In 2017, OWLHK organized a one-day outdoor study course especially for the New Senior Secondary Biology curriculum. This programme is jointly organized with the Ecology and Biodiversity Society, SS, HKUSU and was funded by the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department. This course is based on the theme of the most common insects in city - ants. By studying the diversity and ecology of ants in urban area, suburb and their corresponding habitats, students could understand Hong Kong’s biodiversity and achieve subject learning and environmental education.
Secondary School Teacher Training will enhance teacher interest and knowledge in urban biodiversity through seminars and outdoor study. We hope that similar topics will be added to future teaching and curriculum.
The first session of the training day was led by two professionals - Dr.Ma Kwan Ki, Founder and Education Director of OWLHK and Mr.Lee Kei, PhD student of the School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong. They shared current situation of biodiversity in Hong Kong and used ants as an example to investigate urban ecology through scientific method respectively.
Participants applied their new knowledge and technique learnt in lecture during outdoor study. As this course was designed for Biology curriculum of secondary school, activities in the course were suitable for different schools. Especially, sites of outdoor study were inside or near the school. Our professional instructors conducted outdoor observation in HKU campus and Lung Fu Shan Country Park, so as to demonstrate the field study method, and to practice technique of studying ant ecology and biodiversity.
Apart from secondary school teachers, we also invited environmental education co-workers to involve in the activities. At the completion of outdoor study, teachers and environmental education co-workers formed groups and discussed the experimental result under the guidance of experts and shared their output afterwards.
Each participating teacher received a teaching kit upon completion of the training. Teachers would utilize it in assisting students when conducting outdoor field study.
Thank you for your support. “Exploring the Urban Ant Diversity” is our regular activity. If you are interested in this activity, click here and feel free to contact us.
