jerome Bruner, one of the greatest contemporary educators, has preached his constructivist theory of education, which has been adopted widely across the globe by teachers. He said teachers (in primary and secondary schools and universities) not only should transfer (or impart) specific knowledge and skills to students, they should also perform the duty of transferring principles and attitudes.
Sad to say, university professors in Hong Kong have failed in the latter case of transferring principles and attitudes.
Dr Bruner said the first type of transfer consists of students learning skills or specific tasks. The second type of transfer consists of learning general ideas or attitudes (such as being loyal or passionate), that can be used as a basis for recognizing problems in life that may arise.
A survey done in October by the Chinese Manufacturers’ Association and a Kowloon Tong-based university revealed that 75 percent of the 326 employers interviewed complained that fresh graduates of local universities had little loyalty to the firms they work for and change jobs frequently. An association official who oversaw the survey said that “graduates are reluctant to devote time and soul at work. They neither contribute utmost efforts nor dedicate 100 percent energy.” Such work ethics, I am afraid, will hurt Hong Kong’s prospects for retaining its status as a financial center.
About 80 percent of Hong Kong employers were disappointed that graduates lack multi-tasking and problem-solving skills. Nearly two-thirds of those surveyed grumbled about graduates’ lack of business sense and global vision. About 64 percent of employers also griped that our graduates should improve their general knowledge.
These findings underscore that our university professors have failed to make their job grades. It isn’t too difficult to understand why. Many university educators don’t believe that transferring moral values is part of their job. They impart knowledge to students such as “QE2 means the second round of quantitative easing”. When classes end, they rush back to their offices to churn out academic papers, because publishing papers not only will help keep their jobs safe, it also helps their universities climb in world rankings.
When students come to class late, teachers keep their mouths shut. When students make a buzz in the classroom or play with their iPhones, the teachers turn a deaf ear. Some teachers even turn a blind eye to students who cheat. They don’t think these really matter to their job security or promotion prospects.
We reap what we sow. Hence, the Chinese Manufacturers Association’s findings, albeit disappointing, should hardly surprise anyone. It’s time educators and university administrators did some soul searching and took a couple of minutes to reflect on Dr Bruner’s teaching.
“Education also means the transfer of principles and attitudes, not just hard skills.”
The author is director of the M.A. in International Journalism Program (HKBU).
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