Building on Strengths: Change and Challenge in Curriculum Development in Hong Kong

1. Building on Strengths:Change and Challenge in Curriculum Development in Hong Kong Curriculum Development Institute Education and Manpower Bureau 25 February 2005

2. Where are we? • What have we achieved? • What are the connections between Basic Education and New Senior Secondary Education? • How to prepare for NSS?

3. Where are we?

4. Seven Learning Goals

7. Curriculum in Basic Education : Foundation for Senior Secondary Education

8. Focus of Curriculum reform Develop in students • Generic Skills • Values and Attitudes Strengthen • Cross-curricular learning • Catering for learner diversity Implement • Four key tasks • Assessment for learning • Life wide learning

9. Promote Learning to Learn through 4 Key Tasks Reading to Learn Moral & Civic Education IT for Interactive Learning Project Learning

10. Building on Strengths • High quality & equality • Low achievement gap between high & low SEN students • A very hardworking work force strong in subject expertise • Strong demand for professional development opportunities • More professional and intellectual discourse focussing on students • School-based adaptations to various initiatives

11. What have we achieved?

12. Attitudes towards Curriculum Reform Some Survey Results (2001-04) (1) • Agreement with Aims and Principles of Curriculum Reform: 75-99% • The order ofextent of agreementSchool heads > the KLA heads > the KLA teachers • Confidence and Perceived Competence in Implementing Strategies of Curriculum Reform • Confidence of the heads and KLA teachers:moderate to high • In most areas, respondents’ perceived competence:moderate to high • Respondents’ confidence level and perceived competence werehighly correlated

13. Items in Curriculum Reform beneficial to students’ learning Some Survey Results (2001-04) (2) • Strategic planning and school-based curriculum development • Reduce the time spent on tests and examinations. Use diversified assessment tasks to obtain feedback on learning and teaching. • Help students to develop the generic skills and establish their values and attitude • Four Key Tasks – especially Project learning

14. Some Survey Results (2001-04) (3) Perceived Impacts on Students As from Secondary School Heads: 1. Communication skills 2. Learning Performance 3. Learning Interest 4. Creativity 5. Respecting Others 6. Responsibility 7. Learning Motivation 8. Critical thinking skills As from Primary School Heads: 1. Communication skills 2. Learning Interest 3. Learning Performance 4. Respecting Others 5. Creativity 6. Learning Motivation 7. Critical thinking skills 8. Responsibility 9. Commitment 10. National Identity 11. Perseverance

15. Perceived Impacts on Schools Some Survey Results (2001-04) (4) • General speaking, more than 50% of school heads reported significant improvements in nine areas: 1. Relationship between school and teachers 2. Relationship between school and parents 3. Team culture among teaching staff 4. School as a learning community 5. Relationship between teachers and students 6. Development of school resources 7. Morale of the teaching staff 8. Teachers’ enthusiasm • However, about 80% of school heads reported undermining of “teachers’ workload”.

16. Perceived Impacts on School Heads Some Survey Results (2001-04) (5) The majority of school heads reported personal improvements since leading the curriculum reform in five aspects: 1. Professional development (80.8% - 86.0%) 2. Collaboration with teachers (75.9% - 82.7%) 3. Confidence in leading the school curriculum development (73.4% - 81.9%) 4. Competence in leading the school curriculum development (67.5% - 81.1%) 5. Leadership competence (62.2% - 71.6%)

17. Some Survey Results (2001-04) (6)

18. Some Survey Results (2001-04) (7)

19. Some Survey Results (2001-04) (8)

20. What are the connections between Basic Education and New Senior Secondary Education?

21. New Senior Secondary & Basic EducationCurriculum Framework 4Core Subjects: Chinese Language, English Language, Mathematics, Liberal Studies 2-3 Elective Subjects out of 20 subjects or out of courses in career-oriented studies Other Learning Experiencesincluding moral and civic education, community service, aesthetic and physical experiences and work-related experiences (e.g. job attachment) NSS Generic Skill Value & Attitude P1- S3 General Studies

22. Whole-person development with diversification • Learning to learn & Life-long learning

23. Brief Introduction to New Senior Secondary (NSS) Education

24. New Structure (“3+3+4”) Current Structure (“3+2+2+3”) 3-Year Undergraduate Degree 4-Year Undergraduate Degree HKALE New public examination leading to HK Diploma of Secondary Education Secondary 7 Secondary 6 Senior Secondary 3 HKCEE Secondary 5 Senior Secondary 2 Secondary 4 Senior Secondary 1 Secondary 3 Secondary 3 Secondary 2 Secondary 2 Secondary 1 Secondary 1 A Comparison of the Current and the New Academic Structures

25. Benefits of Change “3+2+2+3” “3+3+4 ” because: Reducing one public examination Increasing learning time and space and enhancing learning effectiveness All students study Secondary 6 Meeting the challenges of the knowledge-based society of HK More choices in senior secondary Developing the full potential of students with different aptitudes and interests More pathways for further study and work Providing opportunities for students to be successful in life

26. Multiple Pathways

27. CURRICULUM

28. PRESENT S6-7 C E Arts Science S4-5 C E M Arts Science Commercial Technical Basic Education (8 KLAs) C E M PSHE Sci Tech Arts PE Reform in Basic Education: Learning to Learn Since 2001

29. Seven learning goals for NSS Curriculum • To be biliterate and trilingual • To acquire a broad knowledge base, and be able to understandcontemporary issues that may impact on their daily life at personal, community, national and global levels • To be an informed and responsible citizen • To be a critical, reflective and independent thinker • To acquire IT & other skills for being a lifelong learner • To understand one’s career/academic aspirations and develop positive attitudes towards work and learning • To lead a healthy life style with active participation in aesthetic and physical activities

30. Guiding Principles for curriculum design Balance between breadth (overall design & LS) & depth (Xs) Balance between theoretical & applied learning (Xs & COC, Core & elective parts in each subjects) Flexible & diversified – time allocation, timetabling Learning how to learn & enquiry-based learning Smoother articulation to multiple pathways(varied combinations of elective subjects & COC) Greater coherence (LS to complement Xs subjects, KLAs in basic education)

31. Curriculum for 3+3 2-3Xs C E M NSS Other Learning Experiences LS Junior Secondary C E M PSHE Sci Tech Arts PE Other Learning Experiences

32. New Curriculum 4 Core Subjects:Chinese Language, English Language, Mathematics, Liberal Studies 2-3 Elective Subjects out of 20 subjects or out of courses in career-oriented studies Other Learning Experiencesincluding moral and civic education, community service, aesthetic and physical experiences and work-related experiences (e.g. job attachment) 45-55% 20-30% 15-35%

33. Proposed Subjects

34. Liberal Studies Why is it a core subject? To ensure that students experience a broad education in their senior secondary years What does it provide to students? Chinese Language X1 • study contemporary events not covered by any single disciplines (Awareness) • expand perspectives beyond single disciplines (Broadening) • connect knowledge and concepts across different disciplines (Connecting & Critical thinking) English Language X2 Issues in Liberal Studies Other Learning Experiences X3 Mathematics

35. Career-oriented Studies • Taken as alternatives to elective subjects at SS2 and SS3 • Applied learning courses over two years, in areas important to HK’s cultural and economic development • Accredited and quality assured • Offered by tertiary providers working in conjunction with schools • Linked to employment and further education especially to sub-degree qualifications • Schools may offer any number of career-oriented studies through networked arrangements with other schools and tertiary providers

36. Career-oriented studies: current COC courses BUSINESS Business Enterprise Taking Off in the Retail World Basic Event Operations Event and Project Management Logistics Fundamentals ARTS & MEDIA 3D Computer Animation Cartoon Character Design Multimedia Game Design MIDI Computer Music Basic Training in Digital Music Production Video Production DESIGN Fundamental Jewellery Fundamental Fashion and Image Design Fashion Design Hair Design PERFORMING ARTS Make-up and Body Painting Carnival Entertainer Training ENGINEERING Fundamental Building Services Fundamental Vehicle Servicing Creative Technology Industrial Control Technology Architectural Design and Model Making INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY Computer Networking Creative Multimedia Studies FOOD PRODUCTION AND MANAGEMENT Fundamental Food and Beverage Service Food & Beverage Service Management Fundamental Western Food Preparation Foundation Hotel Chinese Catering Operation SERVICES Beauty Therapy Social Service Support LEISURE AND TOURISM Introduction to Leisure and Tourism Studies Fundamental Travel and Tourism Services

37. Narrowing or diversifying choices? Streaming into arts, sciences, technical and commercial abolished Choices from a wider range of KLAs & COC Choices catering for interest and aptitude in each subject Broadening in LS complementing depth in elective subjects Other learning experiences-moral and civic education, 5% aesthetic experience, 5% physical activities, enhancement, other languages

38. From 43 to 24 subjects? Broadening the professional expertise Migration to new subjects, re-organization for cohesive design and learning Extended part of Maths as Core subject – Additional Maths, Maths & Statistics Better served in Career-oriented studies (e.g. Accommodation and catering services, textiles, Fashion and clothing) To be phased out before 2008 due to small candidature & out-dated contents (e.g. human biology, engineering science, technical drawing, textiles)

39. Migration to new subjects Economic and Public Affairs Government and Public Affairs Social Studies Integrated Humanities Science & Technology Liberal Studies Design and Applied Technology Design & Technology Electronics and Electricity Graphical Communication Technological Studies Business, Accounting And Financial Studies Commerce Principles of Accounts Chinese Language Putonghua

40. Record of other learning experiences Other achievements & awards Internal Results HKDSE Student Learning Profile HKCEE HKALE

41. Interface & Insights Learning to learn & Whole person development • Broaden the knowledge base & life-wide learning • Enquiry Learning & Key Tasks • Make good use of textbooks and other learning and teaching resources

42. Interface & Insights • Arts & science complementing each other & broad and balanced curriculum • Critical, independent thinking & generic skills • School-based assessment & diversified assessment • Space for teachers & team work • Liberal Studies, Cross-curricular learning in KLAs, project learning & General Studies

43. From Basic Education to Senior Secondary – an example from LS • General Studies in primary schools also emphasizethe development of cross-curricular learning, expanding perspectives of students and strengthening students’ critical thinking(about 70% primary schools have started cross-curricular planning) • Project learning is one of the four key tasks in Basic Education curriculum reform

44. From Basic Education to Senior Secondary – an example from LS • Many schools have already started implementing cross-curricular planning at junior secondary levels,e.g. civic education, life education & thinking skills. About 160 secondary schools have offered integrated curriculum. • The curriculum developed have taken into consideration individual school context and the experience gained could provide solid foundation paving the way for the implementation of Liberal Studies in NSS.

45. What could schools/principals/ teachers do? What have schools done?

46. Findings from KLA Survey: Areas of Strengths & Areas that need strengthening

47. 中文 • School-based Curriculum Development 51% - started implementation • Texts: from Prescribed to Flexible 99% - using diversified learning materials 97% - design according to learning objectives • Assessment for Learning 94% - using diversified assessment modes CHINESE LANGUAGE EDUCATION ACHIEVEMENTS AT JUNIOR SECONDARY LEVEL • Literature Learning Strengthened

48. Professional Development Opportunities 82% - on curriculum organization 80% - on assessment for learning • Public Exam Reform 2007 – Standard-referenced Assessment & School-based Assessment CHINESE LANGUAGE EDUCATION AREAS NEED STRENGTHENING

49. English Language Education Areas of Strength: • In general, teachers' confidence and perceived competence in implementing curriculum reform strategies is high. • More schools are receptive to the adoption of diversified modes of assessment. • Students' communication skills, creativity, motivation and interest in learning, and positive values and attitudes are perceived to have improved.

50. English Language Education Areas that need strengthening: • Organising the school-based curriculum following the direction of the central curriculum framework • Using the Key Tasks, in particular Project Learning and Information Technology for Interactive Leaning, as an entry point for implementing the curriculum reform • Developing students' critical thinking skills