According to many well-known dictionaries, SUCCESS, in a broad sense, means the accomplishment of an aim or purpose. Successful persons can always achieve their goals and stand out from the rest because though they have problems and challenges in life like others, they know how to handle them effectively and efficiently. A very common ability they all possess, which is neither rare nor non-trainable, is learning effectively. Different people may have their own learning style, but experiences and evidences worldwide tell us the truth that “Learning through Teaching” is the one and only way to succeed. This is also a unique way human adopts to pass knowledge to the next generation, in the meanwhile, to enrich the base and the level of prior knowledge. ‘To teach is to learn twice,’ said Joseph Joubert, a French philosopher. Undoubtedly, the best and fastest way to learn is to teach, and the faster and better you learn, the more you earn!
As students, we aim at striving academic excellence at school. But is it the best way to achieve that goal by hiding up oneself in the library to study for a whole day? Or attending numerous tutorials outside class to sharpen the examination skills? They are not useless actually, but not yet enough to help us learn completely. Nowadays, schools have not only written examinations, but also various kinds of assessment instruments including oral presentation, demonstration, academic report/paper writing, and group project etc. All these components provide students with a variety of learning experiences to ensure an enriched life along with superior career preparation or enhancement, which must have involved the development of so-called generic skills or life skills, to name a few: team-work, time-management, confidence, critical-thinking, organization, problem-solving and presentation etc. These are skills crucial to succeed and could not be taught through textbooks or traditional lectures. However, students are not often given sufficient time and proper trainings to be equipped with these essential skills. Thus, this training programme “‘Learning through Teaching – An Undergraduate Learning Assistant Training Scheme” is launched to gives students an opportunity to see the process of teaching from the teacher's perspective, to begin to learn how to teach, and requires that the knowledge be learned in depth so as to help their peers learn physics, as well as to discover a passion for teaching in the process (Gabriel, 2008). More importantly, we expect to train students to be a fast learner, who are able to cope with different challenges in schools and in the society, and eventually developed as a successful and whole person.
Presently, the programme welcomes any Physics undergraduate and postgraduate students, teachers and alumni who are interested in their own personal development and being successful in life. In the future, the programme will be further encouraged within the Faculty and the University.
After completing the programme,
Physics students will
1. Be given an opportunity to strengthen and develop the generic competencies mentioned in the Department Learning Outcomes; specifically, they will be trained to be more confident, presentable, organized and effective in teamwork;
2. Be more knowledgeable of fundamental Physics taught in colleges and university; and familiar with the new trend of 3-3-4 Physics curriculum and the teaching process from the teacher's perspective.
Teachers and alumni will
1. Be enriched with new insights from education experts and broaden the horizon in both Physics and Education fields;
2. Have more interactions and linkages with the Department so that a harmonious relationship could be built;
After completing each stage of the programme,
Participants will:
Be awarded with a certificate of completion and a gift/cash award for acknowledgement and encouragement.
Activities of each stage will be announced online and posted on the department notice board. Interested parties can enroll for the activities by online application or email/fax the application form to Miss Jay Leung.
For any enquires or enrolment, please contact Miss Jay Leung at
Tel: 3943 6154
Fax: 2603 5204
