Transformation into online learning in Hong Kong local schools : students' and teachers' attitudes and opinions towards hands-on experiences in science subjects during the COVID-19 pandemic /

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Student Projects

2022

Cheong, Pui Sang

Hong Kong : Education University of Hong Kong

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The importance of hands-on experiences among science subjects has been emphasized throughout recent decades. Under the influence of COVID-19 pandemic, the transformation of class mode from face-to-face to online mode learning shredded the opportunity of students to participate hands-on activities with practical hands-on skills. However, no research has been done locally to examine local students' and teachers' perceptions of all-round learning aspects upon online mode of learning and teaching in science subjects. This research study provides insights into perceptions of both target group of participants towards teaching and learning of laboratory skills and knowledge via online mode of learning. Hence, it is crucial to identify the potential issues and significance of hands-on experience in terms of students' learning needs, practicality issues of teaching and consequences of lacking laboratory skills in science subjects. Mixed mode of research has been implemented, in which 138 local in-service teachers (n=45) and senior secondary school students (n=93) were given two separate sets of questionnaires for completion, with individual interviews of students (n=7) and teachers (n=7) have been hosted to find out critical in-depth perceptions between face-to-face lessons (before the pandemic) and online lessons (during the pandemic) respectively. The findings collected were analyzed separately then aligned to draw suggestions and conclusion. The questionnaire results revealed in terms of the key learning aspects: acquirement of knowledge, experimental skills, soft skills, gain of motivation, and academic performance, the results from both group of participants implied there were statistically significant shifts in their perceptions, from high uniformity of agreement (face-to-face mode) to disagreement (online mode) respectively. Hence, the findings of perceptions in interviews could be well-aligned with questionnaires' results, in terms of four categories of content focused. The interviewees mentioned a variety of suggestions for online mode lesson-learning, where they could be supported by current research papers with beneficiary contributions to the mentioned learning aspects in science learning. The findings put forth are of paramount importance for educators in Hong Kong to provide all-around suggestions of how educators use varieties of approaches to boost students' learning by finessing their pedagogies, skills, teaching styles, or teaching aids. Ultimately, suggestions could provide insights for innovative learning and teaching methods

LG51.H43 hp BEd(Sci) 2022eb Cheongps

https://educoll.lib.eduhk.hk/records/Xxs6D0UU