Ninety university undergraduate students were tested on a number of tasks assessing their recognition of possible and impossible figures, mental rotation, ideational fluency, and self-report artistic and creative characteristics. Scores on the Impossible Figures Task (IFT-14) and the Mental Rotation Test, and self-ratings on the Artistic Characteristics Rating Scale were found to differentiate among Fine Arts students, Architecture students, and students from Arts Faculty disciplines less related to visual-spatial abilities, suggesting that the IFT-14 could be used to assess visual-spatial or visual arts talents. The application of the IFT-14 with the same related measures to a sample of 103 primary and secondary gifted students provided further supporting evidence. Implications of the findings on the development of more sensitive measures for identifying students with visual-spatial or visual arts talents are discussed.
[Copyright of High Ability Studies is the property of Routledge. Full article may be available at the publisher's website:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13598130802504296]

The accounting and education literatures contain many expressions of concern regarding the perception that plagiarism is on the rise and, particularly, the challenges for English as an Additional Language (EAL) students in mastering the academic referencing requirements underpinning Western-based university programs. This paper outlines an assignment specifically developed to assist EAL students in a second- year financial accounting course delivered in Hong Kong, to develop an understanding of plagiarism issues within the context of their study discipline. The analysis of results indicates that the assignment was effective in enhancing students' understanding of referencing and plagiarism, and confirms the need to actively repeat plagiarism education throughout a study program. The assignment was also seen to have enhanced the quality of students' written work, arguably due to the nature of the assignment as closely replicating the learning methodologies familiar to the Hong Kong student cohort.
[Copyright of International Journal for Educational Integrity is the property of BioMed Central.]

This paper examines the effectiveness of active learning implemented in two undergraduate programmes at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Several learning activities were implemented during student seminar sessions. The effectiveness of these activities was investigated using questionnaires and interviews to explore student attitudes as well as the Study Process Questionnaire to measure student approaches to learning. Results showed that active learning made a valuable contribution to the development of independent learning skills and the ability to apply knowledge. It also helped to create interest in the curriculum and to prepare students for their future careers. The activities used affected the quality of student learning by shaping the way that students studied and meeting desired learning outcomes. The results are discussed in the context of student approaches to learning and in relation to the programmes' educational objectives.
[Copyright of Innovations in Education and Training International is the property of Routledge. Full article may be available at the publisher's website:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/135580000750052991]