This chapter discusses the importance of selecting and making effective use of learning and teaching resources, including textbooks, to enhance student learning. Schools need to select, adapt and, where appropriate, develop the relevant resources to support student learning.
6.1 Purpose and Function of Learning and Teaching Resources
Suitable learning and teaching resources help students to construct knowledge for themselves, and to develop the learning strategies, generic skills, positive values and attitudes they need.
Teachers are encouraged to utilise various types of resources in their lessons, and not confine themselves to using textbooks. For example, the Internet not only provides interactive learning opportunities, but also widens students’ horizons by keeping them abreast of the latest scientific and technological developments.
School-based learning and teaching materials are also effective resources. They can complement textbooks and cater for students’ varied needs. Learning resources that provide students with experiences outside school and support them in developing abstract ideas and concepts are particularly useful. Students can use these resources for independent learning, with teachers’ guidance. If used effectively, learning and teaching resources encourage students’ personal construction of knowledge and help to lay a solid foundation for lifelong learning.
6.2 Guiding Principles
In order to meet the different objectives of individual lessons and the range of student abilities, teachers need to select a variety of resources for Physics, which should:
provide specific and appropriate learning targets and directions for learning;
indicate required prior knowledge to teachers and students;
provide students with a variety of activities which help them to understand how the content relates to physics concepts and principles;
guide students’ interpretations and reasoning based on evidence;
6.3 Types of Resources
6.3.1 Textbooks
Textbooks have a major role to play in helping students to learn concepts and principles of physics and consolidate their learning experiences. However, they should at the same time support student-centred learning and enable students to construct models, theories and understandings for themselves.
Schools should choose physics textbooks that enhance the motivation and learning of students. The following characteristics should be considered when selecting them:
approach and coverage – whether they support the development of the knowledge, skills, values and attitudes promoted in the curriculum;
suitability of the content – whether they provide access to knowledge, as well as scaffolding, to help students to make progress in learning physics;
quality of the language – whether it is unambiguous and accurate;
appropriateness of the learning activities – whether they arouse students’ interest, engage them actively in learning tasks, and promote independent learning;
use of examples and illustrations – whether the examples and illustrations used are appropriate and promote learning or are distractions; and
safety aspects of the practical work – whether there are proper precautions and conspicuous warnings about hazards.
A set of guiding principles has been formulated for writing, reviewing and selecting quality textbooks. Teachers are encouraged to refer to these guidelines at http://www.edb.gov.hk/cd when selecting learner-centred textbooks for their students. Also, for schools’ reference, a list of recommended textbooks has been compiled and will be updated regularly by the EDB.
6.3.2 Reference Materials
Students should be encouraged to read extensively for better understanding and broadening the scope of their physics learning. It is important to set up a text-rich environment with sufficient curriculum-related materials which are appropriate for students’ varied cognitive levels, linguistic competence and interests. Students should be encouraged to get into the habit of reading about physics, to help to kindle a lifelong interest in the subject and its progress. For this purpose, the materials suggested below can be helpful:
(1) Periodicals and journal articles
Information on the latest developments in physics can be found in education and science research journals. These articles usually go beyond simply reporting how to conduct learning and teaching activities by suggesting how they may be integrated into the curriculum and implemented in classrooms. A list of periodicals and journals is given in Appendix 2 for teachers’ reference. Teacher librarians may provide assistance to teachers and students in identifying and locating them.
(2) Media resources
There are many interesting print materials produced specially for enriching the learning of physics, e.g. articles on STSE connections, stories about physics knowledge, and advertisements and cartoons in newspapers and science magazines which illustrate intriguing physics phenomena and concepts. Also, issues and problems related to physics and their impact on society are frequently reported in newspapers and TV programmes. Students can collect material on topics of interest such as traffic accidents, ozone depletion, potential hazards due to mobile phones and new physics-related inventions and discoveries. Detailed analysis of these materials can provide valuable learning experiences that extend classroom learning.
6.3.3 The Internet and Technologies
The massive increase in the quantity of information available today has led to the adoption of new approaches to learning and teaching. The strategic use of the Internet and technologies can transform learning and teaching by enhancing student engagement, improving access, and making services more convenient.
The Internet and technologies help in the learning of physics by:
providing audio-visual aids for understanding difficult concepts;
providing access to information from a wide range of sources, handling large quantities of information, and extracting valid and useful information;
allowing students to work at their own pace, including the use of specially designed software packages
promoting interaction among learners, and between learners and resources/teachers;
Teachers are encouraged to utilise the many useful websites and computer software packages for learning and teaching Physics. For example, they may use interactive animation on a stationary wave to help students to examine the superposition of two waves. Also, an increasing number of websites offer rich sources of relevant information on topical issues such as nanotechnology, medical diagnosis, nuclear energy, radiation protection, environmental protection, renewable energy and energy efficiency.
When used appropriately, technology can provide effective tools for achieving the goals of the Physics Curriculum. It is not necessary to use only high-end products. The technologies can range from VCD players and TVs to tablets and mobile wireless communication systems. The key principle is “fitness for purpose”.
6.3.4 Resource Materials developed by the EDB
Resource materials on learning and teaching strategies and “Investigative Study in Physics”
will be developed by the EDB to provide ideas for designing appropriate learning and teaching activities for students. When using them, teachers may need to make adjustments according to their students’ needs. Some existing resource materials are listed below:
Motion Video Analysis (MVA) software, materials for contextual physics and articles.
These will be updated to meet the requirements of the Physics Curriculum.
Safety in Science Laboratories (EDB, 2013), which is a valuable resource that provides guidelines and information on various aspects of safety in routine laboratory experiments and outdoor or fieldwork activities.
Experiences from various collaborative research and development projects – such as Informed Decisions in Science Education, Assessment for Learning in Science, Infusing Process and Thinking Skills and Collaborative Development of Assessment Tasks and Assessment Criteria to Enhance Learning and Teaching in Science Curriculum are also good sources of information for teachers.
A list of resource materials on learning and teaching Physics published by the EDB is attached in Appendix 3 for teachers’ reference. Besides, new resource materials on learning and teaching strategies as well as curriculum emphases will be developed to provide ideas on designing appropriate activities for students. To assist schools in managing curriculum change, the EDB has provided them with a one-stop curriculum resource directory service at
www.edb.gov.hk/cr. The directory provides a central pool of ready-to-use learning and teaching resources and useful references developed by the EDB and other parties. Teachers may refer the supplementary notes for teachers for further elaboration of the depth and breadth of the physics curriculum.
6.3.5 Community Resources
Learning physics can be more effective and meaningful when students are able to relate their study to daily-life contexts. Professional and non-government organisations, and government departments, are good sources of support and resources for the learning and teaching of the subject. They can provide opportunities for teacher development in the field and appropriate learning experiences for students. Noted below are some examples of organisations and departments:
Professional organisations, e.g. the Hong Kong Association for Mathematics and Science Education and the Physical Society of Hong Kong;
Non-government organisations, e.g. the Hong Kong New Generation Cultural Association and the IEEE Hong Kong Section; and
Government departments, e.g. the Environmental Protection Department, the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department, Hospital Authority and Department of Health.
A wide variety of resource materials relevant to the Physics Curriculum are readily available from the community, including the following examples:
(1) Projects from tertiary institutions
Tertiary institutions are taking an active role in the development of science learning resource materials for secondary schools. Projects such as Case-based Learning of High School Science Subjects to Support Learning to Learn and Enhancing Senior Secondary Students’
Understanding of the Nature of Science and the Interconnection between Science, Technology and Society through Innovative Teaching and Learning Activities are very useful resources for effective learning of physics.
(2) Learning experience outside schools
Many aspects of the Physics Curriculum are directly related to the local environment. For
Fieldwork allows students to integrate key concepts for knowledge-building, and students who participate in these activities are likely to be more motivated and have a better understanding of phenomena related to physics. Certain organisations, e.g. the Ocean Park Hong Kong and the Ho Koon Nature Education cum Astronomical Centre, offer life-wide learning contexts and, in some cases, guided educational tours for students. Schools can also design learning programmes for their students related to their own communities.
(3) Competitions
Experiences from some local project competitions such as the Hong Kong Student Science Project Competition and the Physics Research Experiences for Sixth Form Students provide valuable ideas for scientific investigations and inventions. Other competitions such as the Hong Kong Physics Olympiad and the International Physics Olympiad present challenges to students with outstanding ability in physics.
(4) Library resources
In both school libraries and public libraries, various printed and multimedia resources can be easily accessed to enhance learning. Promotional activities for reading and learning, such as reading schemes, book exhibitions and talks on reading and learning skills, are useful.
Teachers can find supportive resources, such as journals, articles and magazines mentioned in this chapter from the libraries, to facilitate their development of learning and teaching materials. Students can prepare background information for investigative activities, further explore physics-related issues with STSE connections and construct a concrete knowledge basis of the subject in the libraries. The active, frequent and appropriate use of library resources can help students to develop skills for independent learning, cultivate useful reading habits and become independent lifelong learners.
(5) Parents and alumni
Parents and alumni can complement the work in schools. For instance, parents can support the curriculum by providing extended learning experiences outside school, e.g. by discussing the social, moral and ethical issues related to physics with their daughters and sons. They can also use the resources suggested in this Guide and in public libraries to stimulate a sense of inquiry in their daughters and sons; and they can instil in them an appreciation of the value of learning. Parents from different professions can be invited to deliver speeches or lectures to provide opportunities for students to gain authentic knowledge from various disciplines.
Alumni can be a good source of support for student learning. They can be invited to share their experiences of learning the subject at school and of related studies at tertiary level, and discuss possible careers. They can also contribute to schools’ special activities such as open days and science funfairs as advisors and speakers. Schools should establish connections with their alumni in the fields related to physics to enrich students’ views on the prospects for physics students.
6.4 Use of Learning and Teaching Resources
To assist schools in implementing the senior secondary curriculum, the EDB will continue to provide additional funding and to allow greater flexibility in the use of resources to cater for diverse needs. Schools are advised to refer to the relevant and latest circulars issued by the EDB from time to time.
The successful use of learning and teaching resources can help students to integrate, practise and apply new knowledge. Teachers should utilise both ready-made and self-developed materials flexibly according to the needs, abilities and interests of their students. Textbooks can remain as the basic resource for learning and teaching activities, but should not be the only resource. Teachers need to make judgments when selecting, adapting and modifying relevant resources to suit students’ various learning purposes.
Teachers can consider the following points when adapting learning and teaching resources:
Keep the learning targets and objectives of the curriculum in mind and identify the focus of each topic.
Select activities that involve interaction and active engagement of students in learning.
Tailor learning and teaching resources to cater for learner diversity.
Design challenging activities so that more able learners may omit the easier parts while less able learners may skip the more difficult ones.
For low achievers, the learning and teaching materials should be more organised and systematic in order to build up their understanding of the core elements of the Physics topics first; and then extra resources can be employed to help them to achieve the learning targets, consolidate what they have learned and to construct personal knowledge. For talented
6.5 Resource Management
6.5.1 Accessing Useful Resources
Students and teachers should share the responsibility for locating useful learning and teaching resources. For example, teachers can provide students with lists of recommended websites and reference books for particular topics; and students can also search for useful resources from the Internet, libraries, government departments and other community organisations on their own, and make suggestions to enrich the resource lists.
6.5.2 Sharing Resources
Schools should make arrangements and provide the following opportunities to facilitate the sharing of learning and teaching resources:
Teachers and students share learning and teaching resources through the Intranet, or other means within the school.
Teachers are encouraged to make good use of well-established web-based platforms, such as the Hong Kong Education City, for sharing information with peers on the latest developments in physics education, learning and teaching experience, as well as locally developed resources for learning and teaching.
Teachers might reflect on their teaching when using different types of learning and teaching resources, and subsequently exchange experiences with fellow teachers.
6.5.3 Storing Resources
Schools should assign staff to manage the storage of resources and access to them. They should keep up-to-date inventories of learning resources. IT is helpful for managing and storing the materials acquired for Physics. For example, the school Intranet can be used to give students and teachers easy access to suitable resources for specific topics. Software which is commonly available in schools, such as spreadsheet, word processing and database programs can also be useful tools for this purpose. Keeping systematic records and providing easy access to learning and teaching resources and laboratory equipment, can have a significant impact on learning effectiveness.
Physics teachers should work closely with teacher librarians, in both the collection and systematic storage of the resources, and to provide a wide range of reading and learning resources for students. The teacher librarian, as an information specialist, is in the best position to help students to acquire the skills and attitudes necessary for using information appropriately and ethically.
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Appendix 1
Time-tabling Arrangement and the Deployment of Teachers to cater for the Diverse Needs of Students
There are four subjects, namely Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Science (including Mode I and Mode II) offered in the Science Education KLA, leading to a number of possible subject combinations for students. The various subject combinations are considered worthwhile and valuable to serve the needs of students pursuing different post-secondary pathways.
Possible ways of managing school time-tabling and resources to allow students more choice are discussed below.
Implementation of Mode I - Integrated Science Curriculum
If this subject is taken by a class of students as a single elective subject, normal time-tabling can be adopted. It is a common practice in schools that a teacher will take up the teaching of a course for three years. However, due to the multi-disciplinary nature of this subject, schools may consider assigning teachers with different expertise to teach this subject at different levels (S4, 5 and 6), or two teachers with different subject expertise to teach one class, so that teachers can focus more on modules that they are familiar with. This also helps to share out the work required to prepare for the curriculum.
We encourage schools to promote partnership in terms of preparation of lessons, team teaching as well as lesson observations so that teachers work and learn together. It is recommended that schools reserve time for collaborative lesson planning in the time-table.
In cases where a school is offering this subject to two or more classes, it is advisable to assign teachers with different subject expertise to different classes. With special time-tabling, it is then possible to swap the classes so that teachers can concentrate on modules that they are more familiar with. After a few years, the teachers will be able to cover the teaching of the whole curriculum and be better placed to monitor the progress of the students.
The following illustrates the different arrangements that schools may adopt according to their resources and the readiness of their teachers:
Option A: One teacher teaches one class for all three levels. The teacher is required to teach beyond his/her own expertise, and so time should be allowed for his/her professional development, knowledge updating and lesson preparation.
Option B: Teachers with different expertise share the teaching of one class. The teachers will be able to concentrate on preparing the modules they are more familiar with.
Option C: Two teachers with different expertise teach two classes, with each teaching one class. There should be regular sharing between the two teachers, helping each other in preparing resources and knowledge enrichment.
Option D: Two teachers with different expertise teach two classes, with a special time-table which allows them to swap their responsibilities at different times during the school year.
Implementation of Mode II - Combined Science Curriculum
The Combined Science Curriculum is designed for students taking two elective subjects in the Science Education KLA; it comprises three parts with content selected from the Biology, Chemistry and Physics curricula. Students will have to take the two parts that are complementary to the single discipline in which they specialise. Special time-tabling and staff deployment are needed for implementation.
To help students to build up a broader knowledge base, it is recommended that students should be offered more elective subjects in S4 and be guided to select two or three electives to focus on in S5 and S6. Students wishing to take two elective subjects in the Science Education KLA should study parts of Biology, Chemistry and Physics Curricula using the lesson time for two elective subjects in S4. That is, if four periods per cycle are allocated for one elective subject, schools may arrange three periods for each science discipline in S4.
Teachers should refer to the respective C&A Guides for a selection of topics suitable to be included in the S4 curriculum to help students to build a broad-based foundation. Schools may consider the following two arrangements in S5 and S6: