Centre for Learning Enhancement And Research
Centre for Promoting Science Education
Abstract:
The traditional university science curriculum was designed to train specialists in specific disciplines. However, in universities all over the world, science students are going into increasingly diverse careers and the current model does not fit their needs. Advances in technology also make certain modes of learning obsolete.
In the last 10 years, The Faculty of Science of the University of Hong Kong has undertaken major curriculum reforms. A sequence of science foundation courses required of all incoming science students are designed to teach science in an integrated manner, and to emphasize the concepts, not computational techniques, of mathematics. A number of non-discipline specific common core courses have been developed to broaden students’ awareness of the relevance of science to society and the interdisciplinary nature of science. By putting the emphasis on the process rather than the outcome, students are taught how to identify, formulate, and solve diverse problems.
In designing these reforms, we have taken into consideration of our need to prepare a small number of students for graduate studies at the highest international level, while at the same time provide the majority of science students the broad analytical skills needed to serve society in a variety of leadership roles.
Language:
English (supplemented in Chinese as needed)
Date & Time:
20 Jan, 2017 (5:00pm - 6:00pm)
Venue:
LT3, Yasumoto International Academic Park (YIA) (Campus Map)
Speaker’s Biography:
Professor Sun Kwok
Prof. Sun Kwok is Chair Professor of Space Science and former Dean of Science (2006-2016) at The University of Hong Kong. He has previously served as Director and Distinguished Research Fellow of the Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Academia Sinica, Killam Fellow of the Canada Council for the Arts, and professor at the University of Calgary.
Prof. Kwok’s research is astrochemistry. In addition to research journal papers, he has published many books, including Our Place in the Universe (Springer, 2017), Stardust: the Cosmic Seeds of Life (Springer, 2013), Organic Matter in the Universe (Wiley, 2011), Physics and Chemistry of the Interstellar Medium (University Science Books), Cosmic Butterflies (Cambridge, 2001), The Origin and Evolution of Planetary Nebulae (Cambridge, 2000). He was the President (2012-2015) of Commission 34 (Interstellar Matter) and is the current President of Commission F3 (Astrobiology) of the International Astronomical Union.
Prof. Kwok is a member of the Global Science Education Network and is active in promoting science education all over the world.
Target audience:
Teachers, staff, students, alumni, and general public who have an interest in science education
