President's Awards

The School Partnership and Field Experience Office (SPFEO) is committed to promoting high-standard field experience (FE) in terms of quality FE arrangements and effective administrative support.

The team of SPFEO colleagues (the Team) took initiative to embrace challenges at one of the most difficult times ever in the history of the Office – the impact of the pandemic on the education of Hong Kong and on the block practice (BP) arrangements. The Team upheld their commitment in formulating a FE contingency plan that was recognized by the schools and students, and seized the opportunity to enhance students’ virtual teaching skills, so as to respond to schools’ expectations.

In view of the rapid development of pandemic, the Team responded quickly and formulated the contingency FE arrangements for BP in Semester Two, 2021/22 in consultation with major internal and external stakeholders within a week. During the pandemic, the Team continued to solicit placements for students. A large amount of workload was added in explaining the different stages of BP, in supporting the virtual teaching, in enhancing the logistic arrangements, etc. Finally, over 1,200 placements were solicited timely for all students concerned in 2021/22. A one-stop webpage was made available to disseminate relevant information and flexible arrangements needed to be made to accommodate over 700 placement students including over 100 who had returned to their home countries. Extra efforts were also made to support students who were infected by COVID-19 to conduct virtual teaching instead so that they could complete the requirements for graduation.

Over 50 mass briefing sessions were organized to brief students/supervisors who were affected on the alternative placement arrangements and virtual teaching. The Team also developed FE guides for students illustrating proper procedures under various situations, and a repository of videos and self-learning materials on effective e-learning and teaching which are helpful to students.

The Team played a pivotal role in liaising with schools on the FE contingency plan. They communicated the plan with schools thoroughly, showed full respect for the schools’ individual teaching arrangements during the pandemic, and facilitated flexible arrangements of FE as needed. Schools welcomed the plan which upheld the quality of FE of teacher education programmes without interrupting schools’ teaching arrangements, and recognised the Team’s work in supporting students to enhance virtual teaching skills. The Team’s prompt and professional response helped project a positive image of the University among schools.

In summary, the Team has made a significant contribution to the successful implementation of FE contingency plan and in deepening partnerships between the University and school community.