Perceptions of Learning Environments and Academic Performance among the Arts Students in Hong Kong: A Comparative Study of Vertical Transfer Students and Direct Entrants

This study investigates the academic outcomes and learning environment perceptions of art students in Hong Kong, with a focus on comparing vertical transfer students (TSs) and direct entry students (DEs). In the Hong Kong higher education system, an estimated 30% of community college students advance to four-year institutions as TSs. The phenomenon of "transfer shock," characterized by a temporary decline in grade point average (GPA) among transfer students, is well-documented in prior research. However, the occurrence and underlying causes of transfer shock within the context of arts education have not been extensively examined.

To bridge this research gap, our empirical investigation assessed GPAs and gathered data through questionnaires that measured students' perceptions of their academic environment, their engagement with learning tasks, and their response to academic workloads. Responses were gauged using a Likert scale, which ranged from "strongly disagree" (1) to "strongly agree" (5), to capture the nuances of student sentiment. The study sample consisted of both TSs and DEs enrolled in the arts faculties of local universities.

Our preliminary analysis reveals a marginal difference in average GPAs, with DEs scoring 3.15 and TSs scoring 3.18, a discrepancy that does not reach statistical significance. Both student groups reported positive perceptions of their learning environments, deemed their workloads to be manageable, and displayed constructive emotional responses to academic challenges. A notable distinction arose in the area of academic experience appreciation and the quality of advising received, where TSs reported a significantly higher level of satisfaction (2.76) compared to DEs (2.32). These outcomes indicate that, contrary to expectations, transfer shock does not present a significant issue among art students in the Hong Kong higher education sector.