Diploma in Education (2+3)

Programme Director: Dr CHEUNG, Wai Chun

The full time Diploma in Education Programme is an initial teacher education programme leading to a professional qualification for teaching in local schools. The students will receive teacher training together with their major degree programme in the final three years of their studies. The advantage of this programme is that it provides professional teacher training alongside academic study of a major discipline, thus better integrating the two domains of knowledge. Students taking the 4-year curriculum will primarily be admitted to the Diploma in Education programme at their third year of study. With an additional year of study, they are required to complete the teacher education curriculum cum their remaining major studies in a period of 3 years. Students may also be admitted to the programme at their fourth year of study subject to the availability of places.

The Diploma in Education programme based on the same philosophy as the PGDE programmes, has a special focus on pre-service learning needs. The programme provides undergraduate majors with professional preparation for teaching in local schools. As a teacher, one has to assume several roles, some more prominent than others at different stages of one’s career. The roles are social and autonomous individual, facilitator of learning, educational innovator, and professional educator. These four roles serve as the building blocks of the programme. The aims of the programme are to develop in students:

  1. Personal qualities which support their daily work and professional development. These personal qualities include interpersonal effectiveness, creativity, self-understanding, and the motivation and readiness for self-reflection and self-improvement;
  2. A functional knowledge of disciplines which informs educational practice. A functional knowledge of disciplines means basic knowledge of psychology, sociology and philosophy essential for the understanding of the aims and processes of education;
  3. Expertise as subject specialist teachers in local schools. This expertise consists of effective strategies for the planning, conducting and evaluating of teaching of given school subjects; and
  4. Knowledge essential for effective functioning within the profession and the wider school context. This knowledge encompasses issues in the professionalization of teaching, educational management, organization and policy.

Intended Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the programme, graduates are able to:

1. Develop functional knowledge of psychology, sociology and philosophy that are essential for the understanding of the aims and processes of education.
2. Develop pedagogical content knowledge for effective teaching of given school subjects.
3. Develop essential knowledge for effective functioning within the profession.
4. Acquire effective strategies for planning, conducting and evaluating of teaching of given school subjects.
5. Enhance generic skills to support their daily works and professional development.
6. Demonstrate a reflective and sensitive mind in educational practices and social issues to uphold professional integrity and advancement of the profession.

Structure

This 32-unit programme is to be taken in tandem with the major degree programme during the period of full-time study. A total of 33 courses are offered; 8 are required courses, 5 are the integrated practicum and 20 are elective courses.

The programme adopts a student-centred approach, using a variety of teaching and learning strategies to support classroom learning and teaching practice. These strategies emphasize reflection, creativity and continuous development of the student. Teaching is conducted through lectures, lecture-discussions and seminars. Furthermore, real-life experience of life at school as a teacher is provided during the Field Practice periods and on-site supervision and peer observation are included in the different elements of the integrated practicum, i.e. subject instruction, microteaching, school experience and supervised teaching practice.

The structure of the curriculum is as follows:

I) Required Courses 18 units
II) Elective Courses 2 units
III) Integrated Practicum 12 units
    32 units

Requirements

To be eligible for the award of the Diploma in Education, students must (1) complete a total of 32 units as required by the Department, (2) obtain grade C- or above in all education-related courses, (3) obtain a pass in EDUC7341-2 Supervised Teaching Practice I and II, (4) achieve a cumulative GPA of 2.50 or higher, and (5) satisfy the graduation requirements of the undergraduate major degree. To be awarded distinction for the programme, students should attain a cumulative GPA of 3.67 or above, with no course grade below B- and no repeated courses. Students attaining a cumulative GPA between 3.40 and 3.66 will be awarded merit.

I. Required Courses 18 units
  EDUC7020 Psychological Foundations of Teaching and Learning 2 units
  EDUC7030 Teacher Self Development 2 units
  EDUC7040 Social Foundations of Education 2 units
  EDUC7050 Philosophical Foundations of Education 2 units
  EDUC7210 Foundations of Information Technology in Education 2 units
  EDUC7250 Inclusive Education 2 units
  EDUC7360 Curriculum and Assessment 3 units
  EDUC7370 Classroom Management and Communication 3 units
     
II. Elective Courses* 2 units
  Each student must select one course from the elective courses listed below. Students are advised to base their decisions on their interest or the relevance of the courses to their work.
  Area A: Social and Autonomous Individual  
  EDUC7070 Student Self Development 2 units
  EDUC7110 Psychology of Adolescence 2 units
  EDUC7150 Creative and Critical Thinking 2 units
  EDUC7230 Advanced Communication Skills 2 units
  Area B: Facilitator of Learning  
  EDUC7170 School Guidance 2 units
  EDUC7901 Teaching of a Second Subject (Chinese) 2 units
  EDUC7902 Teaching of a Second Subject (Information and Communication Technology) 2 units
  EDUC7903 Teaching of a Second Subject (History) 2 units
  EDUC7904 Teaching of a Second Subject (Mathematics) 2 units
  EDUC7905 Teaching of a Second Subject (Economics) 2 units
  EDUC7906 Teaching of a Second Subject (Putonghua) 2 units
  EDUC7907 Teaching of a Second Subject (Science Education) 2 units
  EDUC7908 Teaching of a Second Subject (Liberal Studies) 2 units
  EDUC7909 Teaching of a Second Subject (Geography) 2 units
  EDUM7540 Introduction to STEM Education 2 units
  Area C: Educational Innovator  
  EDUC7130 School Management and Decision Making 2 units
  EDUC7180 Action Learning in the Classroom 2 units
  Area D: Professional Educator  
  EDUC7100 Education System and Policy in Hong Kong 2 units
  EDUC7140 Teaching as a Profession 2 units
  EDUC7290 Moral and Civic Education 2 units
     
III. Integrated Practicum 12 units
  EDUC7310 School Experience 0 unit
  EDUC7341 Supervised Teaching Practice I 2 units
  EDUC7342 Supervised Teaching Practice II 2 units
  EDUC7381 Subject Instruction I 4 units
  EDUC7382 Subject Instruction II 4 units
    32 units

* The provision of electives, including options of EDUC7901-9 Teaching of a Second Subject, will depend on students’ needs and resources of the Department.

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