Value-based learning experiences

The MNE subject provides students with learning experiences based on the cultivation of values, and helps them build their moral and national qualities.

Curriculum planning should focus on helping students know how to realise and practise positive values in various domains.

However, the MNE subject is not intended to “instil” in students certain values, nor is it meant to require students to memorise the definitions of specific values.

Instead, the MNE subject provides students with life events of various domains as learning materials. The purpose is to enable students to uphold positive values and attitudes in addition to understanding the events themselves, and more importantly, to use positive values as the basis for judgement so as to accomplish the learning objectives of the MNE subject.

3.2.4 “Student-centred” and “school-based” curriculum planning

The MNE subject provides a flexible curriculum framework for schools to adjust the learning content by taking into account both the school contexts and the student needs so as to accomplish the learning objectives more effectively. The following are some suggested implementation strategies:

“Student-centred” adaptation

 If the school consists of students from different types of families, e.g. families with divorced parents, or families with parents separated geographically, or families that leave children in the care of relatives, teachers may adjust the learning content of the “Family Domain” according to students’ circumstances.

 If most students of the school come from families that hire foreign domestic helpers, teachers may include discussions on relevant topics when planning the

“Global Domain”. This will enable students to develop positive values and attitudes, including “care for others”, “equality” and “respect for others” towards people of diverse ethnic groups.

 If the school consists of many new arrivals from mainland China, when planning the “National Domain”, the school may include student-led learning activities or activities which involve students providing information. In addition to keeping track of the latest national development, the MNE subject can also provide students with lively and authentic learning experiences, enabling them to learn from one another. By doing so, the implementation of national education can take into account both passion and reason.

“School-based” adaptation

 For schools with a long history, the varied life experiences of their alumni, who have worked in different sectors of society for a long time, may serve as learning resources for the MNE subject. For example, when planning the “Social Domain”, the school may arrange some exchange programmes or work placements to enhance students’ understanding of the positive values and attitudes towards “working life”.

 Schools with a religious background have always emphasised the spiritual development of students as the main basis for cultivating their personal qualities and positive values. Such schools may combine their mission with the learning objectives of the MNE subject and design MNE curriculum content with school-based characteristics.

 Some schools may offer school-based curricula such as “Personal Growth”,

“Life Education”, “Moral Education” and “Service Learning” to cater for the needs of both the school and students. The school may consider integrating these school-based curricula with the MNE subject for better coordination and for more flexible and efficient timetabling and use of manpower and learning resources.

Primary and secondary schools that have allocated a slot for the MNE subject in their timetables may choose an implementation mode for the subject in response to their existing circumstances. For example, schools may (i) set regular lesson time for the MNE subject; (ii) integrate the MNE subject with some other learning experiences (such as morning assemblies and class teacher periods) and relevant school-based curricula (such as Life Education and Moral Education);

(iii) integrate and coordinate the MNE subject with life-wide learning experiences (such as service learning and mainland exchange programmes). The following modes may serve as references for the implementation of the MNE subject:

Figure 12: Suggested Implementation Mode 1 Suggested Implementation Mode 1

Converting some of the morning reading sessions to the MNE subject Primary/secondary schools may replace two morning reading sessions with MNE sessions:

Period Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Morning Assembly

MNE subject

Morning reading

Morning reading

Morning reading

MNE subject

1 *** *** *** *** ***

2 *** *** *** *** ***

*** Lessons for Key Learning Areas and subjects

Figure 13: Suggested Implementation Mode 2 Suggested Implementation Mode 2

Making flexible timetabling arrangements to make time for the MNE subject

Primary/secondary schools may reduce the duration of every session by five minutes two days each week and include an MNE session on these two days:

Period Monday Tuesday

1 *** ***

2 *** ***

3 *** ***

Recess

4 *** ***

5 *** ***

6 *** ***

Lunch

7 *** ***

8 *** ***

9 _subject ^MNE _subject ^MNE

Period Wednesday Thursday Friday

1 *** *** ***

2 *** *** ***

3 *** *** ***

Recess

4 *** *** ***

5 *** *** ***

6 *** *** ***

Lunch

7 *** *** ***

8 *** *** ***

***Lessons for Key Learning Areas and subjects

Figure 14: Suggested Implementation Mode 3

Figure 15: Suggested Implementation Mode 4 Suggested Implementation Mode 4 Coordination with the class teacher periods

Primary/secondary schools may convert two class teacher periods in the morning into MNE sessions; or link the MNE subject with the class teacher periods:

Period Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

Morning Assembly

1 Class teacher period

Class teacher period

Class teacher period/MNE

subject

Class teacher period/MNE

subject

Class teacher period

2 *** *** *** *** ***

Morning Break

3-6 *** *** *** *** ***

Lunch Break

*** Key Learning Areas and subjects

Suggested Implementation Mode 3

Coordination with relevant school-based curricula

Primary/secondary schools may replace the existing two-session Life Education Lesson (LEL) with the MNE subject, or link the MNE subject with LEL and teach MNE subject in LEL sessions:

Period Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

1-6 *** *** *** *** ***

Lunch

7 *** *** *** *** ***

8 *** *** *** ***

9 *** *** *** ***

LEL/MNE subject

*** Lessons for Key Learning Areas and subjects

Figure 16: Suggested Implementation Mode 5

In addition, schools may adopt a “mixed mode” by using a combination of the above arrangements based on the school contexts so that the lesson time can be arranged more efficiently. For example, schools may appoint a few teachers to implement the MNE subject to make timetabling more flexible and to allow better concentration of resources to facilitate the implementation of the MNE subject.

3.2.5 Dealing with differences in races and cultural backgrounds among