Enabling innovators
In late 2015, the Hong Kong Education
Bureau (EDB) organised a Symposium
to enhance the awareness of
school principals and teachers of
the importance of promoting STEM
education. Earlier this year, it disbursed
a one-off grant of $100,000 for the
promotion of STEM education to each
government-aided and Direct Subsidy
Scheme primary school, and in 2016/17,
it will release updated Curriculum
Guides for the Science Education,
Technology Education and Mathematics
Education Key Learning Areas to
schools.
“The ultimate aim of promoting STEM
in this territory is to nurture a range of
talents with different capabilities and
at different knowledge and skill levels
to fulfil the economic, scientific and
technological developments in our
society and around the world, hence
helping to maintain the international
competitiveness of Hong Kong,” says a
spokesperson for the EDB.
The drive to educate schools on the
importance of STEM education comes
in part from the EDB’s awareness
that, “while Hong Kong students
perform well in science, technology
and mathematics, they may focus on
disciplinary studies and may not evenly
participate in hands-on activities,”
according to Promotion of STEM
Education – Unleashing Potential in
Innovation, a document issued by the
Curriculum Development Council in late
2015.
Implementing STEM
The challenge that Hong Kong
schools face is that STEM represents
a paradigm shift from a traditional
education philosophy based on
standardised test scores to a modern
approach that values the learning
process as much as the results.
Schools now need to think beyond
exam results and focus on creating a
knowledge base for students that is
applicable to real life.
“With STEM based learning, there
is a journey of discovery. It is a way to
offer real world skills to young minds
trying to find their way. But Hong Kong’s
rote education format is strictly outcome
based. The journey is discounted for the
net result,” says Timothy Stuart.
His sentiments are echoed by
Maly. She adds that the sole focus
on results can deter children from
wanting to learn and discover.
Montessori classrooms are
purposefully designed to offer a wide
variety of interest-based activities
that promote a child’s love of learning
and trust in their own ability to find
the answers to their questions – a
format that effectively fulfils the STEM
philosophy.
“The way a Montessori child works
means that she needs to get up, make
a conscious decision to choose some
material, use the material (therefore
moving and focusing) and find her
own answers; those answers then
create more questions that will make
her want to investigate further. The
whole experience is rewarding and
challenging in itself," she says.
An enjoyable education
Maly’s concern is that when children
are not participants in the learning
process, there is no sense of pride or
accomplishment when they complete
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