published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

published_or_final_version / Education / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

published_or_final_version / abstract / Education / Master / Master of Education

published_or_final_version / Education / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

published_or_final_version / Social Work / Master / Master of Social Work

This qualitative case study investigated the teaching practices I adopted in a general education course at a Hong Kong community college during the 2013/14 academic year. I took on the active role of participant observer to examine how a combination of Multiple Intelligences (MI) theory and Integrated Thematic Instruction (ITI) supported the goals of general education. Interview protocol with open-ended questions was the instrument to collect the students’ voices about their learning experiences in an MI-inspired general education course. Three research questions were posed. First, how does a course instructor design and teach a general education course at a community college in Hong Kong? Second, how do community college students experience learning in such a course? Third, how do community college students evaluate their learning outcomes in such a course? The interview data clearly revealed that the students’ learning experiences in the MI-inspired general education course included making connections to lived experience; applying the course content to real-life situations; learning to synthesise information, find relationships, think critically and solve problems; and creating knowledge through group projects. The students’ learning experiences corresponded to four dimensions of MI theory in terms of instructional design. These dimensions included designing broad-based knowledge and reality-based curriculum, using multimedia sources as teaching materials, developing cognitive skills in students and empowering students to learn. The interview data reflecting the students’ learning experiences as they relate to pedagogical MI dimensions were examined through my observations of students’ interactions in practice in addition to the students’ written self-reflections on group projects. The results of a college-wide teaching evaluation survey also indicated that the students gave higher ratings to their learning experiences in the MI-inspired general education course. As such, the incorporation of MI theory into ITI was a pedagogical initiative to support the goals of general education and strengthen learning opportunities for community college students with multiple intelligences. In addition, I explored the research implications of MI theory. The findings of this study provide community college policymakers, faculties and administrators with practical advice on curriculum development and the instructional design of general education at community colleges in the Hong Kong context. / 是項質性個案學術研究乃探討一所香港社區學院通識教育課程的教學實踐。此研究個案涵蓋了研究者在有關的「多元智能」(Multiple Intelligences)啟迪下的通識教育的教學設計與教學策略。 研究者扮演成積極參予觀察者，來檢視「多元智能」和「主題教學法」(Integrated Thematic Instruction)兩者之間的組合如何實踐和通識教育有關的各樣教育目標。 此研究個案於2013至2014學年期間，在有關的一所香港社區學院內進行。訪問形式是採用開放式問題，務使收集學生在這「多元智能」通識教育科目的學習體驗。 此研究針對以下三個問題﹕一) 課程導師如何在該香港社區學院設計及教授通識教育課程? 二) 該社區學院的學生在堂上有何學習經驗? 三) 學生如何衡量該課程的學習成果? 訪問數據資料顯示，學生在「多元智能」的學習體驗中，包括﹕緊扣日常生活、學以致用、融會貫通、學會批判思考、解決疑難和在小組工作中均學有所用。 明顯地，學生們的學習經驗對應了在「多元智能」理論的教學設計中的四個層面，即廣泛知識和建基現實的課程、多媒體教材、培養認知技巧和促使學生學習。 學院的教學評分結果顯示，學生能於「多元智能」啟迪下的通識教育學習中的得益，評分較前高。研究發現「多元智能」和「主題教學支援」的組合能清晰帶出通識教育的教學目標。此學術研究可為有關政策決策者和大學學系的策劃人提供實用兼可行的參照。 此外，此研究也同時為日後學者於有關「多元智能」教育理論和實踐在社區學院的研究和探究，提供了寶貴的資料和啟示。 / Kong, Siu Ping. / Thesis (Ed.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2015. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 135-146). / Abstracts also in Chinese; appendix 2 includes Chinese. / Title from PDF title page (viewed on 09, September, 2016). / Detailed summary in vernacular field only.

過往的教師專業發展都是圍繞着如何加強教師的專業知識及教學技巧，藉以改善學生的學習，甚至會嘗試探討如何可透過學校重組、重建，以改變教育的結構與文化。問題是教師面對充滿諸多限制的「處境」時，所謂專業知識、教學技巧又是否還有用武之地?這十五年的教育改革似乎已走向回頭路，作為專業教師還有其他可行的路讓其內藏的專業能力有效地發揮嗎?本研究借用伽達默爾「詮釋學經驗交流」的理論作為行動介入，嘗試尋找教師個人專業發展的空間與可行性。 / 研究設計分為三個階段。第一階段，研究員透過邀請五位教師敍說其教學經驗，反思自我置身於歷史洪流處境中的教師角色，並探討自己的價值觀念；第二階段，為了讓各受訪者有較廣闊的思考角度，研究員會揭示自我的教學故事；第三階段，研究員選用「詮釋學經驗交流」的對等交流模式介入受訪教師的視域，促使雙方在過程中更深入地思索教育的意義。 / 通過這項行動研究，我們共有三項重要發現。第一階段的研究顯示五位受訪教師剛入職時的「理解的前結構」是比較簡單的，因此影響了他們日後面對的教學工作。再加上，他們未有察覺「效果歷史」的存在，結果面對宏觀社會環境以及微觀學校處境突如其來的轉變，未及反應。結果，五位受訪教師既要應付教師行業「多樣性」、「變動性」及「不確定性」的特點，又要應付處境改變帶來的衝擊，而出現了不同程度的失衡狀態。 / 在第二階段的研究中，發現「效果歷史」會對五位受訪教師的「自我理解」起了一定程度的作用。透過研究員以文字將他們敍說的故事重新有機地組織，讓受訪教師以另一整合角度去閱讀自己的故事。閱讀過後，他們不單看到「效果歷史」的張力如何影響自己對教師角色的理解，還呈現對教師專業的種種想法。研究員的故事介入促進受訪教師思索、回顧自己昔日教學。研究員的故事就像一面鏡子，讓受訪教師看到與研究員教學相同與不同之處，形成一種遊走於熟悉與陌生之間的感覺，帶來一種無形之衝擊感，同時為下一階段「詮釋學經驗交流」作好準備。 / 研究的第三部份發現「詮釋學經驗交流」可促使教師個人教學專業的成長與理解，正如伽達默爾所言，交流有變換的力量，只要交談成功最終會在雙方身上留下構成改變的東西。確實，研究員與受訪教師在構建專業對話平台讓雙方在平等、開放的「來回玩」交流經驗中以新的視域看視問題，對不同的教育議題獲取了新的理解與知識。 / 透過本研究看到五位受訪教師在「效果歷史」的拉扯下所呈現的狀況，同時看到「敍說研究」以及「詮釋學經驗交流」的介入如何提昇教師的意識及自省能力，以達致發展教師專業，重新尋找到教育的意義。希冀每一位教師都能努力提昇個人教學專業，打開心窗，傾聽不同的聲音。在「詮釋學經驗交流」中進行專業對話，以擴闊個人有限的視域，讓新的教學思維與內涵可以有機會進入教師心中，為教育界帶來美好的轉變。 / Teachers’ professional development tended to be centered upon how to enrich teachers’ professional knowledge and pedagogical skills for improvement of students’ learning or even how to restructure and reconstruct the school for the transformation of educational structure and culture. Yet, in fact, the crux of the matter is whether teachers’ professional knowledge and their pedagogical skill can still be put to use in face of many situational constraints. Given the fact that these 15 years of educational change seemed to be making about-face turn, can teachers still have alternative ways to unleash their interior professional capacities? This study is an action research drawing upon Gadamer’s theory of ‘hermeneutic of experience of language’ in an attempt to explore the spatiality and feasibility of teachers’ professional development as individuals. / This study design consisted of 3 stages. In the first phase, five teachers were invited to narrate their teaching experiences, reflect on the roles they played as teachers in the turbulent situation, and explore their personal values. As for the second phase, the researcher uncovered her personal teaching experience to broaden the interviewees’ perspectives. When it came to the last phase, the researcher adopted the "hermeneutics experience of language" approach in interacting with the interviewees on an equal basis so as to facilitate both parties’ deeper reflection on the value of education. / Through this action research, three important findings were identified. As shown in the first phase of study, it was found that the five interviewees’ relatively simple ‘fore-structure of understanding’ at their entry into the profession did have an impact on their later teaching performance. Besides, their lack of awareness of ‘the principle of history of effect’ did weaken their responsiveness to the sudden changes in the macro social setting and micro school environment. As a result, when confronted with the ‘diversity’, ‘volatility’ and ‘uncertainty’ of the teaching profession while at the same time, having to cope with the challenges brought about by the situational changes, the five interviewees suffered from a varying degree of imbalance. / From the second phase of study, it was found that ‘the principle of history of effect’ had some effect on the five interviewees’ ‘self-understanding’. The researcher made a written account of the interviewees’ narrations and then reorganized them. Reading their own stories from a different perspective not only helped them realize how ‘the principle of history of effect’ had influenced their understanding about a teacher’s role, but also threw light on different views towards teaching professionalism. The researcher’s own story further facilitated interviewees’ reflection and recollection of their teaching experiences. The researcher’s story was like a mirror, enabling the interviewees to notice the similarities and differences in their teaching as compared to the researcher’s. This interplay between familiar and strange experiences as a result made an imperceptible impact, preparing them for the next phase of ‘hermeneutics of experience of language’. / According to the findings in the third phase of study, ‘hermeneutics of experience of language’ could facilitate a teacher’s professional growth and understanding. As stated by Gadamer, exchanges had the power to transform, and as long as the exchanges were successful, both parties would experience changes. Admittedly, when the researcher and the interviewees were interacting and exchanging their experiences on a professional platform with equality and openness as well as viewing issues from new perspectives, they could get new understanding and knowledge about different educational issues. / This research has demonstrated how the five interviewees were shaped by ‘the principle of history of effect’ and how the agents of ‘narrative studies’ and ‘hermeneutics of experience of language’ enhanced teacher’s awareness and introspective capabilities in achieving teaching professionalism and rediscovering the value of education. Hopefully, every teacher will strive to work for better teaching professionalism, be open-minded and be willing to listen. Conducting professional dialogues through ‘hermeneutics of experience of language’ can help extend horizon and make way for new thinking modes of teaching and better character-building to bring about positive changes in education. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / 梁頌賢. / Parallel title from added title page. / Thesis (Ed.D.) Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2015. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 302-311). / Abstracts also in English. / Liang Songxian.