Course Information

This course covers the basic concepts of phonetics and phonology, with special reference to the sound system and phonological features of the English language. Course content includes: 1) the articulatory and auditory aspects of the English sound system covering both segmental and suprasegmental features; 2) phonological rules 3) phonemic representations and transcription systems; 4) phonological processes underlying speech acquisition and production, and 5) key differences between English and Cantonese phonology. Throughout the course, participants will be guided to consider the pedagogical implications of the concepts covered.

This course covers major linguistic concepts of the English morphological and syntactic systems. Participants will be introduced to corpora of spoken and written English for the understanding and conceptualizing of the meaning and forms of words at sentence and discourse levels. Course content includes 1) basic concepts of linguistic treatment of the morpho-syntax of the English language; 2) form and meanings of grammatical/ syntactic and lexical constructions and their relationships with the context of use; 3) syntactic behaviour associated with the word such as tense, aspect, mood, transitivity and voice as well as gender, number, person and case; 4) word knowledge such as denotation, connotation, collocation, lexical sets and semantic fields, sense relations, synonymy, antonymy, hyponymy and meronymy; and 5) implications for teaching and learning.

Through a study of discourse conventions of written and spoken language, participants will be introduced to some of the techniques for deconstructing connected speech and writing. Analysis of the structure of discourse, its phonological and orthographic rules, rhetorical structures and pragmatic conventions, will build awareness of how spoken and written language differ in substance and in style, how coherence and cohesion is achieved in speech and in writing, and how speakers and writers address themselves to an audience.

This course will examine the psycholinguistic and sociolinguistic aspects of language. In terms of psycholinguistics, course content will examine the relationship between cognition, cognitive development and language; the stages, processes, and roles that affective factors play in first- and second-language acquisition. This course will also introduce sociolinguistics and study the ways in which groups of people use language, examining the close intertwining between a language and the social context in which it is used. Bilingualism and bilingual education in different contexts will be examined, with particular reference to Hong Kong. Aspects of language variation and dialects, societal bilingualism and multilingualism, language and power, and language policy and planning issues, together with the function of the second language and principles underlying the use of English as a medium of instruction in Hong Kong will also be covered.

Literature and non-utilitarian texts can introduce living language and bridge the gap between communicative language teaching and culture. Interaction with texts leads to multi-level interpretations of meaning, affective responses, and exploration of cultural and aesthetic values. This course aims to build understanding of the skillful uses and manipulation of language to achieve a variety of effects in prose and poetry as well as in public speeches, advertising and journalism: it aims to open up for the language teacher a diversity of linguistic resources to enrich the curriculum.

From time to time, courses focusing on area of English language or English language teaching not already covered in the regular programme of studies will be offered. These topics will reflect professional needs or interests and staff expertise.

This course covers basic principles associated with English language assessment in Hong Kong as well as the implementation and delivery of tests and modes of assessment in Hong Kong. Course covers: 1) important concepts such as reliability, validity, practicality and washback; 2) different test types; 3) test types used in present and past assessment practice – investigating issues such as psychometrically-oriented testing versus a more communicative approach as well as current alternative modes to assessment such as portfolios and school-based assessment; and 4) the setting and marking of tests and other modes of assessment. Participants will be encouraged to consider the different modes of assessment in the light of their own students and developments in the changing assessment scene in Hong Kong.

This course will examine the background and implications of recent policy initiatives, research or key projects in English and/ or English language teaching in Hong Kong or overseas. The purpose of the course is to enable participants to reflect upon recent developments as these may affect or impact upon the English language teaching profession in general and their own teaching situation in particular. Typically the course would be delivered by speakers who are at the forefront of their area.

This course will examine the theoretical bases for reading and writing in the light of current perceptions of the processes and strategies involved in the two areas, exploring recent developments and models of second language reading and writing, and the pedagogical impact of these developments. Course participants will be encouraged to reflect on their classroom practice in helping second language learners develop the communicative competence necessary for appropriate and successful written English. The course will also focus on the what and the how of teaching reading and writing.

This course will review the theories and approaches related to listening and speaking. Course content will cover an analysis of the different processes and strategies that speakers and hearers employ as they listen or speak with reference to their interlocutors, the discourse context and process features associated with the particular skill. The course will also examine ways of helping local students to become more proficient in listening and speaking with reference to current second language acquisition theories.

This course covers the application of information and communication technology (ICT) for English language teaching in the light of the history and development of IT generally, and for computerassisted language learning (CALL) specifically, over the past few decades. The course will look at the development of ICT in terms of the hardware of software available generally (as general-purpose software) or specifically for CALL. The course will examine the use of The Internet for computer-mediated communication such as email, chat programs and bulletin boards. Apart from standalone uses, the course will examine how ICT may be integrated into the broader language curriculum. Other issues covered will be ICT for teachers' language development, for language research and the use of ICT in assessment.

The course aims to develop participants' understanding of and experience associated with professional development in teaching English as a second language teaching (ESL). Participants will explore how to apply this knowledge and insight in sustaining their own professional development and to enable them to become more effective language teachers by taking increased responsibility for their own professional development. Topics covered will include: definitions and concepts of professional development; types of professional development, individual differences and their influence on professional development; the theory and practice of professional development; strategies to enhance and support professional development. The course will also examine ways of helping local ESL teachers to engage in professional development with reference to current professional development theories. Course participants are required to engage in a series of professional development activities, with a major focus on improving the teaching and learning of ESL writing, thus enabling them to contribute to an established sustainable professional development model.

In their second year, with the guidance of a supervisor, students may conduct a small-scale project investigating one significant issue related to English language or to English language teaching. In principle, this project may have the focus of a survey, an experimental study or a case study. Students will have to complete a report of their piece of research according to a standard format. Projects will generally be done on an individual basis, but with the permission of the supervisor it may be possible for up to three students, as a group, to conduct one substantial project.

This course is designed to raise students' awareness of theories and issues relating to the English language curriculum and to help them develop informed and critical approaches to recent and current developments in this area so that they can conduct research, plan and implement effective improvements in their teaching and offer informed leadership in the school. The course offers a critical review of current and recent developments in EFL curricula world wide and in Hong Kong with reference to changing perceptions of the nature of knowledge and the nature of language. The stated aims of education, societal and economic needs, language assessment issues and the design and implementation of language curriculum innovations. The course provides the foundation in the theories and research related to modern EFL curricula necessary for informed, critical and pro-active consumers of research in this rapidly-changing field.

This course covers the basic concepts of phonetics and phonology, with special reference to the sound system and phonological features of the English language. Course content includes: 1) the articulatory and auditory aspects of the English sound system covering both segmental and suprasegmental features; 2) phonological rules 3) phonemic representations and transcription systems; 4) phonological processes underlying speech acquisition and production, and 5) key differences between English and Cantonese phonology. Throughout the course, participants will be guided to consider the pedagogical implications of the concepts covered.

This course covers major linguistic concepts of the English morphological and syntactic systems. Participants will be introduced to corpora of spoken and written English for the understanding and conceptualizing of the meaning and forms of words at sentence and discourse levels. Course content includes 1) basic concepts of linguistic treatment of the morpho-syntax of the English language; 2) form and meanings of grammatical/ syntactic and lexical constructions and their relationships with the context of use; 3) syntactic behaviour associated with the word such as tense, aspect, mood, transitivity and voice as well as gender, number, person and case; 4) word knowledge such as denotation, connotation, collocation, lexical sets and semantic fields, sense relations, synonymy, antonymy, hyponymy and meronymy; and 5) implications for teaching and learning.

Through a study of discourse conventions of written and spoken language, participants will be introduced to some of the techniques for deconstructing connected speech and writing. Analysis of the structure of discourse, its phonological and orthographic rules, rhetorical structures and pragmatic conventions, will build awareness of how spoken and written language differ in substance and in style, how coherence and cohesion is achieved in speech and in writing, and how speakers and writers address themselves to an audience.

Literature and non-utilitarian texts can introduce living language and bridge the gap between communicative language teaching and culture. Interaction with texts leads to multi-level interpretations of meaning, affective responses, and exploration of cultural and aesthetic values. This course aims to build understanding of the skillful uses and manipulation of language to achieve a variety of effects in prose and poetry as well as in public speeches, advertising and journalism: it aims to open up for the language teacher a diversity of linguistic resources to enrich the curriculum.

This course will examine the background and implications of recent policy initiatives, research or key projects in English and/ or English language teaching in Hong Kong or overseas. The purpose of the course is to enable participants to reflect upon recent developments as these may affect or impact upon the English language teaching profession in general and their own teaching situation in particular. Typically the course would be delivered by speakers who are at the forefront of their area.

This course covers the application of information and communication technology (ICT) for English language teaching in the light of the history and development of IT generally, and for computerassisted language learning (CALL) specifically, over the past few decades. The course will look at the development of ICT in terms of the hardware of software available generally (as general-purpose software) or specifically for CALL. The course will examine the use of The Internet for computer-mediated communication such as email, chat programs and bulletin boards. Apart from standalone uses, the course will examine how ICT may be integrated into the broader language curriculum. Other issues covered will be ICT for teachers' language development, for language research and the use of ICT in assessment.

This course covers the fundamental concepts related to (I) the TESOL curriculum and (II) English language teaching methodology. Part I aims to provide general coverage of important theories and issues concerning the curriculum with an emphasis on curricular design, implementation, and evaluation. Part II comprises an overview of various major language teaching methods as well as those specific to listening, reading, speaking, and writing. Students are expected to participate actively in teaching demonstrations in order to better grasp and reflect on the different approaches introduced.

This course focuses on a number of contemporary theories and issues in second language acquisition (SLA) with the aim of preparing students for applications both in research and teaching. Topics will include, but are not limited to, internal factors, external factors, sociocultural aspects, cognition, metacognition, and learning strategies related to SLA. Recent research developments in the field in SLA will also be introduced for students to better understand practical applications of SLA theories. Students will be expected to read research articles in order to develop a solid foundation in SLA theories and their applications.

This course introduces students to theoretical foundations and key concepts of second language assessment, such as reliability, validity, authenticity and washback. It examines basic principles of test design and evaluation and equips students with skills to construct, critique, adapt and score language tests, to conduct test item analysis, and to report and interpret test results. The course also discusses language assessment in relation to summative and formative assessment, assessment of, for and as learning, and alternative assessment, with specific reference to how assessment can be used to support classroom instruction. Students will be provided with opportunities for hands-on practice and to reflect critically on conventional assessment approaches in the light of best practices in language assessment.

This course introduces research methods in TESOL with the goal of equipping students with the knowledge and skills to evaluate research in terms of appropriate research design, data collection instruments, and analytical procedures. The first part of the course discusses the major research traditions in TESOL, with a particular focus on classroom-based, practitioner research. The second part of the course examines a range of data collection techniques in relation to concepts such as internal/external reliability and validity. Authentic data will also be provided to students so that they can gain practical skills in qualitative and quantitative data analysis. Throughout the course, students will be expected to regularly read articles in academic journals with the aim of building an awareness of current research issues and developing their own research interests.

This course provides an opportunity for students to explore a significant issue in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) through undertaking an independent research project. Under the guidance of a supervisor, students will conceive, design and carry to completion the research study on an individual basis. They will survey relevant literature, formulate research questions, work out an appropriate methodological design, gather data, engage in critical data analysis, and report on the study in a dissertation of 8,000 to 10,000 words. Before embarking on the study, students will submit a research proposal that includes a literature review, research questions, methodology, and an implementation plan.

This course explores the history of psychology, with an emphasis on the history of the science and practice of educational psychology, so as to offer EP Trainees important perspectives about the past, present, and future of the field. In addition, ethical principles of psychologists and codes of conduct, including standards of practice that are core to professional educational psychology, as well as relevant legal issues are reviewed and discussed. This course also examines current trends and issues salient to professional educational psychology in Hong Kong and worldwide, such as the evolving roles of professional educational psychologists in response to changing societal and individual needs.

Professional educational psychologists play an important role in supporting children with special needs in both regular and special school settings. This two-course series on special needs is designed to enhance the professional capacity of EP Trainees in collaborating with teachers and parents to facilitate the personal, social and educational development of students with diverse needs. Drawing on recent research developments, these courses attempt to demystify misconceptions in findings related to special needs. They show how the latest research improves our understanding of the mechanisms underlying different kinds of special needs and discuss the implications of these empirical studies for developing effective interventions. In this course, we introduce the contextual foundation for understanding students with diverse needs by looking at their families and schools. We then focus on the needs and characteristics of children and adolescents with different intellectual and learning abilities or disabilities. In particular, we examine topics related to global cognitive impairment, developmental delay, specific learning difficulties, and individuals who are gifted and talented.

Building upon the analytic framework developed in EPSY 6102, the course focuses on two broad areas of special needs: emotional and behavioral challenges, and physical and sensory disabilities. Emotional and behavioral challenges addressed include but are not limited to attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, conduct problems, affective disorders, and autism spectrum disorders. We also look into the special needs arising from hearing and/or visual impairments and examine the complex nature of physical disabilities and their subsequent impact on student development. EP trainees will be introduced to how the latest research improves our understanding of the mechanisms underlying different kinds of special needs and discuss the implications of these empirical studies for developing effective interventions in working with school children.

This course provides a framework for identifying learning and clinical issues which specifically occur during lifespan development from childhood through adolescence and young adulthood. It also allows EP trainees an opportunity to lead and participate in scholarly and didactic discussions of educational and clinical issues relevant to developmental psychology, and to the Hong Kong context.

This course is designed to facilitate EP Trainees’ self-awareness of diversity issues in educational settings, which is of importance to the professional competency of educational psychologists. During the course, EP trainees are expected to actively engage in trainee-led discussion and experiential activities that increase their knowledge, sensitivity, critical thinking, and skills repertoire in handling diversity issues in their educational psychology practices.

This is part one of the two courses in psycho-educational assessment aiming at equipping students with the necessary knowledge and skills in the administration and interpretation of standardized assessment instruments, and the use of comprehensive assessment data to assist in making decisions on the delivery services to individuals with special needs. This course covers the basic concepts of intelligence and intellectual assessment. There will be administration, scoring, interpretation and report writing on some of the widely used instruments in Hong Kong. This course will also enable students to develop knowledge and skills to use academic-based achievement measures in school settings for students with specific learning difficulties or exceptional abilities, and discusses curriculum issues that are closely linked to the choice of measures and understanding of test scores. Overall, this course emphasizes the importance of collecting and using comprehensive data on individual’s cognitive functioning to make evidence-based decisions for effective intervention.

This course focuses on behavioral, social and emotional assessment. EP trainees will learn to administer, score and interpret behavioral and personality measures including objective assessment tools and projective measures. Different measures with respect to their purposes and appropriate use will be discussed, and their impact of cultural, language and socioeconomic factors will be examined. Building upon the foundations acquired from Psychoeducational Assessment (I), this course discusses ways to integrate data from measures of cognitive abilities, academic performance as well as those from social and behavioral ones to obtain an overall understanding of students’ psychological functioning.

This course equips students with practical knowledge and skills in assessment and intervention when working as an educational psychologist in a variety of education and social service settings. It also covers skills and strategies in conducting interviews, observing behaviors, administrating tests of various types, writing reports, and making recommendations to individual cases. Site visits and guest lectures will be arranged to widen EP Trainees’perspective in their roles as an educational psychologist in school-related settings.

This course examines intervention strategies and programs for meeting the needs of students with educational, emotional, behavioral and social adjustment difficulties. Students learn how to use instructional, behavioral and inter-disciplinary approaches as theoretical backdrops to design, deliver, and evaluate psychoeducational programs in school and community settings. Issues related to curriculum-based evaluation and curriculum designs are also discussed.

This course aims to introduce to students a broad array of theories and perspectives that are foundational to psychological interventions for children and adolescents. We will evaluate major theories in working with school-age youngsters and their families, including cognitive-behavioral approaches, solution-focused brief counseling, systems and ecological approaches, family counseling, creative arts therapies, mindfulness, and career and vocational counseling. Strategies in working with children and adolescents with special issues (e.g., depression and suicidality) are also addressed. Throughout the course, students are encouraged to (1) adopt theory-based practice, and (2) examine relevant literature and use a scientist-practitioner model to evaluate the effectiveness of different approaches in working with clients from a wide range of backgrounds.

This course is the second part for skills training. It provides a platform for students to further polish their micro-skills that are required in their practicum. In addition to basic assessment skills, other skills to be covered include crisis management, inter-disciplinary collaboration, working with the 3-tier support at school, counseling, and systems-intervention. Guest lectures and mini-workshops will be arranged to further equip students with practical skills in conducting interventions with individuals and in group settings. EP Trainees are expected to be actively engaged in small group practice and role play exercises throughout the course.

This course examines the role of educational psychologists as consultants and systems-change agents, whose charge is to strengthen the capacity of various interlocking systems (e.g., school and family) that have an impact on students’ well-being and development. Consultation theory, problem-solving models, and a variety of sequential consultation strategies to facilitate systems-change are explored, including data-based decision-making and target identification, solution generation, and solution implementation. The role of educational psychologists as external consultants in schools to facilitate crisis management and prevention is discussed.

This course is the third part for skills training. It serves as a platform for EP trainees to polish micro-skills that are required in their concurrent practicum. Specific focuses include case formulation, group facilitations, inter-disciplinary collaborations, consultations, and systems-intervention. This course also provides a forum in which experienced educational psychologists and allied professionals can share their specialities and expertise with EP trainees.

This course is the last series of skills training. It serves as a platform for EP trainees to further polish micro-skills that are required in their concurrent practicum. It also provides them with opportunities to seek support and guidance for the challenges they come across in practicum. In addition, it is a forum in which educational psychologists and allied professionals from the field can share with the students their experience in difficult cases and latest development in intervention. EP trainees will also be guided to develop a personal career development plan for their long-term professional and personal growth.

This course introduces a number of ways in which research in educational psychology are commonly conducted, with special attention being paid to the role of the scientist-practitioner. The focus will be on evaluating a range of statistical softwares (such as SPSS, MPlus, AMOS) and research methods used by educational psychology researchers to inform decision making within a multi-tier system. Both quantitative and qualitative methods will be discussed. The translation of research findings into the professional practice of educational psychology is emphasized.

This seminar is the first course in a two-course dissertation sequence. EP trainees participate in individual or small group tutorials that guide them in utilizing knowledge and skills in research methods and statistics to conduct a dissertation research project. Emphasis will also be on helping students appreciate the need for evidence-based practice, supported by program evaluation of efficacy and effectiveness as indicated by intervention research relevant to professional practice in educational psychology. This course will guide EP Trainees toward completion of a dissertation proposal.

This seminar is the second course in a two-course dissertation sequence. Tutorial is conducted on an individual or small group basis to guide EP Trainees toward the completion of their dissertations.

Practicum provides opportunities for students to develop their abilities and competence in integrating theory and practice under professional supervision. Each EP Trainee is expected to have fieldwork training of a minimum of 1200 hours, with at least 600 hours in educational settings, for the whole practicum. The first practicum provides hands-on experience in relation to individual work and group work. It should include experiences in working with students, families and/or teachers. The placement sites/collaborating parties can include, but not limited to, the educational psychology service unit of the Faculty, and mentorship scheme under the MA(EP) program. In the second and third practicum, EP trainees are supervised closely and regularly by qualified educational/clinical psychologists in the field. The placements provide hands-on experience in relation to individual work, group work, and systems work, encompassing a wide range of student/school needs, and they should include experiences in working with students, families, teachers, and improving the school system. The practicum settings include, but not limited to, preschools, primary schools, secondary schools, tertiary institutions and government departments.

Practicum provides opportunities for students to develop their abilities and competence in integrating theory and practice under professional supervision. Each EP Trainee is expected to have fieldwork training of a minimum of 1200 hours, with at least 600 hours in educational settings, for the whole practicum. The first practicum provides hands-on experience in relation to individual work and group work. It should include experiences in working with students, families and/or teachers. The placement sites/collaborating parties can include, but not limited to, the educational psychology service unit of the Faculty, and mentorship scheme under the MA(EP) program. In the second and third practicum, EP trainees are supervised closely and regularly by qualified educational/clinical psychologists in the field. The placements provide hands-on experience in relation to individual work, group work, and systems work, encompassing a wide range of student/school needs, and they should include experiences in working with students, families, teachers, and improving the school system. The practicum settings include, but not limited to, preschools, primary schools, secondary schools, tertiary institutions and government departments.

Practicum provides opportunities for students to develop their abilities and competence in integrating theory and practice under professional supervision. Each EP Trainee is expected to have fieldwork training of a minimum of 1200 hours, with at least 600 hours in educational settings, for the whole practicum. The first practicum provides hands-on experience in relation to individual work and group work. It should include experiences in working with students, families and/or teachers. The placement sites/collaborating parties can include, but not limited to, the educational psychology service unit of the Faculty, and mentorship scheme under the MA(EP) program. In the second and third practicum, EP trainees are supervised closely and regularly by qualified educational/clinical psychologists in the field. The placements provide hands-on experience in relation to individual work, group work, and systems work, encompassing a wide range of student/school needs, and they should include experiences in working with students, families, teachers, and improving the school system. The practicum settings include, but not limited to, preschools, primary schools, secondary schools, tertiary institutions and government departments.

This seminar is to examine current theory and research in human development. Major topics include cognition, language, personality and social development, and parental and peer influences on the psychological development of children and adolescents.

This course offers an introduction to the theoretical aspects of mathematics teaching and learning in face of the challenge from the ever-changing mathematics curriculum. It will provide an overview of both cognitive and socio-psychological issues involved in both the teaching and the learning of mathematics. Topics include the psychological models or theories in the teaching and learning of mathematics; research on the teaching and learning of number, algebra, geometry, and calculus; developmental, sociocultural, semiotic, and approaches to the study of concepts and conceptual development; digital technology in mathematics teaching and learning; discourse and the situated nature of cognition; mathematical problem solving and problem posing; research on mathematicsrelated affect.

This course aims at helping students develop an understanding of the impact of educational reform on mathematics education by an in-depth analysis of current issues pertaining to the mathematics curriculum and assessment. From the perspective of curriculum design, the local curricula in both primary and secondary schools are delineated. The changing goals of mathematics education are addressed with reference to the historical development. Worldwide trends in mathematics curriculum development are also reviewed. Mathematics achievement and the ever-changing development in the assessment of mathematics learning are discussed. Other relevant current issues in curriculum development and teacher professionalism may also be explored.

This course is designed to raise the awareness of participants who wish to improve their teaching in mathematics lessons through recurrent hermeneutic cycles of researching process. Mathematics education research is to be explored with the focus being drawn on the discussion of teacher-as-researcher movement. Through critical reflection, the participants are to explore the sense-making process of mathematics learning via researching action in mathematics lessons.

The participants are expected to conduct guided independent studies, and on completion, to submit a research report within the area of mathematics education. The exact titles of the projects of investigation and the supervision schedules are to be negotiated between supervisors and participant. 

Students will pursue independent study in selected topics and areas of mathematics education under the supervision of teachers as appointed by the board of the Faculty of Education. A student should only elect this course to fulfi ll the programme requirements if a required course is not offered within the normative study period of the student, and no other substitute can be found.

This course is an introduction to real analysis on abstract spaces.  The following contents are covered:  Integration on a measure space, the construction of measures from outer measures, Riesz representation theorem relating positive functionals to measures, Lebesque and Hausdorff measures, Lebesgue spaces and their duality, weak convergence of functions, signed measures and Radon-Nikodym theorem. Students taking this course are expected to have knowledge in Lebesgue integration on the real line and elements of functional analysis.

This course is a sequel to MATH5011 Real Anlaysis I. It consists of two parts. In the first part we discuss various covering lemmas and their applications to differentiation theory, maximal operators, product measures, Fubini's theorem and applications, Fourier transform and the inversion theorem. The second part is an introduction to Sobolev spaces. Basic knowledge of these spaces is covered.

This course is intended to provide a solid and advanced training in the basic techniques and theorem of complex analysis. Topics include: properties of holomorphic functions, complex integration, conformal mappings, singularities and residues. Students taking this course are expected to have knowledge in advanced calculus and elementary analysis.

This is a continuation of MAT5031/MATH5031; advanced topics in complex analysis will be selected from: Schwarz lemma, Riemann mapping theorem, Picard theorem, Weierstrass theorem and Mittag Leffler theorem, analytic continuation and introduction to Riemann surfaces. Students taking this course are expected to have knowledge in advanced calculus and elementary analysis.

This course is intended to provide a comprehensive and solid foundation in abstract algebra. Students taking this course are expected to have knowledge in a first course in algebra.

This is a continuation of MATH5051. Students taking this course are expected to have knowledge in MATH5051 or equivalent.

This course is an introduction to several basic topological invariants for manifolds. Major topics are: topological and differentiable manifolds, maps between manifolds, Sard's Theorem, degree of maps and vector fields, fundamental group, covering space, simplices and homology group, differential forms and cohomology group.  Students taking this course are expected to have knowledge in elementary analysis and basic topology and algebra.

Usually, more than one section with various topics selected from advanced pure mathematics will be offered. The selection of the topics depends on the field of interest of the instructor.

Usually, more than one section with various topics selected from advanced pure mathematics will be offered. The selection of the topics depends on the field of interest of the instructor.

Various topics selected from differential geometry and algebraic geometry. The selection of the topics depends on the field of interest of the instructor. 

Various topics selected from differential geometry and algebraic geometry. The selection of the topics depends on the field of interest of the instructor.

Various topics selected from algebra. The selection of the topics depends on the field of interest of the instructor. 

Various topics selected from algebra. The selection of the topics depends on the field of interest of the instructor. 

Various topics selected from partial differential equations and ordinary differential equations. The selection of the topics depends on the field of interest of the instructor.

Various topics selected from partial differential equations and ordinary differential equations. The selection of the topics depends on the field of interest of the instructor. 

Various topics selected from complex analysis (one or several variables). The selection of the topics depends on the field of interest of the instructor. 

Various topics selected from complex analysis (one or several variables). The selection of the topics depends on the field of interest of the instructor. 

Various topics selected from number theory. The selection of the topics depends on the field of interest of the instructor. 

Various topics selected from number theory. The selection of the topics depends on the field of interest of the instructor. 

Various topics selected from topology. The selection of the topics depends on the field of interest of the instructor. 

Various topics selected from topology. The selection of the topics depends on the field of interest of the instructor. 

Various topics selected from real analysis, harmonic analysis and functional analysis. The selection of the topics depends on the field of interest of the instructor. 

Various topics selected from real analysis, harmonic analysis and functional analysis. The selection of the topics depends on the field of interest of the instructor. 

Usually, more than one sections with various topics selected from advanced applied mathematics will be offered. The selection of the topics depends on the field of interest of the instructor. 

Usually, more than one sections with various topics selected from advanced applied mathematics will be offered. The selection of the topics depends on the field of interest of the instructor. 

Various topics selected from numerical analysis. The selection of the topics depends on the field of interest of the instructor. 

Various topics selected from numerical analysis. The selection of the topics depends on the field of interest of the instructor. 

Various topics selected from optimization theory. The selection of the topics depends on the field of interest of the instructor. 

Various topics selected from optimization theory. The selection of the topics depends on the field of interest of the instructor. 

Various topics selected from applied partial differential equations and applied ordinary differential equations. The selection of the topics depends on the field of interest of the instructor. 

Various topics selected from applied partial differential equations and applied ordinary differential equations. The selection of the topics depends on the field of interest of the instructor. 

This course is designed for the M.Sc. Programme in Mathematics. The course is intended to provide an introduction to linear structures and various concepts of limits/convergence in analysis especially in the context of Euclidean/Hilbert/Banach spaces as well as the Lebesgue integration spaces.

This course is designed for the M.Sc. Programme in Mathematics. The course is an introduction to commutative algebra, in particular polynomial rings of one and several variables, their ideals and the associated varieties. The Hilbert basis theorem and Groebner bases algorithms are included.

This course is designed for the M.Sc. Programme in Mathematics. The course is an introduction to discrete mathematics; topics will be chosen from: set theory, number theory, algebraic structures, recurrence relations and generating functions, rudiments of analysis of algorithms, finite geometries, (combinatorial) design theory, coding theory, graph theory, and various methods in combinatorics.

This course is designed for the M.Sc. Programme in Mathematics. The course is intended to provide an introduction to the analysis and applications of analytic functions on the complex plane. Emphasis will be placed on the understanding and appreciation of the theory as well as its wide range of usage. It includes the study of integrals, residues, series expansion, and conformality of analytic functions; transforms and their use in differential equations.

This course is designed for the M.Sc. Programme in Mathematics. The course provides the basic mathematical tools for logistics. Topics include: linear and nonlinear programming, resource allocation problem, shortest route problem, inventory and production problem, cargo loading problem, equipment replacement problem, reliability problem, max flow problem, decision tree analysis, production theory, maintenance and reliability theory.

This course is designed for the M.Sc. Degree Programme in Mathematics. The course provides an introduction to theory and numerical methods for optimization and modeling.

This course is designed for the M.Sc. Programme in Mathematics. The course is an introductory course on Financial Mathematics. Topics include probability, hedging, arbitrage, vanilla options, binomial models, the Black-Scholes formula, exotic options, Monte Carlo methods and binomial methods.

The course is intended to build a solid foundation for the students on the essential topics and the rigorous reasoning of mathematics. It includes the discussion of logic, sets and functions, cardinality and countability, basic number theory, real number and limits. (Not for undergraduate students, students in the MSc. Programme in Mathematics, and students who have taken MAT/MATH5011, 5012, 5031, 5032, 5051, 570S, 6xxx and 7xxx.)

The course is intended to provide an amalgamated treatment of Differential Equations and Linear Algebra. Emphasis will be placed on algebraic intuition and geometric visualization, together with illustrations of applications. (Not for undergraduate students, students in the MSc. Programme in Mathematics, and students who have taken MAT/MATH5011, 5012, 5031, 5032, 5051, 570S, 6xxx and 7xxx.)

The course is intended to discuss mathematical methods frequently applied in managerial, business and social studies. It starts with a review of Linear Equations, then the main topics are selected from Linear Programming and Simplex Method, Counting and Probability, Game Theory, Basic Finance Mathematics, Mathematical Modelling. (Not for undergraduate students, students in the MSc. Programme in Mathematics, and students who have taken MAT/MATH5011, 5012, 5031, 5032, 5051, 570S, 6xxx and 7xxx.)

This course mainly introduces students to the fundamental concepts of analytic geometry and vector geometry. It covers topics such as plane analytic geometry, Cartesian and Polar coordinates, transformation of coordinates, pairs of straight lines, circles, conic sections, direction cosines, direction ratios, planes, parametric equations, and vectors. Additional topics such as Euclidean Geometry, Non-Euclidean Geometry, Transformational Geometry, Projective Geometry, Geometric Symmetries, or Finite Geometry may be included. (Not for undergraduate students, students in the MSc. Programme in Mathematics, and students who have taken MAT/MATH5011, 5012, 5031, 5032, 5051, 570S, 6xxx and 7xxx.)

This course is an introduction of combinatorics, which includes basic counting techniques, pigeonhole principle, generating function. Further topics will be chosen from probability theory, graph theory, partition theory, geometric combinatorics, game theory and design theory.

This course is designed for the M.Sc. Programme in Mathematics Education. This course aims to provide a solid mathematical background for teaching professionals.

This course is founded on traditional Chinese linguistics while also covering recent advances in the field. Aiming to link subject knowledge and language teaching pedagogy, the course explores application of pedagogical content knowledge in the classroom. Topics covered include (1) etymology and language teaching; (2) phonology and language learning; (3) lexicology, annotation study and language learning; (4) grammar and language learning; (5) rhetoric, pragmatics and language learning.

Literature learning is an integral part of Chinese language education, and strengthening literature studies is a key task in the development of the Chinese language curriculum. This course will explore in detail theories of literature, literary writing, and literary appreciation and criticism; and how such theories can be applied in Chinese teaching to enhance its quality. To cater for the corresponding developments in the curriculum, this course will also cover topics on local and children's literature. This enables participants to have a good understanding of the relevant teaching materials and teaching methods and to apply this knowledge for effective teaching.

The aim of this course is to strengthen participants' knowledge and effectiveness of Chinese Language teaching through a close examination of the relationship between Chinese Language teaching and Chinese culture. The course starts with an investigation of the general relationship between culture, education, and pedagogy. It will then look into the objectives and contents of the teaching of Chinese through its language system and various cultural domains, such as ethics, moral studies, philosophy, education, literature, traditional politics, etc. Based on the traditional and contemporary theories of literature, appropriate teaching materials and teaching methods will be explored.

This course aims to enhance students' ability in developing and improving the Chinese language curriculum in their schools through introducing the theories and practices of Chinese language curriculum design and implementation. Topics covered include: the evolution of the Hong Kong Chinese language curriculum; basic concepts, content, and characteristics of the current Hong Kong Chinese language curriculum; historical background, concepts and models of school-based curriculum development; theories and practices of module design and curriculum organization; and implementation and evaluation of school-based curriculum.

This course aims to introduce theories of, and research on, listening and reading in relation to Chinese language teaching. Topics for presentation and discussion include: (1) development of ability in listening and reading; (2) the cognitive processes of listening and reading; (3) factors affecting the ability in listening and reading; (4) strategies for listening and reading comprehension; (5) assessment of students' ability in listening and reading; (6) catering for individual differences in listening and reading instruction; (7) cultivating students' self-learning ability in listening and reading; (8) developing students' listening and reading habits.

This course aims to introduce theories of, and research on, elocution & writing with reference to Chinese language teaching. Topics for presentation and discussion include: (1) development of the ability of elocution & writing; (2) cognitive processes of elocution and writing; (3) factors affecting performance in elocution and writing; (4) strategies for elocution and writing; (5) assessment of elocution and writing ability; (6) catering for individual differences in the teaching of elocution and writing; (7) fostering students' self-learning ability in elocution and writing.

In Hong Kong, the Chinese subject is normally delivered through the Cantonese dialect as the medium of instruction. Some people consider using Cantonese to teach standard written Chinese a hindrance to language learning. Since teaching Chinese through Putonghua will be a major development in Chinese curriculum reform in Hong Kong, this course explores both the advantages and disadvantages of teaching Chinese in Putonghua. Furthermore, the course also examines adjustments in course design, objectives, content, materials design and development as well as teaching approaches that need to be made in support of the development.

This course is designed for students who wish to have in-depth explorations of special topics in Chinese language teaching. Different topics focus on those areas not yet covered in the regular programme of studies, such as teaching of literature writing, integrating drama in Chinese language teaching, teaching of integrated language skills, catering individual differences, multi-media support for language teaching and teaching of moral and civic values, will be offered in different cohorts. The design of this course provides flexibility to utilize the expertise of different teaching staffs and to broaden students' exploration in different areas of Chinese language teaching.

In their second year of study, participants are expected to conduct a small project or research study within the area of Chinese language education under the guidance of their supervisors. In general, this project or research may employ either quantitative or qualitative methods, such as surveys, experimental studies, action research, or case studies. Students are required to complete a report which conforms to the format and requirements stipulated by the Faculty. The exact topics of the project or study and the supervision schedules are to be discussed between supervisors and participants.

This course is designed to enrich students' understanding of current trends in Chinese language education. Different new issues arise from the curriculum reform, such as project-based learning, lifewide learning in Chinese language education, school-based assessment, school-based curriculum development and elective modules of new senior secondary Chinese language curriculum, will be chosen as major topics in this course. It aims to develop students' professional ability to apply the new educational theories and concepts in their daily Chinese language teaching under the continuous changing curriculum.

"Thinking" is one of the nine learning areas of the Chinese language curriculum in Hong Kong. This course is mainly designed to enhance Chinese language teachers' professional ability in thinking teaching. It aims to help teachers to design and implement thinking teaching effectively in Chinese language teaching to develop students' higher-order language skills and independent thinking ability. Topics covered included instructional strategies for enhancing students' thinking skills; fostering metacognition; teaching critical thinking, creative thinking and problem solving skills; assessing thinking ability. The basic concepts, theories and classroom applications of all these topics will be introduced and discussed in the course to help teachers to integrate thinking teaching in their daily teaching to develop students' thinking skills in different areas.

This course provides participants' with theories, concepts, techniques, practices of Chinese language assessment, and an overview of its development in Hong Kong. Topics include: (1) basic concepts and principles of educational measurement and assessment; (2) concepts, principles, and methods of language assessment; (3) procedures for construction and appraisal of test items of language assessment; (4) issues in interpretation and uses of test results, and (5) specific topics related to Chinese language assessment in educational reform, such as Basic Competency Assessment, Learning Outcome Framework, school-based assessment, and assessment in the new senior secondary education.

This course focuses on current issues in curriculum development and assessment in early childhood education (ECE). Technical, deliberative/ practical and critical approaches to curriculum development in ECE will be explored. Participants will be encouraged to reflect on their own practices and examine issues which are likely to be covered: curriculum continuity between kindergarten and primary school; values education in the early childhood curriculum; multiple intelligences and their application in curriculum development and assessment; whole language approach; information This course focuses on current issues in curriculum development and assessment in early childhood education (ECE). Technical, deliberative/ practical and critical approaches to curriculum development in ECE will be explored. Participants will be encouraged to reflect on their own practices and examine issues which are likely to be covered: curriculum continuity between kindergarten and primary school; values education in the early childhood curriculum; multiple intelligences and their application in curriculum development and assessment; whole language approach; information.

This course focuses on two important aspects in early childhood education: educational leadership and management. It is to emphasize that leadership and management are of paramount importance to the success of any organization, including ECE institutions. It is leadership and management that make organizations efficient and effective. This course blends the theoretical concepts of leadership and management with practice, enabling the participants to refine and improve their practice. By the end of the course, students will be familiar with a number of theories and perspectives of leadership and management; be able to critically analyze different perspectives and theories; have developed a position on what they believe 'good' leadership and management entailed in Hong Kong schools in general, and more specifically within their workplace context; and be able to discuss the various educational leadership and management issues in Hong Kong schools and their relationship with educational reform.

This course focuses on the current issues from a comparative perspective. It aims to expound the divergent and convergent trends among educational policies, educational practices and issues related to early childhood education. The following issues are likely to be examined: educational governance and finance; home-preschool collaboration; early childhood education and care policy; early childhood school-based curriculum reform; preschool special education, preschool improvement and new trends in early childhood educational research. Through a comparison of the rationales, initiatives in early childhood education in different societies, participants will be able to examine the local development of early childhood education in a wider context.

Studies of early childhood from birth to eighth year of age will be introduced in this course which includes the characteristic periods of infants, toddlers, preschool and kindergarten kids, and children of early primary grades. The course is to develop students' insights into early childhood's physical, motor, intellectual, emotional, social, and aesthetic growth. Major developmental theories/perspectives will be discussed, analyzed, and compared. The key issues that will be highlighted are concerned with developmental and learning mechanisms, domain-general and domainspecific development, and nature-nurture relationship. Reflecting upon relevant social policy and educational initiatives. The challenges will be analyzed of translating observations and theories of child development into child care and education practices at home and at school.

The role of sign mediation is regarded as essential in the development of higher psychological processes. In this course, you are invited to explore the rich varieties of signs and their role in the development of mind in early childhood. There are two key concerns in the course: (1) In what ways are meaning making and the development of mind related to children's experience with signs such as languages, mathematics, and visual and expressive arts? (2) How could learning activities be designed to facilitate the understanding, appropriation, and creation of signs? To deepen our understanding of the complexity involved, perspectives from semiotics and the cultural-historical activity theory would be introduced. Insights from research works on the relation between signs and thought, as well as the interaction between sign mediation and human mediation, the creation of the zone of proximal development, and the integration of signs in children's activities, would be drawn to inform the educational practice and the actual design of learning activities. Drawing from different sources of stimulations, we aim to arrive at rich possibilities of designing meaningful activities for facilitating the early development of human mind.

Participants will participate in a small project under the guidance and support of practicum supervisors. They may either undertake the project individually or in pairs if the topic and context allows. The focus of study may be related to organizational, curriculum, teaching and learning aspects in pre-schools or other early childhood educational organizations or other themes with permission of supervisor. Participants will be placed in small support groups who are expected to share experiences and exchange ideas gained from the project.

This course aims to provide opportunity for participants to gain actual experience of early childhood education in or outside of Hong Kong, leading to a reflection on the existing practice in early childhood settings by making connections between research and practice. During the tour, participants will visit local or overseas institutions specializing in early childhood education, nurseries, kindergartens, and exchange on children development and curriculum implementation, as well as collect relevant data on early childhood education setting. Students are required to submit a study report after the visits.

This module is designed to provide a systematic explication to the theoretical perspectives and research methods of comparative and historical study in the social sciences and education. It aims to familiarize students with the methodology of comparative and historical studies on societal and/ or institutional level. The modules will cover topics such as: conception of Verstehen and the theoretical foundation of interpretative research, the logic and assumptions of comparative and historical research, methods and procedures in comparative and historical research, and review of local and foreign examples of comparative and historical studies in education and the social sciences.

This course is designed for students engaged in independent research. It provides students with a systematic explication of the theoretical backgrounds and research methods of ethnographic study in education and social sciences. It aims to familiarize students with the conceptual tools, research procedures and methods of ethnographic studies on organization, group or individual level. The topic to be covered in the module are : conception of Verstehen and the theoretical foundation of interpretative research, phenomenologists an interactionists contributions to ethnography study, methods and procedures of ethnographic study, review of local and foreign examples of ethnographic studies in education and social sciences.

This course is designed to introduce students to research methods, which approach educational phenomena from empirical and positivistic perspectives. The course will begin with the basic logic of conceptualization, operationalization and measurement in quantifying educational phenomena. It will explicate basic principles of research designs in quantitative methods. These may include experimental and quasi-experimental designs and sampling designs in survey methods. It will also familiarize students with basic operations of descriptive and inferential statistical analyses in educational research. The course content will be illustrated with cases of quantitative research in Hong Kong educational settings.

Education is a human activity of understanding and emancipation. Education begins with mutual understanding among teachers, students and knowledge. Its primary aim is to emancipate learners' potentials. Understand the natures and features of processes of understanding and emancipation is, therefore, vital to education in general and educational research in particular. This course is design to familiarize students with the theoretical and practical aspects of research methods, which are design to reveal the understanding and emancipatory features of education. Topics to be covered may include: (1) the nature of qualitative research in education; (2) the theoretical foundation of qualitative research in education: hermeneutics, phenomenology and critical theory; (3) methodological features of major branches of qualitative research: ethnography, historical-comparative study, and reflective and critical action research; and (4) case studies of major branches of qualitative research in Hong Kong educational settings.

This course is designed to introduce students to basic analytical skills commonly used in quantitative methods in educational research. It will begin by explicating the nature and features of different types of data in quantitative analysis. They include binary, nominal, ordinal and continuous data. The course then will discuss different methods of univariate and bivariate analyses. Various methods in inferential statistics will also be expounded. In the course, computer programmes commonly used in quantitative analyses of educational and social data, such as SPSS, will be introduced.

This course introduces design and analytical techniques to simplify and make sense of quantitative data nested within educational settings, such as classroom and schools. Related analytical methods, such as ANCOVA, simple and multiple regression, multi-level regression, and other advanced analytical techniques, will be expounded to provide effective ways for students to analyze educational phenomena and organizational issues. Pre-requisite: PEDU 6403

This course introduces students to multivariate techniques and survey methods to examine complex relations and associations that often interact with or overlap one another in education. Structural equation modeling, factor analysis, and large-scale assessment and survey techniques will be introduced to analyse multi-dimensionality and multi-causality of educational phenomena. The present course will build on concepts and techniques learnt in PEDU6401 (Quantitative Methods in Educational Research) and PEDU6403 (Quantitative Data Management and Analysis in Educational Research). Pre-requisite: PEDU 6403

Action research has been identified as one of the major means to help teachers to reflect on their professional practices and to critically assess the sources and consequences of their practices. This course aims to provide participants with the knowledge and skills to conduct rigorous action research to improve their own teaching practices.

This is an advanced seminar course on topics in research methodology in the study of education. Topics may include methodical issues and skills in data collection, data management, data analysis and interpretation of results. Recent developments in qualitative or quantitative approaches to education research may be covered. Hands-on experiences will be provided as far as possible. Students should generally have taken at least one introductory course (1. 5 units) in education research methodology in this faculty and obtained prior consent from instructor concerned.

This is an advanced seminar course on topics in research methodology in the study of education. Topics may include methodical issues and skills in data collection, data management, data analysis and interpretation of results. Recent developments in qualitative or quantitative approaches to education research may be covered. Hands-on experiences will be provided as far as possible. Students should generally have taken at least one introductory course (1. 5 units) in education research methodology in this faculty and obtained prior consent from instructor concerned.

This course is designed to provide doctoral students with the opportunity for an advanced training in a range of topics and current issues in quantitative research methodology. The main objective is to equip the students with advanced quantitative research methodology to understand, design, conduct and critically appraise quantitative education research through discussion on real empirical studies that apply widely used methods, such as hierarchical linear modeling, structural equation modeling, multivariate analysis and meta analysis. Topics offered will vary from year to year and rotate on a regular basis. Each year the course will be developed and taught by teaching staff with relevant expertise and experience for the purpose to advance the students' thesis studies. Pre-requisites: PEDU6403 and any one course from PEDU6404, PEDU6405, EXSC6101, SSPA6101.

This course is designed to cultivate the research ability of doctoral students in adopting the qualitative research approach. To achieve this aim, we place emphasis on the discussion of highly selected exemplary qualitative studies that cover diversified types. To create the condition for thorough deliberation of the reading materials, which constitutes a prerequisite for fruitful discussions, the class meetings are held every two weeks. Where appropriate, the class discussion would be supplemented by the contribution of guest speakers and hands-on research training. By way of class discussion and out-of-class activities, we shall bring out for debates major theoretical, practical, and ethical issues involved in the following decisions throughout the research process: how to design a qualitative study so as to address research questions raised at the outset, what are relevant data that could answer the research questions, how to choose appropriate research methods to collect such relevant data, how to analyse and interpret qualitative data (of various types), and how to present the collected data. Fundamental issues in conducting a qualitative study, ranging from the role of a theoretical or conceptual framework, through the access to subjective, intersubjective, and objective knowledge, to the establishment of its validity and reliability, will also be deliberated. Pre-requisites: PEDU6402 and Any one course from PEDU6003, PEDU6004, PEDU6401, PEDU6403, PEDU6404, PEDU6405, PEDU6406, EXSC6101, SSPA6101

In this course, we will (1) introduce advanced methods to analyze quantitative data, including the use of data from large-scale educational surveys, (2) discuss how to find important and interesting stories from the data, and (3) learn to write research reports that are publishable in academic journals.

Prerequisite for Doctor of Education students: PEDU6401

This course is designed for doctoral students who want to conduct a qualitative research project.  The course will offer the multifaceted and advanced knowledge needed for such work, plus core techniques commonly used in the qualitative research paradigm.  Providing students with a comprehensive and sophisticated understanding of philosophical stances underpinning different qualitative methodologies will help them situate their research and shape the deployment of their qualitative inquiry in an informed manner. 

The course will concentrate on developing students'  knowledge and practical skills for conducting qualitative research in the following areas: (1) the use of relevant explanatory and exploratory research questions in different qualitative studies; (2) writing a critical literature review and theoretical sensitivity; (3) formulating a research protocol and the practice of triangulation; (4) hands-on experiences of collecting qualitative data with relevant data collection techniques; (5) data interpretation and analysis through coding practices based on the content analysis approach; (6) having theory building with the application of grounded theory; (7) developing skills to draw conclusions and write reports, both of which serve as the basis for preparing a doctoral research proposal and/or thesis; (8) special attention will be given to the issue of ‘researcher as instrument’ and related ethical issues.  To put the knowledge acquired into practice, students will be required to undertake a mini qualitative project individually with rigorous research design.  It is anticipated that students will gain the competency to interpret and report their research findings in an academic manner.

Prerequisite: PEDU6402

The purpose of this course is to provide an opportunity for Ed.D. students, under the guidance of their supervisors, to conduct independent study within their specializations and/ or other specializations according to their research interests. The course enables the students to pursue needed study in a field in which appropriate courses are not being offered within the normative period of study. At the completion of the course, students are expected to have enriched their knowledge in their specializations.

The purpose of this course is to provide an opportunity for Ed.D. students, under the guidance of their supervisors, to explore literature and/ or conduct intital research relevant to their specializations and research interests. Students are expected to address areas including research frameworks, definitions of major concepts, and the possible signifiance of different forms of research and appropriate research methodology.

Doctoral students will be required to take this course every term from the time of admission, throughout their thesis preparation. The advisor/supervisor will meet the student on a regular basis and advise the student on all matters related to thesis research.

Under the supervision of the supervisor and thesis committee members, students are required to conceptualize the research idea, review appropriate literature and carry out preliminary research if necessary. Students have to submit and present the thesis proposal in an open presentation, normally within a year after the advancement to doctoral candidature.

M.Phil. students will be required to take this course every term from the time of admission, throughout their thesis preparation. The advisor/supervisor will meet the student on a regular basis and advise the student on all matters related to thesis research.

Students have to fulfill all the course requirements and satisfy the required attendance. This course is designed to familiarize students with the principles, structure and process of education research, and it is organized into two parts. The first part is in the form of lecture which takes up the first seven sessions of the courses. It aims to provide students with a general understanding of the nature and substance of education research. Thus, topics to be covered in these lectures are major paradigms in education inquiry, the philosophical and ethical issues relating to education research, and the basic principles and procedures in education research. The second part of the course is organized in the form of seminar during the two semesters. Each seminar is conducted by a research student in the Division of Education and is supervised by no less than two members of the teaching staff of the Faculty of Education. Depending on the research interests of the research students conducting the seminars, research ideas and plans in educational studies will be critically reviewed and discussed. (For M.Phil. students only.)

The purpose of this course is to enable research students to form, refine, and present research ideas and plans under the supervision of their thesis advisors. Research students should register for this course in at least one semester before their graduation, and are required to independently conduct a seminar on their thesis proposals during that semester. All seminars are supervised by no less than two members of the teaching staff of the Faculty of Education.

Successful leaders, managers, and administrators underpin their behaviours and practices with a strong foundation of theoretical knowledge and conceptual ability. Accordingly, this course aims at developing students' theoretical and conceptual abilities. It introduces students to a range of important administrative and organizational theories and perspectives which have influenced management practice at all levels, from system to school, over the past century. These theories and perspectives adopt a wide purview, including structural, human resource, political, symbolic and cultural dimensions. Opportunities will be provided for students to apply the theories and perspectives to current education policy and school management issues in Hong Kong.

This course aims to encourage students to reflect upon what constitutes effective leadership in schools, especially within a constantly shifting reform environment, and to construct their own 'theories' of effective leadership. A range of established and emerging approaches and understandings of leadership are explored and analyzed in relation to the assorted contexts within which leaders lead. While recognizing the importance of the principalship the course assumes that leadership resides and operates across various levels within and outside traditional school boundaries and that teacher leadership is an important area of study. Areas covered include strategic and ethical leadership, panel leadership, leadership for learning and comparative, cross-cultural understandings of leadership. The course attempts to locate school leadership at the local level within a broader national, regional and international perspective. Through a combination of case studies, journal writing, problem-based cases, experiential activities and self-guided learning students apply leadership knowledge to their own personal and school contexts.

This course is designed to familiarize students with theoretical and practical aspects of organizational change and educational planning. The course explores the current context of organizational change and introduces a number of theories and perspectives on change relevant to educational leaders in Hong Kong. Various approaches to educational planning for change are presented and applied. Particular attention is paid to school development planning for self-managing schools and the development of staff in these organizations. The course will include: (1) current theories and perspectives on organizational change; (2) current approaches to and techniques for implementing school development planning; (3) critique and application of change and planning models to relevant situations. Learning activities employed include case studies, solving problems, scenario writing and experience sharing. Through these activities students will develop conceptual and practical skills for the effective management of change in schools and other educational institutions.

This course introduces key concepts and issues in teacher and school development and the construction of professional learning communities and schools as learning organizations. Students are encouraged to think critically about the ways in which people are supported, rewarded and developed in schools and to reflect upon their own beliefs and experiences about leading people and working with others in different organizational contexts. The course assumes that leadership operates at multiple levels throughout the school. The course aims to bring together theoretical knowledge and critical application through utilizing group work, traditional lectures, web-based resources, self-guided learning and journal writing. General topic areas, depending on contextual demands, will include understandings of self-management and self as a learner, leading retention and rewards, optimizing professional and organizational capacity, focusing personal and professional development on student needs, communication and feedback, knowledge management, performance management and team growth, development and learning.

This course is designed to enrich students' understanding of current trends in educational administration and policy in Hong Kong. It aims to sharpen students' focus on the conceptual and methodological backgrounds of complex issues in a contested field where crucial educational matters are decided and put into action. A general treatment of the social, economic, and institutional perspectives will lay the foundation of inquiry into the approaches to policy formulation, policy implementation, and administrative conduct. A conscious effort to relate major policy and administration issues to relevant developmental experiences and research findings will facilitate political, social, and economic interpretations of policy and administrative measures that have far-reaching influence on the educational development of Hong Kong. Issues in educational structure, alternative models of schooling, organizational change in schools, parental voice and choice, curricular change, examination and assessment, and teacher development will constitute the major concerns of this course.

The course aims to help students to develop a basic scholarly foundation for policy studies in education. It is designed to introduce students to basic concepts, perspectives and approaches in educational policy studies. The course will explicate the different conceptions of educational policy as well as its content, process and effects. It will also introduce students to various theoretical perspectives that explore the nature of various dimensions of educational policy. There may include humanist, liberal and communitarian perspectives. Students will be exposed to different policy approaches, which define the orientations of inquiry underlying various policy designs. These approaches will include various normative and disciplinary approaches to policy studies. Different policy conceptions, perspectives and approaches will be illustrated with examples of research and practice in both local and international contexts.

The course is designed to introduce students to concepts, theories and research relevant to the relationship between education policy and its societal context. It will explicate the historical and societal contexts from which modern schooling system and its policies are generated. The course will analyze how education policies affect the structure and process of modern societies. It will also discuss the functions and effects of education policies in addressing social issues in modern society. These may include issues on identity formation in various domains of society, social selection, educational and social inequality, selection and distribution of educational knowledge, and freedom and choice in the educational process.

The course is designed to help students to study education and development from an international perspective. It will explicate how individual nation-states formulate their education policies within their particular political and historical context and how these policies are implemented in order to address social, economic, cultural and political issues in national development. Students will explore the common agendas governing the formulation and implementation of education policies from a comparative perspective. The course aims to expound the divergent and convergent trends among national education policies. The following issues will be examined: quality and equality of educational system, educational decentralization, relationship among home, school and community, globalization and education reform.

This course aims to introduce students to basic economic concepts, principles and theories to be used for analysis of outcomes and resources in education. It attempts to uncover the effects and resource considerations of education on the individual as well as the society as a whole in the long run. At the core of the course are: (1) theoretical foundations with particular reference to human capital theory and its alternative views and theories, education and economic growth, education and labor market, education and economic convergence, (2) the policy relevancy with particular reference to issues such as financing of education, cost analysis, concept and measurement of value-added in education, incentives policy and educational productivity, and (3) the use of resources at national, district and school levels with particular reference to the criteria and models of educational grants, budgeting and financial planning for change, and (re)allocation and utilization of teaching resources for quality school education. The focus of discussion will mainly be on the relating of relevant theories and research findings to policy issues, while relevant principles and experience will be illustrated for school consideration and implementation. Students are afforded an opportunity to apply empirical data analysis related to basic theories in planning and finance of education, which aims to equip them with data-based decision-making skills.

The aim of this course is to illuminate major issues of educational change in Chinese societies. For the purpose of this course, "Chinese societies" will mainly refer to the Chinese Mainland, but will also touch upon Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan. It attempts to unravel the web of historic, political, social, and cultural forces that have shaped educational change in these societies. At the core of examination is an analysis of nationhood, colonial rule, globalization and their impact on educational purposes. The scope of discussion will embody topics of interests that are commonly found in Chinese societies. Major concerns of this course include aims of education, structure and process of schooling, educational planning and finance, quality and equality of education, curriculum reform, teacher development and teacher education, and adult and non-formal education. The focus of discussion will mainly be on educational change in the Chinese Mainland, while relevant experiences in other Chinese societies will provide supplementary insights for reflection.

The specific course features a current and topical field of research in Educational Administration and Policy. Broadly, the course covers seminal theoretical texts related to the topic, and the current debates and issues. Empirical studies taken from global, regional and local contexts are used to examine implications on policy, schooling and practice.
Depending on the course topic, the format of teaching and learning may comprise lectures, workshops, practicum, case study, field visit or a combination of these. The course may vary from year to year and so is the content. Students should consult the Department for the course details.

Students in their second year, with the guidance of their supervisors, have to conduct a small project investigating one significant issue or question related to one of the following areas: 1) school-based management; 2) education policy and decision analysis; 3) leadership and organizational culture; 4) roles and tasks of educational administrator; 5) school effectiveness and school improvement; 6) environmental constraints and impacts on educational administration; 7) accountability and ethical aspects of educational administration; 8) personnel management; 9) educational planning and school finance; 10) decision-making in education; and 11) others (with permission of supervisor). In general, this project may be a survey, an experimental study, or a case study. Students have to complete a research report of the project according to a standard format given by the Faculty. With the permission of their supervisors, it is possible for a group of not more than three students to conduct one substantial project.

This course will provide in-depth exploration and discussion of selected topics in the area of educational administration and policy. Topics may include either separately or in combination theories and approaches to researching school leadership, education change, planning and development in both schools and larger systems, organizational theory, education reform, education policy, the economics of education, comparative education, eduction and socialization, education and social stratification, Chinese and Western philosophies of education. Enrolment will be restricted and students wishing to take the course are required to gain approval from the course instructor.

This course will provide in-depth exploration and discussion of selected topics in the area of educational administration and policy. Topics may include either separately or in combination theories and approaches to researching school leadership, education change, planning and development in both schools and larger systems, organizational theory, education reform, education policy, the economics of education, comparative education, eduction and socialization, education and social stratification, Chinese and Western philosophies of education. Enrolment will be restricted and students wishing to take the course are required to gain approval from the course instructor.

This is a foundational course on contemporary education theories that prepares doctoral students to engage with theories in educational research. The course extends beyond the scope of "educational administration and policy" but considers, broadly, the epistemological, theoretical and methodological considerations of applying theory in educational research. The course is structured around four themes with each block focusing on a few key theorists and their theoretical ideas. The overall aim of the course is to induct and provoke doctoral students to think theoretically and reflexively with theory for their doctoral dissertation and future educational research.

This course aims to provide an understanding of the major contextual forces that have shaped local school reform. It seeks to investigate the dynamics of school reform as a global phenomenon and analyze its impact on educational policy and administration at the international, societal, and institutional levels. School reform policies are often viewed as endeavors to enhance national competitiveness in the world arena. New administrative measures can also be perceived as means to attain efficiency and effectiveness. These will be examined. By referring to the experiences of countries, mostly developed ones, which have influenced the direction of local school reform, and drawing insights from relevant research findings, this course will address critical issues in key areas of school reform in this part of the world. Topics to be discussed in this course will include: change in conception of human capital and reform in educational administration, school governance, resource allocation, curricula and teaching, quality assurance, teacher and principal preparations, leadership practices and so on.

This course aims to provide an in-depth understanding of the complexities of school leadership and of how educational organizations 'work'. It seeks to locate these understandings within relevant theoretical, empirical and practical contexts. Processes central to effective administration are analyzed in relation to their influence on educational organizations and the ways leaders drive organizational change and development. Acquired knowledge and insights about educational organizations and leadership will be applied to relevant, practically-based problems through the use of case materials, critiques and other analytic tools. Through reviewing and applying a broad range of literature the course aims to encourage students to develop their own conceptualization of educational organizations and leadership approaches as a means to guide their future inquiry in the field.

Taking the perspective of developmental psychology, this course aims at illuminating teachers on the features and relatedness of the following three processes: "know yourself", "develop yourself", and "develop your student". The curriculum draws substantially on the contemporary theories and research of adult development. Its focus lies in discussing the possibilities and dynamics of teacher development in different realms including cognitive and intellectual, moral and aesthetic, social and affective. The domains of self-development and spiritual development will also be explored. The idea of teacher development as an essential resource for student development serves as a main thread throughout the discussion. Special attention will be given to problems and issues that arise in teachers' work environment including the development of teaching and learning styles, conflict resolution, coping with stress and burnout, expertise development, and reflective practice.

Students have to conduct a small project under the guidance of their supervisors. The project should investigate a significant issue or question related to one of the following areas: cognitive and intellectual development; counselling and guidance; psychosocial and personality development; motivation; measurement, evaluation and technology; and exceptional children education. In general, this project may adopt either a quantitative or qualitative approach, such as a survey, an experimental study, or a case study. Students have to complete a research report of the project according to a standard format given by the Faculty. With the permission of supervisor, it is possible for a group of not more than three students to conduct one substantial project. This project is usually completed by the end of the second year.

Our students live in a dynamic world, with new issues arising every day. As students undergo biological, cognitive, and social transitions to adulthood, how might their development be influenced by current trends in society? What are some of the phenomena of which educators should be aware? This course will equip educators to better facilitate students' learning, and personal and social development.

This course introduces students to current concepts and approaches in the field of gifted education and talent development. Issues in the evolution of the conceptions of giftedness and talents, creativity, and eminence will be discussed with reference to curriculum and programming, teaching, parenting, and counseling gifted and talented children and youth. Special considerations will be given to the development of gifted education and talent development in Hong Kong and Chinese societies.

This course examines the evolving meanings of human abilities from cognitive psychology, psychometrics, and neurology perspectives. Using these perspectives, we consider critical issues that are shaping theory developments in psychology and influencing educational initiatives. These issues include atomic vs. interdependent views of intelligence, computational vs. situated cognition, and domain-general vs. domain-specific structures of mind. Using educational initiatives, we analyze the challenges of translating theories of human abilities into classroom teaching. Furthermore, we examine and evaluate several tests used in Hong Kong schools to assess human intelligences and abilities.

In this course, we examine current theories of students' motivational behaviour in the classroom. We particularly focus on cognitive theories of achievement motivation, attributional processes, goal orientations, self-concept, intrinsic/ extrinsic motivation, self- regulated learning, and cross-cultural studies on students' motivational behaviour. After critically considering the research evidence for these theories, we discuss how to apply them to classroom teaching.

We examine both theories and applications of measurement and testing. Beginning with theories of measurement and classical tests, we consider critical issues such as reliability, validity, and item and test analysis. We also survey generalizability theory and item response theory, focusing on their practical applications. Furthermore, we examine how to use and interpret many educational and psychological tests. Using these theories, we discuss practical issues such as opinion polls and surveys, classroom and performance assessment, and setting of standards.

Reading is a very complex cognitive activity that requires not only skills and strategies but also knowledge and motivation on the reader's part. This course introduces current psychological research and theories of reading to enrich the students' understanding of this complex cognitive activity. The aim is to enable the students to become better readers and teachers of reading.

In this course, theoretical bases and recent developments in specific research areas will be introduced by scholars of educational psychology. Research areas may include cognitive and learning processes, motivation in learning, intellectual, social, and self development, counselling and supporting students with special needs, and measurement and methodology. The topics of this course will provide students cutting-edge knowledge and theoretical frameworks in specific research areas to guide them to improve the quality of education in Hong Kong schools.

In studying the complexities of human development, new perspectives have been emerging in recent decades. These include evolutionary perspectives, (bio-)ecological perspectives, different variants of nativism, (developmental cognitive) neuroscience, dynamic systems approaches, cultural(-historical) perspectives, activity theory approaches, and the theory-of-mind paradigm. New perspectives in various realms of development (e.g., cognitive, emotional, and moral) will be discussed through important topics (e.g., language development, conceptual change). In joining this course, you are invited to explore new frontiers of knowledge in human development which will be highly relevant to the betterment of our educational practice.

Contemporary economic development and social changes alike place an increasingly strong emphasis on creativity; hence, it is an important if not necessary educational goal in the 21st century. An understanding of creativity is crucial for educators who want to design pedagogies aiming to foster creativity among students. This two part course first introduces participants to the topic of creativity from a wide range of perspectives including historical, developmental, cognitive, and computational, and then elaborates upon the pedagogical implications of the psychological findings and theories covered in the first part.

This course aims to expose students to basic counselling theories accompanied by experiential activities. The theories are of a psychoanalytic, Jungian, Adlerian, cognitive behavioural and humanistic/ existential nature. They set the basis for some of the most commonly used psychological interventions which will be outlined briefly in the course.

Students of the 21st century are expected to be creative and have an inquiring mind; and be able to think critically and solve problems both independently and collaboratively. These high order thinking skills enable students to construct new knowledge from the overabundant information and to make critical decisions in the digital era. This course aims to provide participants with a fundamental understanding of higher order thinking skills (such as critical thinking, problem-solving, and creativity) from multiple theoretical perspectives (e.g., philosophical, cognitive, social-psychological, neuroscience and pedagogical) and an in-depth exploration of how to foster the use of higher order thinking skills in schools and other educational settings.

Everyday, the brain is constantly shaped and tuned to support learning in this ever-changing world. However, learning can be tricky, as it may not always happen smoothly even when we try hard, but it can also happen without us being aware of the information. In this course, we will systematically examine how we learn, the basics about organization and functions of the brain, and how the brain is fundamentally changed by our experience. This course will help students to formulate better learning strategies, assess the scientific merits of claims relevant to learning and the brain, and appreciate how understanding the brain can inform education.

This course aims to provide students with theoretical foundations of selected areas of special needs and help them to understand possible learning difficulties children with these special needs would encounter. These areas of special needs include: 1) learning disabilities; 2) giftedness and talents; 3) autism spectrum disorder; 4) attention deficit hyperactivity disorder; and 5) emotional and behavioral disorders. For each kind of special need, students will learn its characteristics, causes, and provision of special education in Hong Kong. Besides, this course will also prepare students for developing essential intervention strategies and techniques to help children with learning difficulties. Students will also work in small groups, under the supervision of the instructor, to conduct case studies in order to strengthen their knowledge of the learning difficulties of selected groups of children and adolescents.

Although there is a myriad of opinions on how parents are supposed to raise their children, they are often not based on scientific investigations of parenting. This course will systematically examine the theories and research on parenting cognitions and practices from a psychological perspective. We will examine different determinants of parenting, including parents' characteristics, children's characteristics, as well as the family and sociocultural contexts in which both parents and children are embedded. The effects of parenting on children will also be examined, with attention to the processes through which these effects occur.

The seminar will provide in-depth explorations and discussion on selected topics in educational psychology. The topics include advances and current issues in various educational psychology theories, such as: cognitive and social development, cognitive processes, problem solving, psycholinguistic development, parental styles and family influences, personality and individual differences, sex identity development and sex education, stress and coping, counselling and guidance, school discipline, classroom management, motivation, moral development, psychological and educational assessment, creativity, teaching of learning disabled students, education for exceptional children, and psychological adjustment problems of new migrants. Enrolment will be limited and students have to get prior consent from the course instructor.

The seminar will provide in-depth explorations and discussion on selected topics in educational psychology. The topics include advances and current issues in various educational psychology theories, such as: cognitive and social development, cognitive processes, problem solving, psycholinguistic development, parental styles and family influences, personality and individual differences, sex identity development and sex education, stress and coping, counselling and guidance, school discipline, classroom management, motivation, moral development, psychological and educational assessment, creativity, teaching of learning disabled students, education for exceptional children, and psychological adjustment problems of new migrants. Enrolment will be limited and students have to get prior consent from the course instructor.

Is scientific approach in educational research possible? What constitute scientific evidence in educational research? In recent years, even though the call for more evidence-based educational practices has become ubiquitous, new instructional innovations and practices have been implemented faster than the accumulation of research evidence. In this course, we will first discuss the meaning of scientific approach in educational research that have shaped the current landscape of the field. Then, we will discuss how this approach enhances the understanding of recent instructional innovations and practices for the improvement of students' learning. Students of this course are expected to learn about both "form" (i.e., methodology) and "substance" (i.e., content) of educational research by critical analysis of the literature in order to become prepared for leading roles in instructional innovations and practices.

This course is designed to critically examine the literature on guidance and counselling in primary and secondary schools. The following issues are covered: comprehensive guidance system, whole-school approach to guidance service, models of school counselling and guidance, guidance activities and student development, organization and procedures of school guidance, preventive strategies, remedial and developmental strategies, guidance curriculum, counselling staff training and development, and approaches to evaluation.

Humans do not grow and develop in a vacuum. From birth, our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are shaped by the dynamic interplay of our genetic makeup and the environment. As children develop, they constantly make sense of the social world around them. Their social cognition, in turn, guides their interactions with others. Indeed, a major goal of socialization is for children to develop the ability to understand and act effectively on the social environment, so that they can function as accepted and competent members of their societies. In this course, we will examine children’s psychosocial development. Potential topics include the nature of human development, achievement motivation, family process and parenting, and changes in youth emotional functioning and interpersonal relationships.

This course focuses on the inquiry of: 1) different perspectives on curriculum, such as: transmission/ transaction position, and objective/ process model; 2) the application of the above perspectives on the decisions of the nature and relationship of curriculum common places, such as: the selection of aims, goals and objectives, the selection of learning opportunities, the organization of learning opportunities, student evaluation; and 3) decisions on the change of the nature of curriculum common places after the introduction of compulsory schooling and recurrent education.

Curriculum evaluation has an important role in the curriculum development process. This course aims at helping the participants broaden and deepen their understanding of the major theoretical, political and ethical issues in curriculum evaluation. It also focuses on the principles and skills of planning, designing and managing curriculum evaluation studies. Examples and case studies will be chosen in accordance with the background of the participants.

This course is designed to deepen and broaden participants' understanding of teaching, learning and knowledge. Characteristics that distinguish teaching approaches, divergent perceptions of learning, theories of knowledge acquisition, and theory of variation will be explored. Knowledge base of teachers, conceptualization of teachers' knowledge, teaching strategies, and constructive pedagogy will be discussed. Participants will be guided to reflect on their teaching practice and examine how teachers' knowledge can be studied, how teaching can be evaluated, and how class learning can be assessed.

This course focuses on equipping curriculum developers and senior teachers responsible for curriculum matters in schools with the theories and practical skills of managing curriculum change. Since designing a curriculum without successful implementation is a waste of time and resources, the present curriculum development and implementation process in Hong Kong will be critically analysed. Curriculum implement theories and experiences from other countries will be introduced to shed light on possible adaptation for handling curriculum change more effectively both at the territory-wide and school level.

This course is designed to raise the language awareness of participants who wish to improve the quality of their teaching and/ or conduct research in this area. The course focuses on the interrelationships between two aspects of English Language Education: subject content knowledge, i.e. what language teachers themselves need to know about language and communication, and pedagogic content knowledge, i.e. what to teach in order to enable language learners to become language users. The course provides participants with an introduction to: the nature of language and communication; the systems that govern languages use; and the aspects of current language research which are relevant to English Language Education and will enable participants to make informed judgments when identifying pedagogic content knowledge. The course seeks to enable participants to: (1) continue their own professional self-development as teachers and/ or researchers; and (2) become informed, critical consumers of research into English Language Education.

This course begins with a review of the history and philosophy of science, which leads to an examination of the factors influencing the development and implementation of the science curriculum and an exploration of the various ways of curriculum evaluation. It then analyses the contemporary rationale and goals of school science education. Local and overseas science programmes are examined and compared with special emphasis on the philosophical, pedagogical attributes of their design. It also addresses current issues and research on the science curriculum, including subject integration, the science-technology-society movement and the idea of core curriculum.

This course reviews the research and findings on the relationship between effective teaching and student learning, leading to an understanding of the development of instructional strategies in different science programmes. This is followed by a consideration of the nature and impact of children's misconceptions and pedagogical implications. The course also analyses the roles of practical work in school science and the current trends of teaching practical work. Different approaches of assessing achievement in science learning are considered, including that of practical work. It also explores the rationale, problems and future of assessment in science education, including the impact of the teacher assessment scheme.

This course focuses on the curriculum inquiry into why certain education goals and content are selected. This phenomenon reflects that some interests prevail over others. The kinds of curriculum decisions made by various levels ranged from individuals, classrooms, schools, districts and nations constitute a productive realm for curriculum inquiry. Such inquiry could provide a useful knowledge base for policy as well as school-based curriculum decisions about who should and could make what kinds of decisions pertaining to the ends and means of education and schooling.

Built on the principles of curriculum design, this course examines (1) the deep-rooted cultural and social controversies that shape the aims of humanities curriculum, (2) the factors that influence content selection, (3) the challenges faced by schoolteachers in the course of implementation, and (4) the effects of different methods of evaluation. Beginning with the current situation of local curriculum development in Hong Kong, the course examines the place of humanities curriculum in recent curriculum reform through a historical as well as a theoretical perspective. Recent curriculum studies are reviewed to explore issues such as the effectiveness of subject teaching and integrated curriculum, the origin and significance of issue-enquiry approach. Analysis of case studies is adopted to tap from the experiences of different regions in the making of humanities curriculum, leading to a comparative study of the features of some major local humanities curricula.

This course is designed to extend participants' understanding about STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts, and Mathematics) education by drawing substantially on the theories and research findings in STEAM education. It examines the current status, prospects and research developments of STEAM education with regard to students' learning process, discipline discourse, teaching and teacher development. The course is intended to help students develop critical perspectives on STEAM research and explore its implications for STEAM education, policy and practice, and teacher education/ professional development.

This course will explore the application of positive psychology and education principles in the school context. Participants will learn about how positive psychology/education can enhance well-being, motivation, engagement, and achievement among students and educators. Throughout the course, participants will engage in discussions, case studies, and class activities to deepen their understanding and practical application of positive psychology/education in educational settings. By the end of the course, participants will be equipped with a comprehensive toolkit of evidence-based strategies and interventions to create positive and thriving educational environments. They will have the knowledge and skills to enhance student well-being, motivation, engagement, and achievement, while also promoting their own professional growth and satisfaction as educators.

Towards the end of the first year of their study, students start to plan a small project or research under the guidance of their supervisors. The project of research, to be conducted during the second year, should investigate a significant issue or question related to one or more of the following areas: 1) curriculum design; 2) curriculum development; 3) curriculum evaluation; 4) curriculum change; 5) curriculum implementation; 6) curriculum decision-making: school-based; 7) textbook analysis: pedagogical considerations; 8) instructional design; 9) extra-curricular development, implementation and evaluation; 10) roles and tasks of educational leaders and administrators on the above curricular and instructional issues; and 11) others (with permission of supervisor). In general, this project or research may employ either quantitative or qualitative methods, such as survey, experimental study, action research, or case study. Students are required to complete a report according to a standard format given by the Faculty. It is possible for a group not more than two students to conduct one substantial project or research, subject to the approval of their supervisor(s).

This course is designed for those students who wish to have in-depth explorations of topics in curriculum and instruction. The topics include theory and practice in curriculum design, curriculum planning, curriculum implementation, curriculum evaluation, instructional design, teaching in various tertiary/ secondary/ primary school subjects, extra-curricular activities, educational technology, and computer education. Enrolment will be limited and students have to get prior consent from the course instructor.

This course is designed for those students who wish to have in-depth explorations of topics in curriculum and instruction. The topics include theory and practice in curriculum design, curriculum planning, curriculum implementation, curriculum evaluation, instructional design, teaching in various tertiary/ secondary/ primary school subjects, extra-curricular activities, educational technology, and computer education. Enrolment will be limited and students have to get prior consent from the course instructor.

This course focuses on the inquiry about: 1) the definition of teaching; 2) learning theories and their application to teaching; 3) models of learning and their teaching effectiveness; 4) theories and designs of teaching; 5) models of teaching; 6) individual differences and adaptive teaching; and 7) variables, methods, paradigms and applications of research on teaching. Examples and case-studies will be chosen in accordance with the professional background of the participants.

Different approaches in organizing school curricula are based on different rationale and conceptualization concerning curriculum activities in schools. The nature and forms of knowledge constitute an important component in understanding and designing school curricula. Other relevant factors include school structure and culture, teachers' subject identity and status of subject, etc. In this course, the different ways of curriculum organization are delineated and evaluated in the light of epistemological considerations. Analysing the different areas of human experience and knowledge should lead to a reconceptualization of the task of organizing curriculum from a higher standpoint. In this course, the design and implementation problems of different ways of curriculum organization, such as discipline-based curriculum, integrated curriculum and modular curriculum in different stages of education will be studied. This exercise of reflection should better prepare course participants for the practical task of curriculum design.

This course is designed for those students who wish to have in-depth explorations of curriculum issues from different paradigms, namely Traditionalism/ Conceptual- empiricism/ Reconceptualism, and Perennial Analytic/ Practical Inquiry/ Critical Praxis paradigm. The course focuses on: 1) the application of above paradigms on the decisions of the nature and relationship of curriculum common places, such as the selection of aims and objectives, learning opportunities, teachers, learners and teaching/ learning environment, and social milieu/ context; and 2) the application of above paradigms in understanding the processes of curriculum development, implementation and evaluation as well as in designing modes of curriculum inquiry.

Students of the 21st century are expected to be creative and have an inquiring mind; and be able to think critically and solve problems both independently and collaboratively. These high order thinking skills enable students to construct new knowledge from the overabundant information and to make critical decisions in the digital era. This course aims to provide participants with a fundamental understanding of higher order thinking skills (such as critical thinking, problem-solving, and creativity) from multiple theoretical perspectives (e.g., philosophical, cognitive, social-psychological, neuroscience and pedagogical) and an in-depth exploration of how to foster the use of higher order thinking skills in schools and other educational settings.

Students will pursue independent study in selected topics and areas under the supervision of teachers appointed by the Graduate Division of Education. (A student should only select this course to fulfil the programme requirements if a core course is not offered within the normative study period of the student, and no other substitute can be found.)

Under close supervision, the participants are expected to conduct an independent study related to parent education. The exact titles of the projects and the supervision schedules are to be negotiated between the supervisors and the participants.

Our students live in a dynamic world, with new issues arising every day. As students undergo biological, cognitive, and social transitions to adulthood, how might their development be influenced by current trends in society? What are some of the phenomena of which educators should be aware? This course will equip educators to better facilitate students' learning, and personal and social development.

As suggested by the Existentialist school of thought, the "know-why" of parenthood will affect the "know-how" of parenting. What most parents really need is not simply the skills of parenting, but a commitment to parenthood. This course will cover the existential and developmental dimensions of parenthood, scrupulously interpreting the latent crisis and life momentum behind daily parenting practices. Equal attention will be given to the meanings and concerns, needs and opportunities, challenges and obstacles, and developmental effects of parenthood on the parents themselves from early parenthood to grandparenthood. The significance of offspring and future generation for the healthy development of a person as a self-actualizing and generative individual, as emphasized in humanistic psychology will be thoroughly discussed and analyzed.

The purpose of the course is to provide a comprehensive account of the nature and impact of family-school-community (FSC) collaboration in education. The course will examine the relationship between family, school, and community for children's education, parents empowerment and school improvement. For the past two decades, growing evidence shows that parents are valuable but largely untapped resources for the field of education. In Hong Kong, FSC collaboration is of particular interest to policy makers and educators because it may have considerable potential to address three major problems in public education: scarcity of resources; rigidity of bureaucracy; and quality and inequality of educational outcomes. The course will help participants understand how to obtain higher and better participation from all families regardless of their background; and to enhance the inclusive attitude of educators (including teachers, social workers, etc.) to address the diverse needs of parents and their children.

Although there is a myriad of opinions on how parents are supposed to raise their children, they are often not based on scientific investigations of parenting. This course will systematically examine the theories and research on parenting cognitions and practices from a psychological perspective. We will examine different determinants of parenting, including parents' characteristics, children's characteristics, as well as the family and sociocultural contexts in which both parents and children are embedded. The effects of parenting on children will also be examined, with attention to the processes through which these effects occur.

Against the context of industrialization and modernization, there are changes in family structure/ form and functioning. These changes, together with the emergence of the concepts of 'childhood' and 'motherhood', have tremendous impacts on the ideal of parenthood and parenting practices. Such ideal and practices are subsequently challenged in a post-industrial/ post-modern era. This course seeks to provide sociological perspectives to understanding parenting in a variety of social, cultural, and historical contexts, which will enable students to make sense of parenting practices in Hong Kong. The implications of such parenting practices for social inequality and social development will also be discussed.

This course aims to introduce to teachers, school social workers and other professionals involved in parent education the basic principles and objectives of counselling as a helping profession. Within the framework of selected theoretical perspectives, students will gain insights into how family and its dynamics influence the development of self, values, communication patterns and so on. Counselling skills relevant to working with parents will be introduced and practiced. Professional and ethical codes, specifically those related to working with parents will be addressed. Contemporary issues/ trends related to the fields of counselling and parent education will also be discussed.

This course provides an opportunity for students to explore a significant issue in teaching through undertaking an independent research project. Under the guidance of a supervisor, students will conceive, design and carry to completion the research study on an individual basis. They will survey relevant literature, formulate research questions, work out an appropriate methodological design, gather data, engage in critical data analysis, and report on the study in a thesis of 8,000 to 10,000 words. Before embarking on the study, students will submit a research proposal that includes a literature review, research questions, methodology, and an implementation plan.

This course will provide opportunities for students to develop their capabilities in integrating the theories and skills learnt into practice under supervision. Students will acquire practical methods to effectively apply their pedagogical and subject knowledge in an authentic teaching context. Each student is required to complete a minimum of 8 weeks of practical training, participate in teaching and education activities at the base schools, and attend a minimum of 20 classes conducted by teaching supervisors. The collaborating schools will be in Shenzhen and are expected to expand to primary and secondary schools in the Greater Bay Area.

This course is designed for those students who wish to have in-depth explorations of topics in curriculum and instruction. The topics include theory and practice in curriculum design, curriculum planning, curriculum implementation, curriculum evaluation, instructional design, teaching in various tertiary/ secondary/ primary school subjects, extra-curricular activities, educational technology, and computer education. Enrolment will be limited and students have to get prior consent from the course instructor.

This course is designed for those students who wish to have in-depth explorations of topics in curriculum and instruction. The topics include theory and practice in curriculum design, curriculum planning, curriculum implementation, curriculum evaluation, instructional design, teaching in various tertiary/ secondary/ primary school subjects, extra-curricular activities, educational technology, and computer education. Enrolment will be limited and students have to get prior consent from the course instructor.

This course will provide in-depth exploration and discussion of selected topics in the area of educational administration and policy. Topics may include either separately or in combination theories and approaches to researching school leadership, education change, planning and development in both schools and larger systems, organizational theory, education reform, education policy, the economics of education, comparative education, eduction and socialization, education and social stratification, Chinese and Western philosophies of education. Enrolment will be restricted and students wishing to take the course are required to gain approval from the course instructor.

This course will provide in-depth exploration and discussion of selected topics in the area of educational administration and policy. Topics may include either separately or in combination theories and approaches to researching school leadership, education change, planning and development in both schools and larger systems, organizational theory, education reform, education policy, the economics of education, comparative education, eduction and socialization, education and social stratification, Chinese and Western philosophies of education. Enrolment will be restricted and students wishing to take the course are required to gain approval from the course instructor.

The seminar will provide in-depth explorations and discussion on selected topics in educational psychology. The topics include advances and current issues in various educational psychology theories, such as: cognitive and social development, cognitive processes, problem solving, psycholinguistic development, parental styles and family influences, personality and individual differences, sex identity development and sex education, stress and coping, counselling and guidance, school discipline, classroom management, motivation, moral development, psychological and educational assessment, creativity, teaching of learning disabled students, education for exceptional children, and psychological adjustment problems of new migrants. Enrolment will be limited and students have to get prior consent from the course instructor.

The seminar will provide in-depth explorations and discussion on selected topics in educational psychology. The topics include advances and current issues in various educational psychology theories, such as: cognitive and social development, cognitive processes, problem solving, psycholinguistic development, parental styles and family influences, personality and individual differences, sex identity development and sex education, stress and coping, counselling and guidance, school discipline, classroom management, motivation, moral development, psychological and educational assessment, creativity, teaching of learning disabled students, education for exceptional children, and psychological adjustment problems of new migrants. Enrolment will be limited and students have to get prior consent from the course instructor.

This course focuses on the inquiry about: 1) the definition of teaching; 2) learning theories and their application to teaching; 3) models of learning and their teaching effectiveness; 4) theories and designs of teaching; 5) models of teaching; 6) individual differences and adaptive teaching; and 7) variables, methods, paradigms and applications of research on teaching. Examples and case-studies will be chosen in accordance with the professional background of the participants.

Different approaches in organizing school curricula are based on different rationale and conceptualization concerning curriculum activities in schools. The nature and forms of knowledge constitute an important component in understanding and designing school curricula. Other relevant factors include school structure and culture, teachers' subject identity and status of subject, etc. In this course, the different ways of curriculum organization are delineated and evaluated in the light of epistemological considerations. Analysing the different areas of human experience and knowledge should lead to a reconceptualization of the task of organizing curriculum from a higher standpoint. In this course, the design and implementation problems of different ways of curriculum organization, such as discipline-based curriculum, integrated curriculum and modular curriculum in different stages of education will be studied. This exercise of reflection should better prepare course participants for the practical task of curriculum design.

This course is designed for those students who wish to have in-depth explorations of curriculum issues from different paradigms, namely Traditionalism/ Conceptual- empiricism/ Reconceptualism, and Perennial Analytic/ Practical Inquiry/ Critical Praxis paradigm. The course focuses on: 1) the application of above paradigms on the decisions of the nature and relationship of curriculum common places, such as the selection of aims and objectives, learning opportunities, teachers, learners and teaching/ learning environment, and social milieu/ context; and 2) the application of above paradigms in understanding the processes of curriculum development, implementation and evaluation as well as in designing modes of curriculum inquiry.

This is a foundational course on contemporary education theories that prepares doctoral students to engage with theories in educational research. The course extends beyond the scope of "educational administration and policy" but considers, broadly, the epistemological, theoretical and methodological considerations of applying theory in educational research. The course is structured around four themes with each block focusing on a few key theorists and their theoretical ideas. The overall aim of the course is to induct and provoke doctoral students to think theoretically and reflexively with theory for their doctoral dissertation and future educational research.

This course aims to provide an understanding of the major contextual forces that have shaped local school reform. It seeks to investigate the dynamics of school reform as a global phenomenon and analyze its impact on educational policy and administration at the international, societal, and institutional levels. School reform policies are often viewed as endeavors to enhance national competitiveness in the world arena. New administrative measures can also be perceived as means to attain efficiency and effectiveness. These will be examined. By referring to the experiences of countries, mostly developed ones, which have influenced the direction of local school reform, and drawing insights from relevant research findings, this course will address critical issues in key areas of school reform in this part of the world. Topics to be discussed in this course will include: change in conception of human capital and reform in educational administration, school governance, resource allocation, curricula and teaching, quality assurance, teacher and principal preparations, leadership practices and so on.

This course aims to provide an in-depth understanding of the complexities of school leadership and of how educational organizations 'work'. It seeks to locate these understandings within relevant theoretical, empirical and practical contexts. Processes central to effective administration are analyzed in relation to their influence on educational organizations and the ways leaders drive organizational change and development. Acquired knowledge and insights about educational organizations and leadership will be applied to relevant, practically-based problems through the use of case materials, critiques and other analytic tools. Through reviewing and applying a broad range of literature the course aims to encourage students to develop their own conceptualization of educational organizations and leadership approaches as a means to guide their future inquiry in the field.

Is scientific approach in educational research possible? What constitute scientific evidence in educational research? In recent years, even though the call for more evidence-based educational practices has become ubiquitous, new instructional innovations and practices have been implemented faster than the accumulation of research evidence. In this course, we will first discuss the meaning of scientific approach in educational research that have shaped the current landscape of the field. Then, we will discuss how this approach enhances the understanding of recent instructional innovations and practices for the improvement of students' learning. Students of this course are expected to learn about both "form" (i.e., methodology) and "substance" (i.e., content) of educational research by critical analysis of the literature in order to become prepared for leading roles in instructional innovations and practices.

This course is designed to critically examine the literature on guidance and counselling in primary and secondary schools. The following issues are covered: comprehensive guidance system, whole-school approach to guidance service, models of school counselling and guidance, guidance activities and student development, organization and procedures of school guidance, preventive strategies, remedial and developmental strategies, guidance curriculum, counselling staff training and development, and approaches to evaluation.

Humans do not grow and develop in a vacuum. From birth, our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are shaped by the dynamic interplay of our genetic makeup and the environment. As children develop, they constantly make sense of the social world around them. Their social cognition, in turn, guides their interactions with others. Indeed, a major goal of socialization is for children to develop the ability to understand and act effectively on the social environment, so that they can function as accepted and competent members of their societies. In this course, we will examine children’s psychosocial development. Potential topics include the nature of human development, achievement motivation, family process and parenting, and changes in youth emotional functioning and interpersonal relationships.

This course provide in-depth study of special topics in areas of Sports Science, Physical Education, and Sport Studies. The areas may include biomechanics, physiology, biochemistry, motor learning, psychology, philosophy, history, curriculum, pedagogy, sociology, management, or recreation.

This course provide in-depth study of special topics in areas of Sports Science, Physical Education, and Sport Studies. The areas may include biomechanics, physiology, biochemistry, motor learning, psychology, philosophy, history, curriculum, pedagogy, sociology, management, or recreation.

This course aims to help students acquire knowledge of sports injury and rehabilitation; as well as basic practical skills in assessing, managing and preventing common musculoskeletal injuries associated with sports and exercise participation.

Effective exercise prescriptions are an essential part of improving one's physical fitness and overall health. However, in order to provide an effective exercise program, exercise prescriptions must be individualized and specific to the participant's unique health conditions. As chronic illnesses, such as coronary heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, obesity, and lower-back disorder, become increasingly prevalent in modern urban settings, exercise prescriptions for the general population should be modified in order to cater to the specific medical indications of specific populations. Given that a regular exercise training program is recognized as good preventative medicine for chronic diseases, this course is designed to introduce information about specialized exercise prescription to meet the needs of general citizens and people with particular medical conditions. Students will be expected to become familiar with exercise prescriptions for general healthy populations and to use this knowledge to design exercise programs for targeted populations with specific chronic diseases.

This course includes the principles and theories on fitness training for health and sports performance and the teaching will use an integrated approach. Emphasis will be placed on the understanding of the fitness components, training and its teaching with the up-to-date science and technologies. In addition, the learning regimes will be applied together with the planning and implementation of the appropriate fitness programmes.

The implementation of digital solutions in physical education embraces the basic fundamentals present in various aspects of modern education reform. This undertaking involves using technology to empower students and restructuring the learning process to enhance student engagement. Wearable technology, such as bracelets, adds a visual element to physical activities, thereby providing students with a digital representation of their activity levels. Furthermore, access to online resources enables physical educators to substantially expand what constitutes physical education. Numerous online instructional materials are available for different types of sports and physical activities that can be implemented in class, thereby providing students with a break from the norm. However, digital solutions go beyond merely enhancing the levels of student engagement and altering the curriculum by facilitating the extension of the educators’ influence outside the gymnasium and into the classroom. This course aims to explore and conduct experiments on the benefits and limitations of using technology as a pedagogical tool to conduct sports classes and physical activity sessions in contemporary society.

This course aims to introduce the principles of motor skill learning and how these principles apply in the areas of sports science and physical activity. Emphasis will be placed on the essential concepts in the acquisition of motor skills using a developmental approach. The course will address the overall questions of how people learn motor skills.

This course is designed to cover current topics and issues relevant to psychology of sports and physical activity. Topics include personality, motivation, stress and anxiety, eating disorders, overtraining, aggression, and psychological skills training. Based on key issues, students will learn how to apply theoretical principles and research findings in the sport and physical activity contexts.

This course is designed to examine a number of key areas on how social and cultural influence on physical activity and its related issues. A range of sociological perspectives is utilized in which students can critically examine contemporary concepts of physical activity, physical literacy, sport, exercise and physical education. These areas are chosen to highlight the role, function and meaning which physical activity play in society.

The aim of this advanced course is to examine the theoretical and practical issues surrounding school physical education from a sociological perspective. The objectives are to increase the depth of understanding of what is meant by a critical sociology of physical education and to familiarize the student with the sociology of physical education literature. In addition, the course will critically examine physical education practices in Hong Kong.

The course begins by defining sport and other forms of physical activity and discussing the relationship between sport and society, both past and present. The course then examines the difference between sports management and sports development and, in more detail, the scope, purpose, principles and framework of sports development. The course then looks at various sports delivery systems and, in detail, the process of strategic planning for sports development. Strategic planning and sports development models are evaluated during the course. The strategic and developmental plans of selected organizations in the public and private sectors will also be discussed.

This course aims to help students to acquire knowledge of the basic concepts in sports marketing and sponsorship and the skills required in drawing up marketing plans and strategies in organizing sports events and sponsorship deals. Topics including the special nature of sports marketing, marketing management in sport, customer relationship management, sports pricing strategies, sports event as products, customer’s and sport organization’s buying behaviour, sport market research and marketing information systems, sport sponsorship packages, public relations and promotion, ambush marketing and legal aspects in sport sponsorships will be covered. Other than lectures, students are requested to conduct case studies in sports marketing and to draw up a sports event marketing plan to earn hands-on experience.

With the rapid development of global economies and technology, modern information technology has been entering the field of sports and physical activity. At present, within international and domestic sports organizations and management structures, supporting athletes training through the use of sports specific equipment, research and development facilities, sports information networks and sports utility software applications have become commonplace and indispensable.

This course will examine the professional needs of practitioners involved in using digital technologies and their applications within the sport, exercise and health contexts. A key element of this course will be to develop a deeper understanding of recent emerging technologies that can aid with improving health from clinical devices to active lifestyle aids, how they are developed, how they can be used and how to utilize them in research and practice.

Maximising the usage of IT for the advancements of various disciplines within the Sports Science sector will be involved in this course, investigating issues such as Motion Analysis of Human Movement, Sports Biomechanics and the use of Big Data metrics in assessing performance, both during competition and in training. The use of biomedical software in monitoring every movement in an athlete’s or individual’s kinetic chain - their muscles and joints, so as to fine-tune technique for performance/health/safety enhancement will also be examined.

The course of Professional Attachment is designed to expose students to their professional role by completing hours of field experience and a specialized project in the actual setting of the sports science industry. Such experience is important for clarifying and broadening career goals. Through practical attachment, students would be provided opportunity to apply what has been learned from the programme into a real industry setting; to extend and deepen the knowledge gained from the programme; to conduct critical analysis, synthesis, and evaluation of knowledge; and to develop skills and values that were acquired both in the classroom and the practicum. The essence of the course is to put theory into practice. Due to the nature of the application, students are required to complete at least 12 credits of course work. Students enrolled in the attachment will continue their other course work during the regular terms, and could simultaneously engage in practical attachment at any time during the course of the MSc study, with mutual agreement between the course supervisor and the field tutor.  Opportunity and selection of the interested industry can be initiated by the students and/or recommended by the course supervisor.  Students should engage in not less than 100 hours of field placement to be agreed upon by your supervisor and field tutor. During the attachment period students are required to conduct a specialized project and submit a project report at the end for grading purpose.  Performance observation report from the field tutor is also an integral part of the course assessment. Students must have obtained written approval from the Programme Director at least one term in advance before being accepted to the course. 

The purpose of this course is to allow the students to pursue advanced guided individual study in selected areas of Sports Science and Physical Activity. It will provide the opportunity for students to review the literature of their fields of interest and to prepare for the writing of their Project proposals. Examples are topics within the areas of exercise promotion, health related fitness, psycho-social application in sports and physical activity, physical activity measurement and evaluation, surveillance, sports training and coaching, administration, physical education as well as health and wellness education, etc. A student is expected to read according to a reading list prescribed or approved by the supervisors and to confer regularly with the supervisor. Assessment is based on the completion of reading and course requirements.

The Research Project aims to develop the student's ability to conduct independent research in the area of Sports Science and Physical Activity. It represents a step beyond the tutor directed Research Colloquia and Guided Study conducted in previous course. The Project will be expected to be an original research within the student's area of interest. Any relevant topic may be the subject of research, subject only to the agreement of the course committee, the availability of the necessary facilities, and the identification of a suitable supervisor. The Project must address a clearly identified problem and show evidence of familiarity with relevant literature, an appropriate experimental design and methodology, and a satisfactory interpretation of the results. At the conclusion of this course, students should be able to: 1) plan a research project; 2) conduct research in a professional and ethical manner; 3) present research effectively in written form; and 4) demonstrate in-depth knowledge of a relevant area. (Part-time students who obtain an overall GPA of 3.0 or above in their first year of attendance are eligible to take the course).

This course introduces students to important concepts, issues and theories that inform current mainstream psychotherapy and counseling practice. Apart from considering traditional approaches such as psychodynamic, cognitive-behavioral, and humanistic-existential approaches, more recent approaches including solution-focused therapy and narrative therapy will be discussed. Emphasis will be on helping students develop a counseling perspective in helping clients in educational settings.

This course is designed to help students acquire knowledge about the professional preparation and the leadership of a group leader in therapeutic settings, increase appreciation of different theories and methods of group work, gain an understanding of the process and dynamics of a group, and master necessary skills in activities of group guidance and counselling. Students are encouraged to gauge the suitability of applying different approaches to group counselling in the context of Hong Kong.

An in-depth laboratory experience designed to help students understand, experience, practise, and master essential counselling skills, as well as to use these skills with an awareness of the on-going counselling process. Ethical guidelines in counselling and related helping professions are also examined in this course.

This course is designed to stimulate personal and professional growth by integrating psychological theories and self-exploration. Through class discussions and exercises aimed at promoting selfawareness, students will learn how their own psychological functioning and behaviours impact clients via the therapeutic process. Students will be guided to explore personal issues, values, and experiences which can add to or detract from their effective practice of counselling and therapy.

This course provides students with an overview of major career development theories, skills and techniques of career counselling and guidance, and assessment tools that could be used to facilitate career interventions. Issues related to career interventions in the educational and setting are to be examined in the Course.

This is an advanced level course that explores several major psychotherapies, comparing and contrasting diverse approaches to case formulation and intervention. Specific psychological problems will be systematically examined, with a focus on their cognitive, emotional, behavioral, developmental, and relational components. Students will learn to identify the types of interventions that are most likely to be effective with specific types of problems. The goal of this course is to expose students to a wide range of theories, skills, and therapeutic situations, and to teach them how to apply and integrate this knowledge toward becoming more effective counselors.

This course provides students with supervised field experience in counselling and guidance. The mode of intervention could be individual or group. Students could engage in one-to-one counseling practice, as well as other preventive and developmental interventions. Students are expected to develop competence in establishing a counselling relationship, theory-practice integration, delivery of counseling intervention, and outcome evaluation. In addition, students are expected to develop an ability to work with diverse clients and problem issues through a variety of counselling and guidance interventions, as well as to adopt a personal counselling and human growth framework that is theoretically based.

Each student or students in a small group will, under the supervision of a supervisor, conduct a research project investigating one or more significant issues in counselling. The emphasis will be on topics that include investigating the efficacy and effectiveness of approaches, their change processes, strategies, and outcomes; counsellor, client and contextual variables; and counselling special populations or clients with multicultural and other special concerns. The student may employ appropriate quantitative or qualitative methods as indicated by the project. A final research report written in acceptable publication format should be submitted to the supervisor on the completion of the project.

This course aims at providing students with an in-depth study of the comprehensive guidance system. Topics for presentation and discussion include: 1) assumptions related to the scope and focus of counselling and guidance services in schools; 2) content, organizational framework and resources of the guidance programme; and 3) implementation and evaluation of a comprehensive guidance system. Necessary modifications and the viability of adopting the comprehensive guidance system in the Hong Kong context will also be addressed.

This course is designed for students in the comprehensive guidance stream of the counselling programme. Students are required to conduct a focused inquiry into the literature in school guidance and related fields. Students can work in small groups to complete the project, under the direction of a supervisor. The project can be in the form of a detailed literature review, school guidance programme design and implementation, preventive and developmental programme design and implementation, action research, or small scale qualitative/empirical research study. Students are expected to complete a report according to the standard format provided by the Faculty of Education at the end of the term.

This course examines suicide as a school crisis in particular and as a specific crisis in the wider perspective of crisis intervention theory and applications. Students will be introduced to misconceptions of suicide, assessment of risk, critical incident stress debriefing, basic intervention skills, prevention, intervention, and postvention strategies.

This course focuses on the major counseling issues relate with families. The historical development as well as the major schools of family therapy will be introduced. The basic concepts and techniques of family therapy will be taught and practiced. Special family problems like trans-generational issues will also be discussed.

This course is designed to familiarize students with a variety of career exploration and assessment tools, including tools related to career interest, values, skills, and career decision making. Strategies and techniques in using career exploration and assessment tools to facilitate self-understanding and development in the context of career counseling and guidance are examined. Measurement principles and ethical guidelines relevant to career assessment are also introduced and discussed.

This course is designed to enhance the ability of counsellors to work with individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds based on a model of cross-cultural competence emphasizing awareness, knowledge and skills. Students are invited to examine their attitudes and beliefs toward different cultural groups, and to become aware of biases that might inhibit cross-cultural interactions. Selected theories and research on cross-cultural and multicultural counselling are introduced, with special attention paid to sub-cultures among the three Chinese societies. Students are also given the opportunity to learn and practice cross-cultural counselling skills and intervention strategies.

This course features an in-depth study of special needs education for children and adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Using the course text, case studies and multimedia materials, this course will illustrate the symptoms of autism, different categories of ASD, and the effects on communication, behavioral support, social-emotional learning, learning abilities, and sensory skills in children with ASD. It will also focus on identifying strategies to improve the living and learning environment of the children and adolescents with ASD. In this course, students also learn to design interventions for children and adolescents with ASD.

This course is designed to provide in-depth exploration and discussion on selected current topics in school guidance and counselling. Examples of topic include advances in counselling theories and strategies, counselling individuals with diverse needs, assessment in counselling, advances in school guidance and guidance, and current professional and ethical issues in counselling.

This course introduces to students an array of common psychological disorders among adults and adolescents. Diagnostic criteria, systems of diagnosis and treatment considerations will be examined and discussed. The main goal of this course is to familiarize counselling and educational professionals with the nature and characteristics of common psychological disorders so that they can provide on-target counselling services to individuals suffering from these disorders, or make appropriate referrals for further assessment and treatment by mental-health professionals.

This course attempts to increase participants' understanding and skills in working with students with special needs. The psychological and social ramifications of different types of special needs will first be reviewed. The needs and characteristics of students that require special counselling, instructional approaches, and assessment modifications will then be delineated. Concerns related to guidance functions directed toward significant adults (e.g., parents and teachers) in the lives of students with special needs will also be addressed. The central theme of this course is to enable participants to facilitate the personal, social and educational development of students with special needs.

This course is designed for participants in the counselling programme with a specialization in helping students with special needs. Course participants are required to conduct a focused inquiry into the literature of special needs and related fields. They may work in small groups, under the direction of a supervisor, to complete the project. The project can be in the form of a detailed literature review, school learning support programme design and implementation, intervention programme design and implementation, action research, or small scale qualitative/empirical research study. Course participants are expected to complete a report according to the standard format provided by the Faculty of Education at the end of the term.

This course aims to help participants develop a comprehensive understanding of behavior problems among children in school settings, including attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and other externalizing behaviors such as impulsive, aggressive, and delinquent acts. The literature on managing children's behavior problems, including behavior modification programs, will be examined. School practitioners are encouraged to translate the basic knowledge they acquired through this course into relevant counseling and supporting strategies for working with children's behavior problems.

This course aims to provide participants with a sound understanding of the core issues of specific learning difficulties/disabilities (SLD). Drawing on recent research developments in the field of SLD,attempts will be made to demystify this subject, as well as to examine the latest research findings on the mechanisms underlying various types of SLD. Characteristics of and differentiations among different types of SLD (e.g., dyslexia, specific language impairment, developmental coordination disorder) will be reviewed and discussed. The central premise of this course is that teachers and helping professionals, equipped with sound knowledge, will be able to establish their own working principles in helping students with SLD.

This course aims to strengthen participants' competence in and commitment to working as leading members of the teaching profession responsible for the education of pupils with special needs in regular schools. It will demonstrate how a whole-school approach can be implemented in regular school settings. It will also delineate the essential principles and procedures in developing a schoolbased policy, strengthening teachers' understanding, forming a learning support team, and supporting students through peer mentoring. In addition, the whole-school approach will be discussed with exemplars illustrated by local school practitioners.

This course focuses on issues, theories, research, and interventions related to internalizing behavior problems exhibited by children and adolescents, such as anxiety, depression, and withdrawal. Studies on conceptualization, categorizations and identification of childhood difficulties are presented to facilitate a more comprehensive understanding of childhood psychopathologies. The course introduces various therapeutic approaches and techniques for helping youngsters whose negative emotions are the focus of intervention, including cognitive-behavioral therapies and social skills training. The importance of theory-based practice and evidence-based intervention is emphasized throughout the course.

This module will critically examine key current issues related to school improvement. These issues include postmodern views on leadership, management and school change, creating schools as learning as well as knowledge creation and management organizations, improvement plans, whole-school curriculum planning, inclusiveness, student and parental involvement in improvement and partnership development. Up-to-date theories and practice drawing on school improvement experience from international and comparative perspectives will also be covered, as well as critical analysis of self-managing schools and school effectiveness and improvement research. The perspectives of stakeholders such as teachers, principals, policy-makers, students and parents on school improvement will also be discussed.

The heart of school leadership and professional development is the improvement of student life and learning. This module will critically examine key leadership and professional development issues specifically as they relate to learning, teaching and curriculum in the school context. With reference to different levels of school leadership, the course is designed to promote the critical evaluation of theories related to effective learning and teaching and their application to local classrooms and schools. Course content includes current local and international thinking in areas such as school restructuring, instructional and curriculum leadership, teacher professional development, action research and reflective practice, teacher motivation, team building, peer observation and developmental supervision. Students are encouraged to pool theoretical and craft knowledge to develop approaches and strategies to lead and manage effective learning in their own schools.

This module focuses on different perspectives, models and methodologies for evaluating school improvement. First, various evaluation ideologies and perspectives will be examined. Secondly, different models of formative and summative methods of evaluation, role of stakeholders in school-based evaluation and their relationships with school improvement would be explored. A workshop on the use of SPSS for basic statistical skills and a follow-up tutorial on data entry and analyses will be given to each student. Finally, issues on school based evaluation, external review and teacher evaluation would be discussed.

In this module, students will participate in/ visit schools and other educational settings that are involved in exemplary schools, successful educational improvement projects, curriculum development efforts, and professional development activities. They will participate in seminars and workshops to learn strategies of school improvement. Through field study and various modes of learning, students will to be able to bridge theory and practice in school improvement for their own needs.

Participants will participate in an improvement project under the guidance and support of practicum supervisors. They may conduct the research in their workplace, if appropriate. The focus of improvement may be related to organizational, curriculum, teaching and learning aspects in a school or other educational organizations. The project should include an identification of a problem, a plan for initiating change based on theory and/ or other school practices, implementation of the plan, and evaluation of the change outcomes. Participants will be placed in small support groups who are expected to share experiences and exchange ideas gained from the project.