There are various differences in teaching and learning here in the UK compared to Hong Kong.
First, an active learning mode is more common here in the UK than in Hong Kong. Talking about the examination-oriented education system in my home town, students tend to focus more on the graded assessments while ignoring academic materials which are not counted towards GPA. However, education in the UK puts more emphasis on acquiring professional knowledge from academic articles rather than fulfilling the exam requirements or finishing assignments to get a good grade.
More self-reading time is provided here. For instance, a consolidation week is given around Week 6 (which is approximately in the middle of a term). Instead of attending lessons, we have time to revise what we have learnt in the previous weeks and plan the study schedule for the coming weeks. In contrast, we may not necessarily obtain a whole week for self-study in Hong Kong, depending on the course we study and the preference of the professors.
In addition, the teaching and learning here emphasises more on in-class participation. We are given plenty of discussion time to share our views regarding certain topics and case studies in the 3.5-hour seminars we have twice a week. We are asked to discuss it among our own groups, which contain 5-6 people, and then present the ideas in front of the whole cohort. In Hong Kong, professors mostly dominate lectures while students mainly jot notes quietly in their seats.
Moreover, work-life balance is also highlighted here. Educators show their understanding towards students who need to take care of their families. At the same time, we should not expect them to reply to our emails straight away. However, we typically get their response within 1 week.
With less emphasis on family life, Hongkongers put more focus on their work. It is commonly expected the emails are responded to within 1 day.
All in all, every teaching and learning mode has its own pros and cons. The most essential part is to understand how to cope with it. Happy Learning!