Overview

Programme Aims

The programme aims to equip primary school teachers with sound knowledge and hands-on practices of coding for computational thinking development, with the aim of strengthening both teachers’ competence and confidence in the delivery of coding education in primary classrooms.

On successful completion of the programme, participants will be able to:

• demonstrate an understanding of theoretical underpinnings on design of mobile apps;
• code mobile apps and code for interacting with digital physical objects;
• evaluate mobile apps with theoretical underpinnings on design of mobile apps;
• apply knowledge of computational thinking in coding education for development of computational thinking in primary classrooms through coding;
• design and implement pedagogies in the delivery of coding for computational thinking development in primary classrooms.

Programme Structure

The programme comprises the following three core courses of 3 credit points each:

Coding Mobile Apps

This course will start with an introduction of the theoretical underpinnings on design of mobile apps. There will be a discussion about the generic principles for the design and implementation of smart phone applications. Participants will be engaged in a process learning how to design, write and debug mobile programs/apps that accomplish specific goals, such as solving challenging problems by decomposing them into smaller parts. Practical problem solving using mobile coding with apps will be discussed in the course. All participants can learn to use sequence, selection, and repetition, database, and cloud database in programs; work with variables and various forms of inputs and outputs for the development of mobile applications in the mobile computing environment.

Coding for Interacting with Digital Physical Objects

This course will start with demonstration on connecting robots with smart phones/tablets and remote control of robots. It will then discuss the principles of the design and implementation of smart phone applications for sensing, controlling and interacting with digital physical objects. Participants of the course will be engaged in a teaching and learning environment of studying design, coding and debugging of mobile programs that focus on sensing, controlling and interacting with digital physical objects. The course participants will be able to apply different mobile apps programming means like sequence, condition and loop for the creation of fundamental controlling apps that, which interact with digital physical objects running on mobile devices (e.g. mobile phones, tablets). Participants will be encouraged to work in groups to train their teamwork abilities to promote collaboration among course participants and apply knowledge of the course in practice to become interactive controlling apps creators for tackling real-life problems.

Coding for Computational Thinking Development

This course will start with a discussion about the knowledge of computational thinking. It will then discuss the method of teaching students coding by mirroring examples from various perspectives and provide hands-on practices in comparing and contrasting of codes by given programming scripts to identify similarities and differentiate different programming structures. It will then focus on the design and practice of pedagogies such as learner-centered approaches of asking students yes/no questions with justification and peer assessment that are specially for coding in primary classrooms environments for computational thinking abilities development. A project-based approach will be thoroughly discussed to integrate coding skills with the goal of computational thinking development for students.

Medium of Instruction

The medium of instruction is mainly Chinese (Cantonese) and will be supplemented by English where appropriate.

Entrance Requirements*

To be eligible for admission, applicants should be:

• in-service primary school teachers; and
• recommended by school principals.

Remarks: Priority of admission will be given to applicants who are Panel Chairpersons, Curriculum Leaders, or teachers responsible for the development of Mathematics / General Studies curriculum.

* subject to approval

Award

To be awarded a Certificate of Completion, participants must obtain a pass in all assessment tasks required and successfully fulfill the attendance requirements as stipulated by the programme.

Other Information

This Government-funded programme is supported by the Education Bureau (EDB). Schools which release teachers to take this programme are eligible for supply teachers, if deemed necessary. Government and aided schools shall contact the EDB for detailed arrangements. Private and DSS schools shall make their own arrangements for the employment of supply teachers.

Participants who complete our PDPs are eligible to apply for credit transfer if they enroll in our postgraduate programmes. Their applications will be considered on an individual basis.

Disclaimer
Every effort has been made to ensure that information contained in this website is correct. Changes to any aspects of the programmes may be made from time to time due to unforeseeable circumstances beyond our control and the University reserves the right to make amendments to any information contained in this website without prior notice. The University accepts no liability for any loss or damage arising from any use or misuse of or reliance on any information contained in this website. Any aspect of the course and course offerings (including, without limitation, the content of the course and the manner in which the course is taught) may be subject to change at any time at the sole discretion of the University. Without limiting the right of the University to amend the course and its course offerings, it is envisaged that changes may be required due to factors such as staffing, enrolment levels, logistical arrangements and curriculum changes.