Author: Kin-Sheung Kwan

Publisher: Open Dissertation Press

Published: 2017-01-26

Total Pages:

ISBN-13: 9781361236093

This dissertation, "Implementation of the Issues-based Approach in Teaching Certificate Geography" by Kin-sheung, Kwan, 關健常, was obtained from The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong) and is being sold pursuant to Creative Commons: Attribution 3.0 Hong Kong License. The content of this dissertation has not been altered in any way. We have altered the formatting in order to facilitate the ease of printing and reading of the dissertation. All rights not granted by the above license are retained by the author. Abstract: ABSTRACT Implementation of the Issues-based Approach in Teaching Certificate Geography submitted by Kwan Kin Sheung For the degree of Master of Education at the University of Hong Kong August 2005 This exploratory study examines perceptions by teachers of issues-based teaching and factors affecting the level of implementation in the context of the Hong Kong Certificate level geography curriculum. This approach was introduced by the Hong Kong Curriculum Development Council (CDC) in 1998 and adopted by the junior secondary levels (S.1 to S.3) with the Certificate Level starting in 2003. It is argued that teachers' perceptions regarding the curriculum, its context and the factors influencing the syllabus have important effects on its implementation and yet seem largely to have been ignored. The study illuminates the essential perceptions of the teachers and describes the factors affecting implementation. The research objectives were to: (1) examine the understanding of issues-based teaching by teachers; (2) investigate their extent of implementing issues-based teaching in the classroom and (3) find out reasons for different levels of implementation when teaching. The methodology was interpretive using a qualitative case study approach. The findings are based on interviews and lesson observations of three Certificate Level geography teachers. Findings exposed six dimensions of teachers' understanding of issues-based teaching and four factors affecting the levels of implementation in the real situations. The six dimensions were: (i) relevance; (ii) topic appropriateness; (ii) enquiry; (iv) teacher role; (v) classroom organization and (vi) student focus. The four factors were: (i) time; (ii) workload; (iii) student abilities; and (v) school context. The three teachers in different school contexts exhibited varying levels of using issues-based teaching in classroom. Levels of implementation did not just imply the use of a particular pedagogy but also the extent of adaptation to the overall change proposed in the recent educational reforms in Hong Kong. i DOI: 10.5353/th_b3553703 Subjects: Geography - Study and teaching (Secondary) - China - Hong Kong Activity programs in education Geography teachers - China - Hong Kong - Attitudes