Curriculum Planning Strategies

3.3.1 Understanding the curriculum and student needs

Teachers are expected to have a thorough understanding of the rationale, aims and learning targets of the curriculum prior to planning the curriculum for their own students. This sets the direction for teachers and students to reflect regularly on whether the knowledge being learned contributes to the ultimate aims of the curriculum and senior secondary education. It is also important for schools and teachers to understand the cognitive, psychological, and social development of teenage students, and to consider the following factors when planning the HMSC curriculum:

 For students of different abilities

The HMSC curriculum involves both conceptual and experiential learning so that students with different abilities and learning styles can benefit from the varied teaching strategies and learning tasks.

For example, the field learning in HMSC could be carried out in the form of community service, work-related activities, supplemented by reflective journals, with students being guided through the essential phases of experiential learning – such as experiencing, sharing, analysing, inferring or generalising and applying. This will create a valuable learning environment for students of different ability levels.

 For students with different inclinations

Three modules are provided in the elective part, to cater for students with different inclinations.

Figure 3.3 Possible options for HMSC students with different inclinations

 Making student learning more meaningful

Contextualised learning can help students to explore how they can apply their knowledge to solve real-life problems for themselves, their peers, their families or society. This also strengthens their motivation to learn. For example, they could conduct a class survey to find out the number of hours spent on using the Internet for playing games, discuss the implications of the findings for social relationships with their family members, and propose a programme to promote hygienic practices in public places.

 Integrating conceptual learning with life-wide learning experiences

Learning should not be confined within the four walls of the classroom. Ample opportunities should be provided for students to serve their families, schools or communities, making use of the knowledge, skills and positive attitudes they have developed through studying the subject. Visits to local, Mainland or overseas health care or community centres could also help students to broaden their perspectives and understand how related theories in the subject can be realised in daily practice in real-life contexts. For example, students could compare gender roles in different societies; and explore issues related to tobacco control policy, including the views of major stakeholders, in various countries.

Students who are more interested in the Health Care Area

Students who are more interested in The Social Care Area

Elective Module 1

(Extended Study on Health Promotion and Health Maintenance Services)

Elective Module 3 (Current Issues of Health)

Elective Module 2

(Extended Study on Health Promotion and Health Maintenance Services)

Elective Module 3 (Current Issues of Social Care)

+ +

 Integrating learning with assessment

To achieve the goals of “assessment for learning”, some assessment activities can be integrated into daily classroom lessons/ activities, or be used for internal assessment.

These enable teachers to provide useful feedback to students on where improvements have to be made. In addition, assessment rubrics or marking criteria and written feedback should be provided to students when assessing project work.

Schools and teachers are encouraged to review and plan the curriculum flexibly and make appropriate re-adjustments where necessary, taking into account the SBA implementation arrangements for the subject specified in Chapter 5 – Assessment.

 Coherence of the Compulsory and the Elective Parts

In the HMSC curriculum, the compulsory part could be understood as “the basics”, i.e. what students have to know, whereas the study of the elective part is the

“application” of this offering students the opportunity to engage in what they like, are good at, or want to try out. The elective part has a very positive role within the overall curriculum and the activities planned in this part should involve high-order thinking, experiential learning, and a wide selection of topics to suit students’

interests and abilities.

3.3.2 SWOT analysis

In the process of formulating a strategic plan to prepare for the smooth transition and successful implementation of the curriculum, the teachers concerned may find the following

“strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats” matrix useful. For example, it may help teachers to review and reflect on their current contexts and pedagogical practices, identify ways forwards and work out how to build on their schools’ strengths and enhance the quality of student learning.

Figure 3.4 A “SWOT” Matrix

Strengths Weaknesses

Opportunities Threats

3.3.3 Collaboration and networking

Generally, only one or two HMSC teachers in a school will work on the curriculum. It is, therefore, desirable, for them to explore opportunities for collaboration with other subject teachers within their schools and build up networks with professionals outside school and with business organisations in the community whenever possible. This will help students to understand the lateral and vertical coherence of the curriculum at various levels and their connections to everyday life, widen the scope of the teachers in designing and implementing the curriculum as well as broaden the exposure of students to a wide range of learning platforms to scaffold and apply their knowledge in a constructive and meaningful way.

Teachers from different schools may also form networks to share and reflect on their tacit knowledge and experience when designing and developing curriculum resource materials.