ENG-1982 — Page 121

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EDUCATION

and the University of Hong Kong conducted a first-year geography and geology students' field camp at the centre. Talks with slide shows on countryside education and conservation were organised at weekends for campers at the Sai Kung Outdoor Recreation Centre.

More than 2000 primary and secondary school science teachers and laboratory technicians visited the Science Teaching Centre to attend seminars, refresher courses, workshops and meetings. The centre was also used for distribution of materials for practical science teaching and extra-curricular activities. In addition to the regular displays of resource materials and new science equipment at the centre, a large-scale exhibition was organised jointly with the Hong Kong Association for Science and Mathematics Education in July.

Local and overseas delegates participating in the 4th International Council of the Association for Science Education Asia Symposium, held at the University of Hong Kong in December, visited the Field Studies Centre and the Science Teaching Centre as part of their programme.

The Mathematics Teaching Centre on Hong Kong Island continued to serve mainly as a resource centre and training venue for primary school mathematics teachers and was visited by more than 2 200 teachers. Six seminars on the new primary mathematics syllabus were conducted at the centre in 1982. The Mathematics Teaching Centre in Kowloon organised eight seminars, attended by 230 teachers from 200 schools, on the role of heads of mathematics departments in secondary schools.

The Social Subjects Teaching Centre provides in-service training for teachers of history, economics, economic and public affairs, geography, health education, ethical or religious education, and social studies. In 1982, more than 700 secondary school teachers attended courses at the centre, which has a variety of reference and teaching materials on display. Plans are being made to develop these resources further and to install new reading facilities and audio-visual equipment. A moral education corner was set up at the centre to encourage greater interest in the role of moral education in schools.

Visual Education Centre

The Visual Education Centre makes available a wide range of audio-visual aids for use in schools. Stocks include 16mm films, filmstrips, slides, audio-cassette tapes, overhead transparencies, learning packages, picture sets and an increasing number of video-tapes. Instructional hardware, such as projection equipment and sound recorders, is also available. In addition, arrangements continued to be made with Radio Television Hong Kong for the recording of educational programmes on video-cassette tapes for loan to schools.

Over 30 introductory courses, workshops and seminars on the use of audio-visual aids and the production of audio-visual materials were held for teachers. Sets of slides and learning packages were also produced by the centre with the co-operation of other sections in the inspectorate. Since October, the Media Production Services Unit of the centre has opened seven days a week on a trial basis to enable more teachers to make full use of its facilities.

Cultural Crafts Centre

The Cultural Crafts Centre of the Education Department has facilities for teachers from primary and secondary schools to improve and up-date their teaching skills in arts and design, crafts, and home economics. It organises short courses, seminars and