Press Release: The Rise of Affective Learning: Hong Kong Education is Opening a New Chapter
Teachers’ professionalism in connecting cognitive and affective learning, enhancing parent-child relationships, and concerted community actions are the keys
新聞稿：情意學習異軍突起 香港教育齊譜新曲
認知和情意學習結合的教師專業精神、促進親子關係、社會各界的同心協力

The Rise of Affective Learning: 

Hong Kong Education is Opening a New Chapter
Teachers’ professionalism in connecting cognitive and affective learning, enhancing parent-child relationships, and concerted community actions are the keys

The Education Policy Unit (EPU) and the Academic Unit of Social Contexts and Policy of Education (SCAPE) at the Faculty of Education, The University of Hong Kong (HKU) organised the “Hong Kong Affective Learning Conference and Workshops – Key for Nurturing Future-Ready Learners in the New Normal”, which was held virtually on January 22, 2022. The event received an overwhelming response and was attended by more than 380 educators. The conference was moderated by Professor Cheng Kai Ming, Emeritus Professor and Honorary Director of EPU, and Professor Catherine KK Chan and Dr Cheung Wai Ming from SCAPE at the Faculty of Education, HKU. In view of intermittent disruption of schooling in the New Normal, more than 20 experts and practitioners joined hands in discussing the transformational practices in affective learning at teacher, school and community levels under the New Normal.

The conference started with the keynote on “How Emotions are Made”, presented by Professor Lisa Feldman Barrett, Northeastern University and moderated by Professor Cheng. Professor Cheng pointed out that the main take-away from the keynote was that students could learn to be responsible of their emotions by learning early and systematically in education. He further indicated that attendees could improve affective education by leveraging local and school contexts and integrating it into academic learning. He believed that affective education should be promoted, while new theories should be developed and integrated into the Hong Kong contexts. 

There were three themed panel discussions on innovative practices in affective education at student, school and community levels. The first theme was Catering for Diversity in Affective Learning, focusing on how current affective education can cater to students’ multicultural backgrounds, learning abilities, interests, motivation and aspiration, and their transformation under the New Normal. 

Principal Ho Ying Hon of the Caritas Fanling Chan Chun Ha Secondary School observed from school data sets that affective outcomes and student achievements were closely related in his school. These are supported by the long-standing practice of merging the values of school motto with spiritual education that have fostered effective student learning. Professor Lam Shui Fong from HKU shared how mindfulness has long-term positive impacts on students and teachers in diverse school contexts. Professor Lam is the Director of the Jockey Club “Peace and Awareness” Mindfulness Culture in Schools Initiative.

Ms Lai Yuen Shan, Principal of Pat Heung Central Primary School and her team shared their online plan to celebrate Chinese New Year with ethnic students and their parents as well as to promote family activities. Mr Chui Ka Cheung, Principal of Aldrich Bay Government Primary School, underscored that schools could leverage experts in the community, sister schools and society to conduct the whole spectrum of life-wide learning activities online even when schooling was suspended. 

Dr Wong Kam Yiu, Jimmy, Executive Director, and Ms Livia Tang, Head of the School & Student Services Division, The Hong Kong Academy for Gifted Education, highlighted that students’ development in the cognitive domain and the affective domain were not at the same pace, so it required both immersive and independent approaches to implement affective education. 

The second theme was Teacher and Principal Collaboration and Leadership, Home-School Co-operation. Principal So Ping Fai of the Tin Shui Wai Methodist Primary School said the school had already started promoting the idea of “School Suspension with Continuous Learning, School Suspension with Continual Love” back in 2020. She has led the whole school to reflect on and to refine the levels of knowledge objectives in the blended learning of different topics while intensifying caring practices for students and parents. 

Ms Law Siu Tung, Curriculum Leader of Shanghai Alumni Primary School, listed the levels of affective learning objectives that are integrated into values education across the whole-school curriculum and learning inside and outside classroom. During the discussion, the presenters and attendees agreed that opportunities should be provided to students for receiving and expressing their emotions. 

Mr Kam Wai Ming, Principal, and teacher Ms To Yue Man, of Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui Bishop Hall Secondary School, explained how STEM education and positive education could work together by sharing common learning objectives in values. Ms Yan Kin Foon of Shau Kei Wan Government Secondary School greatly appreciated the selfless dedication of teachers, and recognised their effort in learning, reflecting, transforming and acting quickly according to the needs of their students. Mr Li Kin Man, Principal of Salesians of Don Bosco Ng Siu Mui Secondary School led the boys who were being labelled “couch potatoes” to experience the transformation from cure to care. 
 
The third theme was Community Organisations and Participation. Different organisations, institutions, and professionals shared their beliefs, knowledge and non-public resources on affective education, which exemplified the close collaboration of universities, charity organisations, business sector, professionals (e.g., social workers, psychologists, school development officers), parents and government departments with schools. 

Mr Cheung Leong, Executive Director of Charities and Community, The Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC), demonstrated how the HKJC supported various projects to respond to changes and used social-emotional learning to support adolescents. Mr Eugene Fong, Chairman of the Committee on Home-School Co-operation, stressed that parent-student relationship at home was critical for students’ well-being, and parents also had needs for peer support. This was echoed by Mr Raymond Yang, Mr Matthew Kwok and Mr Anthony Ngai, Co-founders of JUST FEEL. Their organisation has been providing services that promote multi-directional compassionate communication strategies among students, teachers and parents. 

Dr Kwok Lai Yuk Ching, Sylvia, who leads the Positive Education Laboratory, City University of Hong Kong, pointed out that the elements of affective education converged with Chinese cultural values. Also, transformational pedagogies and whole-school approach could promote positive emotions, engagement, accomplishment and human relationships. Dr Elaine Chan, School-based Educational Psychologist Supervisor of Po Leung Kuk, shared how school sponsoring bodies could meet school-based needs in affective learning by systematically promoting positive education in K-12 education.

Mr Antony Li, Programme Director of the Bei Shan Tang Foundation, also stated that they were deepening multi-level strategies to enhance teachers’ professional competence, including collaboration with Po Leung Kuk and other school sponsoring bodies. The Character Education Foundation said character building was to be implemented based on role-modelling and according to students’ stages of development. Mrs Amy Chan, Chairman of the Child Development Initiative Alliance, has partnered with the business sector and government departments to provide valuable internship opportunities to engage and inspire those were deprived of resources and support. 

The recordings and files of the conference are available on https://scape.edu.hku.hk/hkal2022/.

For media enquiries, please contact Ms Emily Cheung, Senior Manager (Development and Communications), Faculty of Education, The University of Hong Kong (Tel: 3917 4270 / Email: [javascript protected email address]) or Ms Erica Lam, Event Manger of the Hong Kong Affective Learning Conference and Workshops (Tel: 3917 2533 / Email: [javascript protected email address]). 

January 28, 2022
 

情意學習異軍突起 香港教育齊譜新曲
認知和情意學習結合的教師專業精神、促進親子關係、社會各界的同心協力

由香港大學教育學院教育政策研究中心及教育政策與社會學部合辦的「香港情意學習會議及工作坊 — 新常態下培養未來學習者的關鍵」，於2022年1月22日於網上舉行，參加者超過380人，反應熱烈。會議由香港大學教育學院榮休教授暨教育政策研究中心總監程介明教授、教育政策與社會學部陳嘉琪教授及張慧明博士主持。對於疫情下的斷續停課和復課，二十多位專家和業界人士在會議上一同探討在新常態下教師、學校和社區層面中情意學習的變革與實踐。 

會議首先以美國東北大學 Lisa Feldman Barrett 教授的主題演講展開序幕，題為「情緒是如何產生」，並由程介明教授回應。程教授指出學生可透過早期學習和有系統的教育，對自己的情緒負責。他又指出各位講者可以善用社區和學校的環境，結合學術和情意學習，令情意教育提升至新境界。他認為應普遍推廣、提升理論，以及融入港情。

隨後三場主題論壇探討情意教育在學校、家庭及社區三方面的革新實踐。首場主題論壇題為「照顧學生多樣性的情意學習」，討論現時的情意教育實踐，如何照顧學生的多元文化背景、學習能力、興趣、動機和理想，以及他們在新常態下的轉變。

明愛粉嶺陳震夏中學何應翰校長從數據觀察到情意學習與學生成績有密切關係，並結合校訓，深信有效的心靈教育能促進學生高效能學習。賽馬會「樂天心澄」靜觀校園文化行動總監、香港大學林瑞芳教授則分享靜觀文化對不同背景學校的教師和學生具深遠影響。八鄉中心小學黎婉姍校長與團隊分享農曆新年期間，於網上與多種族學生和家長拜年和進行親子活動。愛秩序灣官立小學崔家祥校長強調，學校在停課期間仍可借助社區、友校和社會傑出人士的專才，進行全方位學習。香港資優教育學苑院長黃金耀博士和學校及學生服務部總監鄧沅叞女士則強調資優兒童的學術和情意發展並不同步，需要以滲透及獨立方式加強情意教育和促進學習。

第二場主題論壇探討校長與教師專業協作和領導、家校合作。天水圍循道衛理小學蘇炳輝校長分享在疫情初期，已提倡「停課，不停學」和「停課，不停愛」，帶領全校反思線上線下上課，認為應將分層的認知學習目標去蕪存菁，並加強對家長和學生的關愛。滬江小學羅筱彤課程統籌主任，建議學校將全校課程課堂内、外的價值觀教育，融入不同層次的情意學習目標。在討論中，參與者都認為應該給學生機會去感受和表達，並付諸實踐。香港聖公會何明華會督中學金偉明校長與陶宇文老師分享如何結合 STEM教育和正向教育，透過共同的價值觀一起實行。筲箕灣官立中學殷見歡校長觀察到教師在新常態下為學生和學校作出無私的奉獻，對他們的學習、反思、轉變和快速行動深表肯定。天主教慈幼會伍少梅中學李建文校長則帶領那些被貼上「躺平」標籤的「後進」學生，經歷「從治癒到關懷」。

第三場主題論壇討論社會各界的參與。不同社區組織、機構和專業人士分享他們關於學校情意學習的理念、知識和非公共資源，體現出大學、慈善組織、商界、專業人士（包括社會工作者、心理學家、學校發展主任）、家長和政府部門與學校的密切合作。

賽馬會慈善及社區事務執行總監張亮先生展示該會在社會變遷中支持不少計劃，以社交情緒學習填補青少年心靈的空虛。家庭與學校合作事宜委員會主席方奕展先生強調，疫情期間家長和學生在家中的親子關係至為重要，而家長亦需要同輩的支持以維繫親子關係。「感講」共同創辦人楊思毅先生、郭梓樂先生和魏敬國先生也表示認同，他們一直為學生、教師和家長提供多向度的善意溝通的服務。香港城市大學正向教育研究室召集人郭黎玉晶副教授指出，正向教育的元素與中國文化價值觀不謀而合，並說明正向轉化教學法和校本計劃如何提升學生的正面情緒、投入感、成就感和人際關係。另外，保良局校本教育心理服務督導主任陳秀慧博士，分享辦學團體如何在中、小學和幼兒教育有系統地推動正向教育，滿足不同校本需要。北山堂基金計劃總監李文浩先生指出，該基金正深化多層次提升教師專業能量的策略，包括與保良局和其他辦學團體合作。此外，品格教育協會表示以榜樣建立品格，按學生的發展階段來實踐，並印證了不同層次情意學習的成果。青少年發展企業聯盟主席陳龔偉瑩女士與商界及政府部門合作，為學生提供寶貴的工作實習機會，令缺乏資源的青少年獲得啟發。

會議的錄影及相關檔案已上載至https://scape.edu.hku.hk/hkal2022/。

傳媒查詢，請聯絡香港大學教育學院高級經理張可恩女士（電話：3917 4270 / 電郵﹕[javascript protected email address]）或香港情意學習會議及工作坊項目經理林瑞心小姐（電話︰3917 2533 / 電郵︰[javascript protected email address]）。 

2022年1月28日