All-round Development of Sciences Students through Project Courses

Project Title

All-round Development of Sciences Students through Project Courses

Project Leader

Prof K Y M Wong

School / Dept

SSCI / PHYS

Project Duration

Sept 2002 - Mar 2005

Project Description

The education reform emphasizes on all round development of students according to his/her own attributes. By introducing this project course, students had more opportunities to strengthen their skills in searching, discovering, integrating and organizing knowledge. Besides, their collaborative skills and communication skills were improved through assisting the juniors and presentations. This project basically followed the action research approach through stages of planning, action, evaluation and reflection. Science faculty members who shared the same vision of providing all-round education to UG students collected wide range of project topics. A proper computer and laboratory environment were set up for project work. Students were enrolled in project courses and choosed their own project topic and work under the supervision of a UST Science faculty, with assistance from TA’s, senior UG students, as well as external collaborators. They were evaluated by their project reports, plus their presentations both inside UST (such as UG seminars in PHYS180) and outside (such as popular lectures and secondary schools). Student evaluations were studied, and students were invited to share their experience. Experienced students wereinvited to be helpers for new project students in the coming year. This built a tradition of peer guidance.

Project Outcome

• 2002 - 2003 Spring: a) 10 students delivered 10 school talks covering 4 topics: The Science of UV, Binary Pulsars, Life Out There and Mobile Network; from March 2003 to July 2003; b)  The seminars were held in 6 secondary schools including Baptist LMC, Christian Alliance Cheng Wing Gee, Sun Kei, Ng Siu Mui Technical School, St Joseph’s, and St Paul’s Co-educational; and c) Due to the unexpected outbreak of SARS, a number of secondary school talks were cancelled during Apr 03. The network with secondary schools was expanded and a few more secondary school talks were successfully arranged after SARS.

• 2003 - 04 Fall: a) 14 students delivered 8 school talks covering 4 topics: The Science of UV, Binary Pulsars, Life Out There and Mobile Network; from October 2003 to December 2003; and b) The seminars were held in 7 secondary schools including St. Clare, Chinese Women’s Club, St. Paul’s Covent, La Salle, Lam Kau Mow, Law Chan Chor Si, and Shung Tak.

• 2003 - 04 Spring: a) 11 students delivered 25 school talks covering 7 topics: The Science of UV, X-ray Astronomy, ER Fluid, Nanotechnology, Wonderful Butterflies, Special Relativity and Mobile Network; from March 2004 to July 2004; and b)  The seminars were held in 19 secondary schools including Lam Woo, Notre Dame, Tak Sun, Carmel Divine Grace, Cheung Chuk Shan, CNEC Christian, Siu Ming, Ying Wah, Lam Kau Mow, Shatin Methodist, Buddhist Wong Wan Tin, St Stephen Girls’, Shung Tak, St Mark’s, Buddhist Wong Fung Ling, Chinese Women’s Club, Sun Kei, Clementi, and Chan Nam Chong.

• 2004 - 2005 Fall: a) 8 students delivered 8 school talks covering 4 topics: The Science of UV, Microwave Oven, Nanotechnology and Special Relativity; from November 2004 to January 2005; and b) The seminars were held in 6 secondary schools including Bishop Hall Jubilee, Shung Tak, Ma Ko Pan, Memorial, Belilios Public School, Chan Nam Chong, and Buddhist Wong Fung Ling.

Status

Completed

Project Documents
(Only accessible by HKUST users)

• Project Plan
• Progress Report: First | Second | Third | Forth |
• Final Report

Adaptation

Full Project