Field Experience

Field Experience broadens participants' experience in classroom practice, and provides opportunities for reflection on their studies and teaching. Participants can improve their practice by testing out new ideas and applying pedagogical principles in classroom teaching.

Important Note: The University requires students of our full-time teacher education programmes to declare all records of conviction and prosecution of sex-related offence in Hong Kong or elsewhere, and report on whether they are involved in any ongoing criminal proceedings or investigations, and to provide relevant details prior to the undertaking of teaching practice. The University reserves the right to deny students with records of conviction or prosecution of sex-related offence attendance or access to the block teaching practice, whereby their graduation requirements of the programmes will not be met.

Teaching Requirements

PGDE (Primary)

The medium of instruction in the vast majority of Hong Kong schools is Cantonese and/or English depending on the policy of the schools. Participants are required to possess a proficient level of language skills (oral, listening and written) to enable them to perform the duties during Field Experience.

For Full-time PGDE(P) Participants

Full-time participants will be arranged to undertake 4^# and 8 weeks of full-time block practice in Semester One and Two respectively in primary schools. Block practice for local participants will be conducted in local primary schools. Non-local participants^## may conduct their block practice at local primary schools or primary schools outside Hong Kong, such as mainland-based schools catering to Hong Kong pupils and offering the Hong Kong curriculum. Non-local participants teaching in mainland-based schools may also be required to possess a proficient level of Putonghua to enable them to perform the duties during Field Experience.

The teaching load for participants with Teaching Subject Studies 1 & 2 is normally 12-16 periods per week / per 5 to 7-day cycle (with a minimum of 4 periods per Teaching Subject Study) throughout the block practice period.

For One-TSS route participants, they are required to have at least 8-12 periods of their chosen TSS per week / per 5 to 7-day cycle. 

# except that FT PGDE(P) participants who have chosen English or Putonghua as their TSS1 will take part in the compulsory immersion programme in Semester One. 

## Notes for Non-local Applicants: As a prominent feature of our teacher education programmes, participants are required to conduct and pass the Field Experience which lasts for around 12 weeks during their studies in the programmes. This is a requirement for participants’ graduation and final registration as a Registered Teacher in Hong Kong, subject to the approval of the Education Bureau. Non-local participants may be arranged to conduct their Field Experience at local schools or schools outside Hong Kong, such as schools for Hong Kong children on the Mainland (內地港人子弟學校) which are teaching Hong Kong curriculum, according to the placement allocation policy and subject to the availability of such placement. Non-local participants are required to bear the respective costs of the Field Experience at schools outside Hong Kong, including travel expenses, accommodation fees and other living costs such as meal expenses, personal entertainment, etc. The final decision on the allocation of Field Experience will rest with the School Partnership and Field Experience Office and/or the relevant Faculties. For placement details, please refer to the websites of particular programmes. 

For Part-time PGDE(P) Participants

The part-time programme is primarily designed for serving teachers. Participants should conduct Field Experience at local primary schools or mainland-based primary schools catering to Hong Kong pupils and offering the Hong Kong curriculum (內地設立港人子弟學校) in the Greater Bay Area. Participants in the programme are required to fulfill the following teaching requirements for Field Experience:

1. About teaching periods

1. For participants having a full-time teaching post in primary schools ^{note 1}
   They are required to have a minimum of 4 periods ^{note 2} per week / per 5 to 7-day cycle for each of the two chosen Teaching Subject Studies during the course of study in the programme.
2. For participants without a relevant teaching post
   They are required to make own arrangements to undertake 6 consecutive weeks of full-time block practice in primary schools ^{note 1} during the FE supervision period ^{note 3} in each FE and teach at least 12 periods ^{note 2} per week / per 5 to 7-day cycle for the two chosen Teaching Subject Studies (with a minimum of 4 periods per subject) throughout the block practice period.

For One-TSS route participants, they are required to have at least 8 periods ^{note 2} of their chosen TSS per week / per 5 to 7-day cycle.

2. About class setting and class size

All participants are required to conduct teaching / teaching practice in regular class settings with a minimum of 10 pupils in a class ^{note 4}.

Note 1: It refers to local primary schools adopting local primary school curriculum or mainland-based primary schools catering to Hong Kong pupils and offering the Hong Kong curriculum (內地設立港人子弟學校) in the Greater Bay Area. 
Note 2: Each period normally refers to a 30-40 minutes duration.
Note 3: FE Supervision period is normally from November to early May of the academic year.
Note 4: For special schools, the minimum number of pupils in a class is 8 according to the actual class size.

Other subject(s) specific teaching requirements

• Special Needs
  For participants choosing Special Needs as TSS1 / TSS2, their teaching periods should be arranged in another chosen TSS to demonstrate understanding of and to cater for pupils with learning difficulties in classes. For example, a participant with TSS in Mathematics and Special Needs is required to conduct Field Experience in Mathematics subject during the course of study in the programme / throughout the block practice period.
• Primary Humanities
  For participants choosing Primary Humanities as their TSS1/TSS2, they are required to teach Primary Humanities and/or General Studies (with Primary Humanities-related topics) in Field Experience.
  
  Relevant subjects to teach for Field Experience include:
  • Primary Humanities
  • General Studies (with Primary Humanities-related topics)
• Primary Science
  For participants choosing Primary Science as their TSS1/TSS2, they are required to teach Primary Science and/or General Studies (with Primary Science-related topics) in Field Experience.
  
  Relevant subjects to teach for Field Experience include:
  • Primary Science
  • General Studies (with Primary Science-related topics)

A summary of Field Experience Requirements for Part-time PGDE (Primary)/(Secondary) programmes is provided here for easy reference.

PGDE (Early Childhood Education)

For Full-time PGDE(ECE) Students

Full-time students ^## will be arranged to undertake 4 and 8 weeks of full-time block practice in Semester One and Two respectively in early childhood education settings in Hong Kong.

## Notes for Non-local Applicants: As a prominent feature of our teacher education programmes, students are required to conduct and pass the Field Experience which lasts up to 12 weeks during their studies in the programmes. This is a requirement for students’ graduation and final registration as a Registered Teacher in Hong Kong, subject to the approval of the Education Bureau. Non-local students may be arranged to conduct their Field Experience at local schools or schools outside Hong Kong, according to the placement allocation policy and subject to the availability of such placement. The curriculum of the placement schools should align with the stipulated setting in compliance with the requirements of the EDB Programme Framework. Non-local students are required to bear the respective costs of the Field Experience at schools outside Hong Kong, including travel expenses, accommodation fees and other living costs such as meal expenses, personal entertainment, etc. The final decision on the allocation of Field Experience will rest with the Department of Early Childhood Education and/or the relevant Faculties. For placement details, please refer to the websites of particular programmes. 

For Part-time PGDE(ECE) Students

The two-year part-time PGDE(ECE) programme is designed for untrained teachers serving in early childhood education settings registered with Education Bureau in Hong Kong or in early childhood education settings where the curriculum aligns with the stipulated settings ^Note in the Greater Bay Area. Students are required to teach a regular class of at least 10 children aged 3-6 years old at least 90 minutes per day for 10 consecutive days in Year One and at least 120 minutes per day for 15 consecutive days in both semesters in Year Two for the supervisory teaching period.

Note:

• The Kindergarten Education Curriculum Guide published by the Education Bureau (e.g. the schools for Hong Kong children 港人子弟學校);
• The Early Learning and Development Guidelines for Children Aged 3 to 6 Years (3-6 歲兒童學習與發展指南) published by the Ministry of Education (e.g. the inclusive kindergartens 普惠性幼兒園); or
• The international educational programmes for children aged 3 to 6 years (e.g. the international schools following the International Baccalaureate curriculum for children aged 3 to 6 years).

PGDE (Professional and Vocational Education)

PGDE(PVE) programme caters for professionals involved in pathways that offer an alternative to academic studies such as career-oriented studies, associate degrees, vocational professional training and re-training. The programme aims to enable participants to develop and integrate the professional knowledge, skills and attitudes required for effective teaching and learning of professional and vocational education (PVE) in different settings, including Applied Learning context. Participants are required to hold a recognised degree or equivalent and a teaching position in a PVE context to undertake relevant teaching during the specified Field Experience (FE) Supervision Period to fulfill the following FE requirements:

1. About teaching setting and periods

1. For students who are teaching applied learning (ApL) course in secondary schools / ApL providers -
   to have a minimum of 5 periods of teaching in ApL courses for:
   • 4 consecutive weeks with not less than 36 teaching hours in total for FEI and
   • 8 consecutive weeks with not less than 36 teaching hours in total for FEII
   during the FE supervision period ^{note 1}.
    
2. For students who are not teaching applied learning (ApL) course in secondary schools / ApL providers -
   to make own arrangements to undertake a full-time block practice in local universities, post-secondary institutions or secondary schools during the FE supervision period ^{note 1} as per the requirements stated below:
   1. to have a minimum of 5 periods of teaching in PVE-related discipline for:
      • 4 consecutive weeks with not less than 27 teaching hours in total for FEI and
      • 8 consecutive weeks with not less than 27 teaching hours in total for FEII; and
   2. to have a minimum of 9 teaching practice arrangement hours of secondary schools offering ApL / ApL course providers attachments in FEI & II ^{note 2}
   during the FE supervision period ^{note 1}.

Note 1: FE Supervision period is normally from October to April / early May of the academic year.
Note 2: PVE students will be assigned (based on their background and their possessed subject knowledge and experience) to practice either at a Senior Secondary School or ApL Institutes. FE supervision may be conducted subject to the mutual agreement between FE Supervisor, student, and the Secondary School / ApL Institutes. The programme office will issue the information on ApL teaching practice arrangement to students.

2. About class setting and class size

All students are required to conduct teaching (/teaching practice) in regular class settings with a minimum of 8 learners (for PVE setting) in a class.

For any enquiries about the equivalency of the teaching requirements, please consult with Field Experience Coordinator before the submission of the teaching timetable.