HKU Faculty of Education hosts “Knowledge Fair on Supporting Children's Learning Journey through Home and School Education”

The “Knowledge Fair on Supporting Children's Learning Journey through Home and School Education” was held on April 13, 2024 (Saturday). The event aimed to share research findings and deliverables with participants through thematic seminars focused on early childhood education, and to explore how educators, parents and various stakeholders in the community can effectively facilitate the growth, development, and learning of young children.

The event commenced with opening remarks by Professor Yang Rui, the Dean of the Faculty. Professor Yang highlighted the importance of supporting children on their learning journey. He emphasised that educators’ responsibility extends beyond imparting knowledge. It also includes cultivating children’s mindsets, creating engaging learning experiences, and instilling in them a love for lifelong learning.

The first seminar, entitled “Using smartphone videos to facilitate playful learning at home for families in Hong Kong”, was conducted by Professor Carrie Lau, Assistant Professor, and Dr Rhoda Wang, Lecturer, from the Faculty’s Academic Unit of Human Communication, Learning, and Development (HCLD). During this seminar, they shared strategies and activities for enhancing children's literacy and numeracy skills, as well as strengthening parents' beliefs in home learning activities through the use of smartphone videos and coaching support.

Dr Diana Lee, Senior Lecturer from the Academic Unit of HCLD, hosted the second seminar on the theme “Pictures say a thousand words: using wordless picture books (WPB) to enhance young children’s Chinese language development”. Dr Lee explored the potential impact of WPB on Chinese language teaching practices and shared approaches for enhancing children's Chinese oral narrative skills through effective utilisation of WPB.

Following each seminar, Professor Stephanie Chan, Assistant Professor of the Academic Unit of HCLD, moderated the Q&A sessions, providing participants with the opportunity to engage in insightful discussions, which facilitated the exchange of different perspectives, and deepened participants' understanding of the event's content. The Knowledge Fair attracted about 200 in-person and online attendees for each seminar, including school principals, teachers, parents, and other individuals with an interest in the topic.

The Faculty of Education has organised the Knowledge Fair since 2023. This event series has offered a valuable platform for sharing knowledge, exchanging ideas, and fostering collaboration among educators and stakeholders. It has also showcased the Faculty’s commitment to making an impact on student learning and quality education.