Press Release: “Play Education Extending Positive Energy from Kindergartens to the Community” HKU Jockey Club “Play n Gain” Project Participates in the Learning & Teaching Expo 2021
新聞稿：香港大學賽馬會「玩學相長」計劃參與「學與教博覽」2021 透過遊戲教育將正能量從幼稚園擴展至社區

“Play Education Extending Positive Energy from Kindergartens to the Community”
HKU Jockey Club “Play n Gain” Project Participates in the Learning & Teaching Expo 2021
 

The Jockey Club “Play n Gain” Project, implemented by the Centre for Advancement in Inclusive and Special Education (CAISE), Faculty of Education, The University of Hong Kong (HKU) and funded by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, participated in the Learning & Teaching Expo (LTE) from 8 to 10 December 2021 at the HKCEC. The Project’s exhibition booth provided a Play Theory Corner and interactive games for visitors to learn more about the successful play stories in kindergartens, and how it could be adopted in early childhood learning and teaching. Members of the Project also conducted two presentations at the Early Childhood Education Theatre. 

The Project is derived from a research-based play education programme that has been used effectively for over 10 years. This Project adopted the “Social Star Mirror Model” (Liu, 2015) which served as the conceptual framework in improving children’s social-emotional learning through playing face-to-face interactive games systematically. Fourteen kindergartens have adopted a whole-school approach in which parents partner with teachers to create holistic learning experiences, and parents who become game trainers will be able to apply the skills at home and in community settings.

During the presentation, Dr Sylvia Liu, Project Director of the Project, shared practical implementation experience of play education, play-based learning and project evaluation. Dr Liu said: “We have worked together to extend social-emotional learning from kindergartens to the community. Teachers apply their play skills in daily teaching whilst trained parents become ambassadors and apply skills in daily life and continue to contribute to school activities. Participating parents have continued supporting school activities throughout their children’s three years in kindergarten regardless of the format. For instance, they participated in birthday parties, which were first held face-to-face and later via online platforms.”  

Dr Mantak Yuen, Principal Investigator of the Project, said: “During the school suspension/half-day schooling, the team made use of this period of time to develop online training. The content and activities were redesigned based on the theme planned. Online training brings insights on innovative means of making best use of its functions to enhance attendance and effectiveness. For example, ‘face-to-face’ without mask is made possible via online platforms whereas participants’ facial expressions would be ‘masked’ during on-site training. Online play sessions allow play opportunities in remote settings even under the constraints of social distancing.”

Dr Liu added: “During the pandemic, a number of online play sessions were held for families. This small-scale, intensive approach of public engagement was born in this difficult time. Surprisingly, very positive feedback was received from the participants. Both parents and children have never imagined that they could play interactively with friends ‘face-to-face’ on the online platforms, but not with the computer. As the pandemic begins to ease, the Project has begun to resume some face-to-face play activities under proper social distancing.” 

Children’s daily life during the pandemic has been disrupted by the school suspension/half-day schooling from time to time. It is essential for teachers to apply the skills of interactive play so that children could keep up with and get used to interpersonal communication. It also helps children to resume school social life rapidly. Dr Lilian Chau, Ex-Co-investigator of the Project presented the objectives, content and procedures of the teacher professional development (TPD) programme, and identified common obstacles that teachers encounter when implementing “learning through play” in kindergartens. Dr Chau also presented successful cases to illustrate how the TPD team has assisted kindergarten teachers to make sense of play and free play in the curriculum guide, to effectively integrate play in the school-based curriculum, and to create sustainable play corners in kindergarten. 

About the Jockey Club “Play n Gain” Project
The Jockey Club “Play n Gain” Project is a play education programme funded by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust and implemented by the CAISE in the Faculty of Education of HKU.  

To learn more about the Jockey Club “Play n Gain” Project and the upcoming game education activities and community class, please visit www.jcplayngain.edu.hku.hk and its Facebook page.

For media enquiries, please contact Ms Virginia Cheung, Jockey Club “Play n Gain” Project (Tel: 3917 5828 / Email: [javascript protected email address]), or Ms Emily Cheung, Senior Manager (Development and Communications), Faculty of Education, HKU (Tel: 3917 4270 / Email: [javascript protected email address]).

December 10, 2021

香港大學賽馬會「玩學相長」計劃參與「學與教博覽」2021
透過遊戲教育將正能量從幼稚園擴展至社區
 

由香港大學教育學院融合與特殊教育研究發展中心（教研發展中心）推行，香港賽馬會慈善信託基金捐助的賽馬會「玩學相長」計劃參加於2021年12月8至10日在香港會議展覽中心舉行的「學與教博覽」2021。該計劃於參展攤位設立「遊戲理論角」及提供互動遊戲，分享幼稚園遊戲的成功故事，以及如何將其應用到幼兒學習和教學中。計劃成員並於博覽會的幼兒教育研討會作兩場演講。

該計劃建基於一項已有效實施了十多年的遊戲教育研究，以「社交閃星星」學習概念模型（Social Star Mirror Model）（Liu, 2015）為基礎，有系統地運用面對面的互動遊戲，提升幼兒的社交技能和情感發展。該計劃在14間幼稚園推行，培訓家長與教師攜手建構全方位學習體驗，而成為遊戲導師的家長，更可將技巧帶進家庭和自己的社區。

計劃總監廖秀卿博士在演講中分享了推行「遊戲教育」的實踐經驗，以及遊戲化學習和計劃的成效。廖博士表示：「我們透過家校合作，共同將社交情緒學習由幼稚園推廣至社區。教師將互動遊戲技巧應用至日常教學，受過訓練的家長則成為遊戲大使，在日常生活中應用技巧，並繼續為學校活動作出貢獻。參與家長於幼兒在學的三年間亦一直支持各種形式的學校活動，如面對面及網上版生日會。」

計劃首席研究員袁文得博士表示：「計劃團隊利用學校停課/半日上課這段時間開發了網上培訓，並根據計劃主題重新設計了內容和活動。網上培訓亦充分利用了創新的方式，以提高培訓出席率和效益。例如，網上培訓可以實現不需要戴著口罩的『面對面』培訓；反而在現場培訓期間，參加者的面部表情會被遮蔽。即使在社交距離的限制下，網上互動也可以在隔離的環境中提供玩遊戲的機會。」

廖博士補充說：「在疫情爆發期間，計劃為家庭舉辦了很多網上互動遊戲活動。這種小規模及密集的公眾參與方式就在這個困難時期誕生了。令人驚喜的是，很多參加者提供了非常積極的反饋。父母和幼兒都從未想像過他們可以與朋友在網上『面對面』互動，而不是只與電腦互動。隨著近月疫情緩和，計劃亦續步在適當的社交距離下恢復實體互動遊戲活動。」

疫情令學校不時要停課/半日上課，幼兒的生活少不免出現狀況。教師應用了互動遊戲的技巧，讓幼兒在遊戲互動中練習溝通，加快了幼兒適應學校群體生活。計劃之前任聯合研究員周雅莉博士在演講時介紹計劃中教師培訓的目的、內容和流程，並指出教師在幼稚園實踐「從遊戲中學習」時普遍會遇到的困難。周博士以成功個案來說明該計劃的教師培訓團隊如何幫助幼稚園教師理解課程指引所指的遊戲與自由遊戲、有效地把遊戲與校本課程融合，以及在幼稚園設立可持續的遊戲區。

關於賽馬會「玩學相長」計劃
賽馬會「玩學相長」計劃是由香港賽馬會慈善信託基金捐助、香港大學教育學院教研發展中心推行的一個社交情緒學習項目。

有關該計劃詳情和持續的遊戲教育活動及社區工作坊，請瀏覽網頁：http://www.jcplayngain.edu.hku.hk及Facebook專頁。

傳媒查詢，請聯絡賽馬會「玩學相長」計劃張凱欣女士（電話：3917 5828 / 電郵：[javascript protected email address]）或香港大學教育學院高級經理（發展及傳訊）張可恩女士（電話：3917 4270 / 電郵：[javascript protected email address]）。

2021年12月10日