Programme Aims

This Programme of initial teacher education prepares graduates to achieve competence and confidence in working in the early childhood education sector. It aims to develop students' professional knowledge, skills and attitudes required for effective teaching and administration in a broad range of early childhood education settings.

Programme Features

This Programme focuses on nurturing students’ professional knowledge, skills and attitudes for incorporation into teaching practice, enabling them to gradually develop into competent early childhood educators and administrators in ECE settings. 

It fosters students’ ability to promote integration of theory and practice and to critically translate programme content into workplace practice.

Programme Orientation

All students must attend a programme orientation which includes information sessions about the curriculum, campus facilities and services, as well as an IT workshop.

General Methods

The General Methods component helps students acquire the necessary understanding and expertise for promoting young children's holistic development and learning in all domains. This component includes the study of the theory and practice of integrated curriculum, contemporary pedagogical approaches as well as assessment of learning. The courses are:

• Promoting Language and Literacy in Early Childhood
• Enhancing Children's Creativity and Self-Expression
• Scientific and Mathematical Explorations for Young Children

Education Studies

The Education Studies component provides students with an understanding of the elements of educational foundation disciplines, including understanding of children's development and the learning process, the contexts of development and education, as well as ensuring that all aspects of the programme are linked in a systematic and synergistic way to cater for the diverse needs of young children. The courses are:

• Child Development
• Learning and Teaching
• Understanding Children and Families with Diverse Needs
• Sustainable Preschool Management and Parent Involvement

Electives

The Electives component offers students with the extended studies that may be curriculum-related or professional-development-oriented. Students are required to choose one out of the following three courses⁺ according to their own professional needs and/or interests:

• Drama and Play in Early Years
• Enhancing Children’s Psycho-social and Physical Well-being
• Strategies in Supporting Children with Diverse Needs

⁺ Electives will be offered in both CMI and EMI but they are subject to the option most part-time students choose in that medium of instruction (MoI).

Field Experience

The Field Experience component comprises the following three main elements:

1. Block Practice / Supervised Teaching
   Students will be guided by the University's supervisors to try out what they have learnt in the General Methods, Education Studies and Electives courses and to evaluate the effectiveness of their teaching in the placement schools (full-time programme) / serving schools (part-time programme) during the supervisory teaching visits*. Students are then encouraged to seek ways to improve their teaching with the guidance of the University's supervisors.
    
2. Field Experience e-Portfolio
   This component includes analysis of students’ own conception of teaching, reflective records of tryouts of teaching strategies and approaches introduced in various courses.
    
3. Educational Visit
   Students will have the opportunity to visit child care centres /crèches and primary schools. 

* For Part-time PGDE(ECE) programme, supervisory visits will be arranged in students' serving school teaching children at 3-6 years old.

Important Note: The University will ask students of our full-time teacher education programmes to declare whether they have been convicted of or are being prosecuted for any sex-related offence in Hong Kong or elsewhere, and to provide relevant details prior to undertaking teaching practice. Such information may be released to their placement schools. The University reserves the right not to allow these students to attend the block teaching practice. If so, they won't be able to meet the graduation requirements of the programmes.

Medium of Instruction

Full-time Programme

The medium of instruction is Chinese and/or English for the full-time programme. Applicant’s adequate proficiency in both Chinese and English is required, if appropriate. English is adopted as the language of instruction for relevant courses. Combined classes with students of the part-time programme would be arranged where necessary. 

The full-time programme offers a stream of Chinese and English (CEMI) and an English stream (EMI). Applicants have to choose which medium of instruction they prefer upon application.

Part-time Programme

The part-time programme offers a Chinese stream (CMI) and an English stream (EMI). Applicants have to choose which medium of instruction they prefer upon application. 

• Chinese as the medium of instruction
  The medium of instruction is mainly Cantonese. English or Putonghua may be adopted as the language of instruction for relevant courses, as appropriate.
   
• English as the medium of instruction
  The medium of instruction is mainly English.

Information Technology Competency in Education (ITCE)

Before graduation, students who are enrolled in education programmes (leading to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS)/Qualified Kindergarten Teacher (QKT)) are required to complete two parts:

Part One: Complete and pass the IT e-Portfolio Checking (ITC3003)

• Complete the IT e-Portfolio, or
• Complete the Student Teacher Education Program (STEP); or
• Complete the Artificial Intelligence Literacy (AIL) program

Part Two: Complete and pass all the required courses in the programme to demonstrate the attainment of ITCE (ITC3001)

For the details of ITCE and IT e-Portfolio Checking, please visit www.eduhk.hk/mit/students_itce/. For the details of Student Teacher Education Program (STEP) and Artificial Intelligence Literacy (AIL), please visit www.lttc.eduhk.hk/.

Career Prospects / Professional Qualifications

Graduates of this programme will:

• be eligible to apply for registration as Qualified Kindergarten Teachers, Child Care Workers and Child Care Supervisors; and
• meet the professional qualifications as required of kindergarten principals^#.

^# Graduates are recognised by the Education Bureau (EDB) as fulfilling one of the requirements for registration as a kindergarten principal. Registration on professional qualifications as a kindergarten principal is subject to individuals’ relevant work experience and further principalship training, and is subject to EDB’s final approval.

Entrance Requirements

To be eligible for admission, applicants should normally:

For One-year Full-time Programme 

• hold a recognised Bachelor's degree, or equivalent;

For Two-year Part-time Programme 

• hold a recognised Bachelor's degree, or equivalent; and
• be serving teachers* in early childhood education settings registered with the Education Bureau in Hong Kong.

* Applicants are required to teach a regular class of at least 10 children aged 3-6 years old with minimum of 3 hours per day during the teaching practice period. (Please submit the completed recommendation form with your application.) 

Shortlisted applicants may be required to attend an interview.