Different types of learning and teaching resources

The commonly used learning and teaching resources for the MNE subject can be classified as follows:

 Textual materials, e.g. newspapers, magazines, books, periodicals and websites

 Non-textual materials, e.g. photographs, graphics, maps, videos, music, objects and models

 Learning scenes, e.g. cultural sites, historic buildings, museums, resource centres, communities and city streets

 Experience sharing, e.g. classmates, teachers, family members, friends and the public

Different types of resources have their own advantages and can be complementary to one another. Teachers should consider extensively and prudently the resources from different sources and of different forms in order to make appropriate choices.

6.2.1 Textual materials

 The MNE curriculum contents cover different domains (including the personal, family, social, national and global domains). Teachers should encourage students to read extensively different types of textual materials such as those contained in newspapers, magazines, books, periodicals, reports, documents and websites to enhance their understanding of the related knowledge. Students should be encouraged to form a habit of reading and develop the enthusiasm to take the initiative to pursue knowledge.

 Materials from government or non-governmental sources, organisations or individuals, local or non-local sources, can all be adopted as learning materials of the MNE subject. Students can analyse the textual materials from different sources from multiple perspectives so as to develop a prudent and rational learning attitude. In addition, teachers should note that textual materials from different sources may contain their own stances, viewpoints and interpretations. Thus, they should not be making any conclusive statements based on just one source of information, or rely on that single source for analysis and discussion.

 Teachers can select textual materials such as stories, fables, biographies and interviews that are developed from characters, places, events and time. Such interesting learning materials can better motivate students to learn, help arouse their feelings and develop empathy.

6.2.2 Non-textual materials

 The print and electronic media in our daily life have made available a large stock of

non-textual materials such as photographs, graphics, maps, videos, music and recordings. Teachers can flexibly make use of them as teaching and learning materials.

 Non-textual materials have their unique advantages in communication and conveyance. Through visual and audio aids, non-textual materials can help express and explain the more abstract and difficult learning contents and concepts in a simpler and more direct way. When working in parallel to textual materials, it can produce effective presentation which can raise students’ awareness and learning motivation.

6.2.3 Learning scenes

 Different scenes such as cultural sites, historic buildings, museums, resource centres, communities and city streets can be used to enhance the learning and teaching of the MNE subject.

 Teachers can organise visits for students based on the learning contents and prepare learning activities like observations, interviews and information collection, which serve as a basis for further studies and discussions to supplement classroom learning.

For example, teachers can arrange community service for students, which provides opportunities for them to learn from an authentic situation, and develop a sense of being a citizen and the spirit of serving others.

6.2.4 Experience sharing

 Students meet various types of people such as teachers, classmates, family members, friends, students and the general public in their daily life. The experiences of these people are so different that their words of wisdom and good deeds can be good examples for students to learn from.

 Under the guidance of teachers, students can achieve the learning objectives of the MNE subject when, through interviewing and sharing with various people, they come to understand and are inspired by others’ viewpoints, personal values and life attitudes through interviewing and sharing with them. For example, taking into consideration the teaching schedules, schools can invite experts/scholars, celebrities or those who have knowledge and experience related to the learning contents to conduct sharing sessions with teachers and students. This will help students strengthen their understanding of the learning contents, and allow them to appreciate the speakers’

manners and temperaments, thus generating resonance.

6.2.5 Curriculum resources and support services by the Education Bureau

 The EDB has been providing primary and secondary schools with various types of curriculum resources (e.g. teaching plans for life events and learning resources websites) and support services (e.g. professional training courses for teachers,

enhancing learning and teaching effectiveness, teachers can use appropriate resources and support services based on the school contexts and students’ needs.

Teaching plans for life events

- The EDB has been continuously compiling teaching plans for life events¹⁴ and related resources such as worksheets and electronic presentations covering various domains to support the MNE lessons and provide adequate references for lesson preparation. The EDB has been developing and updating teaching plans for life events, each of which includes details about learning and teaching objectives, key learning points, teaching flow and teaching aids, and suggestions for extended activities. Teachers are advised to tailor and adapt these plans flexibly to achieve the various learning objectives of the MNE subject.

Learning resources websites

- The EDB has been building learning resources websites¹⁵ on different themes to provide schools with timely and appropriate learning and teaching resources.

These learning resources websites cover a variety of education domains, including current issues, life education, health education, moral education, national education, etc. The learning resources on these websites provide different types of learning materials (such as teaching plans, worksheets, graphics, animations and video clips), teaching strategies, suggested learning activities, practical school experiences, etc. Some learning resources websites also include a parents’ corner which encourages parents to collaborate with the schools in order to provide an all-round learning environment for their children.

Professional development courses

- The EDB has been providing a series of support measures¹⁶ to address the needs and development of the MNE subject. Apart from holding various series of focused training and professional exchange activities for stakeholders, the EDB actively cooperates with teacher education institutions to provide related professional development courses for teachers such as curriculum leadership and management, learning and teaching strategies, assessment, selection and compilation of learning and teaching resources, and enhancement of subject knowledge so as to enhance professionalism and the quality of the teaching teams.

Mainland visits and exchange programmes

- In addition to classroom learning, learning in the national domain can be supplemented by Mainland visits and exchange programmes. These activities allow students to have the opportunity to understand their country in an authentic setting, and develop affection for their country and contribute to the enhancement

14 Teaching plans for life events can be downloaded at www.edb.gov.hk/cd/mcne/lea.

15 Teachers can visit the EDB’s MNE-related learning resources websites at www.edb.gov.hk/cd/mcne.

16 For information about the EDB’s professional development programmes, please refer to training calendar at http://tcs.edb.gov.hk/tcs/publicCalendar/start.htm.

of their national identity. The EDB provides opportunities for teachers and students to pay visits to the Mainland and participate in exchange programmes through various means (such as organising visits and exchange programmes, subsidising students to participate in exchange programmes, and running joint programmes with various organisations)¹⁷.

6.2.6 Other related curriculum resources and support services

 The curriculum resources and support services provided by various government departments or related organisations can also be used as learning and teaching resources of the MNE subject.

Curriculum resources

- Some government departments or related organisations such as the Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau, Home Affairs Bureau, Narcotics Division of the Security Bureau, Leisure and Cultural Services Department, Environmental Protection Department, Social Welfare Department, Registration and Electoral Office, Information Services Department, Radio Television Hong Kong, Hong Kong Independent Commission Against Corruption, Committee on the Promotion of Civic Education, and Equal Opportunities Commission have provided MNE-related resources, including printed, multimedia and online resources, for teachers to use flexibly.

Support services

- Some government departments or related organisations also provide different support services to schools such as the guided tour service of the Antiquities and Monuments Office and various museums, which enable students to deepen their understanding of history and culture. Some tertiary institutions, non-governmental organisations and voluntary groups also arrange exchange programmes, school-based onsite support, study programmes, visits and guided tours. Schools can make use of these support services according to their needs.