Tuesday, January 1, 2008

INTRODUCTION to H1 China Studies in English


1. INTRODUCTION

H1 China Studies in English is an inter-disciplinary subject that aims to promote students’ awareness of, and interest in, contemporary China. The syllabus will focus on the geopolitical, economic and sociocultural aspects of China’s development since 1978, and will help students understand both the historical context that brought about these changes and the ongoing challenges which these changes create.

2. AIMS

H1 China Studies in English aims to enable students to:
  • gain a broad exposure to key issues related to the development of contemporary China;
  • deepen their understanding of the Chinese, their culture and ways of thinking;
  • develop an awareness and appreciation of diversity among the people and regions of China;
  • appreciate the geopolitical and economic implications of China’s rise as a regional and global player;
  • develop an understanding of the social and environmental implications of China’s development; and
  • develop skills in evaluating diverse perspectives on China and arrive at an informed judgment of issues.
3. ASSESSMENT OBJECTIVES

Candidates are expected to:

AO1: KNOWLEDGE
  • select and apply relevant knowledge;
AO2: CRITICAL UNDERSTANDING AND CONSTRUCTION OF EXPLANATION
  • critically examine issues and developments;
  • analyse and evaluate different viewpoints and perspectives;
  • construct coherent and substantiated arguments;
AO3: INTERPRETATION AND EVALUATION OF GIVEN INFORMATION
  • interpret and analyse information;
  • evaluate the reliability of information;
  • apply information and postulate outcomes and developments;
  • justify recommendations/opinions; and
  • reach reasoned conclusions based on information.
4. SCHEME OF ASSESSMENT

SECTION A (CASE STUDY): Candidates answer the compulsory case study comprising four subquestions.
  • The Case Study will consist of a collection of material, containing three to four sources and no more than 3 A4 pages in length, on an issue related to an aspect of the syllabus content. The issue may be based on a single theme or cross-thematic in nature and the given material will provide different perspectives and opinions. It may include written, pictorial and statistical sources, but the interpretation of these sources will not require specialised knowledge of a particular discipline. The Case Study will require candidates to interpret, analyse and evaluate the given material, and make postulations on outcomes and developments based on the given material, and make postulations on outcomes and developments based on the given information.
  • 30 marks 37.5% 3 hours
SECTION B (ESSAY QUESTIONS): Candidates answer two essay questions. Two questions will be set. Each question will have an ‘either’ ‘or’ option. Questions may be set on any of the four themes in the syllabus. The questions will be comparable in demand and rigour.
  • Candidates are required to show depth of understanding and evidence of reading in their answers. The answers should demonstrate critical thinking skills such as the ability to interpret and evaluate different points of view and to present thoughtful and analytical arguments. Candidates are required to answer the essay questions in continuous prose.
  • 50 marks 62.5%
5. ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

SECTION A (CASE STUDY)
The Case Study questions will be assessed using the Levels of Response mark scheme (LORMS). LORMS involves qualitative judgments and awards marks according to the level of skill or understanding in the answer. The mark scheme will be specific to the target objective of the question set. There will be different levels of skill or understanding, in relation to the target objective, demonstrated by the candidates in their answers. The mark scheme will thus be question-specific, and not generic in nature.

SECTION B (ESSAY QUESTIONS)

The essay questions will be assessed using holistic band descriptors. The assessment involves qualitative rather than quantitative evaluation. Judgments on the appropriate band of each essay assessed will be based on the principle of ‘best fit’ determined by the descriptions within each band which has several assessment criteria.


6. SYLLABUS CONTENT


The 4 key themes in the syllabus are:

Theme 1: Culture and Society
Theme 2: Authority and Governance
Theme 3: Development and Challenges
Theme 4: China and the World

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