Page 8 - Mini-Module 12

Challenges for teachers in Hong Kong

Figure 1:
The roles of content knowledge, substantive knowledge, syntactic knowledge, and
teacher’s beliefs when applying the issue-enquiry approach in Liberal Studies.

1. Construction of content knowledge

In the assertion of Grossman, et al. (1989), the term content
knowledge refers to the factual information, organizing principles, and
central concepts of a discipline. In the construction of knowledge
through an issue‐enquiry, teachers are expected to change their view
of content knowledge from disciplinary knowledge to a widened
concept of knowledge in Liberal Studies which is inter‐disciplinary.
Nevertheless, many teachers in Hong Kong find themselves teaching
completely unfamiliar material as they struggle to acquire new
knowledge beyond their original disciplines. What results may include
their over‐reliance on textbooks as a source of relevant facts and
information, or lecturing without any student participation in order to
avoid being led into unknown territory. Neither can teachers develop
the central concepts and organizing principles of the subject matter
underpinning an issue‐enquiry. Without a sufficient and relevant
knowledge base, teachers may find difficulties in selecting appropriate
issues and instructional strategies in Liberal Studies.

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