Page 22 - Mini-Module 12

Conclusion

This module has explored the challenges and opportunities of teacher
knowledge construction in conducting an issue‐enquiry in Liberal
Studies. The findings reveal that challenges exist during knowledge
construction of many Liberal Studies teachers in Hong Kong. They act as
impediments to teacher construction of the much‐needed content
knowledge, substantive knowledge, and syntactic knowledge. In a
similar manner, teachers’ beliefs and perceptions about teaching and
learning can also be the sources of challenges because teaching with an
issue‐enquiry in Liberal Studies involves teacher change in terms of both
beliefs and practices. Hence, the construction of teacher knowledge
encompasses not only the cognitive domain, but also the metacognitive
and affective domains. Finally, this module examines the opportunities
of Liberal Studies teachers’ knowledge construction in the light of some
implications stemming from its findings. Taken as a whole, this module
is significant because knowledge construction of Liberal Studies teachers
has not been an enquiry focus of the educational literature in Hong
Kong. Given that the issue‐enquiry approach will become a common
instructional practice of Liberal Studies teachers in the New Senior
Secondary curriculum, it would be critical for educational policy‐makers,
planners of curriculum development and teacher professional
development, and practitioners concerned to attend to the issues
illuminated in this module.

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