This module will serve as one of the key approaches to enhancing students’ university learning experiences with the aim of cultivating lifelong learners, facilitating their smooth transition to XJTLU through the development of self-regulated and research-led learning skills, and enriching their understanding of different disciplines/professions with perspectives of global citizenship. To achieve the aim, students in this module will work in groups on a real-world oriented and discipline-related project chosen by themselves to their interest, which will contribute to their studies and overall growth in the following ways. Aims of the Module This module will serve as one of the key approaches to enhancing students’ university learning experiences with the aim of cultivating lifelong learners, facilitating their smooth transition to XJTLU through the development of self-regulated and research-led learning skills, and enriching their understanding of different disciplines/professions with perspectives of global citizenship. To achieve the aim, students in this module will work in groups on a real-world oriented and discipline-related project chosen by themselves to their interest, which will contribute to their studies and overall growth in the following ways. First, through the learning of this module, students will explore the real-world issues under a variety of themes such as climate change, public health, environmental protection, artificial intelligence, sustainable design and so on, which can be linked with almost all the UG programmes offered at XJTLU, ranging from Environmental Science and Urban Planning to Applied Mathematics and International Relations. In this way, students will not only explore their real motivation by means of learning about the potential ways that their professional/disciplinary studies can be linked to the real world, but also acquire knowledge about the chosen fields via self-directed learning. Moreover, when conducting the project, students will be guided to develop research-led learning skills they will need both in their major studies and future lifelong learning. With tasks and milestones set at different stages of the PBL, students will learn and practice skills for teamwork, data collection, report presentation step by step as well as develop mindsets for critical thinking gradually. Besides, the module will guide each individual student to develop self-regulated learning skills when they need to continuously reflecting on their learning modes and experiences. During the process, they may realize the differences between studying in their high schools and at XJTLU, identify the areas that they may need to further improve, the sources that they can access, etc.. With the learning modes and skills developed or improved in Year 1, students will be better prepared for their major studies in Year 2 and beyond. Finally, when studying on the topic to their interest, students will be encouraged to incorporate perspectives of global citizenship such as SDGs, digital literacy, social entrepreneurship, and intercultural awareness. This will not only enrich their understanding of the chosen fields and topics with the awareness of connections between human societies and between human and nature, but also enlighten them to seek for possibilities of contributing to the well-being of the world with the professional knowledge and skills to be developed in university studies. Fit of the Module Based on the existing degree programme structure and as suggested by EQA, the module will merge into the current system as follows: 1. All XJTLU Year 1 students will be required to take this module, as it is essential for them to develop the necessary skills for studying at XJTLU and developing lifelong learning capacity; 2. The module is year-long and will bear 5 credits, which are additional to the 180 credits of degree programmes; 3. The 5 credits will be recorded as part of students’ academic performance and displayed on their transcripts; 4. Students’ performance in the module will not affect their progression but will be counted when they apply for student honors and awards, etc. by LIFE and other units of XJLTU;
A Demonstrate comprehensive and systematic appreciation of a real-world oriented and discipline-related issue or problem under selected themes to their interest, including the rationales, the status, and the possible solutions; B Demonstrate awareness of global citizenship by incorporating perspectives such as sustainable development, social entrepreneurship, and digital literacy into the solutions to the real-world issues or problems; C Apply research-led learning skills such as group work, data collection and analysis, presentation of findings and solutions, etc.; D Reflect on the acquisition of learning skills and the transformation of learning styles to develop self-regulated learning modes;
Stage 1 Pre-sessional Learning and Preparation (August of 2025, before S1 Week 1) • Students will learn about the topics related to Introduction to University Life, Research-led and Project-based learning and may complete their pre-sessional task of poster design or video shooting. Stage 2 Module Induction, Ice-breaking and Problem Identification (Beginning of S1) • Students will learn about the overall structure of the module, including expectations, module aims, assessments, etc. ; • Students will form groups, conduct ice-breaking activities to get to know their group members; and choose a topic that they are interested in; • Students will start learning about how to Identify a Problem and develop a Project Plan for their project-based learning; • Each group will be required to attend at least one workshop to help them understand the relent subject; • Each group will be required to submit their identified problem and project plan by the end of S1 (Formative Assessment 1). Stage 3 Data Collection and Analysis (Middle of S1) • Students will start collecting the data for their project and analysis these data with the assistance of AI agent • Each group will be required to submit their data collection and analysis progress by the end of S1 (Formative Assessment 2). Stage 4 Group Presentation Preparation (Towards the end of S1) • Students will learn about the skills for group presentation and tips for making PPTs ; • Students may consult teachers onsite to obtain suggestions for their group presentation ; • Each group will be required to submit their PPT for presentation by the end of S1. Stage 5 Onsite Group Presentation (Before the end of S1 or Examination Weeks) • All groups will be required to deliver an onsite presentation for their project-based learning (40% of the total score); • All group members will be required to submit their Peer Assessment 1, as a result, students can receive different grades based on their contributions and performance; guidance will be provided in due course. Stage 6 Product Development (S2) • Students will attend workshops / seminars related to product development according to their own needs and plans; • Each group will be required to submit their product (30% of the total score) by the end of S2 Week 10. The product classification can be seen at the appendix. • All group members will be required to submit their Peer Assessment 2, as a result, students can receive different grades based on their contributions and performance; guidance will be provided in due course. Stage 7 Group Reflective Report (Before the end of S2) • Each group will be required to submit their group reflective report (30% of the total score) by the end of S2. • All group members will be required to submit their Peer Assessment 3, as a result, students can receive different grades based on their contributions and performance; guidance will be provided in due course. Forms of Learning Three forms of learning will be organized and supported throughout the six stages of PBL: 1. Group work In this module, students will spend much time working in groups to conduct the PBL, following the guidance and tasks embedded in the six stages. An online platform will be developed for students to record and report their group work status, such as meeting time and frequency, work allocation and accomplishment, etc. The platform will also allow teachers to monitor students’ group work and offer feedback or intervene on a timely manner. 2. Advising (Tutorials) Each group will be assigned an academic staff of LIFE as the project advisor. The advisor will have onsite meetings with the groups during the tutorials and offer guidance regarding their progress and achievements at different stages of the PBL. 3. Hybrid/blended learning models. Onsite lectures and/or workshops will be provided to students. A variety of sources, such as recorded lectures, reading materials, interactive learning activities, will be offered to students online; students will use the sources to learn the relevant skills ranging from problem identification and data collection to presentation and critical thinking. 4. Individual e-portfolio creating Students will be guided to create an e-portfolio to record their individual’s experience of learning on this module and in Year 1. On a monthly basis, students are required to record their status, plans, thoughts and reflections on the e-portfolio in forms ranging from simply filling some self-survey questionnaires to discussion with peers and advisors regarding their learning difficulties or achievements. At the end of the module, students will put all the records together to generate their individual portfolio. Module Assessments The assessment score is 100% group mark and also 100% individualized mark. This is because each piece of group work score is determined by each Peer Assessment to decide your final grade. For example, in the same group, if you make fair contributions to the group, suppose your group get 80 points and all your group members acknowledge your contributions to the team, then you may get a full score of 80. However, if your group members give you a low score because you fail to contribute to the project's development, your score might be 40 or even lower. The module assessments are consisted of three components. • Assessment 1: Group Presentation 40% • Assessment 2: Product to Showcase Groupwork 30% • Assessment 3: Group Reflective Report 30% Assessment 1: Group Presentation 40%, Examination weeks, S1 In this component, you are expected to deliver a group presentation to present your project as well as the process that you have undergone through the experience of project-based learning throughout your first semester’s learning at XJTLU. Your group presentation will cover all aspects of your group project, including the problem that you identified and the process of identifying it, your project plan and how it changed or developed, the data you collected and your analysis of the data, the product you aim to develop and, finally, how AI/AI Agent have assisted you to develop your group work. In addition, the contributions of individual group members to this group work will be evaluated through Peer Assessment 1. Assessment 2: Product to Showcase Groupwork 30%, Week 10, S2 In this assessment, students are expected to make a product. Product here refers to a project-based learning outcome product. It is creative output completed by students through independent inquiry and teamwork under the guidance of course objectives. Its core value lies in transforming course knowledge into tangible results, reflecting problem-solving abilities, innovative thinking, and practical application skills. The form can cover diverse carriers such as visual, multimedia, and physical creations. In addition, the contributions of individual group members to this group work will be evaluated through Peer Assessment 2. Assessment 3: Group Reflective Report 30%, Week 11-12, S2 In this task, students are expected to write a reflective report to reflect on their overall experience of learning LIF001. In addition, the contributions of individual group members to this group work will be evaluated through Peer Assessment 3. • Each student should contribute to the writing of the report (200 words each student) and each student should reflect their learning from a different perspective. For example, if you have eight members, your report should 1,600 words; if you have nine members, your report should 1,800 words. The key principle is that each student contributes 200 words from different perspectives. In general, the report should be 1,000-2,000 words in English and submitted to Dropbox