THE EDUCATION UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG

Course Outline

Part I

Programme Title : Bachelor of Education (Honours)

Programme QF Level : 5
Course Title : Nurturing Creativity through Science and STEM
Course Code : SCG2026
Department : Department of Science and Environmental Studies
Credit Points :3
Contact Hours : 39
Pre-requisite(s) : Nil
Medium of Instruction: Chinese
Course Level :2
___________________________________________________________________________

Part II

The University’s Graduate Attributes and seven Generic Intended Learning Outcomes (GILOs)
represent the attributes of ideal EdUHK graduates and their expected qualities respectively.
Learning outcomes work coherently at the University (GILOs), programme (Programme
Intended Learning Outcomes) and course (Course Intended Learning Outcomes) levels to
achieve the goal of nurturing students with important graduate attributes.

In gist, the Graduate Attributes for Undergraduate, Taught Postgraduate and Research
Postgraduate students consist of the following three domains (i.e. in short “PEER & I”):
 Professional Excellence;
 Ethical Responsibility; &
 Innovation.

The descriptors under these three domains are different for the three groups of students in order
to reflect the respective level of Graduate Attributes.

The seven GILOs are:

1. Problem Solving Skills
2. Critical Thinking Skills
3. Creative Thinking Skills
4a. Oral Communication Skills
4b. Written Communication Skills
5. Social Interaction Skills
6. Ethical Decision Making
7. Global Perspectives

1. Course Synopsis
This course would introduce to participants generic pedagogical knowledge, strategies and
skills for nurturing student creativity. They would be illustrated mainly through science and
STEM learning activities. It would cover the cultivation of creativity-related attitudes,
 cognitive abilities, thinking strategies and metacognition. Participants would learn how to
infuse creative learning elements into major curriculum models and approaches (e.g.
inquiry-based and problem-based learning). Through generalization, ultimately, this course
would inspire participants on how to teach for creativity across the curriculum. The course
would adopt an experiential learning approach and provide rich opportunities for
participants to experience - from engaging in hands-on science/STEM activities to
designing creative learning activities, and from trying-out their teaching designs to critically
evaluating them.

2. Course Intended Learning Outcomes (CILOs)

Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
CILO1 develop instructional strategies and assessment practices for cultivating student
creative attitudes, thinking abilities, cognitive strategies and metacognition,
through science and STEM activities;
CILO2 integrate these creative teaching methods into various curriculum models and
approaches, as illustrated in science and STEM;
CILO3 construct some general methods for nurturing student creativity in school curriculum.

3. Content, CILOs and Teaching/Learning Activities

Teaching Content CILOs Suggested
Teaching/Learning
Activities

(a) Instructional strategies and assessment practices CILO1 - (a), (b) and (c)
for: would be
integrated together
- Cultivating curiosity, risk-taking attitude, and
in teaching.
other creativity-related
- Activities include
- affects through science/STEM activities;
creative thinking
- Development of sensitivity, imagination, exercises, hands-
divergent thinking, design thinking, problem on
solving abilities, and improvisational creativity
- design and make
in making, through science/STEM activities;
- activities,
- Learning of creative thinking strategies (e.g.
appreciation of
mind-map, metaphors, modeling, SCAMPER,
creative works and
attribute listing, forced associations, creative
artifacts;
problem solving, 6-thinking hats) through
science/STEM activities; - designing teaching
- Developing student metacognition and transfer - activities and
of learning from science/STEM to other daily- microteachings
life domains with critical
analyses;
(b) Integrating creative teaching methods into CILO2
- case studies of
models and approaches, including
curriculum
- Inquiry-based science learning; designs;
- Problem-based STEM learning; - debriefing and
- Making-based STEM learning; - reflection; and

2
 Teaching Content CILOs Suggested
Teaching/Learning
Activities
- Issue-based science learning; final group
presentations
- Cross-disciplinary approach of science/STEM
learning and their assessments

(c) Consolidation/generalization CILO3

- Construct general methods to nurture student
creativity across school curriculum
- Ethical and global perspectives for nurturing
creativity through science and STEM

4. Assessment
Assessment Tasks Weighting (%) CILOs

(a) Two Individual Course Portfolios (about 2000 60% CILO1, 2 & 3
words equivalent)
Class works, Moodle works, STEM works, Forum
sharing, Video reporting, Group Presentation and
Overall Review and Reflections. Examples of task
involved are open discovery, inquiry, problem-
solving, design and make, imagination and
assessment exercises in science and STEM. In overall
review and reflection, students need to review
critically the creative T & L model/approach/
strategy(s) taught (e.g. how useful they are in
developing creativity) and reflect on their learning
(e.g. to what extent, the 3 course objectives are
achieved and etc.). Students also need to do a final
group project (of about 2 persons) and present it in
class. Its instructions are the same as that of (b).
Students need to submit their course portfolios twice,
one in the mid of the course and one at the end.

(b) Final Group Project Report (about 2000 words 50% CILO1,2 & 3
equivalent)
Study of selected creative teaching and learning (T
& L) model/approach/strategy(s):
- introduce selected creative T & L
model/approach/strategy(s);
- adopt it/them to conduct a creative
science/STEM learning project;
- suggest the curriculum, instructional and
assessment methods to implement this learning

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 in local classroom;
- suggest how this selected T & L strategy(s) can
be generalized to other subject domain(s)
- study/ your future pursuits in creativity
Optional: Students are encouraged to demonstrate and define their own “self-initiated
learning outcomes” which have not been explicitly stated in the assessment guidelines, but
are valuable and related to the course learning. This part is not compulsory. Students may
put this part in the reflection section. (max. 5 bonus marks)

5. Required Text(s)
Nil

6. Recommended Readings
Banks, F., & Barlex, D. (2014). Teaching STEM in the secondary school. helping teachers
meet the challenge. London ; New York: Routledge
Beghetto, R.A. & Kaufman, J.C. (2010). Nurturing creativity in the classroom. New York:
Cambridge University Press.
Beghetto, R. A. (2015).Teaching for creativity in the common core classroom. New York,
NY: Teachers College Press.
Capraro, M. M., Whitfield, J. G., Etchells, M.J., Capraro, R.M. (2016). A Companion to
Interdisciplinary STEM Project-Based Learning: For Educators by Educators (Second
Edition). Rotterdam: Sense Publishers. e-book
Carey, A. (2016). STEAM Kids: 50+ Science/Technology/Engineering/Art/Math Hands-
On Projects for Kids. US: Create Space Independent Publishing Platform.
Cheng, V. M. Y. (2010). Teaching creative thinking in regular science lessons: Potentials
and obstacles of three different approaches in an Asian context. Asia-Pacific Forum on
Science Learning and Teaching, 11(1), Article 17.
Cheng, V. M. Y. (2008). Consensual assessment in creative learning. In A. Craft, T. Cremin,
& P. Burnard (Eds.), Creative learning 3-11 and how we document it (pp. 163-170).
England: Trentham.
Cheng, M.Y.V. (2006). A comprehensive curriculum framework for infusing creativity
learning into Physics knowledge learning. College Physics, 18(3). Beijing, China:
Chinese Physics Society, Higher Education Press. (in Chinese)
Cheng, V. M. Y. (2004). Developing Physics learning activities for fostering student
creativity in Hong Kong context. Asia-Pacific Forum on Science Learning and
Teaching, 5(2), Article 1.
Clement, J.J. (2008). Creative model construction in scientists and students: the role of
imagery, analogy, and mental stimulation. [S.l.]: Springer
Cropley, D. H., 2015. Teaching engineers to think creatively: barriers and challenges in
stem disciplines. In Rupert Wegerif, Li Li and James Kaufman (eds.)The Routledge
international handbook of research on teaching thinking. Abingdon, Oxon ; New York,
NY: Routledge. e-book.
Cropley, D. (2015). Creativity in engineering: novel solutions to complex problems.
London ; San Diego, CA: Academic Press, an imprint of Elsevier
Dumas, D., Alexander, P., & Schmidt, L. (2016). Predicting creative problem solving in
engineering design. Thinking Skills And Creativity, 21,50-66.
El-Zanfaly, D. 2015. [I 3] Imitation, Iteration and Improvisation: Embodied interaction in
making and learning. Design Studies, 41, 79-109.
Fautley, M. & Savage, J. (2007). Creativity in secondary education. Exeter [England]:
4
 Learning Matters.
Felder, R. M., & Brent, R. 2016. Teaching and learning STEM. a practical guide (First
edition). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Graves, C. & Graves, A. (2017). The big book of makerspace projects: inspiring makers to
experiment, create, and learn. New York: McGraw Hill Education.
Hathcock, S. J., Dickerson, D. L., Eckhoff, A., & Katsioloudis, P. (2015). Scaffolding for
Creative Product Possibilities in a Design-Based STEM Activity. Research in Science
Education, 45(5), 727-748.
Hebert,T.R. (2010). The impact of creativity within the inquiry process in science education.
In Craig, C.J., & Deretchin, L.F. (ed). Cultivating curious and creative minds: the role
of teachers and teacher educators. Lanham, Md.: Rowman & Littlefield Education.
Hellekson, et al. (2010). Practicing science fiction: critical essays on writing, reading and
teaching the genre. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland & Co.
Honey, M., Kanter, D. E. 2013. Design, make, play: growing the next generation of STEM
innovators. New York, NY: Routledge.
Hu,W. & Adey, P. (2002). A scientific creativity test for secondary school students.
International Journal of Science Education, 24(4), 389-403.
Isabelle, A. D., Valle, N. Z. 2016. Inspiring STEM Minds: Biographies and Activities for
Elementary Classrooms. Rotterdam: Sense Publishers. e-book
Johnson, A. P. (2006).Up and out: using creative and critical thinking skills to enhance
learning. Boston, Mass: Allyn and Bacon. (Chapter 8: Thinking skills and science).
Kaufman, J. C. (2008). Essentials of creativity assessment. Hoboken, N.J.: Wiley.
Maslyk, J. (2016). STEAM makers: fostering creativity and innovation in the elementary
classroom. Thousand Oaks, California: Corwin.
Martinez, S. L., & Stager, G. 2013. Invent to learn: Makers in the Classroom. Education
Digest, Vol. 79 Issue 4, p11-15.
Moomaw, S., 2013. Teaching STEM in the early years: activities for integrating science,
technology, engineering, and mathematics. St. Paul, MN: Redleaf Press.
Reagan, M. T., 2016. STEM-infusing the elementary classroom. Thousand Oaks, California:
Corwin, A SAGE Company. e-book
Sayary, A. M. A. E., Forawi, S.A., and Mansour, N., 2015. STEM education and problem-
based learning. In Rupert Wegerif, Li Li and James Kaufman (eds.)The Routledge
international handbook of research on teaching thinking. Abingdon, Oxon ; New York,
NY: Routledge. e-book.
Starko, A. J. (2010). Creativity in the Content Areas: Science, Math, and General Teaching
Strategies. In “Creativity in the classroom: schools of curious delight.” New York:
Routledge.
Tan., O.S. (2009). Problem-based learning and creativity. Singapore: Cengage Learning
Asia.
Watts, M. (2000). Creative trespass: fusing science and poetry in the classroom –an
anthology of poems and practice. Hatfield: Association for Science Education.
Wilson, A. (2015). Creativity in primary education (3rd ed., [Achieving QTS]). London:
Learning Matters ; Thousand Oaks, Calif.: SAGE (Chapter 9:What is creativity in
science education? /Jane Johnston)
課程發展議會 (2015)《推動 STEM 教育— 發揮創意潛能（概覽）》。Retrieved
2017, from
http://www.edb.gov.hk/attachment/tc/curriculum-development/renewal/STEM/STEM
%20Overview_c.pdf
香港_教育局《推動 STEM 教育— 發揮創意潛能》報告。Retrieved 2017, from
http://www.edb.gov.hk/attachment/tc/curriculum-development/renewal/STEM_Educa
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 tion_Report_Chi_20170303.pdf
鄭慕賢 (編著) (2008):《創造力培育：科學教育改革》，香港，激勵創造力的科學教
育計劃

7. Related Web Resources

Nil

8. Related Journals
International Journal of STEM Education
Journal of STEM education. innovations and research Journal of STEM teacher education
K-12 STEM Education

9. Academic Honesty
The University adopts a zero tolerance policy to plagiarism. For the University’s policy on
plagiarism, please refer to the policy on Academic Honesty, Responsibility and Integrity
with Specific Reference to the Avoidance of Plagiarism by Students
(https://www.eduhk.hk/re/modules/content/item.php?categoryid=9&itemid=116). Students
should familiarize themselves with the Policy.

10. Others
Nil

Last update: 21-01-2021