Meaningful engagement is key to joyful learning experiences. The Humanities department at SISHK sparks this joy of learning in History and Geography through learner-centred and process-focused approaches.
Asking Questions
Aligned to Understanding by Design approach advocated by McTighe and Wiggins, essential questions are used to frame the History and Geography content. These questions are open-ended, thought-provoking, intellectually stimulating and call for higher order thinking skills. Students seek answers by conducting research and investigation, questioning assumptions, deepening conceptual understanding, evaluating different perspectives and making their own conclusions.
Making Connections
The written Humanities curriculum is connected to real-world issues and realities. This arouses students’ curiosity, promotes exploration and piques their interest in current affairs so they understand the world they live in (local, regional and international).
Creating a vibrant community of learners
Joy of learning is fostered through joyful collaboration where students actively debate, deliberate, discuss, dialogue, challenge and share their interpretations and perspectives. Students are taught to think critically, be open to new ideas and develop flexibility in their thinking.
Immersing in authentic tasks
Students are exposed to authentic meaningful tasks such as research projects, creation of podcasts, posters, newspaper articles, critiques of movies, role plays and other alternative assessment tasks to assess learning which are beyond pen and paper tests.
Learning outside the classroom
History and Geography come alive when students are involved in field work, as well as local and overseas educational trips. It allows students to engage with real places and people and widen their perspectives in order to understand the complexity and ambiguity of the real world.