STEM EDUCATION IN HK AND

OVERSEAS

探討STEM教育在本港及國際的發展情況及未來路向

Prof. K.F. Wong

Faculty of Engineering, CUHK

MADE IN U.S.A.

THE MARTIAN

Astronaut and botanist

Mark Watney

Make long journeys

across Mars

Photo retrieved from https://thehousenewsbloggers.files.wordpress.com/2015/10/martian_cmpb_hkposter_08.jpg?w=709&h=1024

MADE IN U.S.A.:

MARK ZUCKERBERG

A computer programmer, Internet entrepreneur, and

philanthropist

Chairman, chief executive, and co-founder of Facebook

Photo retrieved from http://a.abcnews.go.com/images/Business/GTY_mark_zuckerberg_facebook_sk_131031_16x9_992.jpg

MADE IN U.K.:

SIR CHARLES K. KAO

A electrical engineer

and physicist

Father of Fiber Optics

2009 Nobel Laureate in

Physics

Photo retrieved from http://static.apple.nextmedia.com/images/apple-photos/apple/20091007/large/07la1p1new.jpg

WHAT IS STEM?

Science, Technology, Engineering, and

Mathematics

to address education policy and curriculum choices in schools

to improve competitiveness in science and technology development

Introduced by US National Science Foundation (NSF) in the 1990s

Stakeholders

government, education policy makers, students, parents, primary schools, secondary schools, universities, graduates, scientists, interest groups/organizations…

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STEM IN U.S.A.

a government directive to promote STEM

U.S. Department of Education

(http://www.ed.gov/stem)

U.S. Department of State

- an international scientific cooperation:

creates innovative solutions to shared global

challenges

(http://www.state.gov/e/oes/stc/stem/index.htm)

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STEM IN U.S.A.

coordinated by NSTC Committee on Science,

Technology, Engineering, and Math Education -

comprised of 13 departments and agencies

Latest Five-Year Strategic Plan for STEM

Education

https://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/mic

rosites/ostp/stem_stratplan_2013.pdf

Women in STEM

https://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop/os

tp/women

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PROJECTED PERCENTAGES IN JOB INCREASES

Source: http://www.ed.gov/stem

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STEM IN UK

Policy Paper released by British Government2010 to 2015 government policy: public understanding of science and engineeringhttps://www.gov.uk/government/publications/2010-to-2015-government-policy-public-understanding-of-science-and-engineering/2010-to-2015-government-policy-public-understanding-of-science-and-engineering

National STEM Clubs Programmehttp://www.stemclubs.net/coordinated by STEMNET, aims to offer advice and guidance on setting up clubs, activity ideas, how to sustain a club, how to get businesses and scientists and engineers involved.....The Programme is funded by the Department for Education, the Gatsby Charitable Foundation and the Scottish Government.

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STEM IN UK

Funding national academies

Royal Society

British Academy

Royal Academy of Engineering

Academy of Medical Sciences

Organizations

https://www.stem.org.uk

http://www.stemnet.org.uk

http://www.stemdirectories.org.uk

http://www.stemgraduates.co.uk

www.womeninstem.co.uk10

LEARN FROM THE U.S. AND THE U.K.

Policy driven

5-year strategic plan, continuous efforts

Activity driven

hands-on experience, solving real life problems

Involvement of various organizations

academies, professional organizations, interest groups

Funding/grants deployed to support STEM activities

Women in STEM

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STEM IN HK

Highlighted by the Chief Executive in the Education Bureau’s Policy Initiatives of the 2015 Policy Address

Introduced by The Curriculum Development Council (CDC) in November 2015

Symposium cum Consultation Briefing on Science, Technology and Mathematics Education: Promotion of STEM Education - Unleashing Potential in Innovation (November 5, 2015)http://www.edb.gov.hk/en/curriculum-development/renewal/index.html

Consultation stage (running behind our competitors!)12

OBSERVATIONS OF HK STEM

DEVELOPMENT

Proposed curriculum based on existing subjects Focus on “S” and “M”

Maths Core, M1/M2, Phy, Chem, Bio, Combined Science, Integrated Science

Less emphasis on “t” & “e” (imbalance)

ICT, DAT, Technology and Living

E.g. No. of candidates registered for DSE examination 2016:6,408 for ICT and 703 for DAT out of 50,000+ candidates

“Engineering” is not an individual subject in senior secondary curriculum

Experiential learning Hands-on experience, real-life topics

Career Prospects of STEM students 13

Suggestion: Promotion of STEM in HK

Ultimate

Objective

STEM Literacy

Problem/Gap “SteM”

Solutions Curriculum

- Experimental

learning (hands-on)

- Student activity

portfolio (compared

with OLE)

- STEM core for

university admission

Career (driver)

- More jobs

- more promotion by

companies (e.g.

IBM)

Support - Teachers’ training

- Syllabus (e.g. STEM maker by HKTEA

funded by QEF)

- ITSC

- Women in STEM 14

SUGGESTION: DESIRED OUTCOMES

From “SteM” to “STEM”

STEM as basic university admission

requirements (like the 4 core subjects)

Balance student numbers

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DSE Subject 2016 DSE 2021, 2026…

Maths M1 + M2 9,047

More even

distribution

Physics 12,763

Chemistry 15,437

Biology 16,072

DAT 703

ICT 6,408

Economics 16,937

BAFS 12,565

MADE IN HK:

PROFESSOR DENNIS LO

Professor of Medicine

and Professor of

Chemical Pathology,

CUHK

Decode fetal genomic

map from maternal

blood

Photo retrieved from http://www.cuhk.edu.hk/med/cpy/Research/DennisLo.htm

THANK YOU

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