This chapter presents the proposals and relevant work progress in relation to the learning and teaching resources provision to schools for supporting the implementation of the curricula of the Science, Technology and Mathematics Education KLAs. Schools are also advised to make good use of the resources provided, including the existing ones, to facilitate student learning in STEM-related disciplines.
Proposals
5.1 To provide further resource materials for teachers’ reference, including annotated school cases, cross-disciplinary activities, project learning, life-wide learning activities and information on STEM- related competitions.
5.2 To suggest various e-resources related to STEM disciplines, e.g.
e-library, online courses, e-textbooks, and other resources related to STEM education accessible from the Internet, for effective learning and teaching.
5.3 To promote the use of learning and teaching resources related to STEM education on the “EDB One-stop Portal for Learning and Teaching Resources” (OSP) hosted by the Hong Kong Education City Limited (HKECL), and to enrich the resources.
5.4 To strengthen the connection between EDB and various organisations, such as Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation, and Hong Kong Science Museum, for effective dissemination of learning and teaching resources and life-wide learning activities.
Supportive View
5.5 Most school principals and teachers strongly supported the provision of learning and teaching resources for schools in promoting STEM education.
25
Major Concerns and Suggestions
5.6 Most schools have requested the provision of other resources support (e.g. additional funding for schools).
5.7 Individual respondents have suggested the use of a wide variety of tools and kits, e.g. free tools on the web that could facilitate the promotion of STEM education in schools.
5.8 Individual teachers raised that, apart from the provision of resource packages, hints on some small-scale STEM activities would be useful for learning and teaching.
Final Recommendations
The following actions serve to offer KLA-based and cross-KLA resource materials to schools to enhance learning and teaching on STEM-related areas and to provide additional resources support for catering to their school-based needs.
One-off grant for schools
5.9 To facilitate the promotion of STEM education in primary schools, EDB has disbursed a one-off grant for the promotion of STEM education to all government, aided and DSS primary schools, including special schools with a primary section, in March 2016. The amount of the grant was HK$100,000 per school.
5.10 The grant aims at enhancing schools’ capacity to strengthen the planning and organisation of STEM-related learning activities to foster students’ inquisitive mind and promote their interest in the learning of science and technology. Given the flexibility of using the grant, schools may make use of it to purchase equipment/resource materials and organise STEM-related learning activities, etc. to meet their school needs.
5.11 EDB will explore the feasibility of disbursing a one-off grant of a similar nature to secondary schools for the promotion of STEM education.
26
Resources development for updated curricula
5.12 For the updated Science (S1-3) curriculum, EDB has initiated relevant curriculum development projects with the production of learning and teaching resources for schools’ reference. The experiences of trying out the learning and teaching in the classroom will be consolidated with resource materials to be disseminated in 2017.
5.13 For the updated Technology Education (S1-3) curriculum, relevant learning resources for all modules of Design & Technology (D&T) and Food and Textile Science have been developed and uploaded onto the EDB website. Besides, a learning and teaching resource package for programming is being developed.
5.14 Regarding the Mathematics curriculum, Seed Projects relevant to STEM education starts in the 2016/17 school year for the development and production of learning and teaching resources for primary and secondary schools.
5.15 For primary the General Studies curriculum, STEM-related resources packages on “Light, Sound & Electricity”, “Forces and Simple Machines”, “The Living World” and “Material Science” have been disseminated to teachers for reference. Additional packages of resources on other STEM-related topics will be developed to support the learning and teaching of the curriculum in the coming years. In addition, the Furniture and Equipment (F/E) List for General Studies has been updated and categorised with additional items for schools’
reference. Teachers can refer to the EDB website for details.
5.16 For the primary level, a Computer Awareness Programme (CAP) of 8 modules has been revised and uploaded onto the web. Among the themes for learning activities, coding is newly introduced to enhance students’ interest and innovation in the area of information technology.
5.17 EDB will review the printed textbooks and e-textbooks for the updated curricula to be submitted by publishers. This is to ensure the availability of quality textbooks for learning and teaching when the updated curricula are recommended for use in schools.
27
5.18 Two ETV programmes on promoting STEM education have been developed. Other relevant programmes to support the learning and teaching of the updated curricula of the Science, Technology and Mathematics Education KLAs and General Studies will continue to be developed.
Cross-disciplinary resources development
5.19 A website to facilitate the promotion of STEM education has been developed and launched in September 2016. It disseminates information about the promotion of STEM education, including upcoming events on professional development programmes, relevant student activities, STEM-related resources and other community resources for schools’ reference. The contents in the website will be updated regularly.
5.20 EDB is making good use of the existing assets/centres to support the different promotion strategies. The Arts and Technology Education Centre (ATEC) in Lok Fu is being used more intensively for organising student activities and professional development programmes, e.g. on 3D-printing, microcontroller, laser cutting technology, etc. for teachers.
The Young Achievers’ Gallery (YAG) at the Kowloon Tong Education Services Centre has been renovated and re-opened serving for exhibiting school-based STEM projects.
28
Chapter 6
Strategy 4 Enhancing Professional Development of Schools and Teachers