"The Faculty propels interdisciplinary research to the Next Level."
The Learning Sciences area of strength (AOS) is a new AOS within the Faculty of Education and Human Development. It focuses on three core research themes: (1) positive education; (2) motivation and emotion; (3) and learning innovations and classroom interventions
Positive Education
For most students, getting good grades seems to be the ultimate goal of their studies. In Hong Kong, parents, students and teachers become work-oriented with their focus solely put on academic achievement. Often teachers and students ignore issues of emotional and psychological well-being. However, positive well-being plays a pivotal role in the learning process. Positivity is not just about feeling good. It has been shown to have a causal impact on key learning outcomes. Positive well-being and learning are synergistic and greater levels of well-being promote better learning. The Learning Sciences AOS members focus on understanding and cultivating positivity among students.
Motivation and Emotion
Education researchers have mostly focused on the ‘cold’ cognitive aspects of learning. The AOS members focus on the “hot” motivational and emotional aspects of learning. AOS members’ research covera teacher emotions, student emotions, and achievement motivation and how these motivational-emotional constructs impact learning more broadly.
Learning Innovations and Classroom Interventions
A unique strength of the Learning Sciences AOS is that the researchers focus on developing interventions. Unlike descriptive research, interventionist research does not just focus on understanding a phenomenon. Its goal is more pragmatic aiming to introduce positive changes among students.
Team members in the Learning Sciences AOS are currently undertaking user-inspired research by testing out interventions to improve student learning.
About the Team
The Faculty of Education and Human Development has brought together a group of educational researchers who are keen to engage both basic and use-inspired research. The team includes members from different departments: Drs. Ronnel King, Ricci Fong, Wincy Lee, and Lan Yang from the Dept of Curriculum and Instruction; Dr. Wilbert Law from the Dept of Psychology; Dr. Junjun Chen from the Dept of Educational Policy and Leadership; and Dr. Yanjie Song from the Dept of Mathematics and Information Technology. The team is led by Dr. Ronnel King.
