3.2 Progression
To help students with different aptitudes and abilities to explore their interests in different senior secondary subjects, the 334 Report recommends the idea of “progression” as illustrated in Figure 3.1.
S6
Chinese Language, English Language,
Mathematics, Liberal Studies
X1 X2 {X3}
S5
Chinese Language, English Language,
Mathematics, Liberal Studies
X1 X2 {X3}
S4
Chinese Language, English Language,
Mathematics, Liberal Studies
X1 X2 {X3} {X4}
Core Subjects Elective Subjects Other Learning Experiences X represents an elective subject and { } indicates optional
Figure 3.1 Diagrammatic Representation of Progression
In short, schools can offer their students a total of four elective subjects at S4 level, three at S5 level and three at S6 level respectively.
With the approach suggested above, a number of topics have been identified from the curriculum, to allow students, to explore their interests in science subjects. These topics should help to lay the foundation for learning physics and promote lifelong and independent learning in science and technology. A possible arrangement of the topics is described in Figure 3.2. Schools can consider whether this arrangement will facilitate progression for their senior secondary students.
Topics for possible introduction in S4 Remarks I Heat and Gases
a. Temperature, heat and internal energy b. Transfer processes
c. Change of state d. Gases
All subtopics are included except subtopic (d) which may be introduced at a later stage after the learning of momentum.
II Force and Motion
a. Position and movement b. Force and motion c. Projectile motion
d. Work, energy and power e. Momentum
f. Uniform circular motion g. Gravitation
Subtopics (a), (b) and (d) can be introduced in S4 while other subtopics may be studied at an early stage of S5 after students have a good understanding in Mechanics.
III Wave Motion
a. Nature and properties of waves b. Light
c. Sound
Concepts in some subtopics (e.g.
diffraction, interference, diffraction grating) are abstract, and so should be introduced at a later stage.
X Investigative Study in Physics This can be introduced together with basic scientific skills and practical skills but not for assessment.
Figure 3.2 Possible Arrangement of Topics in S4
Considering the rapid advances in the world of science and technology, many contemporary issues and scientific problems have to be tackled by applying science concepts and skills acquired in a wide range of contexts. Hence it benefits students to gain a broad learning experience in the three disciplines in science – biology, chemistry and physics.
To cater for students who are interested in learning science and intend to take two to three science subjects, it is suggested that schools offer a broad and balanced science curriculum for students in S4, including all the three selected parts from Biology, Chemistry and Physics.
In this way, students will gain a good understanding of the different nature and requirements of the respective disciplines, and will be more able to identify their interests and strengths for choosing their specialised study in higher forms.
Figure 3.3 below is an example on how schools can organise progression of study for students who wish to learn more science.
Figure 3.3 Progression of Study in Science Subjects
In the senior secondary academic structure, there will be flexibility to allow students to take up the study of Physics in S5. For these students, a similar sequence of learning still applies.
Schools may consider allocating more learning time and providing other supporting measures (e.g. bridging programmes) for such students so that they can catch up on the foundation knowledge and skills as soon as possible.
3.3 Curriculum Planning Strategies
3.3.1 Interface with the Junior Secondary Science Curriculum
This curriculum builds on the Syllabuses for Secondary Schools – Science (Secondary 1-3) (CDC, 1998). The junior secondary Science Curriculum starts with the topic “Energy”
which helps students to appreciate energy as one of the fundamentals of physics, learn some basic knowledge of physics, acquire some basic practical skills and develop positive attitudes
S6 Physics
Other Subject(s)
(e.g. Combined Science (Bio, Chem), Biology, Chemistry)
S5 Physics
Other Subject(s)
(e.g. Combined Science (Bio, Chem), Biology, Chemistry)
S4 Physics Biology Chemistry Other Subject
(optional)
Students should have developed some basic understanding of physics through their three-year junior secondary science course. The learning experiences acquired provide a concrete foundation and serve as “stepping stones” for senior secondary physics. Figure 3.4 shows how the respective physics topics in the Science (S1–3) Syllabus are related to different topics in this curriculum.
Science (S1–3) Physics
Unit Title Topic Title 1.4 Conducting a simple scientific
investigation
X Investigative Study in Physics
4.1 Forms of energy VIII Energy and Use of Energy
and other parts in the curriculum 4.2 Energy changes
4.4 Generating electricity 4.5 Energy sources and we
6.1 States of matter I Heat and Gases
6.2 Illustrations for the support of the claims of the particle theory
6.3 Particle model for the three states of matter
6.4 Gas pressure
8 Making use of electricity IV Electricity and Magnetism
9.1 Forces II Force and Motion
9.2 Friction 9.3 Force of gravity
9.4 A space journey I
II VI
Heat and Gases Force and Motion
Astronomy and Space Science 9.5 Life of an astronaut in space
9.6 Space exploration
11.2 How we see III
IX
Wave Motion Medical Physics 11.3 Limitations of our eyes
11.4 Defects of the eye 11.5 How we hear
11.6 Limitations of our ears 11.7 Effects of noise pollution
15 Light, colour and beyond III Wave Motion
Figure 3.4 Relationship between Science (S1-3) Syllabus and Physics Curriculum
3.3.2 Suggested Learning and Teaching Sequences
This chapter illustrates how teachers may approach their learning and teaching strategies, and curriculum planning. The essence of physics lies in the creation of concepts, models and theories which should be consistent and matched with observations. It is worthwhile to note that concepts or principles are special forms of knowledge for enhancing students’
understanding of physics. In order to make the learning and teaching of physics effective, and be aware of students’ learning difficulties and misconceptions, a constructivist approach is recommended. Making use of contextualised examples which are related to key concepts in the curriculum enables meaningful student learning. Students have a number of intuitive ideas about the physical world based on their everyday experience; and developing concepts within a familiar context provides an opportunity for them to become more aware of their intuitive ideas. In addition, by connecting key concepts with the historic process through which physics has developed, teachers should be in a better position to anticipate and understand students’ intuitive ideas, which often align with historical controversies. Some of the suggested topics should permeate the whole curriculum so that students come to appreciate interconnections between different topics. The sequence is organised so that learning starts with topics with more concrete content and less difficult concepts, and then progresses onto topics that are more abstract and subtle. For example, students need to understand the concept of momentum before they can appreciate the kinetic model of gases.
Topics like “Temperature, heat and internal energy”, “Transfer processes”, “Change of state”,
“Position and movement”, “Force and motion”, “Work, energy and power” and “Light” give rise to a vast amount of concrete relevant contextualised examples, which help students to construct concepts at S4 level. These examples can provide opportunities to connect concepts and theories discussed in the classroom and textbooks with daily observations of phenomena. Teachers may help students by providing or having them construct conceptual organisers such as concept maps to foster the learning of physics. Students often find Newton’s laws of motion counter-intuitive, and studying two dimensional projectile motion adds further complications. To ensure meaningful learning, teachers need to check what prerequisite knowledge students have, and then structure the problem in small manageable steps which take the form of a simple sequencing task. Students can review their previous learning and prior knowledge at different stages of learning. For example, teachers introduce preliminary basic concepts of force and motion in S4, and refine these concepts in S5.
not to adopt the sequence suggested, and are reminded that they can exercise their professional judgment to design the most appropriate learning and teaching sequence. It is likely that for different ability groups to gain full benefit, different learning sequences will need to be adopted in schools. Through the study of the various topics in the compulsory and elective parts, students should develop progressively more and more sophisticated concepts in physics. The following teaching sequence is therefore given as a suggestion only.
Topics Level I Heat and Gases (except gases)
S4 II Force and Motion (except projectile motion,
momentum, uniform circular motion and gravitation) III Wave Motion (light only)
X Investigative Study in Physics
II Force and Motion (projectile motion, momentum, uniform circular motion and gravitation)
S5 I Heat and Gases (gases)
III Wave Motion (except light) IV Electricity and Magnetism X Investigative Study in Physics V Radioactivity and Nuclear energy
S6 VI Astronomy and Space Science
Elective part (2 out of 4) VII Atomic World
VIII Energy and Use of Energy IX Medical Physics
X Investigative Study in Physics
Figure 3.5 Suggested Learning and Teaching Sequence for the Physics Curriculum Besides the suggestions mentioned above, teachers can also consider the following ideas on planning their curricula for their particular groups of students.
(1) Curriculum organisation
One important aspect in the teaching of topics, especially at S4 level, is to find the most appropriate level of simplification of the subject matter. For example, when students are studying the concept of “heat” in physics, some key ideas are essential and should be
temperature
difference heat state
temperature internal energy
latent heat
kinetic energy
potential energy
introduced at S4 level, while other more complex concepts should be deferred until later.
The curriculum should balance breadth and depth so that students can understand its content.
From this perspective, teachers should judge the appropriate level of simplification, the order in which to present ideas, and the pace at which to deliver the key ideas in order to help students to construct as scientifically valid a model of a topic as possible.
Figure 3.6 below shows one possible simplification to relate heat, temperature and internal energy. In this case, heat flows due to a temperature difference and this can lead to a change in temperature, or a change of state. This is explained in terms of a kinetic model, where the heat flow increases the internal energy of the particles. The internal energy of the particles can be kinetic and potential, and the temperature is a measure of the average kinetic energy of the particles. This scheme may be considered as a concept map, with each arrow representing a relationship between the concepts in the boxes connected. It should be noted that students may need prior knowledge – for example of kinetic energy and potential energy in the topic “Force and Motion” – to understand the concept of internal energy of particles.
This part of “Heat and Gases” may run concurrently with “Force and Motion”.
Figure 3.6 Concept Map showing the Relationship between Heat, Temperature and Internal energy
(2) Integration of major topics
The curriculum includes compulsory and elective parts. The compulsory part provides
such as the nature and properties of waves, light and sound in “Wave Motion” are further reinforced in “Medical Physics”, where medical imaging using non-ionizing and ionizing radiations is used as an extension task. Extension tasks are demanding and can stretch students’ ability. The purpose of this arrangement is to avoid loading students with many abstract concepts in a short period of time, particularly, at the early stage of senior secondary study, and it also aims to provide opportunities for students to revisit their learning in S5.
Some teachers may prefer to introduce the concepts related to wave motion all at one time, and others may organise their own curriculum so that the topics “Wave Motion” and
“Medical Physics” run concurrently. Similar integration can be extended to topics such as
“Electricity and Magnetism” and “Energy and Use of Energy”, “Force and Motion” and
“Astronomy and Space Science”, as well as “Radioactivity and Nuclear Energy” and
“Atomic World”.
(3) Integration of the Investigative Study with major topics
Inquiry activities have a central and distinctive role in physics education. The interaction among theories, experiments and practical applications is fundamental to the progress of physics. Teachers can encourage students to reconstruct their knowledge using inquiry activities within a community of learners in the classroom and on the basis of personal experience. Meaningful learning can occur if students are given sufficient time and opportunity for interaction and reflection, with the generic skills being further enhanced and extended. The “Investigative Study in Physics” is an opportunity for students to apply their physics knowledge in scientific investigation to solve an authentic problem. The learning in different parts of the curriculum together with the experience in the Investigative Study, should pave the way for students to become self-directed and competent lifelong learners.
Teachers may encounter students, who are mathematically inclined, and intend to carry out simulations on data modelling. To cater for the needs of these students, teachers can organise the learning of the topics in the elective part (e.g. “Astronomy and Space Science") in parallel with the Investigative Study. In simulation runs, the students explore the relationship between assumptions and predictions about a phenomenon, which helps them to apply physics concepts to analyse and solve problems, and at the same time develops various generic skills. Teachers can also adopt an alternative learning and teaching strategy. For example, by solving problems through gathering information, reading critically, learning new knowledge on their own, discussion, and investigation, students can master the knowledge and understanding required in the Investigative Study for the topic “Energy and Use of Energy”. Similar integration can also be extended to other topics in the compulsory part and the elective part, including “Atomic World” and “Medical Physics”.
3.3.3 Curriculum Adaptations for Learner Diversity
The curriculum needs to be adapted to cope with learner diversity in interests, academic readiness, aspirations and learning style. On the one hand, it is necessary to cater for students with a strong interest or outstanding ability in physics by setting more challenging learning targets on top of those described in this Guide. For such students, teachers should design and implement a curriculum which does not deprive them of learning opportunities to develop their full potential. On the other hand, teachers may need to design and implement a curriculum to facilitate the learning of some students who can master only some of the concepts and skills described in this Guide. This curriculum has been designed in such a way that teachers can make their own judgments about the appropriate depth of treatment for topics or subtopics for their students. In short, this Guide is intended to be a reference for teachers planning a curriculum for their own students, but not a prescription for all.
This curriculum can be adapted in a number of ways such as focusing learning on the topics in the compulsory part and putting less emphasis on those in the elective part. This suggestion is not intended to deprive students of opportunities for in-depth learning of the curriculum, but rather, to encourage them to focus their learning in order to build up sound fundamental knowledge and skills. Teachers can consider the following suggestions when planning how to adapt the curriculum for students with different needs.
If students have difficulty in mastering the whole curriculum, teachers and students can work out the appropriate level of study for all the topics in the compulsory part.
Figure 3.7 shows the topics in the extension component of the compulsory part which are considered to be cognitively more demanding. Students may need extra support to master the necessary knowledge and understanding in these topics.
Topic Extension topics in the compulsory part I. Gases
II. Projectile motion; Momentum; Uniform circular motion and Gravitation III. Formation of images by lenses (formula) and Wave nature of light
(calculation)
IV. Electric field strength; Magnetic flux; Faraday’s Law; Alternating currents;
Transformer and High voltage transmission of electrical energy V. Radioactive decay (exponential law of decay and decay constant) and
Mass-energy relationship
Where students are found to experience significant difficulty in coping with the whole curriculum, teachers and students can discuss and agree on alternative arrangements such as putting minimum effort into, or skipping, the topics in the elective part.
To cater for diversity among students, teachers are encouraged to adapt the design of their curricula in the above ways. Teachers should evaluate their own curriculum against the following guidelines:
The curriculum should be aligned with the overarching aims and learning targets;
The curriculum should be broad and balanced;
Learning targets should be achievable and not too demanding; and
The learning activities included should arouse student interest and be enjoyable.
3.3.4 Flexible Use of Learning Time
As mentioned in Chapter 2, a total of 250 hours or 10% of the overall lesson time should be allocated to cover the curriculum. Teachers are encouraged to use this time flexibly to help students to attain all the different targets of the curriculum. Since students’ interests are very diverse, they may find some of the topics more interesting and be more motivated to explore deeper into these. Thus, more time will be spent on them than on others. Besides, some schools may allocate more lesson time for the study of the compulsory part to ensure students are equipped with sound fundamental knowledge and skills before starting the elective part.
The 16 hours allocated to the investigative study can be taken advantage of and be used flexibly to promote student learning and develop the full range of skills. Schools are also encouraged to include half-day or whole-day activity sessions (shared among different KLAs) in the school time-table, to allow continuous stretches of time for field trips, visits or scientific investigations.
3.4 Curriculum Management
3.4.1 Effective Curriculum Management
Effective curriculum management facilitates effective learning and teaching in schools. In order to manage the curriculum effectively, curriculum leaders in a school have to work together in school-based curriculum development and take the following aspects into consideration.
(1) Understanding the curriculum and student needs
The Physics Curriculum describes the rationale, curriculum aims, learning targets, curriculum structure and organisation, curriculum planning, learning and teaching as well as assessment for Physics. A good understanding of the Physics Curriculum, the needs and interests of students as well as the strength and culture of the school will facilitate effective school-based curriculum development and the alignment of learning and teaching with the school vision and mission as well as with the central curriculum framework.
(2) Organisations and structure
Different curriculum leaders including coordinators of Science Education KLA, physics panel chairperson and physics teachers have to work together as a team and play different roles in managing the school-based curriculum development. In addition to oversee and coordinate the implementation of the curriculum, coordinators of Science Education KLA and panel chairpersons have to develop a plan for enhancing teamwork and the professional capacity of their teachers.
(3) Curriculum planning
Schools have to develop a holistic plan for school-based curriculum development to ensure vertical and lateral coherence among different science subjects and between science and other subjects. It is important to plan for interface with the junior secondary Science Curriculum and provide a balanced foundation in science education for students. Details about curriculum planning strategies are described in Section 3.3.
(4) Capacity building and professional development
Team building can be enhanced through the regular exchange of ideas, experiences and reflections in collaborative lesson preparation, peer coaching and lesson observation. It is important to foster a collaborative and sharing culture among teachers and to facilitate their professional development. Besides, schools should create space for teachers to participate in various professional development programmes and deploy teachers appropriately and flexibly according to their strengths.
(5) Resource development
Learning and teaching resources that facilitate learning will be developed by the EDB to