This study aimed to explore the principals’ perspectives in terms of their understanding, support and expectation towards programming education among primary schools in Hong Kong. 147 primary school principals (30.2%) responded to the survey. The results indicated that all principals have positive perspectives towards programming education in all three aspects. Their major concern was the competency of teachers in teaching programming. They suggested that more teacher development courses should be provided to address this problem. Copyright © 2019 Central China Normal University.

This study was designed to explore how secondary students perceive the use of flipped classroom for learning computer programming. Specifically, it aimed to investigate the effects of flipped classroom on students’ learning and acquisition of programming knowledge and skills. Flipped classroom is known as a blended learning approach in which learning materials are delivered online, out of class for self-study in advance of classes, while homework assignments are transformed into class activities. This approach leverages technology and digital resources to support students in independent and online learning. It also enables teachers to minimize direct instruction and maximize student involvement in both teacher-student and student-student interactions. In this study, forty students from two Information and Communications Technology (ICT) classes (18 students in Secondary 4 and 22 in Secondary 5) in a Hong Kong secondary school were involved. Flipped classroom was adopted to teach students about computer programming topics (conditional, repetition and array) in both classes. Data were collected from a questionnaire and two interview sessions to explore students’ views on using flipped classroom to learn computer programming. The findings of this study indicate that students in the flipped classroom, regardless of their performance level, experienced stronger grasp of programming knowledge and higher engagement in learning programming concepts. Our findings also highlight limitations with this study that could be addressed in future work. Copyright © 2019 Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.

近年，本港中小學開始推行STEM教育，透過教導學生靈活地綜合運用科學、科技、工程和數學各方面的知識，致力培養學生「廿一世紀技能」，以應對新時代的挑戰。本文將會簡介STEM教育在香港推行的狀況，並探討當中面對的困難和挑戰。Recently, Hong Kong primary and secondary schools have been promoting STEM education. Teaching students how to flexibly integrate science, technology, engineering and mathematics knowledge facilitates them to equip themselves with “21st century skills” so that they can face the challenges of this new era. In this article, we briefly describe the implementation of STEM education in Hong Kong and discuss the challenges. Copyright © 2018 The Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups.

The purpose of this study was to examine creative thinking and learning in arts-infused education by using the invention kit Makey Makey as a platform for Human-Centred Design Instrument (HCDI). Data were collected from 249 adolescents (n = 249) from a Hong Kong secondary school in a participatory design format. They were selected for the STEAM project, which is provided through the school curriculum to examine the level of attitude change towards creativity through the creation of human-centred musical instruments for different age cohorts, including children (aged 3–6), adults and elderly people (aged over 65). The research objectives were concerned with the development of collaborative creative thinking through an HCDI and with how students combined and transformed new knowledge for everyday application with meaning – a breakthrough in musical instrument design for human needs. Questionnaires, observation and interviews were conducted to examine the students’ level of creative thinking. Based on a modification of the creativity measurement framework from the Runco Ideational Behavior Scale (RIBS), a significant increase in the attitude change of students’ creativity was shown from the paired-sample t-test in the dimensions of originality, flexibility, fluency and elaboration through the STEAM project. Copyright © 2019 Springer Nature Switzerland AG.

Multimedia-supported e-learning is considered useful as it can offer an enjoyable independent learning experience to learners. However, the effectiveness of e-learning for self-regulated science learning is still inconclusive. This study aimed to explore primary school students’ perceptions and experiences of self-regulated science learning in a multimedia-supported e-learning environment. A total of 11 classes from grades 3 to 6 from four Hong Kong schools participated in this study. All e-learning lessons were observed, and 33 (3 from each class) were interviewed using cognitive walkthroughs of how they made use of the multimedia resources and system tools, scaffolds, or prompts to direct their own learning in each of the three self-regulated learning phases (forethought, performance, and reflection). Results revealed that the combined use of the discussion forum and statistics table seemed to facilitate the students’ diagnosis of their prior knowledge of natural phenomena in the forethought phase. In the performance phase, the students mostly enjoyed learning with the graphic data, animations, and/or simulation experiments. Some perceived the prompts or tools from the e-learning system as useful for operation and science learning. In the reflection phase, the students self-assessed their learning using quizzes with emoticons as positive feedback which seemed to increase their enthusiasm for learning science. However, not all students were able to effectively use the system tools or prompts, to keep focused self-discipline, or to achieve deeper science learning without the teacher’s guidance. Hence, this study suggests providing more opportunities for students’ exposure to e-learning resources, while at the same time assisting them in the use of digital tools or resources, in adjusting their learning strategies, and in internalizing scientific ideas and inquiry processes so as to ensure more effective self-regulated science learning. Copyright © 2019 Springer Nature

Recently, more educators have argued for the need to attend to both the cognitive and the affective aspects of fieldwork in geographical and environmental education. Experientially based studies are seen as particularly valuable in understanding the fieldwork experiences of both students and teachers and what meanings they have derived from such experience. This study is a qualitative case study of two geography field trips for Secondary Four (Year 10) students of mixed abilities in a Hong Kong School. The teachers, focusing on the affective outcomes of fieldwork, were determined to let students attain unusual and memorable experiences by undergoing adventurous activities. The results revealed that while most students generally felt excited and delighted over the challenge, a number of students decided to withdraw from the experience. Students of higher academic achievement appeared to be more critical. Their frustrations were often related to academic learning and the lack of a collective learning atmosphere on the trips. The experience was characterized by a tension of purpose between academic learning on one hand, and fun and excitement on the other. Copyright © 2000 The authors.

為了推動STEM教育的深入發展，我國香港特別行政區相關機構相繼推出一系列檔，包括《STEM教育提升——釋放創新潛力》報告、《推動STEM+（科學、技術、工程和數學）教育》報告和《前線STEM教師支援政策研究報告》等。這幾個文件內容一脈相承，後面兩個文件是第一個文件的補充和擴展。在上述政策的指引下，香港中小學進行了STEM教育實踐。通過對香港中小學STEM教育的分析發現，香港STEM教育的推動具有如下特點：高度重視STEM教育發展，頂層設計，統一推進；在充分實證的基礎上制定相關策略；多方面協同推進，大力促進STEM教育的深入發展，具體包括更新科學、技術、數學教育課程，重視學生學習活動的參與，提供學和教的資源，提升學校和教師的專業發展，加強合作和宣傳好的實踐案例等；舉措具體可行；在所有中小學全面鋪開。我國香港特別行政區STEM教育的發展給了內地一定的啟示，包括：充分認識STEM教育的重要性和緊迫性，出台具體明確的STEM發展規劃；在充分調查的基礎上制定相關政策；多方面協同，共同推進，具體包括持續進行課程的更新、提供多種形式的豐富的教學資源、組織各類學習活動、與各個利益相關者進行合作、注重教師的專業發展、注重核心素養的培養；全面鋪開。STEM education is being attempted and practiced in many countries (regions) nowadays. Related organizations of Hong Kong launch series of files to promote STEM education, including Report on Promotion of STEM Education Unleashing Potential in Innovation, Propelling STEM+ (Science, Technology, Project and Mathematics) Education and Research Report of Supporting Policy of Teachers on the Front. The contents of these files come down in one continuous line, the following two files are the supplement and extension of the first file. These files show that promotion of STEM education of Hong Kong has following characteristics: attaching importance to STEM education, designing in the top and promoting it consistently; making policy based on empirical research; promoting STEM education adopting multiple measures collaboratively; action is specific and feasible; spreading in all schools in Hong Kong. This brings to us many enlightenment: fully recognizing the importance and urgency of STEM education,and introducing specific STEM development programs; making policy based on empirical research; promoting STEM education adopting multiple measures collaboratively; having STEM education in more schools, including elementary and secondary school located in western areas and the countryside. Copyright © 2019 信陽師範學院.