Issue 20, November-December 2011...Issue 20, November-December 2011 FED NEWSLETTER Mission To...

Issue 20, November-December 2011


FED NEWSLETTER

Mission

To disseminate educational ideals and academic and student activities of FED;

To provide an easy and user-friendly platform for academic staff;

To promote a sharing culture and boost teacher education and professional development.

Editorial Board

Prof. Sylvia S.L.Ieong [email protected] Jiangbin Li [email protected] Lina Wang [email protected]

Room J527 8397 8727

Contents

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Issue 20 Contents

Exchange Activities 1.FED Co-hosted “First Conference on the Teaching of Physics in

Secondary Schools for the Four Regions” 2. FED Seminar on “The Latest ICMI Studies and Its Implications

for Mathematics Teaching” and “Reflection on Elementary Mathematics from University Viewpoint”

3.FED Conference Series on Education Development in Chinese Society – Dialogues on Education

4. FED Seminar on “Mathematics: A Rich Field of Wisdom”, and “Do Not Tell Me How to Do, Let Me Try First!”

5.Workshop on “Adolescent World: Life, Learning and Adaptation”

6. Forum on “Adolescent World: Life, Learning and Adaptation” 7.Seminar on “Creating a Shared Language for Comprehension

Instruction through Question Answer Relationships (QAR)” 8. FED Seminar on “Ways of Meaning Making: Reading

Comprehension in the 21st Century - The Macao Context” 9. FED Seminar on “Teaching and Learning of English:

Co-curricular Program and the School Based Experiences in Venezuela and Russia”

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9 Student Activities 10.FED Lunch Seminar Series: “Critical Media Literacy” 10 Staff Activities

11. Associate Prof. Leung Shing On was invited to participate in a conference on “Social Statistics Honoring the Scientific Contributions of Professor Emeritus David J. Bartholomew”

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mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]


FED Co-hosted “First Conference on the Teaching of Physics in Secondary Schools

for the Four Regions”

The “First Conference on the Teaching of Physics in Secondary Schools for the Four Regions” was co-hosted by Faculty of Education, UM. The opening ceremony was held in Cultural Centre, University of Macau on 12 December. Prof. Zhao Wei, Rector of UM, and Prof. Fan Xitao, Dean of FED, officiated at the opening ceremony.

In the afternoon, physics teachers from Hong Kong, Macau and across the straits attended seminars held in HG01, HG02 and HG03, Ho Yin Convention Centre, University of Macau.

The closing ceremony was held in HG02, Ho Yin Convention Centre on 13 December. The three-day conference concluded very successfully.

FED Seminar on “The Latest ICMI Studies and Its

Implications for Mathematics Teaching” and “Reflection on

Elementary Mathematics from University Viewpoint”

FED seminar on “The Latest ICMI Studies and Its Implications for Mathematics Teaching” and “Reflection on Elementary Mathematics from University Viewpoint” was held in HG01, Ho Yin Convention Centre, University of Macau on 4 November. FED Assistant Professor, Dr. Sun Xu Hua, chaired the seminar.

Prof. Jaime Carvalho e Silva, Secretary-General of ICMI, University of Coimbra and Prof. José Francisco Rodrigues, University of Lisbon were the key speakers. Dean of FED and Chair Professor Fan Xitao attended the seminar. Dr. Jiang Chunlian, FED Program Coordinator of Bachelor of Education in Mathematics Curriculum and Teaching Practice attended the seminar and interpreted for Prof. José Francisco Rodrigues. Dr. Sun Xu Hua welcomed all the students and teachers present and introduced Prof. Jaime Carvalho e Silva. Prof. Fan Xitao presented Prof. Jaime Carvalho e Silva with

Exchange A

ctivities

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souvenirs and took pictures together. Prof. Jaime Carvalho e Silva shared with the audience the most updated information about ICMI (International Commission on Mathematical Instruction).

ICMI was founded in 1908. One of the main activities of ICMI is the annual publication on ICMI studies, (one book per year since 1985). Each study focuses on a topic or issue in mathematics education. It is intended to promote discussions and activities at the international, regional or institutional levels. The last four Studies were briefly discussed and its main conclusions presented. These involved the preparation of mathematics teachers, mathematical challenges in and outside the classroom, the use of technology to teach mathematics and the teaching of statistics. Towards the end of his lecture, Prof. Jaime Carvalho e Silva answered questions from the audience on the influence of ICMI Studies on universities. He mentioned that although universities have high level of autonomy, universities would use the conclusions of the Studies if the books are available everywhere.

In the second half of the seminar, Dr. Sun Xu Hua introduced Prof. José Francisco Rodrigues. Prof. José Francisco Rodrigues talked about some national and international experiences in Portugal and in Brazil related to the Klein project.

The mathematics preparation of teachers at university level raised several questions concerning the creation of the International Commission on Mathematical Instruction (ICMI) in 1908. After the influential book “Elementarmathematick vom höheren Standpunkte aus” by Felix Klein was published also in 1908, the several trends and different ways in which the problem of instruction can be presented to the mathematicians had contributed to the introduction of the didactics of mathematics as a mathematical discipline. Over the past century, ICMI and the International Mathematical Union (IMU) have launched the Klein Project in several languages, as well as mathematical contents materials, including a book, a DVD and a wiki-based website.

Prof. José Francisco Rodrigues played a short video on elliptic curves and cryptography. The film illustrated some elementary mathematical ideas, like Pythagorean triples, the Fermat Last Theorem, modular arithmetic, cubic curves and surfaces, which are related to the deep foundations of the Elliptic Curve and Cryptography. The audience was very impressed by the ten-minute film.

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FED Conference Series on Education Development

in Chinese Society – Dialogues on Education

FED Conference Series on Education Development in Chinese Society – Dialogues on Education 2011 started with a cultural tour on 11 November. The participants visited Escola Catolica Estrela do Mar which is a Catholic School. Then, they visited Mandarin's House. In the afternoon, they visited A-Ma Temple, Ruins of St. Paul and the Taipa Houses-Museum. The cultural tour helped the visitors develop a better understanding on the culture, history, and heritage of Macau.

The opening ceremony of Conference Series on Education Development in Chinese Society – Dialogues on Education was held in STDM on 12 November. Prof. Zhao Wei, Rector of UM, delivered the welcome speech, presented the guests with souvenirs and took pictures together. Then, Prof. Cheng Chun Wai, Associate Dean of FED, gave a speech and Prof. Chu Hongqi gave a keynote speech on “Education Development Model: Change in Mainland China”. After the speech, research reports were released on four subthemes in four different rooms in UM Library: Dialogue on Curriculum and Teaching, Dialogue on Education Policy, Dialogue on School Management and Dialogue on Professional Development.

In the afternoon, a seminar on “Small Class: Chinese Traditional Heritage and Innovation”

was held in STDM and Mr. Ye Jianyuan was the key speaker. After a ten-minute break, research reports were released in four different rooms in UM Library. All participants attended the welcome dinner in the evening after the release of the research reports.

On 13 November, there were five parallel sessions where research reports on Dialogue on Curriculum and Teaching, Dialogue on Education Policy, Dialogue on School Management, Dialogue on Curriculum and Teaching and Dialogue on Professional Development were presented. Prof. Wu Lijuan gave a speech on “Cooperation between Parents and Teachers: an Effective Mode of Interaction” and Prof. Po-Chang Chen, Director of Taiwan Academy of Educational Research Preparatory Office, gave a speech on “New Trend of Aesthetic Education: Aesthetics of Curriculum” in STDM of UM.

Towards the end of the Conference, Prof. Cheng Chun Wai, Associate Dean of FED, and Prof. Vong Sou Kuan, Director of Educational Research Centre, announced the successful conclusion of the conference.

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FED Seminar on “Mathematics: A Rich Field of

Wisdom”, and “Do Not Tell Me How to Do,

Let Me Try First!”

FED seminar on “Mathematics, A Rich Field of Wisdom” and “Do Not Tell Me How to Do, Let Me Try First” was held in HG01, Ho Yin Convention Centre, University of Macau on 26 November. Dr. Jiang Chunlian, FED Program Coordinator of Bachelor of Education in Mathematics Curriculum and Teaching Practice chaired the seminar. Two key speakers were Prof. Fang Yunjia, Faculty of Mathematical Sciences of Capital Normal University, and Mr. Qiu Xuehua, Chairman of Research Center of Trial Method in Teaching, Mathematics Education Research and Development Center of Chinese society of Education.

Dr. Jiang Chunlian welcomed all the students and teachers present and introduced Prof. Fang Yunjia. Prof. Fang first talked about the recent finding of “Superluminal Neutrino”. He pointed out that we should have curiosity and interest in such kind of significant new knowledge. He discussed the nature of mathematics teaching and the role of math teachers. In mathematics curriculum reform, we should pursue truth,

develop critical thinking and strive for excellence in our profession as math teachers.

In the second half of the seminar, Dr. Jiang Chunlian introduced Mr. Qiu Xuehua. Mr. Qiu first explained his thirty years’ experience in “Trial Method in Teaching”. Traditionally, teachers lecture first and then, students do exercises. Can we change the traditional way and let students do exercises before teachers’ lecture?

Mr. Qiu proposed the “Trial Method in Teaching”, which means that teachers ask questions first and then students read text books by themselves, discuss their ideas with classmates and answer the questions through self-study. After students’ initial attempt, teachers explain in detail to help them better understand text book materials. Such kind of self-learning under teachers’ guidance can develop students’ self-learning ability and ability to explore and solve problems.

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Workshop on “Adolescent World: Life, Learning

and Adaptation”

A workshop on “Adolescent World: Life, Learning and Adaptation” was held in Education and Youth Affairs Bureau on 8 December. Prof. Zhong Sijia, Chief Expert of Institute of Applied Psychology, Harbin Engineering University, and Dr. Leung Wing Tai, Education and Youth worker and producer, were invited as keynote speakers.

The workshop on “Interpersonal Counseling Model for Adolescent” was chaired by Prof. Jin Shuh Ren. Prof. Zhong Sijia first explained that the Interpersonal Counseling Model is about: caring and being cared, influencing and being influenced. Prof. Zhong vividly explained how to communicate with adolescents by drawing on two case studies: “Monkey” and Xiao Pei. Then, he introduced American expert’s SOFTEN skill: smile, open, forward, touch, eye and nod.

Dr. Lam Kin Wing chaired the workshop on “Expand Youth Mind”. Dr. Leung Wing Tai mentioned that the aim of the workshop is to stimulate youth to be curious and analytical concerning their contextual challenge, sensitive to environment, able to think with multiple perspectives and able to express themselves creatively.

Towards the end of the workshop, Dr. Leung Wing Tai answered questions from the audience.

Forum on

“Adolescent World: Life, Learning and Adaptation”

Forum on “Adolescent World: Life, Learning and Adaptation” was held in Education and Youth Affairs Bureau on 9 December. The Forum was organized by the Faculty of Education, University of Macau. Prof. Fan Xitao, Dean of FED, delivered the

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welcome speech, presented the guests with souvenirs and took pictures together.

Prof. Fan Xitao chaired the first session of the seminar on “How to Protect Adolescent from Computer Games”. The two key speakers were Prof. Zhong Sijia and Prof. Chen Lizhen. Prof. Zhong explained why some adolescents became addicted to computer games. Addiction is harmful to their health and study. Parents and teachers should cooperate and communicate more to protect children. Prof. Chen Lizhen presented a vivid case study on how a student went to school again with the help of his mother and teachers. Dr. Lam Kin Wing chaired the second session of the seminar on “Shadow of Our Future: Youth Development Trends”. The key speaker was Dr. Leung Wing Tai. Youths are often criticized for losing curiosity, innocence, wisdom, resilience, interest, content and permanence. Teachers should teach creatively to arouse students’ curiosity, imagination, resilience, and interest, and inspire them with ideas, history and future. Towards the end of the seminar, Dr. Leung Wing Tai answered questions from the audience.

Five research reports were released in the afternoon. Prof. Jin Shuh Ren and FED PhD candidate Ouyang Baixiao presented their research on “Career Plan of Macau Youth: Get off Work Earlier, Go Home Earlier”. Then, Prof. Tian Xiulan talked about “The Career Adapt-Abilities Scale: The Psychometric Characteristics and Construct Validity”. Prof. Sieh-Hwa Lin, Department of Educational Psychology and Counseling, National Taiwan Normal University, presented research on “Testing Teenager Multiple Self-Concept Dimensions in Macau”.

Dr. Sze Tat Ming, Director of Centre of Educational Research on Well-Rounded Growth and Development, talked about “Self-worth of Adolescents in Macau”. And finally, Dr. Lam Kin Wing presented his research on “Risk and Protective Factors for Psychological Well-being of Adolescents in Macau”.

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Seminar on “Creating a Shared Language for

Comprehension Instruction through Question Answer

Relationships (QAR)”

FED seminar on “Creating a Shared Language for Comprehension Instruction through Question Answer Relationships” was held in HG01, Ho Yin Convention Centre, University of Macau on 13 December. Prof. Taffy Raphael, University of Illinois at Chicago，was invited to be the key speaker. Dr. Wong Ming Wai, Program Coordinator of Bachelor of Education in English Curriculum and Teaching Practice, chaired the seminar. Prof. Cheng Chun Wai, Associate Dean of FED, attended the seminar and presented Prof. Taffy Raphael with souvenirs and took pictures together.

Dr. Wong Ming Wai first extended welcome to all the students and teachers present and introduced Prof. Taffy Raphael. Prof. Raphael is Professor of Literacy Education at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Her research interests include strategy instruction in comprehension and writing and frameworks for literacy curriculum and instruction.

Prof. Raphael gave a general picture about comprehension instruction. Comprehension is about interpretation, synthesis and critique. Question Answer Relationships (QAR) is a language for comprehension instruction. Many studies have demonstrated the value of QAR for improving students' ability to ask and answer questions. Prof. Raphael took QAR to the next level and focused on how the language of QAR can be used to create a shared vocabulary about knowledge development and high level thinking. Teachers should help students to figure out whether the answer is in the book or in their head. She gave two vivid examples on how to help students understand.

Towards the end of the seminar, Prof. Raphael answered questions from the audience on how to use QAR as a framework for comprehension work.

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FED Seminar on “Ways of Meaning Making: Reading

Comprehension in the 21st Century –

The Macao Context”

FED seminar on “Ways of Meaning Making: Reading Comprehension in the 21st Century - The Macao Context” was held in HG01, Ho Yin Convention Centre, University of Macau on 14 December. Prof. James Gavelek, University of Illinois at Chicago, was invited to be the key speaker. Dr. Sze Tat Ming, Director of Centre of Educational Research on Well-Rounded Growth and Development, chaired the seminar.

Dr. Sze Tat Ming welcomed all the students and teachers present and introduced Prof. James Gavelek. Prof. Gavelek is Associate Professor in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at the University of Illinois at Chicago. He serves on the editorial boards of Reading Research Quarterly and the Yearbook of the National Reading Conference. He is interested in the role of language and other embodied semiotic processes in understanding the development of mind.

What it means to be literate, specifically, what it means to comprehend texts and how we even define what a text is, have all undergone significant changes over the last three decades. The implications of these changes for how we think about instruction are as pervasive as they are profound. These changes are addressed in light of two major transformations taking place as we entered the 21st century: (1) the digital revolution, and (2) the emergence of second-generation cognitive science. Prof. Gavelek discussed these transformations during the seminar as they relate to how we think about comprehension instruction, teacher preparation, and school organization.

Towards the end of the seminar, Prof. Gavelek answered questions from the audience on how to improve government policy makers’ decision making in education area. In the end, Dr. Sze Tat Ming presented Prof. Gavelek with souvenirs and took pictures together.

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FED Seminar on “Teaching and Learning of English:

Co-curricular Program and the School Based Experiences

in Venezuela and Russia”

FED seminar on “Teaching and Learning of English: Co-curricular Program and the School Based Experiences in Venezuela and Russia” was held in HG02, Ho Yin Convention Centre, University of Macau on 16 December. Prof. Elena Komova, Russian State University of Physical Education, Sport and Tourism and Prof. Rebeca Oropeza, Universidad Pedagógica Experimental Libertador (UPEL) Venezuela, were invited to be the key speakers. Dr. Ho King Yan, Assistant Professor of FED, chaired the seminar.

Dr. Ho King Yan extended welcome to all the students and teachers present and introduced the first key speaker. Prof. Elena Komova shared with the audience the general information about education in Russia. Education is compulsory for children between 6 and 15. It consists of primary school education for children aged between 6 and 10, followed by senior high education for children between 10 and 15. If a secondary school student wishes to go to college or university, he or she must study for 2 more years, from 15 to 17. Every school has a core curriculum of academic subjects. Foreign language, mostly English,

is one of them. A typical lesson lasts 40-45 minutes, with 5-15 minutes break between lessons. An average class consists of 20-30 students.

In the former Soviet Union, there used to be only state schools and all of them had the same program and the same curriculum. Now, Russia has all sorts of educational establishments offering varied programs and curricula. State schools, private schools, lyceums, gymnasiums, schools with intensified instruction in languages, etc. are schools existing in Russia today. Many of them emphasize learning English and other languages as the main curriculum. Although there are different schools, they still have something in common. For example, language class often means reciting, writing and oral testing, and a teacher plays the leading role in class.

In the second half of the seminar, Dr. Ho King Yan introduced Prof. Rebeca Oropeza. English learning is not compulsory in Venezuela. A very powerful and common tool in language learning is organizing special events. Usually, it is either a play or a party. For primary school students, it is common to have ABC Party, Merry train or any fairy tale. For secondary school students, it may be any modern play, making a video, Halloween, Mister and Miss English show or any kind of contests.

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Learning English has more fun in “English club” with the communicative approach as the main method in teaching. Among the four language learning skills (reading, writing, speaking and listening), “English club” helps focusing attention on the last two. Parents can also choose either conversational or reading clubs for their children. Conversational club introduces topics for students to debate and discuss. Reading club expects students to read the book and develop topics for discussion. Aspects such as who their favorite characters are, why they liked them, etc. are the topics in group discussions.

Towards the end of the seminar, Prof. Elena Komova and Prof. Rebeca Oropeza answered questions from the audience on how to make English learning more attractive to young students.

FED Lunch Seminar Series: “Critical Media Literacy”

On 24 November, organized by the Faculty of Education, Lunch Seminar Series “Critical Media Literacy” was successfully held in HG03. Dr. Lam Iok Fong of the

Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities of University of Macau was invited to be the key speaker (of the seminar), and Prof. Vong Sou Kuan, Director of the Educational Research Centre, chaired the seminar.

First of all, Prof. Vong Sou Kuan welcomed all the students present. She emphasized the importance of this lunch seminar to college students, critical media literacy, reading right to speak, in order to cultivate their ability to read the media.

Dr. Lam Iok Fong demonstrated specified in the information age, pop culture, consumerism, electronic media and the way to introduce new payment message, to a significant impact on people's common sense. As college students, you should hold the perspective in the vast flow of information to develop your own ability to read the media.

In the end, Prof. Vong Sou Kuan concluded that the purpose of lunch seminars was to raise questions to provoke further thinking of college students so as to help them locate their goals rather than just imparting

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Student Activities

Staff Activities


knowledge. Associate Prof. Leung Shing On was invited to participate

in a conference on “Social Statistics Honoring the

Scientific Contributions of Professor Emeritus David J.

Bartholomew” Associate Prof. Leung Shing On, Faculty of Education of UM, was invited to participate in conference on “Social Statistics Honoring the Scientific Contributions of Professor Emeritus David J. Bartholomew”. The conference was held in the London School of Economics, UK from 12 to 13 December. Prof. Leung Shing On was the only Asian speaker. Other speakers were scholars from University of Edinburgh, University of Bristol, London School of Economics, University of Chicago, etc.

Prof. Leung Shing On gave a speech on “Educational Measurement under Latent Variable Models”. Latent variable models are applicable in many areas in social sciences and education. With recent development, educational measurement addresses many issues in teaching and learning. These range from measuring students’ abilities, to estimating discrimination power. It turns out that all these tasks in educational measurement mentioned can be performed under the framework of latent variable models. Prof. Leung discussed how to apply latent variable models to various tasks in educational measurement. However, there are unresolved problems under latent variable models which need further research, such as new reliability measures, items selection, confirmatory factor analysis, and goodness-of-fit. Towards the end of his speech, Prof. Leung answered questions from the audience.

Prof. Leung said, “I found many interesting topics via talking with other speakers on various academic issues. I refreshed a lot in this visit.”

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Staff Activities

Issue 20, November-December 2011...Issue 20, November-December 2011 FED NEWSLETTER Mission To...

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