Science Education through General Education

Science Education through General Education

Date: 13 November, 2009 (Friday)
Speakers:
Dr. Chiu Chi Ming Lawrence (Department of Biology, CUHK)
Dr. Pang Kam Moon (Department of Physics, CUHK) 

Teaching departments are now welcome to put up proposals for the introduction/revision/withdrawal of UGE courses to be implemented in 2010-11 through the Course Proposal and Inventory System (GECPI). Our office will organise a series of seminars which will provide ideas and inspirations to you if you are planning to write course proposals.

About the Speaker

Dr. Chiu Chi Ming and Dr. Pang Kam Moon are both experienced University GE (UGE) teachers.  They have been teaching UGE science courses since 2002.  In this seminar, they will share their experience in teaching large classes.  It is generally agreed that a UGE science course should lead students to, with a scientific attitude, appraise and evaluate human’s role in being part of nature and the impact of science and technology on today’s life.  However, most teachers also find it difficult to achieve this goal in large classes where individual students’ science backgrounds are hard to cater for.  The speakers will share the difficulties they encountered and suggest some possible solutions, including the design of teaching plans, for discussion.

Dr. Chiu Chi Ming teaches UGB226M ‘From Genes to Life’ and a team taught course, UGB236M ‘Wonders and Insights in Bioscience’.  ‘From Genes to Life’ introduces to students some fundamental knowledge of how genes determine and control our appearance and behaviour. The course is also designed to develop students’ critical thinking through discussing ethical, legal and social issues
generated from genetic research and biotechnology.

Dr. Pang Kam Moon teaches three UGE courses: UGB240M ‘Astronomy’, UGB250M ‘Forces of Nature’ and UGB239M ‘Perspectives in Physical Sciences’. He jointly developed the course ‘Astronomy’ with other teachers at the Physics Department. The course is exemplary in both design and implementation. It imparts to students not only scientific knowledge alone, but also examines, from a historical perspective, different views on the universe, the philosophy of science and astronomy’s relations to other disciplines.

Presentation of Dr. Chiu Chi Ming (login required)
Presentation of Dr. Pang Kam Moon (login required)