All students, including those with disabilities, are entitled to participate in outdoor learning. However, previous research has found students with visual impairment in mainstream Hong Kong schools often encounter difficulties (and even exclusion) in learning activities conducted outdoors. The research reported here aimed to explore the reactions of students with visual impairment who participate in outdoor learning, and then to recommend solutions for overcoming any obstacles that they identify. A phenomenological inquiry approach was applied to examine data through the live experiences of the students. Their perceptions of the experiences offered by their schools were also collected. The key findings on the positive side were: First, most of the mainstream schools do provide outdoor learning opportunities to all students, including those with visual impairment. Second, some students with visual impairment love to participate in outdoor learning because they can acquire more real-life knowledge; and they can also socialize with different people. Third, students with visual impairment perceive that they can play a more active role (e.g. as a leader) in outdoor activities to help them learn effectively. Findings on the less positive side were: First, public's noninviting attitudes were perceived to be a difficulty the students encountered. Second, students with visual impairment tend to need more time to deal with other school work, and often reluctantly choose to withdraw from optional outdoor learning opportunities. Third, there are insufficient provisions made for their outdoor learning and community service. Implications of the findings for school policies and practices are discussed.

The New Senior Secondary (NSS) curriculum was launched among Hong Kong schools in 2009-10 school year. Under the NSS Curriculum framework, Other Learning Experiences (OLE), which requires students to participate in five areas of OLE, namely Moral and Civic Education, Community Service, Career-related Experiences, Aesthetic Development and Physical Development, is one of the three major components that complement the study of the four core subjects and 2-3 elective subjects for the whole person development of students. The study, mainly employing surveys together with mixed methods, aims to explore the impact of OLE, as a key curriculum component in the NSS curriculum, on students' approaches to learning. In 2010-11, two case study schools, with different features of OLE and with differing background characteristics were selected for a survey on students' approaches to learning over two school years. The survey, namely ‘Studying at School Inventory' (SASI) of 352 S4 students provides evidence of the impact of OLE with regard to learning approaches such as enhancing deep learning and effort. Although the results could not of themselves provide a warrant for a generalizable positive impact of OLE on students' approaches to learning and learning habits, it is reasonable to conclude that OLE has had a positive influence as indicated in policy documents, at the two case schools and in certain school contexts (e.g. year group, school culture, OLE leadership) and with regard to specific OLE component contexts (e.g. activity type, student motivation, pedagogy). The study illuminates the further study of OLE.

The purpose of this study is to explore the possible impact of short-term Mainland exchange programmes on the Hong Kong youths’ national identity. A study using both quantitative and qualitative methods was conducted in 2016/17 to investigate the students’ national identity. There were 676 secondary school students completed the survey and subsequent focus group interviews were conducted to examine whether there was any difference in their national identity after they returned from the Mainland exchange programmes. The results show that some of the participants’ cultural identity was enhanced while their national identity was not necessary strengthened. These findings were related to the structure and the objectives of the Mainland exchange programmes. The complexity of the formation of national and local identities will be discussed. This presentation will provide insights for schools to enhance meaningful Mainland exchange activities and inform policy makers ways to formulate effective strategies for promoting such activities. This study is supported by Public Policy Research (PPR) Grant.

14 students of the Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood Education) Programme joined a study tour to Brisbane , Australia in June 2016. One major objective of the tour was to participate as volunteers in a biennial festival, namely “Out of the Box (OOTB)” organized by Queensland Performing Arts Centre. Since 1992, OOTB festival has been “a national leader in programming for young children’s creativity and imagination” in Australia, providing a variety of free events, performances and workshops for young children under eight years old. As volunteers, students assisted the set-up and implementation of workshops, navigated school groups and teachers during their visits, and provided general administrative assistance. The practical work allowed students to reflect on their own value of arts and experienced different ways to enhance and nurture children's creativity and imagination. Besides, it was also a wonderful and valuable opportunity for the students to experience the cultural difference through working with the organizer, artists and volunteers from different countries. In addition to volunteer in OOTB festival, the students also visited numerous kindergartens and cultural institutions including museums and art gallery. These visits provided the students with a better understanding of early childhood arts education in Brisbane, Australia.

香港實行的中學新學制及西九文化區的建設為高等教育的課程重組、師資培訓、與社區接軌等方面帶來了契機，香港教育學院文化與創意藝術學系的課程設置也做了相應的調整。本文指出連貫的課程設置與培養有創意及有想象力的下一代是教改的關鍵，並從四個方面論述了課程重組與實施的策略：本科知識與教學法緊扣；正規課程與聯課活動(co-curricular activities) 聯系；開辦相關的音樂教育與文化藝術課程；課程善用社區資源。

Identity formation is a major development issue confronting adolescents (Erikson, 1968). By adopting Marcia’s (1966) identity status model and employing part of the Objective Measure of Ego Identity Status, the researcher examined a sample of Hong Kong secondary school students’ identity statuses in the four identity domain areas, say education, career, life-style, and friendship. It was found that 95.9% of the students can be categorized into a particular status, and 31.7%, 25.6%, 20.4%, 22.3% of the students were assigned as diffusion, foreclosure, moratorium, and achievement statuses respectively. Further statistical analysis has been conducted to unpack the relationship between the respondents’ identity statuses and personal characteristics, parents’ influence, and community service engagement. Implications for the enhancement of community service programmes at secondary schools will be discussed at the end.

宗教建築作為信徒聚集和舉行宗教活動的場所，不單是一個能讓人體驗和感受與日常生活不同氛圍的空間，同時亦因其建築風格、藝術特色，乃至建築和信徒群體的關係等，承載著群體和先賢的信仰和生命故事。因此，通過學習宗教建築能成為宗教教育的重要教學策略，促進學生提升靈性，並加深瞭解和認同天主教信仰種種生命故事中的價值觀。本文便以香港教育學院宗教教育與心靈教育中心和嘉諾撒聖心學校推行「宗教建築：生命的標誌」協作計劃為個案，探討如何以實地考察結合劇場和圖像等多種方式，讓宗教建築學習成為具創意和有效的學習經歷，幫助學生培養天主教價值觀。而學生的回饋既指出這一學習的成效，亦顯示宗教建築學習值得進一步推動和發展為校本經驗。

This paper reports the impacts of university-school partnership on the development of English language teachers’ capacities for self-regulated professional renewals. Two classroom based enquires were undertaken in two secondary schools in Hong Kong which aimed to enhance students’ ability in English reading comprehension. The two projects were conducted in Secondary 2 classes and a Secondary 4 classes respectively. In both projects, a cognitive approach was adopted to the learning of English as a second language, with the former focuses solely on vocabulary while the latter deals with both vocabulary and textual analysis. A case study method was adopted in understanding the impacts of the enquiries as experienced by the teachers. The investigative process occurred in a spiral of actions which began with problem identification, and continued with action planning, implementation, evaluation and then further planning. The action cycle engaged teachers in making critical reflection on their prior pedagogical practice and their understanding of learners’ needs. Data were collected through group discussions, lesson observation and semi-structured interviews. Findings show that while teachers acknowledged the benefits that the projects had brought to both teachers and students, they were aware of the limitations of such one-off projects and felt skeptical about the sustainability of the positive effects, if the issues of expertise, ownership and differing conceptions of goals are not properly addressed. This paper will first outline the enquiry cycles of the two projects, which will then be followed by the teachers’ reflection on the impacts of the projects on their pedagogy, as well as the challenges they encountered. It will then conclude with a discussion about the enabling conditions that would help empower teachers with the intellectual orientation and capacity for embedding the enquiries as part of their everyday professional lives.