Wing Mui Winnie 蘇詠梅 So

The interactive use of a video database in teacher education: Creating a knowledge base for teaching through a learning community

This study explores how pre-service student teachers acquired knowledge of good teaching practices through the interactive use of a video database and an online discussion forum, where the student teachers shared their teaching videos and received comments or suggestions from members of a learning community. A small group of student teachers was involved in this collaborative learning community during their teaching practicum in their third and fourth years of study. Content analysis of the sharing in the discussion forum and individual student teacher reflections provides insight into the use of a collaborative learning community to create a knowledge base for teaching. Suggestions regarding how this new technology can support teacher education are discussed.

A study of building a resource-based learning environment with the inquiry learning approach: Knowledge of family trees

This study aims to provide teachers with ways and means to facilitate learners to develop nomenclature knowledge of family trees through the establishment of resource-based learning environments (RBLEs). It discusses the design of an RBLE in the classroom by selecting an appropriate context with the assistance of computer-mediated learning resources and tools and employing the inquiry learning approach as the pedagogy. This study reports on the creation of the RBLE within the learning context of family trees. The computer-mediated learning resources and tools comprise three components: an audio-visual database for guided and coupled inquiry, an interactive interface for conceptualising the nomenclature and a tool for learners to construct their own family trees. Scaffolds were designed for an inquiry mode of learning and teaching to support the use of the resources and tools in learning about family trees. The learning and teaching process, including the outcomes for learners, through the RBLE with inquiry learning approach are studied. The findings of an interview and a pre-test/post-test study indicate that the RBLE can assist learners to build knowledge of family trees. The role of teachers in such an environment is to guide and encourage learners to inquire during the learning process.

Analysing teacher professional development through professional dialogue: an investigation into a university–school partnership project on enquiry learning

Although extensive research has been carried out on university–school partnerships, there is a lack of evidence and discussion about how universities or external parties may promote professional development through professional dialogue in schools. Based on a two-year university–school partnership project on enquiry learning, this study aims at empowering teachers to cultivate students’ ability in enquiry learning through professional dialogue. The findings show that the university support team created the fundamental basis for professional dialogue by conveying information regarding enquiry learning, introducing new pedagogies, conducting lesson observations and reviewing school-based teaching materials. In addition, the support team sustained the dialogue by promoting collaborative work, including analysing students’ assignments and configuring ways to address diverse student needs with the teachers. Through professional dialogue, the teachers in this study were able to familiarise themselves with enquiry learning and gain confidence in adopting new pedagogies to facilitate student learning.

Research and Development of a New Waste Collection Bin to Facilitate Education in Plastic Recycling.

ABSTRACT Plastic recycling has been an alternative method for solid waste management apart from landfill and incineration. However, recycling quality is affected when all plastics are discarded into a single recycling bin that increases cross contaminations and operation cost to the recycling industry. Following the engineering design process, a new eight-compartment plastic waste collection bin is designed to facilitate plastic recycling and sorting at source, which also provides insight to educators about problem solving on environmental issues. The volumes of plastic wastes collected match the design dimensions well. Further education about plastic recycling is required to improve the recycling quality.

Views of Primary Science Teachers Towards the Use of Online Resources to Support the Implementation of Inquiry Learning.

This study investigates Hong Kong primary science teachers’ understandings of inquiry learning, perceived difficulties in implementing inquiry learning, as well as their current practices of and resistance to using online resources, in order to identify their needs and propose suggestions to address these needs. An online survey has been used to collect data from the primary science teachers taking part in a professional development course. Simple descriptive analyses of the data show that although the teachers’ conceptions of inquiry learning seem to match well with the idea of inquiry learning in general, their misconceptions and high level of perceived difficulties in implementing inquiry learning warrant our attention. As for teachers’ use of online resources, it is found that traditional Web 1.0 resources are more commonly used, and when these online resources are used, teachers take the more dominant role in using them to support lecturing and explaining. Moreover, some associations between inquiry practices and use of online resources are observed. Accordingly, ways to overcome challenges in implementing inquiry learning and using online resources for the teaching and learning of science are discussed.

Education for sustainability using a campus eco-garden as a learning environment

Purpose This paper aims to explore stakeholder perspectives of the role of a campus eco-garden in education for sustainability (EfS). It will combine the perspectives to highlight a powerful learning environment (PLE) for university students to realize the concept of EfS. Design/methodology/approach Semi-structured interviews were conducted to reveal stakeholder understandings of a campus eco-garden, as well as its associated expectations of learning activities and education outcomes. Three stakeholder groups were interviewed; designers, educators and environmental and non-environmental subject-related students. Findings All three stakeholder groups expected cognitive learning of EfS to be enhanced by the eco-garden. The use of affective learning was not strongly expected by the stakeholders. Psychomotor learning was believed to be the most difficult to realize. To fulfill the potential of the eco-garden in EfS, all stakeholders suggested learning activities and roles for both students and teachers. The combined perspectives of the stakeholders helped to visualize a PLE to aid EfS. Practical implications This study underlines the importance of effective communication of expectations between stakeholders. It underlines the importance of integrating educational activities with the eco-garden as a PLE, highlighting the roles of teachers and students. It also sheds light on the importance of introducing a cultural component to the EfS program. Originality/value This is the first study to apply the PLE theory to enhance EfS with the aid of infrastructure. Both users and designers reveal their views on the planning of the campus eco-garden, especially in its educational function. The study is possibly the first to reveal the differences in expectations between designers and other stakeholder groups (teachers and students) using Konings et al.’s (2005) combination-of-perspectives model.

Comparing pedagogies for plastic waste management at university level

Purpose This paper aims to compare the learning outcomes of gaming simulation and guided inquiry in sustainability education on plastic waste management. The current study targets the identification of success factors in these teaching approaches. Design/methodology/approach This study used a quasi-experimental design with undergraduate participants who were randomly assigned to an eight-hour sustainability education class using either gaming simulation or guided inquiry. Pre- and post-tests on students’ knowledge, attitudes and intended behavior were conducted, followed by individual interviews to provide more detailed reflections on the teaching approach to which they were assigned. Findings In terms of knowledge acquisition and behavioral changes, the quantitative results suggested that the pre-/post-test in-group differences were significant in both groups. More importantly, a significant positive attitudinal change was observed in the gaming simulation group only. In the interviews, participants attributed effective knowledge acquisition to active learning element in class, while the characterization of cognitive dissonance triggered in the gaming simulation induced subsequent affective changes. Practical implications Activities in this program can be applied or modified to accommodate differences in other similar programs. The findings can also provide indicators to designs of similar programs in the future. Originality/value This paper explores plausible factors (ideology and implementation) that contribute to successful sustainability education programs. Through comparison between gaming simulation and guided inquiry, elements for effective education for sustainable development learning in the pedagogical designs are discussed.

Environmental governance in Hong Kong – Moving towards multi-level participation

National or regional policy, regulatory framework and administration/dissemination constitute governance. Environmental governance is distinctive because advice to policy formation implies a bottom-up, participative and collaborative structure and set of processes. Solving environmental problems, which involves community engagement, inevitably invites a more diverse participation. This often creates tensions between government and some stakeholders in society and among stakeholders. This article examines some of these tensions that have arisen in Hong Kong as government, non-government organizations (NGOs) and business interests attempt to move to a multi-level approach. Academia and NGOs are concerned particularly with quality of life issues and policies that ameliorate the impact of environmental deterioration. The business sector, whilst realizing that environmental concerns cannot be ignored, needs to consider profit imperatives and also it often takes a different policy and regulatory perspective. The article concludes by highlighting issues of participation gap and other barriers within environmental governance, and suggesting ways to resolve these problems.

Use of micro-teaching videos in teacher education: computer-supported collaborative learning

Micro-teaching has been used in teacher education over the years for student teachers to trial use educational theories and to receive comments from lecturers and peers in order to learn about teaching in simulated environments. This study analyzed how collaborative learning occurs in a blended learning design of micro-teaching in a method studies module. The blended learning design involved student teachers trying out teaching with a group of peers. The recorded micro-teaching videos were then uploaded for sharing among the class members on an online video database. The analysis of the flow of comments and feedback on the online platform illustrated the collaborative learning in this computer-supported learning community. The interview results also reflected the effectiveness of the sharing of micro-teaching videos for the social construction of understanding of teaching.