3(b) Human Resources Management
Chapter 6 Learning and Teaching Resources
6.5 Resource Management
Given the wide range of learning and teaching resources available to schools, BAFS panel chairpersons and teachers need to work together to set up an effective system to manage the resources and share them among the teachers and students. Some suggested ways of achieving this are outlined below.
School-based resource bank
Network sharing and resource platforms
Teachers can also make use of electronic tools such as Hong Kong Education City (HKedCity) which provides a useful e-platform to exchange information, learning and teaching resources, ideas and practices with teachers in other schools and outside agencies. This is also a powerful base for self-learning which promotes a culture of collegial sharing and continuing professional development.
Teacher-librarians
Teacher-librarians, as information specialists, should work closely with business teachers to co-ordinate curriculum-related resources and help to develop students’ information literacy.
Cross-curricular collaboration
For effective resource management, schools are encouraged to promote a culture of collaboration among teachers of the TE KLA and also other KLAs. They should cooperate to organise cross-curricular activities which can serve as Other Learning Experiences for more than one subject. Some examples of such activities are given below.
Examples of cross-curricular collaboration in FYK School
Different KLA co-ordinators/subject panel chairpersons meet regularly to explore common activities for supporting the learning and teaching of two or more subjects. The following are some of the activities proposed by the BAFS panel chairpersons, which may possibly complement or supplement the learning of other senior secondary subjects:
Activities Related learning area in BAFS Related senior secondary subjects A guest lecture on
e-commerce Marketing Management Information and Communication Technology
A debate on the motion:
“Globalization has a positive impact on the business environment and business relationships.”
Business Environment Liberal Studies
Economics
Visits to local small and medium enterprises in the tourism industry
Introduction to Management Tourism and Hospitality Studies
Economics
An inter-school competition on a financial simulation game
Basics of Personal Financial Management
Economics
Job shadowing Introduction to Management Tourism and Hospitality Studies
Information and Communication Technology
Design and Applied Technology A guest lecture by a
professional accountant
Introduction to Accounting
Financial Accounting
Cost Accounting
Applied Learning courses
Appendix Examples of Learning Activities
Example A: Direct instruction complemented with questioning
Learning targets: The questioning technique is designed to encourage students to participate actively and move beyond memorisation to higher levels of learning that involve clarification, expansion, generalisation and inference.
Level: S5 Duration: 2 hours
Prior knowledge: Fundamental accounting principles and conventions in the Compulsory Part
Topic: “Generally accepted accounting principles” in the accounting module Learning objective: Students should be able to apply the accounting principles and concepts
in accounting situations to provide quality accounting information.
Lecturing with questioning techniques
Practical examples on the application of accounting concepts such as objectivity, money measurement, realisation and timeliness are given. Students are expected to ask thought-provoking questions for discussion in the class and generalise the definition of the concepts.
Although lecturing is sometimes criticised for being one-way communication (i.e. a
teacher-centred approach), it can be modified and converted into a student-centred approach if a question-and-answer method is used to complement lectures.
Teaching as direct instruction – roles of teachers
To provide a frame for students to generate meaningful questions
To monitor the discussion closely and provide assistance when necessary
To give feedback and guide students to think about the rationale behind the questions asked and what the implications are
Learning as a “product” – roles of students
To engage actively in the discussion and report the results
To focus on the questions and present a logical and in-depth analysis
To challenge other students’ ideas with evidence Learning tasks
Questioning approach Task 1:
(a) Each pair of students is given three or four scenarios related to the application of the same concept (e.g. objectivity). Different accounting concepts are assigned to different groups for discussion.
(b) Student A sets a question for student B to answer.
(c) Student B challenges the rationale behind the question and student A has to comment on the answer.
Task 2:
(d) Each group shares the questions raised and the answers suggested by them.
(e) Each group provides a definition of the concept through the findings generated from their questions and answers.
Task 3:
Suggest more examples of the application of each concept.
Knowledge
Students will grasp the essence of the application of accounting concepts in real cases through a questioning approach.
Generic skills
The task aims to stimulate students’ critical thinking, creativity and communication skills in raising constructive questions and answers.
Knowledge
The second learning task aims to help students consolidate what they have learned in the previous activity. Teachers may use their findings to deepen the understanding of the concepts.
Generic skills
Higher-order thinking skills are required to generalise the definition of the concepts.
This develops deductive reasoning skills.
The third learning task allows students to relate theory to practice so that deeper thinking and understanding of this topic is developed.
Example B: Group activities
Learning targets: The group activities provide opportunities for students to share and compare views, ideas and knowledge with peers and motivate them to learn through the application of concepts in the school context.
Level: S5 or S6
Duration: In-class: two hours; outside class: five hours Prior knowledge:
– Business Environment and Introduction to Management in the Compulsory Part
– Basic cost classification and concepts in the accounting module Topic: Cost-volume-profit analysis
Grouping: Students form groups of five to complete the following
tasks
Learning objective: Students should be able to conduct cost-volume-profit analysis to assess the effects of changes in cost, selling price and units sold on the breakeven point and target profit.
Learning tasks
Income statement forecast Task 1:
(a) Conduct a small-scale market survey to help identify the product(s) to be sold at the carnival.
(b) Based on the survey results, identify the cost of product(s) in terms of direct and indirect costs, fixed and variable costs, etc.
(c) Decide on the expected selling price and target profit, and then prepare an income statement forecast, with reasons to support it.
(d) Present your findings to the class.
School carnival for charity fund-raising
The school is planning to organise a school carnival for charity fund-raising. The business club is responsible for producing a product such as T-shirts, candies, etc. within a budget of $1,500 to be sold at the carnival. As members of the club, you have to contribute to the following activities.
Values and attitudes
This can be conducted as BAFS activities or community services.
Besides developing knowledge and skills, it also aims to nurture students to be caring members of society and enhance their personal commitment to it.
Knowledge
This task enables students to integrate the knowledge developed in the Compulsory Part and the accounting module to make informed decisions. It enhances students’ understanding of how to apply concepts and skills from inter-related areas of business in authentic contexts.
Generic skills
The group work develops students’ ability to work in a team situation and assume a leadership role. It aims to enhance communication, team-building and interpersonal skills through teamwork.
Based on students’
learning needs, teachers may refer to para. 4.4.3 on grouping strategies to assign appropriate members to the groups.
Teaching as enquiry – roles of teachers
To provide a learning environment for students to relate knowledge to a real-life situation
To encourage students to think from a wider perspective to generate business solutions
To encourage students to develop team-building, communication and interpersonal skills
To give feedback on the learning tasks Learning as a ‘process’ – roles of students
To participate actively in the activities and be open-minded in exchanging views with peers
To synthesise the knowledge they have gained in the Compulsory and Elective Parts
To assume a leadership role and get consensus on designing and revising the marketing strategies
Cost-volume-profit analysis Task 2:
(e) Your competitor, the home economics club, has decided to sell similar products at a lower price at the carnival. How will you revise your marketing strategies in response to the competition?
(f) Conduct a cost-volume-profit analysis based on your new marketing strategies. If you have not changed your strategy (i.e. the target profit and costs are unchanged), what will be the effects of changes in the unit price and units sold?
Knowledge
The second learning task aims to demonstrate how a dynamic environment influences planning and decision-making. Also, it develops the ability to make use of accounting information for tackling business problems.
Generic skills
Problem-solving skills will be developed as students are expected to suggest solutions in response to market changes and examine their effects on business.
Example C: Theme-based learning
Learning targets: Theme-based learning helps students to organise and integrate the learning elements of entrepreneurship, and business ethics and social responsibility, around a theme.
Level: S4
Duration: In-class: six hours; outside class: four hours Prior knowledge: Forms of business ownership
Topics covered: The Hong Kong business environment, business ethics and social responsibility, entrepreneurship and the management of small and medium enterprises in the Compulsory Part
Learning objectives: Students should be able to understand the characteristics of entrepreneurship and its contribution to economic development, and develop their awareness of ethical business practices.
Theme:
Hong Kong thrives on entrepreneurship social responsibility
To maintain Hong Kong as one of the most competitive international business centres in the 21st century, we need energetic, creative, socially responsible and risk-taking human beings. These kinds of entrepreneurial attributes are regarded as the economic driving force for a knowledge-based economy.
The demise of Enron triggered a global debate on entrepreneurs’ ethical and socially responsible leadership. Malpractice in organisations affects the benefits and rights of different interested parties. In today’s business world, we expect entrepreneurs to comply with legal requirements, uphold moral standards in leadership, and maintain an ethical organisational culture. These attributes are the basis of good corporate governance and proper ethical practices. Entrepreneurs and corporate executives need to make their business decisions with respect to not only profit but also social responsibility.
Learning tasks Am I a potential entrepreneur?
Task 1:
(a) Identify and classify different success factors for a small business by a site visit and observation.
(b) Discuss and justify the critical success factors for setting up and running a small business.
Task 2:
(a) Find different definitions of entrepreneurship and the characteristics of entrepreneurs from various sources.
(b) Generalise the definition of entrepreneurship and compile a list of the key characteristics of an entrepreneur.
(c) Compare entrepreneurs and managers with respect to their roles in business operations.
Task 3:
Complete an online self-assessment of your entrepreneurial potential and present the results in class.
Do we need entrepreneurs in Hong Kong?
Task 1:
By reading economic reports and business journals, explain why entrepreneurial activities are so important to a country’s economic growth.
Task 2:
Propose recommendations for the development of an entrepreneurial culture in Hong Kong for economic growth and sustainability.
Knowledge
The first task aims to help students visualise the importance of
entrepreneurship in business development and economic growth.
Generic skills
Skills in IT applications, research and written communication will be developed through this learning process.
Generic skills
The second task expects students to make use of the information collected in Task 1 and make suggestions for improving economic growth in Hong Kong. The activity aims to develop students’ creativity and critical thinking skills in tackling business problems.
Knowledge
The third learning task aims to help students reflect on what they have learned in the previous activities. Teachers may use their findings to reinforce the understanding established in the previous two tasks.
Generic skills
In the process, students can develop their IT skills in organising and presenting the information. They will also understand their own strengths and areas for
improvement which helps to develop their entrepreneurial attributes.
Knowledge
The first two learning tasks aim at introducing the entrepreneurial spirit.
Students are expected to generate an understanding of the key attributes and skills of entrepreneurs and their entrepreneurial spirit.
Generic skills
Analytical skills will be developed through analysing the critical success factors.
What’s wrong with our business world?
Task 1:
(a) Identify some local and international unethical business practices.
(b) Discuss the causes and negative impact of such practices.
(c) Distinguish between illegal and unethical business practices, with examples.
How to become a good corporate citizen Task 1:
(a) Explain the concept of business ethics.
(b) Discuss the conflict of interest faced by businesses when making their decisions.
(c) Identify any three local/international good practices concerning social responsibility.
(d) Demonstrate how the entrepreneurs and corporate executives dealt with business dilemmas while still upholding ethical standards in (c) above.
Knowledge
Task 1 aims to trigger students’
awareness of unethical business practices. Students will learn how to identify and differentiate illegal and unethical business practices.
Generic skills
Communication skills and creativity will be developed as students need to draw on and share different views on the causes and impact of malpractice with peers.
Values and attitudes Through the learning process, students can recognise the negative impact of illegal and unethical practices on society, which can nurture positive values and attitudes towards business ethics and social responsibilities.
Knowledge
This task aims to help students understand the importance of business ethics and relate it to corporate social responsibilities.
Generic skills
Students are expected to develop their higher-order thinking skills as they have to criticise business decisions made by entrepreneurs and corporate executives with respect to the benefits and interests of various types of stakeholders.
Values and attitudes
Students are expected to develop positive values and attitudes when dealing with business dilemmas and to become socially responsible members of society.
Extended learning activities
Apart from classroom activities, teachers can arrange business talks by entrepreneurs and SME visits to enable students to understand authentic business situations in an interactive and interesting way. Teachers can further develop students’ collaborative learning by encouraging them to participate in business projects and competitions.
Schools may invite speakers from statutory bodies and professional organisations – such as HKICPA (Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants), SFC (Securities and Futures Commission), ICAC (Independent Commission Against Corruption) and the Consumer Council – to deliver talks or conduct forums on business ethics and corporate governance for students.
Teaching as enquiry – roles of teachers:
To provide feedback and guide students to bring together various perspectives in making ethical decisions
To stimulate students’ critical thinking in discussing issues from different angles Learning as as a ‘process’ – roles of students:
To participate actively in discussion and group work to share and compare views, ideas, and knowledge with peers
To learn how to collect, analyse and acquire updated knowledge independently
To generate ideas and opinions and generalise the concepts from their own findings
Example D: Project-based learning
Learning targets: The project aims to engage students in real-life experience and learn how to relate their learning to the real business world. It develops students’ skills in integrating different areas of knowledge to solve problems.
Level: S5–6
Duration: In-class: two hours; outside class: 10–15 hours
Prior knowledge: Business Environment, Introduction to Management and Introduction to Accounting in the Compulsory Part
Learning Objectives: Students should be able to develop knowledge and understanding of the intertwined relationships of business areas and the dynamic
environment of business.
Grouping: Students can form groups of five to complete the project.
Requirements: Students are expected to:
(a) integrate the knowledge developed in the Compulsory and Elective Parts to complete the following tasks;
(b) conduct in-depth studies on the area of their chosen Elective module in Task 2.
Learning tasks Analysis of the business environment Task 1:
(a) Study the related information on the five listed companies.
(b) Select a listed company the business of which has potential to grow in the future.
(c) Conduct a business environment analysis to justify your choice from different perspectives.
Project: Investment game
Suppose you have HK$500,000 to invest in the Hong Kong stock market. You are required to invest in one of the following five blue chip companies – A, B, C, D and E – or decide not to make any investment if an unfavourable investment environment is anticipated. You are required to submit a proposal and justify your choice.
Values and attitudes
In addition to acquiring knowledge on personal finance, this activity increases students’ awareness of the relationship between risks and returns to develop prudent values and attitudes towards personal finance.
Based on students’ learning needs, teachers may refer to Section 4.4.3 on grouping strategies to assign appropriate members to the groups.
Accounting module: evaluation of the financial performance of the company
Business management module: evaluation of the management excellence of the company
Knowledge
This learning task aims at developing students’
understanding of how business and investment decisions are affected by the dynamic business environment.
Generic skills
This activity enhances students’ critical thinking and problem-solving skills in evaluating business issues.
Evaluation of the financial performance of the company Task 2:
(a) Read the annual reports of the listed company you have chosen.
(b) Read the relevant chapters such as “management discussion and analysis” and “financial highlights”, focusing on the discussion of the company’s financial performance.
(c) Evaluate the performance of the company based on a financial analysis.
Evaluation of the quality of management in the company Task 3:
(a) Evaluate the contribution of management to business from professional perspectives.
(b) Search for information from newspapers, business journals, websites, etc. to investigate from various perspectives how the management of the company evaluated the business environment in order to identify opportunities for business development.
(c) Describe the contribution of the management skills of the company to its organisational performance.
Presentation of the proposal Task 4:
(a) Justify your investment choice from consolidating the analyses of the different areas studied. If an unfavourable investment environment is predicted and you decide not to make any investment, you should justify your decision.
(b) Present your arguments and submit your proposal.
Evaluation of the investment choice Task 5:
(a) Compare the share price after six months with the price on the date you made your investment.
(b) Analyse the investment results and compare them with your expectations.
Knowledge
This learning task helps students to analyse how the management reacts to the dynamic business environment in formulating strategic plans.
Generic skills
This activity develops skills in collecting and processing relevant business information and critical thinking skills in analysing
management performance.
Knowledge
It aims to develop students’ holistic understanding of business and help them to consider various perspectives in making decisions.
Generic skills
This learning task helps students to develop higher-order thinking skills as they need to synthesise the findings to make reasoned decisions. Their communication and interpersonal skills are also strengthened through collaborating with group members.
Students are expected to apply their IT skills to process and present the information.
Values and attitudes
It aims to develop students’ positive values and attitudes towards investment. Students have to make informed decisions and be aware of the investment risks.
Knowledge
This learning task aims at developing students’
understanding of the importance of financial reporting and the interpretation of accounting ratios.
Generic skills
This activity develops students’ ability to apply critical thinking skills in evaluating financial performance.
Teaching as “co-construction” – roles of teachers:
To stimulate students’ thinking and guide them to collect and analyse relevant information through scaffolding approach
To encourage students to ask questions instead of giving direct answers
To encourage active participation
To give feedback and suggest areas for improvement
To encourage students to reflect freely with less structured guidelines Learning as “co-construction” – roles of students:
To play an active role in the learning process by raising questions
To be aware of what and how to learn
To commit in the learning process and have control over their own learning
To interact with the teachers and the group members
To review and evaluate their learning performance to plan future learning Reflective journal
Task 6:
Write about your thoughts on the project with the help of the following questions.
(a) What have you learned from the activity?
(b) Give examples of your contributions to the activity.
(c) What obstacles have you faced?
(d) What strategies did you use in learning?
(e) Give examples of areas in which you could improve.
Values and attitudes
This learning task helps students to develop an awareness of and an interest in
constructing knowledge on their own. It enables them to become reflective and self-managed learners.