Students' campus life is enriched by meetings and the regular exchange of views with leaders from the business and service sector. Through mentorship programmes, the Institute provides vital support in the transformation of schools into learning communities.

Projects Benefiting Tertiary Institutions

The Learning-Oriented Assessment Project coordinated by the Centre for Learning, Teaching and Technology aims to enhance capabilities in teaching, learning and assessment through identification, experimentation, tracking and dissemination of innovative practices in classroom assessment. The project also seeks to enhance the learning of students through formative assessment and feedback. Project findings will be analysed and compiled in a sourcebook, for distribution to academics in Hong Kong's tertiary institutions.

Mentorship for Schools

The Variation for the Improvement of Teaching And Learning (VITAL) project, coordinated by the Centre for Learning-study And School Partnership, represents a major Institute initiative  in  collaboration  with  EMB. The
Project provides vital support in the implementation of curriculum reforms, enhancing the professional development of teachers and helping to transform schools into learning communities. Over the next three years (2005-07), the project will support around 120 primary and secondary schools in Learning Studies, where the focus is directly on the improvement of learning and teaching across all Key Learning Areas.

Professional Support for Schools

The "Optimising Small Class Teaching Collaborative Scheme" initiative, under the Institute's "Small Class Teaching Research and Development Project", consists of a partnership between the Institute and nine primary schools.  The   Scheme   works  with
The "Optimising Small Class Teaching Collaborative Scheme" worked with member schools to enhance the effectiveness of teaching in smaller classes, through classroom observations, experience sharing, workshops and overseas visits.
member schools to enhance the effectiveness of teaching in smaller classes, through classroom observations, experience sharing, workshops as well as overseas visits. Themes covered include cooperative learning, catering for learning diversity, school leadership in the implementation of small class teaching, teacher-student relationships and kindergarten-primary school transitions.

Commissioned by the EMB, the Department of Early Childhood Education also ran its Principalship Training Course for 96 kindergarten principals and child care centre supervisors in 2004-05. The 120-hour course aims to foster a culture of lifelong learning among administrators who are seeking to provide a quality early childhood education, which will enhance a child's learning competencies.