Understanding the language demands made on students can help teachers provide pedagogical support during critical transition periods, in turn helping English learners make a smooth transition to the next stage in their education. Through multi-stratal analysis of English textbooks in Hong Kong, this paper elucidated the differences in language demands made of students in different grades, particularly in terms of scope and complexity of choices in register and lexico-grammar. The analysis revealed two critical transition periods: the move from primary to junior secondary school and from junior secondary to senior secondary school. Different linguistic demands during these two transition periods require additional pedagogical support. Furthermore, this paper found a close correlation between the registerial progression indicated by the analysed texts and the learning targets for grades in the mandated English language curriculum. The lexico-grammatical progression revealed contributes to understanding the meaning of more complex stressed in the mandated curriculum. Copyright ©2021 Elsevier.

Aviation is an interdisciplinary subject that has influenced human development over the last century. Learning about aviation exposes students to principles of flight, language, earth science, aeronautical engineering, flight training and airmanship. In K-12 education, educators have started to encourage children to learn science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects via aviation-themed activities to develop future scientists and engineers. This study investigated upper primary students' motivations to learn STEM via engaging in flight simulation experiences. The sample consisted of 345 10- to 13-year-old Hong Kong students from 8 primary schools. A modified version of the 31-item Science Motivation Questionnaire II (SMQ II) with four subscales with a focus on aviation was used. The relationships between intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation, self-efficacy and peer support across gender and performance were examined. The data obtained were analysed using factor analysis and a regression model. According to our model, students are most strongly motivated by peer support, followed by intrinsic motivation, and they are least motivated by self-efficacy. As expected, our results indicate that a gender gap exists in aviation-themed STEM learning. These findings can help educators to better understand students' perceptions of aviation science and further develop related learning activities. Copyright ©2021 Springer.

The purpose of this study was to analyze the K-12 science standards of seven countries that have improved their engineering practices noticeably by integrating engineering and its elements into their science documents, namely, Australia, England, Estonia, Hong Kong, South Africa, Turkey, and the United States. For this purpose, K-12 science standard documents were examined vis-a-vis their inclusion and distribution of engineering and its elements across grade bands. Standards were analyzed through content analysis by employing the Framework for Quality K-12 Engineering Education. The results showed that the United States and to some extent Turkish standard documents had placed a particular emphasis on engineering. The number of standards relating to engineering is the highest in the United States and the lowest in Estonia. These standards across grade bands were distributed evenly in the documents of England and the United States. Science standard documents in early grades included few such standards. In light of the results, we discussed the extent and comprehensiveness of engineering integrated into the K-12 science standard documents and provided implications for integrating engineering elements into science standard documents. Copyright ©2021 Springer.

Purpose This study explores the learning and career motivation of the students who have chosen archival studies as their major in their master's degree programs, which has scant prior research. Design/methodology/approach The authors use a qualitative interview method to investigate the students' opinions and underlying reasons. Nine students from the University of Hong Kong (HKU) and University of British Columbia (UBC), both members of the iSchools, were interviewed. Considering the responses and research questions, the authors applied content analysis techniques to summarize data gathering from interviews into five themes to better interpret the meanings behind them. Findings Despite different development stages of archives sectors in Hong Kong and Canada, the learning and career motivation factors of these students from both universities share some similar characteristics and can also be divided into intrinsic factors (such as personal interests, personalities) and extrinsic factors (such as prior working experience, working environment, nature of archives work and development of the archives field). Both intrinsic and extrinsic factors significantly influenced them in choosing archival studies as major in their graduate studies. Practical implications These findings can help educators and professions review and improve the curricula as well as promote the profession to the public and attract more people to pursue their studies in the archives field. Originality/value Scant studies discussed the career development and education motivation of archivists, especially related to Asia. Copyright ©2021 Emerald Group Publishing Ltd.

For over a decade, STEM education has been developed as an integrative curriculum for promoting students' performance in the disciplines of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. However, its development in Hong Kong is still at an early stage, and more studies are necessary to explore the impact of STEM education on local students. In addition, gender stereotyping is a long-standing issue that needs to be addressed in information communications technology (ICT) education. Through surveys used to evaluate a local ICT training workshop in Hong Kong with 411 female students in junior secondary school, this study provides empirical evidence supporting the effectiveness of a STEM education program for promoting student development and alleviating gender stereotyping in ICT. The results showed that an inquiry-based model of learning, which focuses on students' problem-solving skills and analytical ability, significantly enhanced ICT self-efficacy and reduced perceived difficulties in using ICT. Moreover, ICT-related gender stereotyping was associated with both ICT self-efficacy and perceived difficulties in using ICT, indicating that gender stereotyping in ICT can be reduced by granting more ICT learning opportunities to female students. Although the perceived value of studying ICT did not show a statistically significant improvement as a result of the ICT workshop, perceived value played a critical role in moderating the effect of ICT self-efficacy on ICT-related gender stereotyping and mediated the relationship between perceived difficulties in using ICT and ICT-related gender stereotyping. It is recommended that more emphasis should be placed on promoting perceived values in future ICT programs. Copyright ©2021 Pergamon-Elsevier Science Ltd.

Field station research locations offer scientists isolation and immersion for more precise statistical analysis of climate change and environmental damage. As more art/science initiatives develop in academia, art students are gaining access to difficult scientific research sites and using the experience to fuel creative strategies. The methodology for offering a course that taps these into possibilities for the teaching of creativity remains little explored. Through a case study at the School of Creative Media in Hong Kong, this article examines how student expeditions that work adjacent to environmental scientists in extreme environments can be used for the teaching of creativity and artistic process as well as informing a larger public on climate issues. The structure of the program with detailed descriptions of sequenced proficiencies is presented. Both pedagogical philosophy and logistic issues will be discussed through the set-up and organizational structure of the course, the variety of teaching materials, assignments, dissemination and finally the exhibition and impact of the students' work. Using scientific resources with the goal of artistic interpretation, the pedagogy is designed to respond to the emerging potential of digital technologies in creative media. The results, both for the students and the public, demonstrate multimodal approaches that offer broader possibilities for learning and outreach that are both scalable and transferable. Copyright ©2021 SAGE Publications.

Purpose:Amid rapid technological development in the Fourth Industrial Revolution, this article engages with an important question, especially in the context of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education: Can technology itself transform teaching and learning? Design/Approach/Methods:Constructionist learning responds to the current "maker movement," which draws upon the innate human desire to make things with our hands. Two important elements of constructionist learning-technology literacy and engineering design-have implications for meeting the global need for expertise in the STEM disciplines. To date, the practice of teaching and learning mathematics remains to be dominated by manipulation of symbols with the paper-and-pencil medium. In response, this article discusses how constructionist learning can play an important role in teaching and learning school mathematics via a transdisciplinary approach for STEM education.Findings:Two examples of the authors' empirical research on constructionist learning in school mathematics classrooms with 3D printing are illustrated. Findings suggest that the 3D Printing Pens played an active role in the construction of artifact (physically) and mathematical meaning (cognitively).Originality/Value:The empirical results as discussed in this article warrant more design-based classroom interventions to further investigate students' constructionist learning in technological, hands-on, and innovation-oriented environments. Copyright ©2021 SAGE Publications.

In this paper, we explore the challenges experienced by a group of Primary 5 to 6 (age 12-14) students as they engaged in a series of problem-solving tasks through block-based programming. The challenges were analysed according to a taxonomy focusing on the presence of computational thinking (CT) elements in mathematics contexts: preparing problems, programming, create computational abstractions, as well as troubleshooting and debugging. Our results suggested that the challenges experienced by students were compounded by both having to learn the CT-based environment as well as to apply mathematical concepts and problem solving in that environment. Possible explanations for the observed challenges stemming from differences between CT and mathematical thinking are discussed in detail, along with suggestions towards improving the effectiveness of integrating CT into mathematics learning. This study provides evidence-based directions towards enriching mathematics education with computation. Copyright ©2021 SAGE Publications.

Background: Educators have divided and often strongly held views on whether service-learning should be required of all students. However, studies examining students' view on mandatory service-learning are limited in the literature. Purpose: This article contrasts and examines students' views toward a service-learning requirement at a Hong Kong university before and after attending a mandatory service-learning course, and any resulting changes. Methodology/Approach: This is a retrospective qualitative study using semistructured interviews. Participants were 49 students who completed a service-learning course in the 2013-2014 academic year. They were selected according to the nature of their performance in their completed course. Findings/Conclusions: Results show that students' perspectives toward service-learning are not static but rather change dramatically as a result of their experiences. Most students, even those who recalled being initially negative or resigned, reported positive views toward service-learning after completing the course. Implications: Students' initial resistance alone is not a reason for making service-learning optional. Some students have a negative view due to a lack of information or misinformation. Making it compulsory gives these students an opportunity to decide for themselves based on true experience, which, if implemented effectively, has the potential of nurturing initially hostile or inert students into more civic-minded citizens. Copyright ©2021 SAGE Publications.

In the context of increasing disciplinary interest in ‘geographies of education’, this article looks at the particular phenomenon of cross-border schooling (CBS), wherein children are involved in daily boundary crossing for education and engage in a (usually) arduous commute. Here, we draw upon a recent research project involving CBS at the Shenzhen–Hong Kong border. We consider three aspects of this border crossing that were significant in the project’s findings: the materialities of the border; the importance of routine (and rhythm); and the daily experience of tiredness and relentless exhaustion for the children and parents involved. The article also highlights the themes of ‘Changing Places’ (especially how they are known and experienced) and ‘Globalisation’. Copyright © 2021 Taylor & Francis Ltd.