Curriculum and Learning

Faculty: Faculty of Education and Human Development (FEHD)
Cluster Coordinator: Dr CHENG, Wing Tung Michelle (C&I) (Email: chengwt@eduhk.hk)
Cluster Associate Coordinators: 
Dr TAM, Po Chi Pansy (ECE) (Email: ppctam@eduhk.hk)
Dr LEUNG, Nga Man (PS) (Email: nmleung@eduhk.hk)
Dr KWAN, Lok Yin Joyce (PS) (Email: jlykwan@eduhk.hk)
Dr CHEN, Yuan (SEC) (Email: cheny@eduhk.hk)

Cluster Courses

(Students under this Cluster are required to complete at least 2 designated courses to satisfy the cluster requirement.)

Critical Perspectives on Curriculum, Pedagogy, and Motivation

This course invites students to critically examine various perspectives, theories, and practices in curriculum and pedagogy across diverse contexts, and investigate how specific curricula and pedagogical approaches enhance students’ motivation to learn. Lectures, case studies, guest talks, and seminars will be used to engage students with traditional, contemporary, and critical perspectives on key issues in curriculum, pedagogy, and motivation. The issues concern policy, research, and practice in various international contexts. Upon the completion of the course, students are expected to be situated in a social and/or historical context and critically analyze how different theories and perspectives shape why and what children and young people learn (curriculum), how to facilitate their learning (pedagogy), and/or how specific curricula and pedagogies promote students’ motivation to learn (motivation).

Big Data in Education

We will examine the strategic and ethical use of big data to improve student learning. Large-scale datasets can inform evidence-based policy decisions, enhance institutional effectiveness, and improve teaching and learning outcomes. You will learn key ideas in educational data mining, learning analytics, and data-informed decision-making. Through critical analysis and case-based inquiry, you will learn how data are generated, interpreted, and translated into actionable insights across educational systems. We will discuss critical issues such as data privacy, algorithmic bias, ethical governance, and responsible innovation. By scrutinizing local and international examples, you will learn to critically evaluate big data initiatives and design strategic, ethically grounded data-driven frameworks for diverse educational contexts.

Critical Issues in Early Childhood and Special Education: A Research Perspective

This course examines fundamental issues in Early Childhood Education (ECE) and Special Education (SP), not only as core elements of these fields but also as dynamic lenses for understanding contemporary challenges, adopting a research-based perspective. Students will engage with current and relevant theoretical frameworks—such as postmodernism, constructivism, and critical theories—to critically review and analyze pressing ECE and SP concerns within educational settings. Additionally, participants will explore the implications of these issues across diverse ECE and SP contexts, fostering insights into innovative, school-based practices that promote equity, inclusion, and transformative education.

Diversity in Development and Learning Motivation

This course is designed to strengthen students’ understanding of the individual differences in both typical and atypical development in cognitive, affective, and psychosocial domains, and the theoretical framework underlying achievement motivation. Students will develop competence in research and application of motivation theories in the education setting addressing issues connected to developmental and learning differences and diversity.

Any aspect of the courses and course offerings (including, without limitation, the contents of the course and the manner in which the course is taught) may be subject to change at any time at the sole discretion of the University if necessary. Without limiting the generality of the University’s discretion to revise the courses and course offerings, it is envisaged that changes may be required due to factors including staffing, enrolment levels, logistical arrangements, curriculum changes, and other factors caused by change of circumstances. Tuition fees, once paid, are non-refundable.

Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in this website. Changes to any aspects of the programmes may be made from time to time as due to change of circumstances and the University reserves the right to revise any information contained in this website as it deems fit without prior notice. The University accepts no liability for any loss or damage arising from any use or misuse of or reliance on any information contained in this website.