Challenges & opportunities in an era of curriculum change Hui Chui Hung, Sammy Convenor of Staff Development Committee Sha Tin Methodist College

Academic system change & Curriculum reform in Hong Kong Emerging demands on teachers Greater challenges to the administrators

Our Dream: Seize the challenge as an opportunity

Our experience We are not ‘prophets’ Trial & error Reflections

Curriculum Focus of the school since 2001 Liberal studies since 1992 Integrated Humanities since 2003 Humanities Project: Museum Studies Science and Technology project. Liberal Studies Module: Chinese Traditional Medicine Liberal Studies since 2002 History & Culture level

Number of teachers involving in the projects in 2004/05 : S1 Liberal Studies3 S2 Science and Technology Project15 S3 Museum Studies6 S1-3 History and Culture10 S4-5 Integrated Humanities 4 S6-7 Liberal Studies8 Total teachers involved 29

Stage 1: Initiating change Teachers’ commitment to curriculum innovations (vision & ownership) Stage 2: Implementing change Communication & collaboration Stage 3: Sustaining change Teachers’ professional development 3 stages of curriculum projects in the school

Institutional Individual DeficitGrowth Off-site seminars, workshops and courses Fragmented individualism Critical self reflection Fragmented individualism School-based staff development days; curriculum projects Contrived collegiality Ongoing inquiry as stance; creating professional learning communities Collaborative culture A conceptual framework of professional development models (based on Huberman & Gusky, 1995 and Hargreaves, 1994)

Collaborative Culture Structure Professional development policies Strategies of planning & implementing the new curriculum

A collaborative culture Cordial relationship among the colleagues Important but not sufficient! Recognize that disagreement and diversity are central to working in the process of change

On structure The best structure to foster collaboration is the ‘Team’ provide ‘Structured time’ for inquiring, e.g. a time slot for lesson planning

On staff professional development policy The best staff development occurs not in workshops but in the workplace Should deepen discussion,open up debates Treat teachers not only knowledge consumers but also knowledge generators

With change forces abounding, it is easy to experience overload, fragmentation and incoherence. the sheer presence of problems and multiple unconnected solutions are overwhelming… Fullan, 1999

Teachers, curriculum leaders, staff developers and the administrators need ‘Shared mission, values, collective inquiry, collaborative teams, an orientation towards action and a willingness to experiment, commitment to continuous improvement and a focus on results’. Dufour & Eaker, 1998

一個「全新」開始的建議 (4)(4) 接受 培訓 + 規劃 綜合 人文 成立 小組 (4)(4) 培訓 更多 老師 開設 2 組 中四 綜合 人文 4 (4)(4) 培訓更多 老師 開設 2 組中四 2 組中五 綜合人文 ( n) 接受培訓 + 規劃新通 識 開設 2 組中四 2 組中五 綜合人文 4+ 4 開設 5 組 新高一 新通識 n 開設 2 組中五 綜合人文

Thank You very much!