Experiential Learning

Life Sciences Education at the Hong Kong Biodiversity Museum (NEW)

Background of Co-organiser

The Hong Kong Biodiversity Museum (HKBM) offers a specimens’ collection of over 52,000 specimens open to the general public (Wednesday, Saturday, Sunday and holidays) and to school groups to learn about the diversity of plants and animals found in Hong Kong and around the world. Open since May 2021, the museum welcomed nearly 40,000 visitors of all ages and background to teach about the taxonomic and ecological diversity of thousands of species. The museum is also very active on social media to reach a wide audience of nearly 12,000 followers.

The mission of the HKBM is to offer scientific information accessible to all to increase nature awareness, appreciation and conservation for education and research.

Objectives

During this project, interns will have the opportunity to develop educational materials for the age group of their choice (from 4 to 18 years old) to teach about biodiversity using the specimens’ collection and tools available at the HKBM. They will also be encouraged to produce original posts targeting a wide audience and presenting particular species that can be observed in the museum. Finally, the interns will learn and then lead tours to the public, including schools representing different age groups, through the museum to gain a unique learning and teaching experience.

Project Details

Interns will be working on a variety of formats and media, including on-site guided tours, online posts (1 or 2) and the preparation of new and original education material in collaboration with one or several of the school groups visiting the HKBM.

Project involved during the EL period and timeline:

Educational material preparation (first 3 to 4 weeks)
Use of educational materials (last 2 weeks)
Guided tours to the museum (5.5 weeks)
Preparation of online educational material posts (5.5 weeks)

Date

23 September - 29 October 2024
Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm
The museum is usually closed on Monday, so most school groups are received on Tuesday, Thursday or Friday
Special working hours: Saturday and Sunday (3 to 4 hours from 10:30am to 5:15pm)

Location

The HKBM is located on the HKU campus within the School of Biological Sciences (South Wing, 2^nd floor)

(Address: Room 2S-18, 2/F, Kadoorie Biological Sciences Building, HKU)

Eligibility

PGDE (full-time) students, Science major preferred but not mandatory
Students with high motivation and enthusiasm to talk about biodiversity are very welcome; however, the approach taken here is to deliver accurate scientific information, not opinions or beliefs.
Students interested in interacting with a public presenting a large range of ages and social background are particularly welcome.
Excellent levels of English and Cantonese languages, both spoken and written, are required. Abilities to speak in Mandarin are a plus.

Application Deadline and Procedure

11:59pm, 28 August 2024

Complete the application form at HKU Moodle (Part 1) AND
Upload the following documents to the respective project folder at HKU Moodle (Part 2) (Please combine all documents into one Word/PDF file)
1. Your updated CV
2. Art or Graphic designer portfolio (if any)
Shortlisted students may be invited to attend an interview arranged by HKBM (details to be confirmed).

Remarks

Further information about our internship programs can be found here: https://www.hkbiodiversitymuseum.org/internship
Interested students can also consult our social media platform on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter/X for further information.

Project Keywords

Biodiversity, Conservation, Nature, STEM Education

Enquiries

Email to [javascript protected email address]