Newsletter No. 108

2 No. 108 19th May 1997 CUHK Newsletter I nnovative Projects by The Faculty of Education ‧ Accelerated Schools Project The Accelerated Schools Project was officially launched on 11th April with the signing of an agreement between Prof. Leslie Lo, dean of education, and the principals of CCC Tam Lee Lai Fun Memorial Prevocational School, Choi Wan St. Joseph Primary School (afternoon session), and Yuen Long Long Ping Estate Wai Chow School (afternoon session). The first of its k i nd in the territory, the project will be implemented in these schools from September 1997. The idea of accelerated schools originates from Prof. Henry Lev in of Stanford University who, over 10 years ago, first proposed accelerated schools as a means of enhancing the quality of education. Since then the project has been launched in over 300 schools in the United States. The philosophy underlying accelerated schools is to provide powerful learning experiences for children through the integration of curriculum, instruction, and organization, and to foster unity of values, beliefs, and attitudes within the school community. During a visit to Hong Kong in 1996, Prof. Levin explained at length the concept of accelerated schools to those in the education profession. Using Prof. Levin's framework and principles, the Faculty of Education has adapted the project to suit local education needs. Prof. Levin will visit the University in September to give a Wei Lun lecture and to consult for the local project. ‧ Summer Camp for Gifted Secondary Students The Faculty of Education will organize the first CUHK Summer Gifted Programme on campus from 20th to 26th July 1997. The one-week residential programme aims to provide a challenging and stimulating learning experience to secondary school students through specially designed summer courses and activities. It also hopes to foster social development by providing an atmosphere conducive to intensive learning with equally capable peers. Through nomination from various secondary schools, approximately a hundred Secondary 1 and Secondary 2 students with outstanding academic aptitude will be accepted for the programme. Classes are limited to 12 to 15 students and participants may choose from a number of courses including 'Solving Mathematical Puzzles', 'Chinese Creative Writing', 'The Dynamics of Nucleic Acid', 'Leadership Training', 'Understanding Psychology', 'The Unfathomable Galaxy—Astronomy', and 'PerformingArts'. Faculty members, graduate and undergraduate students from the University will also take part m the programme as course instructors, teaching assistants, residential counsellors, and programme assistants. Progress of Capi tal Projects on Campus The Building's Office has provided the following update on some capital projects on campus: Project Status Shanghai Fraternity Association Research Services Centre Completed. Mong Man Wai Building (New Science Building Complex), Central Campus Foundation work completed; superstructure work to begin soon with government approval; whole project to be completed by 1st quarter of 1998. Chung Chi College Redevelopment Phase V Foundation work in progress; whole project to be completed by 3rd quarter of 1998. New postgraduate hostel Site formation and sub-structure work in progress. Support Services for Leukaemia and Eye Patients ‧ Adult Blood Cancer Patient Support Group Adult blood cancer (ABC) patients at the Prince of Wales Hospital have formed a mutual support group with the assistance of the ABC Fund set up by the University's Department of Clinical Oncology. Inaugurated on 19th April, the group aims to facilitate communication between patients and families to help them cope with stress, increase patient awareness of the various treatments and their side-effects, and form a territory- wide support network. The group w i ll also organize seminars to educate patients about the disease and treatments, and provide a floor for patients to talk about their disease. The ABC Fund hopes to raise about HK$ 1 million in the 1997-98 financial year for organizing patient activities, establishing a publication and education programme, recruiting and training staff, and building new facilities. ‧ Dial Eyecare A Fight for Sight Foundation telephone hotline has been set up under the auspices of the Zonta Club of the New Territories to provide the public with information on problems and diseases related to the eye and to give eyecare counselling. The hotline, 1878826, also provides information on the Fight for Sight Foundation and on eye clinics in Hong Kong. The Foundation was established last year by the CUHK Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences to help people with eye diseases and other vision impairments. Its objectives are to improve eyecare services and technology in the territory, develop outreach eyecare educational programmes, train eyecare professionals, and advance rehabilitation programmes for the visually handicapped. The Foundation also distributes educational pamphlets and posters through district boards, welfare centres, old people's homes, schools, and hospitals. Workshop Sheds Light on the Way We Think and Act A two-day workshop on neuropsychological assessment was organized by the Department of Psychology at the Cho Yiu Conference Hall on 9th and 10th April. Neuropsychology probes the relationships between brain processes, human behaviour, and cognitive functioning. In a clinical context, neuropsychological assessment evaluates how brain damage affects a patient's behaviour and cognitive processing. At the workshop, Dr. Edith Kaplan, a well-known clinical neuropsychologist from Boston University, discussed the 'processapproach' to neuropsychological assessment. And Prof. Agnes Chan from the University's Department of Psychology introduced the various neuropsychological tests that are being developed for the Chinese.