Education Bureau launches professional development programmes
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     The Curriculum Development Institute (CDI) of the Education Bureau (EDB) will provide about 785 professional development programmes (PDPs) in the 2012/13 school year to cater for the needs of around 60,000 principals and teachers of secondary and primary schools and pre-primary institutions in Hong Kong in implementing curriculum reform to promote more effective learning by students.

     A spokesman for the EDB said today (July 9) that the planning for the PDPs has taken into consideration related survey results, feedback of school heads and teachers collected through various channels and the latest developments in education. The objectives, content, delivery modes and duration of the programmes are designed to better suit the different needs of teachers so as to enhance the effectiveness of student learning through appropriate strategies such as whole-school curriculum planning, learning and teaching, assessment, curriculum management and leadership.

     "We hope that schools can make full use of these courses organised by the CDI to raise the awareness and knowledge of participating teachers. Upon return to schools, teachers may integrate what they have learnt with their school-based PDPs in professional sharing and collaborative learning among teachers to facilitate effective implementation of curriculum reform from basic education to senior secondary education.

     "For pre-primary institutions, we have enhanced learning and teaching strategies, especially the effective use of learning and teaching resources as well as the understanding of children's development and learner diversities. For primary schools, we have strengthened the content of programmes related to language and reading across the curriculum, and moral and national education. Furthermore, some thematic programmes for secondary schools such as 'Gender Awareness and Gender Equality' and 'Theme on the Topic of Natural Resources in China' are included this year. Programmes to be jointly organised by the Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority and the Hong Kong Academy for Gifted Education are also included," he said.

     The PDPs have always been well received by schools as they help schools to formulate their annual whole-school development plans as well as individual teachers' staff development plans. They support teachers and schools to sustain reform in basic education and to better implement the senior secondary curriculum.

     Information on student activities provided by different organisations is also appended to facilitate the early planning of student learning activities related to Key Learning Areas and Life-wide Learning, so as to achieve the learning goals set out by schools.

     An overview of the PDPs and student activities for the 2012/13 school year can be accessed on the CDI websites (www.edb.gov.hk/cd/pdp/pri) and (www.edb.gov.hk/cd/pdp/sec) for primary and secondary programmes respectively. The printed version in the form of booklets for primary and secondary schools will soon be delivered to schools. The web version of the PDPs for the heads and teachers of pre-primary institutions is available on the website: www.edb.gov.hk/cd/pdp/kg .

     Further details of the PDPs will be uploaded by stages onto the Training Calendar System of the EDB (tcs.edb.gov.hk).

Ends/Monday, July 9, 2012
Issued at HKT 15:06

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