History Education and Education Professionalism
MingPao 28-May-2018
| By Miss Lee Suet Ying, the Chairman of HKAHSS | 中文原文 |
The development in the Chinese History curriculum in junior secondary schools has aroused much discussion in the public since the first consultation initiated by the Education Bureau in September 2016. The incumbent Chief Executive has clearly stated that Chinese History must be offered as an independent compulsory subject in junior secondary levels, in addition to infusing the Basic Law in all junior secondary subjects, especially Chinese History. This has inevitably caused the public much worry about the development of Chinese History in the long run.
Ever since the second consultation report released in October 2017, staff at the Education Bureau has been responding to doubts and concerns raised by the education sector with regard to the contents of the curriculum development in Chinese History. On 24 May 2018, the Education Bureau announced the finalized Chinese History curriculum for junior secondary levels. While the curriculum framework is now settled, our Association still considers that there are a few points worth deliberating further.
Firm Stance on Professionalism
To enhance professionalism in education, we believe that any unnecessary interventions should be avoided in developing the Chinese History curriculum in the long run. Heated arguments regarding the curriculum have been going on for years. Now that the curriculum framework has been finalized, planning on the actual implementation should entail professional discussion more than anything else. We believe it is a matter of fact for children in Hong Kong to study Chinese History. However, when it comes to how the subject should be taught and studied, it is best to leave the matter to those with expertise in curriculum development with the least interference. This will facilitate effective and efficient development as well as implementation of the curriculum which will eventually bring benefits to our students.
Besides, we need to take caution regarding the infusion of Basic Law in the Chinese History curriculum. While the Education Bureau has tried to make further good-will elaboration and remind schools to handle the issue with wisdom, the question lies on how both can be taught effectively and efficiently. Without any precedent, the collaboration of subject teachers and scholars is crucial. Unnecessary political interventions will bring more harm than good to the teaching of both Basic Law and Chinese History.
What’s more, Chinese History should not merely serve as a tool for the cultivation of national education. It should train students to think both critically and in multiple perspectives. It also aims to enhance students’ cultural literacy and broaden their horizon as well as core qualities which we expect to find amongst students in 21st century. In this regard, the teaching of Chinese History should stay as close as possible to the original curriculum and focus on cultivating the essential skills in students
Flexibility in curriculum arrangements
Some schools offer Chinese History as an independent subject in the junior secondary levels while others opt for a merge of two history subjects, namely Chinese History and World History. Some even combine Chinese History into the “Humanities” subject. Both Chinese History and World History share similar elements and the challenge only lies in how these elements are appropriately aligned in the curriculum. We have some recent studies confirming the effectiveness and success in merging both Chinese History and World History as one subject.
Unfortunately, as it is clearly stated in the finalized document that Chinese History must be offered as an independent subject, can schools that have achieved significant success with their school-based curriculum (mentioned in the previous paragraph) continue with their arrangements? We hope that the answer is positive because with diverse curriculum models operating on the same plane, it would induce insurmountable benefits to the development of the Chinese History curriculum. For instance, comprehensive discussions regarding the curriculum framework and pedagogies will stimulate and encourage reflections, which in turn will promote innovation in the teaching and learning of Chinese History.
Apart from the above, our Association believes that it is important for non-Chinese speaking students to study Chinese History. By doing so, they will get immersed into the Chinese culture with ease. Therefore, shouldn’t the Education Bureau offer necessary arrangements to assist the non-Chinese speaking students to facilitate their studying of the Chinese History subject? The special committee set up by the Education Bureau to support Non-Chinese Speaking Students in the learning of the Chinese Language and Chinese Culture should carefully listen to the voices of principals and teachers in the front line. It should genuinely look into the needs of these students in learning Chinese and review the policy of requiring these students to study Chinese History in Chinese.
Promoting innovations in teaching
Many countries have been making different attempts to teach History creatively. For instance, in some cities in the Mainland, collaboration between museums and schools is much encouraged to promote innovation in teaching. As Dr Joseph Ting Sun-pao, former Advisor to the Hong Kong University Museum and Art Gallery, put it “Educational visits to museums complement the school history curriculum.” Schools can organize museum visits according to the contents in the curriculum. Through visits and activities, students can understand the history world, broaden their horizon and consolidate their prior knowledge.
Recently, relics of antiquity have been unearthed in Hong Kong. For example, an ancient well and large quantity of antiquities, traceable to the Song Dynasty (about 1000 years ago), were excavated from the construction site of the Sha Tin-Central MTR link. These can enhance our understanding of the living conditions of ‘Hongkongers’ in the Song Dynasty while the discovery of a wartime bomb in the Wan Chai district can deepen students’ understanding of World War II when the US and Japan were engaged in lethal combats. With the unearthing of relics comes great opportunities to explore and promote a brand new teaching pedagogy for Chinese History if Antiquities and Monuments Office could cooperate with schools in developing innovative elements in the curriculum for students.
We believe Chinese History can be taught in a lively and interesting way, which will motivate students through real-life examples. With continual professional exchanges and discussion, flexibility in curriculum arrangements as well as innovative elements, the development of Chinese History can be very promising.
明報 28-5-2018
| 讓歷史教育回歸專業 | English version |
2016 年9 月，教育局就初中中國歷史科課程的修訂推出第一次諮詢稿。自此之後，坊間和學界又再對中史科發展掀起激烈討論。其後，新任特首明確指出中史科要在初中獨立成科地推行，再加上有關如何在初中不同科目，特別是中史科，實踐《基本法》教育，在在令大家對初中中史科發展憂心忡忡。2017 年10 月，第二次諮詢稿出爐，當中可見到教育局同工在不少地方均嘗試回應學界對課程內容和實施的一些疑慮。上周四，教育局公布初中中史科最終課綱。經歷多年，課程框架或許已落實，但香港中學校長會認為，中史科的未來發展還有幾點值得大家一起思考。
中史科未來發展3 點值得思考
一、回應教育專業。對於中史科未來發展，我們認為應盡量回歸教育和課程專業討論，減少其他不必要干預。有關討論和紛爭已經歷那麼多、那麼久，待課程框架塵埃落定後，是否應該回歸教育專業的討論？我們認為香港孩子學習中國歷史是天經地義的事，但如何學好、如何教好，應交由學科專家、課程專家去研究和發展。愈少其他不必要干擾，對中史科未來發展的討論才能更專業、更聚焦、更有效益。對中史科發展、對學校課程發展、對學生學習，才是最好的安排。
此外，關於基本法教育在中史科的教學安排，雖然在第二階段諮詢中亦有一定的着墨，教育局亦提醒學校只需配合中史課題自然地連繫基本法內容，在相關的學習點上毋須重複獨立教授，更毋須刻意教授基本法相關條文。但是，如何將基本法和中史科課程內容完美結合和有效實踐？在未有先例可援下，實在非常需要相關的學科老師和學者專家一起探索和累積經驗。不必要和過於政治的干預，對基本法教育和中史教育都只會是有害而無益。
更重要的是，歷史教育不單單是國民教育。歷史教育有利於訓練學生多元及深度思考，亦能增強學生之文化素養、培養學生人文精神以及寬廣的世界觀和視野。這些不正好是我們期望學生可以擁有的21 世紀核心素養嗎？對中史教育的討論，是不是應該回歸歷史教育的本質，和對學生培育的方向而作專業的討論？
二、容許彈性安排。一直以來，大部分學校均於初中開設獨立中史科，其餘少數學校則多採用「兩史」（中史科及歷史科）結合或綜合人文課程模式教授中國歷史內容。當中中國歷史和文化教學的元素齊備，只是教學編排不同，更不乏教學成效顯著的成功經驗和例子。最近有學者研究不同課程模式的教學效能，結果顯示，「兩史」合併模式的教學效能絕對不會遜色於獨立成科模式。
但現在明確規定中史科獨立成科，對於採用其他課程編排模式而又成效顯著的學校，又能否可以容許一些彈性安排？讓不同課程編排模式繼續存在，對於中史科發展不但不會是一件壞事，更能透過課程和教學的專業討論、互相激盪的刺激，進一步推動中史科教學的創新和優化。
此外，對於非華語學生學習中國歷史的問題，我們認為居於香港的不同族群，都應學習中國歷史。多認識中國歷史和文化，更會有助不同族群融入香港社會。但對於非華語學生如何學習中史科，教育局是否可以作出不同安排？是否可以作出一些彈性考慮？我們知道教育局就着有關議題，成立「支援非華語學生學習中國歷史和中華文化專責委員會」。我們希望相關的專責委員會能夠實地了解，多聆聽學界聲音，特別是較多取錄非華語學生的學校校長和老師意見，切實地考慮非華語學生使用中文學習中史的困難，在他們中史科的學習上能夠彈性考慮和安排，並為學校提供有效支援。
三、推動教學創新。現時不少國家和地區都對歷史教育發展作出很多不同創新嘗試，就像內地一些城市，正活潑和創新地積極推動博物館和學校的合作教學。正如香港歷史博物館前總館長丁新豹博士所言： 「博物館教育是一種輔助性教育，是學校教育的補充。學校根據課程內容，選擇相關的博物館，組織學生參觀。透過參觀和活動，學生可以認識世界，增長知識，補充和鞏固在校內學習的知識，加深理解。」
近年香港有不少重要歷史文物出土，例如沙中線工程發掘出來的宋代古井和相關文物，可以讓我們對於宋代時候香港人的生活狀况有更進一步認識；又例如在灣仔北發掘出來的戰時炸彈，亦有助同學加深了解二次世界大戰時候，美國和日本在華南戰場的角力。凡此種種文物出土，都是一些契機讓學界探索和推動教學的創新；若再能積極推動博物館、古物古蹟辦事處和學校合作，相信定能有更多更好的教學設計，推動中史教育的創新和發展。
我們相信，中史科的學習是可以生動、有趣和生活化的。若有關的課程和教學設計可以回歸學界的專業討論，加上能夠有一些彈性安排和創新的配合，相信一定可以讓未來的中國歷史教育有更好發展。
作者是香港中學校長會主席