On-site Professional Support Services for Secondary Schools/Special Schools Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Education
Schools can apply for the following STEM education-related school-based support service:
Support Service Type I - Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Education
1. Support Service Coordinator
School-based Curriculum Development (Secondary) Section, Curriculum Support Division, Education Bureau
2. Area of Support
Curriculum development, learning and teaching of STEM education in secondary schools
3. Examples of Support Services
The curriculum support officers of the Education Bureau will collaborate with teachers on different aspects of STEM education. Some examples of the support services are as follows:
To strengthen the connection of knowledge and skills of Science, Technology and Mathematics Education KLAs, as well as the articulation in curricula and activities across year levels, through planning STEM education projects and learning activities, thereby deepening students’ learning in respective KLAs
To develop effective learning, teaching and assessment strategies such as the application of information technology and design thinking for building a solid knowledge base among students;
enhancing students’ interest in Science, Technology and Mathematics; nurturing their creativity, problem solving ability and entrepreneurial spirit to help them become self-directed learners; and integrating the cultivation of positive values and attitudes into STEM education
To cater for the diverse needs of students in STEM education, such as the learning needs of gifted students
To cultivate teachers’ curriculum leadership and strengthen their professional capacity
To establish a learning community in school and promote the culture of sharing and exchange among teachers
To promote experience sharing and professional exchange culture through inter-school professional network activities
4. Modes of Exchange and Collaboration
Support Service Type I
To promote curriculum leadership and facilitate exchange and collaboration among teachers, the following modes are adopted:
On-site Professional Support
In the light of the school’s context and developmental needs, curriculum support officers provide diversified collaborative support services, including reviewing and planning school-based curricula, lesson studies, assessment for learning, formulating development plan and professional development programmes (e.g. seminars, workshops and sharing sessions), as well as pedagogical designs. The primary aim is to promote curriculum leadership for strengthened professional capacity, refined professional practices and sustainable school development.
Support through Professional Network
Professional Network is complementary with the on-site professional support. It facilitates collegial sharing and dissemination of effective practices and resources, thus promoting inter-school sharing.
Differences between Support Service Type I and Type II Support Service Type I
Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Education
Support Service Type II Curriculum Leadership Learning Community on STEM Education Participants A core team of teachers of each
participating school
2 to 3 curriculum leaders (e.g. STEM coordinators and subject panel chairpersons) of each participating school
Modes Mainly on-site support Mainly inter-school sharing,
collaboration and reflection, with the support from curriculum support officers
Frequency of meetings
Comparatively more Comparatively less
Expectations on
participants
Develop school-based curriculum and conduct lesson study in collaboration with curriculum support officers
Explore strategies to cope with the specific issues in developing school- based curriculum, through sharing, collaboration and reflection on pedagogical practices
5. Expectations on Participating Schools
To make the best use of the support services, participating schools are expected to:
delegate a designated personnel, say a Vice Principal or a panel chairperson, to lead a core team of teachers to take forward the on-site professional support services, liaise with curriculum support officers and map out the collaboration work plan
schedule a common time slot for all school personnel involved for regular meetings (around 1.5 hours per week/cycle, preferably within the timetable) to ensure ample opportunities for professional discourse on curriculum development, collaborative lesson preparation, tryout and lesson observation, review and follow-up tasks, so that the communication and collaboration among teachers will be strengthened. Curriculum support officers would provide views and advice throughout, to step up curriculum leadership and professional capacity of teachers
share with other teachers their experience in school-based curriculum development and the materials and resources they develop, e.g. work plans, learning and teaching materials, research reports, student work, etc. (The copyright of these materials will be co-owned by the EDB and the schools concerned. The EDB also reserves the right to compile and refine the materials before disseminating them for educational purposes.)
observe strictly their legal obligations and, in all cases, comply with the Copyright Ordinance in developing school-based learning and teaching materials
6. Points to Note
The duration of support services normally lasts for one year.
The School-based Curriculum Development (Secondary) Section, in collaboration with teachers, generates knowledge from classroom practices, such as exemplars of learning and teaching, experiences in collaborative lesson planning etc., part of which has been uploaded to the Section’s homepage. For details, please visit the website: http://www.edb.gov.hk/sbss/sbcds
7. Enquiries
Mr CHENG Pak-chung
School-based Curriculum Development (Secondary) Section Tel: 2639 4704
E-mail: scsosbcds3@edb.gov.hk
