I have great pleasure in introducing to you the teacher education programmes offered by the School of Early Childhood Education. The pre-service full-time programmes are specially designed for secondary school graduates who wish to pursue teaching careers in early childhood education, while the in-service programmes are specially designed for early childhood professionals wishing to enhance their careers in early childhood education. In the recent Education Reform Proposals, the Government has acknowledged the importance of early childhood education as the foundation for lifelong learning and that the professional competence of early childhood staff directly affects the quality of early childhood education. The School's pre-service teacher education programmes are designed to enable graduates to make vital and innovative contributions to the provision of high quality early childhood services for young children and their families in Hong Kong.
The School is the main provider of teacher education programmes for early childhood practitioners in Hong Kong, and is committed to the promotion of quality early childhood education. The School offers the following full-time pre-service programmes in the academic year 2005/06:
Bachelor of Education (Honours) (Early Childhood Education) Programme (Four-year Full-time) Certificate in Early Childhood Education Programme (Three-year Full-time) Qualified Kindergarten Teacher Education Course (One-year Full-time)
These three pre-service programmes are designed to equip students with the necessary knowledge, skills and attitudes required of an early childhood practitioner, and are enriched by blocks of field experience that prepare students for challenging careers in kindergartens, child care centres, and related organizations. Graduates of these programmes are qualified to become registered kindergarten teachers or registered child care workers in Hong Kong. Graduates of the Certificate in Early Childhood Education Programme (Three-year Full-time) and Bachelor of Education (Honours) (Early Childhood Education) Programme will also have attained the professional qualifications required of kindergarten principals and child care supervisors. The School also provides pathways for graduates to upgrade their qualifications. Eligible graduates from the Qualified Kindergarten Teacher Education Course can apply for admission into the second year of the Certificate in Early Childhood Education Programme. Eligible graduates from the Certificate in Early Childhood Education Programme (Three-year Full-time) can apply for admission to the in-service three-year mixed mode Bachelor of Education (Honours) (Early Childhood Education) Programme. With regards to in-service programmes for practitioners working in the field, the School also offers the following programmes in the academic year 2005/06:
Postgraduate Diploma in Education (Early Childhood Education) Programme (Two-year Part-time) Bachelor of Education (Honours) (Early Childhood Education) Programme (Three-year Mixed Mode) Certificate in Kindergarten Education Programme (Two-year Mixed Mode)
Opportunities are provided for students to upgrade their qualifications through further studies. Eligible graduates from the Certificate in Kindergarten Education Programme can apply for admission to the Bachelor of Education (Honours) (Early Childhood Education) Programme. The School is very fortunate to have our own kindergarten and child care centre on campus. The Hong Kong Institute of Education HSBC Early Childhood Learning Centre (ECLC) was established in 2001 with a generous donation of HK$7.85 million from the Hongkong Bank Foundation. The ECLC supports the School's programmes in early childhood teacher education and the development of our student teachers. It provides student teachers a rich and resourceful learning environment to put into practice innovative teaching and learning approaches in early childhood education, and to learn how problems can be solved. If you are a caring and committed individual and are keen to pursue a meaningful career in early childhood education or to enhance your qualifications and expertise, I welcome you to take up the challenge of our programmes. I look forward to welcoming you in the new academic year 2005/06. Professor Lorna Chan Dean, School of Early Childhood Education

 

The School of Early Childhood Education, one of four Schools in the Hong Kong Institute of Education, was established in 1998 through the amalgamation of the former Department of Early Childhood Studies and the Division of Pre-primary Education. The School is the main provider of early childhood teacher education programmes in Hong Kong, with around 1,800 students enrolled in its programmes each year. The School offers a range of programmes to cater for students' varying needs and choice of study modes, including both full-time pre-service and part-time in-service programmes.

The School's programmes are designed to foster in students the knowledge, skills and attitudes required of a competent, committed and caring early childhood educator. All academic staff in the School strive to optimise the potential of each and every prospective and practising early childhood teacher by providing practical and creative learning experiences in a stimulating and supportive environment. The School aims to help our students become expert teachers who are able to make valuable contributions to early childhood education in Hong Kong.

The School is led by the School Dean and consists of over 60 full-time academic staff. Apart from providing support and guidance to the early childhood education profession through their teaching, academic staff in the School engage in a range of research and scholarly activities in an attempt to promote the quality of early childhood education services provided to young children in Hong Kong. Academic staff members are regularly invited to conduct staff development seminars and workshops and to serve as consultants for early childhood institutions. A large number of projects have been and are being conducted in collaboration with early childhood institutions, aiming to enhance children's learning. Examples include literacy projects, implementation of innovative practices such as the project approach and High Scope, resolving conflicts through social problem solving, partnership with parents, mentoring of staff, and conducting self-assessment and self-improvement of teaching quality through the use of performance indicators. The School is also active in academic exchange activities, organizing conferences, seminars and teaching and learning workshops for the profession, and collaborative projects with overseas academics.

Conducting research is an important activity of the School of Early Childhood Education. Research findings produced by academics in the School make a valuable contribution to the education of young children in Hong Kong, and may guide policy decisions. In addition, research in the Hong Kong context can inform the development of theory worldwide. Research in the School covers many topics that can be placed in three broad categories:

Young children's development and learning
Topics include aspects of child development and learning, such as the development of personal and social concepts in young children; the development of language and literacy skills, children's recognition and understanding of Chinese writing; children's perspectives of play, work and learning; a problem solving approach to conflict resolution; and children with special educational needs.

Early childhood curriculum
Topics have investigated ways to structure and present an integrated curriculum that helps children learn in powerful ways, such as conceptualizing the art curriculum; designing a curriculum that responds to children's interests and needs; designing art, music and movement activities for young children's integrated learning; operational mathematics learning in preschool; promoting literacy during play through literacy-enriched classroom environments; and the use of Information Technology in Hong Kong's kindergartens.

Early childhood teaching and teacher education
Topics cover many issues in the early childhood profession, policy and practice, such as teachers' theories and knowledge; using the Performance Indicators to assess and improve teaching and learning in early childhood settings; teaching and teacher development; problem-based learning in kindergarten teacher education; a comparative study of early childhood education; and head teachers' perceptions of integrated programmes in regular early childhood settings.

The School runs a laboratory preschool on campus. The Hong Kong Institute of Education HSBC Early Childhood Learning Centre (ECLC), located at the Institute's Tai Po campus, commenced operation in September 2001, with a donation of HK$7.85 million from the Hongkong Bank Foundation for the establishment costs. The ECLC aims to promote the quality of early childhood education in Hong Kong through the experimentation with and dissemination of innovative practices, as well as the enhancement of early childhood teacher education and home-school partnership.