Biology
“If you can’t explain it in a simple way, you don’t understand it well enough.” – Albert Einstein
Enquiry-based learning to develop science thinking skills
The Biology Department promotes enquiry-based learning by using simulations and life-related scenarios to create experiments or investigation tasks to allow students to apply biological knowledge. It also helps them to develop scientific inquiry skills, scientific logic, critical thinking skills and creativity, allowing them to solve problems independently or collaboratively.
Self-directed inquiry into biological issues
Students develop their own themes, discover inspiration from everyday life and discuss possible directions of inquiry with their teachers. After formulating a theme, students search for information in the library or the Internet, conduct analysis and research under the guidance of their teachers and present what they have learned in the classroom to share with their peers. The topics that have been explored in the past include the spread of pneumonia and the absorption and metabolism of alcohol, which are closely related to real life.
Online Learning: KTL Biology YouTube Channel
Teachers explain key biological concepts and advanced topics, record videos, and publish them on YouTube. The content is also classified in Google Classroom. When students encounter difficulties during the learning process, they can find and browse related videos more efficiently, thereby consolidating and deepening their knowledge.
YouTube Link:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFb3zTEidsQfOTsdD8zMdjA
Detailed analysis of student performance
Aside from the score, each student receives a detailed analysis report upon each crucial assessment. The report provides the following data:
- Performance in different learning skills, such as assessment of basic concepts, data analysis, integrating concepts, etc.
- Performance in different topics
Students can learn from the data analysis report where they can improve their performance to excel.
Schoology Academic Concepts Question Bank
Aiming at all the basic concepts of the scope of the diploma examination, the teacher uses the online learning management system Schoology to establish a school-based question bank of different biological systems, organ functions and academic concepts, to ensure that students have a solid foundation on the concepts of the scope of the assessment and can enhance their capabilities in handling higher-order thinking questions.
A BYOD strategy integrating OneNote Class Notebook, Microsoft Office, and learning management system Teams
Teachers use OneNote Class Notebook as a platform for collecting and correcting paperwork to provide students with in-depth multi-modal feedback (including audio tracks, images and hyperlinks). Students can systematically organize various assignments in computer folders, and can also extract all teaching resources anytime, anywhere to promote personalized learning. With the help of Microsoft Office App and the learning management system Teams, Biology teaching and evaluation is fully electronic under a unified system.
Research-based training to nurture scientific research talents
Ocean Park Expedition
Ecological Survey
University Visits (The University of Hong Kong, School of Biological Medicine)
Biology Lectures
Hospital Visits
Promoting Health Information
KTL STEM Hub
Reading Scheme
Participation in the EDB's school-based support program
To develop an inquiry-based STEM interdisciplinary collaboration course
- We participate in the Education Bureau’s school-based support programme, and regularly communicate with the Education Bureau and fellow school co-workers to organize an inquiry-based “Chocolate Factory” course.
- The course can enhance students’ critical thinking through lesson plan discussions, class observations, assessments, and the concerted efforts of all parties.
Collaboration with Universities
- We nominate students to participate in workshops conducted by institutes and universities, and organize a number of study tours to local institutes and universities for senior students to stress the importance and wide application of biological knowledge in university studies.
Mr To Yiu Kwan
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The Biology Department invited School Manager Mr To Yiu Kwan, who is the writer of the best-seller Biology textbooks, to teach students the effective ways of studying biology.
Participation in the Quality School Improvement Program of the Chinese University of Hong Kong(QSiP)
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Teachers optimize the use of English as the language of instruction and the skills of teaching students to analyze problems.
Promoting professional exchanges between teachers and building a culture of teaching and research
- Biology teachers hold professional development conferences on the annual theme. The discussion includes strategies to improve students’ common mistakes and analysis of assessment data to promote learning.
- In addition, each panel also conducts “mini-lesson studies”. Through the activities of problem identification, teaching plan design, open class and post-observation conferences, teachers actively communicate to continuously improve the effectiveness of learning and teaching.
The Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups - Training in experiment and report writing skills
- This programme provides advice for the KTL Scientific Research Team to participate in territory-wide competitions, enabling them to understand university-level experiments and develop report writing skills.
- Gifted science students can have a preview regarding their future study mode at university.