Enhancement Programme on Problem-Formulation Technique (PFT) for Liberal Studies-IES Teachers

通識科獨立專題研習建題技巧培訓計劃

QEF project 2006-2008 ($1,700,000) awarded to Department of Earth Sciences, HKU

Project Leader: Dr LS Chan

The project-formulation techniques developed from a previous QEF project can plausibly be used by teachers to guide a large group of students to generate for each in the group a study project title, in a truly student-centred manner. It is a model learning methodfor the Liberal Studies (IES) curriculum. This QEF project is to provide training and enhancement programmes for teachers; and conjure a self-sustaining measures for teachers to past on the experience. programme to provide training for school teachers on the technique.

Goals : In the current proposal, the project team will assist teachers to establish a community of practice in schools for the techniques to be successfully integrated into the school curriculum. And through such school collaboration, we will undertake a thorough examination of the implementation process, including the application, required conditions, preparation and limitations of the project-formulation techniques to the Liberal Studies (IES) curriculum.

Teachers interested in details or participation in the project may contact Dr LS Chan at chanls@hku.hk.

Workshop Schedule and Application Information

Problem-Based Learning (PBL) in the Field Environment

QEF project 2003-2005 ($850,000) awarded to Department of Earth Sciences, HKU

Project Leader: Dr LS Chan

Conventional teaching mainly by classroom lectures is perhaps an effective means of transmitting a large volume of information to students. It is, however, inadequate in modern learning which requires students to acquire life-long learning skills. Certain learning pedagogies, in particular problem-based learning, redefine the role of students and teachers, and require students to take on learning in their own hand, set their own learning goal, and design their own learning process. Many educationers, however, are reluctant to apply problem-based learning in their teaching, concerning if the learning method can expose students sufficiently to knowledge. This project was an ambitious endeavour and one of the few pioneering projects in the world in which the problem-based learning method is combined with field studies for enhancing students’ observing and thinking skills. This is a total education approach to extend students learning beyond the contents of curriculum, into enhancement of thinking and communicating skills and attitude, and development of improvisation ability in unfamiliar environments.

Goals: 1) To prepare students to become progressive problem solvers and authentic knowledge constructors with a mind of inquiry through a self-directed study on contextualized problem sets in the field setting. 2) To promote Problem-Based Learning methodology among secondary schools as an effective learning method.

Objectives: 1) Participating students will be able to demonstrate independently the application of Scientific Inquiry to solve problems. 2) Participating teachers will be able to establish and coordinate a small-scale and highly self-directed learning community for thematic study with the techniques in facilitating, guiding and mentoring the student PBL group.

The project was succefully completed in 2005.

Reports and publications can be accessed at pblfield website.

Web-based Earth Sciences course for gifted students

Currently in development, this course is a project funded by the Gifted Education Section of EMB to design a course on earth sciences for gifted students in the secondary section.

Expected completion date: August 2007.

Support for Experiential Learning Programme for Earth Science Students

HKU Teaching Development Grants awarded to the Department of Earth Sciences (2006-07)

Objectives The proposal is intended to support the Department’s imperative to enhance the experiential learning component of the curriculum for students in Earth Sciences.

Description

Experiential learning is the process through which students make use of their personal experience from participating in something or a process that requires them to take charge of their own learning process, set their own goals and formulate their own plan, followed by action, data collection, analysis and presentation. It is a particularly effective means of enhancing students’ respect and attitude towards real-life problems due to its holistic approach and the reliance on their direct involvement. The conventional teaching approach, which too often relies on lecturing and direct replication of information to students, fails to demonstrate how students can be adequately prepared to become self-directed learners. Up through the present, we must say however, most of the courses in Earth Sciences employ lecturing as the predominant mode of instruction. While we cannot deny the conventional lectures are still an effective means of delivering knowledge and information to a large class of students, we would like to move beyond teaching knowledge to providing students with a reality-based learning experience aimed at improving their skills and attitude.

The Department of Earth Sciences will endeavour to integrate some experiential learning experience into the core. We have introduced several modes of activities as a form of ‘capstone experience’, including overseas field camps, final year projects, profession training, internship and study exchange. These are all experiential learning activities that fulfill either all or a subset of the following criteria:

Reality-based learning that prepares student to deal with practical problem,

Details of proposal may be viewed at this link. Earth Sciences students interested in participating in the programme may apply through department at earthsci@hku.hk.