STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education is vital for incubating future scientists, engineers, and inventors. Teaching and learning in STEM education require teachers and students to employ design thinking and multi-disciplinary knowledge to formulate new solutions for emerging problems. School teachers are facing multiple challenges in implementing STEM education. With the application of the Self-efficacy and stages of concern theories, this quantitative study (with 235 teacher respondents) aims to unearth Hong Kong teachers’ responses regarding STEM education. The results show that 5.53% of the respondents regard themselves as “well prepared” for STEM education. On the other hand, the respondents have intense “information”, “management”, and “consequence” concerns about implementing STEM education in schools. The findings reflect that there is an urgent need to provide teachers with articulated professional development, pedagogic support, and curricular resources for empowering them to implement STEM education in practice.
[Copyright of The Asia - Pacific Education Researcher is the property of Springer Science & Business Media. Full article may be available at the publisher's website:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s40299-018-0414-1]

Although there are studies showing that higher education would benefit university students, empirical research that comprehensively assesses student general education learning outcomes and related demographic correlates based on longitudinal data is minimal, especially in the Chinese context. To address the research gaps, the present study was conducted to investigate learning outcomes amongst university students in one university in Hong Kong based on a four-year longitudinal design (N = 460). Four dimensions of student general education learning outcomes were measured, including effective reasoning and problem solving, leadership, moral character, and integration of learning. Results suggested a U-shaped pattern of student learning outcomes for most dimensions, with no improvement or even a decrement in the second year and a steady growth thereafter. While family background did not affect student development, gender showed a significant moderating effect on students’ development in two dimensions (i.e., effective reasoning and problem solving, and integration of learning). These findings suggest that students benefit from general education-embedded university study in multiple dimensions, especially after the first year of transition period. Practical implications of the findings and future research directions were also discussed.
[Copyright of Applied Research in Quality of Life is the property of Springer Netherlands. Full article may be available at the publisher's website:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11482-018-9645-9]

This article explores how the past mobilities of academics affect their current research output (and its multidisciplinarity). Five types of mobility are used simultaneously in the analysis. Field mobility and transnational educational mobility are associated with academics' educational path, whereas transnational job mobility, intra-sectoral job mobility and inter-sectoral job mobility refer to their career path. The analysis is based on a representative sample of academics based in Hong Kong and Macau. Results show that intra-sectoral job mobility (up to a threshold) and transnational job mobility positively affect research output and its multidisciplinarity, whereas inter-sectoral job mobility, field mobility and transnational educational mobility exert slight or no effect. Nested analyses of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) and non-STEM academics as well as experienced and junior academics offer further insight into the roles of these mobilities. Impacts of mobile experience were stronger among junior than senior academics, and in STEM fields than non-STEM fields. The article discusses these findings along with the significance of considering mobilities rather than mobility when analysing academic trajectories and the determinants of academic research production.
[Copyright of Higher Education Quarterly is the property of Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd.. Full article may be available at the publisher's website:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/hequ.12161 ]

This paper presents the design and implementation of a technological literacy course in professional development training for a diverse group of in-service primary teachers in Hong Kong. A set of micro-controlling hardware was chosen such that not only the controlling and coding barriers are acceptable to the teachers but that their pupils can also adopt the easy-to-use hardware and software to create STEM projects in primary schools. The hands-on training seeks to broaden their technological experiences in various interfacing and sensing activities. The coding challenge is reduced by introducing visual programming, thereby allowing the learners to focus on real- world problems in the STEM disciplines. Details of the course are provided and the assessment projects by Engineering Design Process are illustrated in this paper. The quantitative evaluation of teachers in their micro-controlling experience is provided. Copyright © 2018 by IEEE.

香港高校自2012年起推行四年新學制以及新的課程架構，其特點為：(1)課程理念與目標已經超出傳統學術與智性發展範疇，開始融入與共通能力、態度有關的元素。(2)課程架構以必修課與分佈選修結合為主要特徵。分佈選修的範疇圍繞人文與藝術、社會與文化、科學與技術三大知識領域展開，必修科目的內容存在明顯差異，有的大學圍繞智性探究，有的大學還在智性探究範疇之外增加語言溝通、共通技能、統整融合的元素。(3)課程內容超越知識探究，關注當代社會重要議題以及未來生活需具備的能力與素質。(4)課程發展採取成果為本方法。(5)建立完善的質素保證機制，對通識課程進行定期檢討，從不同管道搜集持份者意見，對通識課程、教學做出持續改進。A new academic system and new curriculum has been implemented in Hong Kong higher education since 2012. This paper reviews the factors that affect the change of general education in Hong Kong and outlines the characteristics of general education(GE)in Hong Kong since2012. Five characteristics can be identified: 1)The purposes and objectives of GE curriculum has gone beyond the domain of academic study and intellectual inquiry and infused generic skills and attitudes into the new curriculum; 2)Most higher education institutions have adopted a structure of core curriculum and distributive requirement; 3)The themes of curriculum address important issues in the current era; 4)Outcome-based approach has been adopted in the curriculum development across the institutions; 5)Quality assurance scheme has been established to monitor the implementation and quality of overall teaching and learning with general education included as one component. Copyright © 2018 武漢理工大學；中國交通教育研究會高教研究分會；高教研究分會.

Liberal Studies was initially introduced as a non-statutory subject in Hong Kong in 1992. It then confronted intense opposition and a bumpy implementation path before securing mandatory status in the new senior secondary curriculum introduced in 2009. Recently, this core subject has been under review. Whilst it is considered to promote students' socio-political participation, the subject has also been accused of triggering antagonism towards the government. In view of these concerns, this article probes teachers' perceptions of the recent development of Liberal Studies and examines the dynamic interplay between the curriculum review and the potential political controversies surrounding the subject in post-colonial Hong Kong. Reporting the results of a study comprising questionnaire-based surveys and follow-up semi-structured interviews, it reveals that whilst teachers are worried about the proposed reduction of socio-political topics in the curriculum, they approve of incorporating additional China-related content. Furthermore, the participating teachers praised Liberal Studies for its notable impact on raising students' social consciousness, which has motivated them to learn about community affairs and fight for justice. Finally, the article also explores the study's profound implications for the further development of Liberal Studies and citizenship education in Hong Kong and beyond.
[Copyright of Oxford Review of Education is the property of Routledge.]

Despite the growing advocacy for implementing leisure education in schools, its application lags behind its global expectations. Unlike the US trend of 'back to basics' educational philosophy which prioritizes the learning of core subjects over leisure related subjects, countries in Asia have been changing their curricula to nurture the whole person development and thus paving the way for infusing leisure education into school systems. One example is Hong Kong which has undergone a major education reform in the last two decades. Even though scholars have suggested numerous channels and strategies for leisure education in schools, a lucid framework which takes into account the views of those for which leisure education in planned was not developed. This study is to explore the underlying dimensions of leisure education as it is manifested by teachers' and students' views. A Seventeen-item questionnaire has been submitted to 105 teachers and 1187 students from seven schools geographically distributed around Hong Kong. Responses were analyzed through Smallest Space Analysis (SSA). The SSA solutions among both students and teachers have yield three-dimensional solution with coefficient of alienation .14. The solutions indicated a division to five dimensions: values and attitudes, self-development, motivation, ends and means and education among teachers and three combined dimensions among students: motivation and ends and means, self-motivation and education which includes active engagement, and values and attitudes. The identified dimensions resonate well with the suggested channels and strategies for leisure education in schools which incorporate various offerings, freedom of choice, trial and error and experiential learning. Whereas this similarity could facilitate the utilization of leisure education in schools, there is a need to consider the nature, strategy and context of such implementation. The paper addresses these challenges and draws implications for teacher training

The world is increasingly recognising the importance of addressing key issues such as climate change, environmental protection and clean air and water through initiatives such as Agenda 21 (United Nations, 1993), and the Sustainable Development Goals (United Nations, 2016). In 2013 Hong Kong Institute of Education launched a one-year full-time Master of Arts in Education for Sustainability degree, targeted at an international audience. The program is an educational innovation that seeks to graduate students who will reform the contemporary world. The first cohort commenced in September 2014, and this research investigates the motivations of students who enrolled in the first three cohorts of the program, particularly • where the students come from • their undergraduate background • their reasons for enrolling in the program • what they learned from the program • where they are now • whether the program changed their career directions. All students enrolled to date were to complete a questionnaire that addressed the above questions (approximately 100 students). Their responses were analysed thematically and provide insight into the role of the Masters degree in developing graduates' abilities to reform the contemporary world. This is particularly important in the Hong Kong SAR and China because most graduates come from mainland China, and China recently released its 13th Five-Year Plan on Education Development (CPC, 2017). The Plan defines the requirements for implementing ESD at all education levels in China for the next five years. This paper reports on how well prepared the students feel to work towards these goals in China and elsewhere.

Purpose: This paper aims at review the rationale of STEM education in business subjects prospective. STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) education is a new trend in the Asia-Pacific region in the recent years, such as Singapore and Japan. Through studying others countries experience, it discuss the missing link of STEM education in Hong Kong. Methodology: First of all, it describes the purpose of STEM education and recent development in Hong Kong secondary school by reviewing HKSAR STEM education report. Second, there are two STEM education sample schools from western country and Singapore. It discusses the purpose of promoting entrepreneurial STEM education in these countries. Finally, compare with others countries, it try to identify the missing link between business education and STEM education by reviewing Hong Kong's entrepreneurial education. Result: Although entrepreneurial education is mature and supported by professional parties in Hong Kong, there is a gap for business subjects to enhance the effectiveness of STEM education by integrating entrepreneurial education into STEM education, especially in secondary level. Conclusion and discussion: It is necessary to provide authentic learning for students from private and public sector commitment. Cross subject collaboration for professional development should also developed at secondary school. It aims at not only accommodating the purpose of Hong Kong STEM education, but also enhance teachers' collaboration and students' cross subject integration competence in problem solving with various stakeholders' support.

Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus (SCUBA) diving is always regarded as a risky activity to be conducted as an extra-curricular activity in the schools of Hong Kong. However, it provides a golden opportunity for students to experience the marine nature and serves as an excellent pedagogical tool of field based learning on the environmental education. The presentation will report a case study of an international school in Hong Kong on how they utilize SCUBA diving as a tool to enhance their students' knowledge about ocean and to foster the pro-environmental attitude. The teachers of the school have developed a tailor-made curriculum using problem-based approach, articulating with the discussion of current local environmental issues on marine conservation. The students have been forming a team to join the annual global citizen-scientist programme, Reef Check, to contribute their effort in revealing the health of coral community system in Hong Kong. A mixed research method, which includes semi-structured interviews of teachers, current students and alumni, and the self-administered questionnaire for them, was adopted in the study to evaluate the ocean literacy and pro-environmental attitude of the students and the effectiveness of the programme. The difficulties faced by both the teachers and the students throughout the implementation period of the programme will be reported. The opportunity and the challenge to run such a programme in the local school will be discussed, which would provide significant insights to other local schools conducting similar field-based learning and teaching activities.