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新聞稿 2018年12月12日
亞洲首間專門提供幼兒教育培訓之高等教育院校耀中幼教學院
打造本港首個社區兒童探索空間——耀學園Discovery Space
集家長教育、社區參與、老師培訓與專業發展、學術研究、「遊戲中學習」於一身的幼兒設施
Online version: http://www.public.seedland.hk/press/YCCECE/1812-01/
Press release and Photos: Click Here (OneDrive) or Download (Zip)
耀中於1932年由曾楚衍女士成立，一向是本地頂級學府的代名詞。而曾女士的女兒、本地幼兒教育先驅陳保琼博士則於1970年代引入以兒童為本、遊戲中學習的嶄新學習模式，令耀中成為本地推廣此先鋒思維的鼻祖，牽頭改革香港的幼兒教育。非牟利團體耀中教育機構旗下的耀中幼教學院於2018/19年度首度開辦幼兒教育（榮譽）學士學位課程，延續耀中86年的輝煌歷史，繼續作育英才，培育新一代充滿熱誠與創新思維的幼兒教育專家。秉承耀中「遊戲中學習」的教學理念，學院將為位於香港仔田灣的全新校舍打造全港首個特別為零至八歲的兒童及家長或照顧者而設計的探索空間——耀學園Discovery Space，讓小朋友可於一個富啟發性及趣味的環境中學習，發揮他們認知能力、人際關係、情感與體能上的各種潛能，並培養他們對學習的正面態度。
耀學園Discovery Space旨在讓兒童體驗遊戲中學習，並成為香港集學術研究、職前與在職老師培訓、社區參與於一身的幼兒設施。其富啟發性的獨特設計貫徹耀中的遊戲中學習教學理念，讓小朋友寓學習於遊戲，從生活上的感官接觸與益智活動中獲取知識；老師與照顧者亦可自然而然地從中學到遊戲中學習的教學技巧，為小朋友提供愉快的學習經驗。另外，耀中幼教學院的學生亦可透過與幼童有更多相處的經驗，從而累積實習以外的寶貴經驗及研究機會，即時實踐課堂上的理論，為未來的教學打好基礎，可謂一舉數得。設施開放予所有幼兒教育中心與家庭享用，不論小朋友的社經背景、種族、個人能力與需要，均可以受惠於耀學園Discovery Space。
耀中幼教學院花了近兩年時間精心籌劃耀學園Discovery Space的設計，此項全港首創的兒童設施更參考南韓、新加坡以及澳洲等多個幼兒教學設施的設計元素，除了聘用專業設計師團隊，學院亦向國際與本地的特殊教育與嬰幼兒各個範疇的專家諮詢意見。耀學園Discovery Space室外的互動花園讓小朋友可從攀爬設施上看到與別不同的景色，亦可騎單車探索新境地，或於沙池自由創造全新事物或充當小小考古學家，或於探索區域戲水，上第一課的數學與科學課……設施除了訓練小朋友的體能，更讓他們體驗大自然中不同的質感和紋理。
室內則設有多個主題區，讓小朋友盡情發展才能與興趣，包括中式帆船造型的互動設施、飾有竹棚的工地角落、用於角色扮演的專業工作間，地鐵造型的駕駛艙與車廂、讓孩子展現戲劇才能的小舞台，更設有樂器牆讓小朋友演奏樂章，在小空間內發揮無窮想像力。
耀中幼教學院喜獲城中一慈善基金慷慨捐贈港幣4,000萬元，捐款將用於成立耀學園Discovery Space以及學院的其他項目。耀學園Discovery Space這個極具前瞻性及開創性的幼兒設施將於2019年6月問世。學院作為非牟利團體，各界的捐款將有助學院進行老師培訓、學術研究、家長與社區教育，實現學院廣泛推廣優質幼兒教育的抱負。
耀中幼教學院校董會主席陳保琼博士表示：「秉承家母——耀中教育機構創辦人曾楚珩女士的教育宗旨、目標及視野，耀中對於推動優質教育一向不遺餘力，現時更提供學士學位課程，進一步拓展我們的辦學願景。作為幼兒教育的專家，我非常了解幼兒教育對於孩子的成長與日後發展皆有着根深柢固的影響。因此，成立耀學園Discovery Space是學院重要的里程碑，我們可以更廣泛地向業界人士、家長、制定政策的政府官員以及公眾推廣遊戲中學習的理念與教學技巧，提升公眾的認知的同時，亦讓學生、教職員、本地及海外的合作夥伴在這個幼兒教育實驗室進一步探討優質幼兒教育的議題。我在業界有多年經驗，對教學的熱誠從未變更，耀學園Discovery Space的成立象徵著研究、政策與教學之間的重要橋樑，而我亦衷心期待耀學園Discovery Space協助我們培訓新一代的創新而富教育熱誠的幼教專才，以及教育家長與照顧者，從根本優化幼兒教育，攜手建構一個更美好的社會。
為與本地業界與家長探討何謂遊戲中學習等幼兒教育上的重要議題，耀中幼教學院校董會成員、牛津大學教育心理學教授及名譽研究員Kathy Sylva教授將親臨香港，並於1月22日開辦講座，加深公眾對優質幼兒教育的認識，與大家分享遊戲中學習這種教學方式與成效。
有關耀中幼教學院 （YCCECE）
耀中幼教學院（YCCECE）成立於2018年6月，前身為耀中社區書院，由非牟利團體耀中教育機構於2008年成立。社區書院的成功升格，不僅鼓舞了原有盡心盡力培育幼師的教職員，更印證着耀中86年來致力推廣優質幼兒教育的豐碩成果。
耀中幼教學院旨在培養充滿熱情和勇於創新的幼兒教育專業人士，並盼他們不斷改進、尋求突破，引領業界跨越新領域，務求成為香港，以至亞太地區的幼兒教育樞紐。為成為卓越的高等教育院校，耀中幼教學院由本地及國際幼教專家掌舵，並配備多元文化及聞名國際的教學團隊。耀中幼教學院提供多元文化及全英語學習環境，以配合本地和海外學生的教育需求，培育具備國際視野的幼兒教育專才。
耀中幼教學院開辦幼兒教育（榮譽）學士學位、幼兒教育高級文憑課程以及幼兒學文憑課程。除了卓越的學術成就，耀中幼教學院更竭誠為社區服務，並為幼教理念提供良好的實踐空間。因此，學院成立了耀中幼教發展中心（YCECDC），為幼兒教育從業者、家長及與照顧幼兒的人士提供各項互動專業發展課程。 耀中幼教發展中心更開設了耀學園Discovery Space，為來自不同階層的零至八歲兒童及家長或其看護人提供具啓發性的多元活動空間，讓孩子體驗遊戲中學習。
發稿：耀中幼教學院
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Press release 12th December 2018
Yew Chung College of Early Childhood Education (YCCECE) is the first degree-awarding institution in Asia to specialise in Early Childhood Education (ECE), creating the first specialist play-based learning hub – “Discovery Space” – in Hong Kong for families and birth to age 8, serving as an innovative platform for parent education, community engagement, teacher training and professional development, as well as academic research
Online version: http://www.public.seedland.hk/press/YCCECE/1812-01/
Press release and Photos: Click Here (OneDrive) or Download (Zip)
Established in 1932 by Madam Tsang Chor-hang, Yew Chung has always been synonymous with high quality education in Hong Kong. Dr. Betty Chan Po-king, daughter of Madam Tsang and a local pioneer in Early Childhood Education (ECE), was the first in Hong Kong to introduce the revolutionary concept of learning through play since the 1970s. Yew Chung College of Early Childhood Education (YCCECE), a member of the Yew Chung Education Foundation, an established non-profit Association in Hong Kong, offers a Bachelor of Education (Honours) degree in ECE starting from the 2018/2019 academic year. The newly founded specialist institution continues Yew Chung’s ECE legacy of 86 years, by nurturing a new generation of passionate and innovative ECE educators for Hong Kong. As part of their dedicated efforts to promote quality learning through play, the College proudly announces the debut of an expert-designed play space – the Discovery Space. The on-campus facility, designed for children from birth to eight and their teachers, parents or caregivers, cultivates a positive attitude towards learning, and challenges children’s cognitive, social-emotional and physical development in a stimulating and enjoyable environment.
Aiming to create synergies between academic research, pre-service and in-service teacher training, as well as community engagement and play-based learning lab, the Discovery Space with its unique designs encourages young children to engage in high quality experiential learning, promoting the best practices in ECE that Yew Chung firmly believes in. As the teachers, parents or caregivers bond with the children at the facility, they naturally learn the pedagogical skills of play-based learning, which will inspire them in their professional or parenting journey beyond the grounds of the Discovery Space. The hub also offers an excellent opportunity for YCCECE students to gain valuable first-hand experience on top of their Practicum, enabling them to immediately bridge theory and practice by consolidating their learning through child observations and interactions, conduct research, and preparing them to flourish as early childhood educators. The Discovery Space will be open to all ECE centres or children and their families, regardless of socioeconomic background, ethnicity, individual abilities or other diverse needs.
As the first of its kind in Hong Kong, YCCECE spent many months on the conceptual designs, taking inspiration from South Korea, Singapore, and Australia, and seeking advice from many international and local ECE experts, including those from Special Education, Infant and Toddler, as well as professional artists. The outdoor area of Discovery Space boasts an interactive garden where children can experience the nuances and textures of the natural world, seeing the world from different perspectives while playing on the climbing frame or wall, roaming over the playground on bikes, creating a whole new city in the sand box or having a first taste of archaeology, or learning about mathematics and science in the water exploration area.
The indoor section offers a space where children can discover and develop their talents and interests. From the Junk Boat interactive zone, the Bamboo frame construction corner, the thematic role-playing room, the MTR area with panels and passenger car, the mini theatre where children can showcase their dramatic talents, to the instrumental wall that caters for musical creativity and performance, the possibilities are endless.
Thanks to a generous donation from a local philanthropic foundation that has pledged lead gift of HK$40 million to YCCECE, which will fund capital projects, including the Discovery Space, this innovative play space on the Aberdeen campus will be open to the public in June 2019. As a non-profit institution serving a wide spectrum of students and families, the College is actively seeking support for their vision and aspiration to democratize quality Early Childhood Education, sharing their expertise through teacher training, research, and parent/community education and outreach.
Dr. Betty Chan, Chairperson of the YCCECE Board of Governors, remarked, “Following the educational principles, vision and pioneering spirit of my late mother, Madam Tsang Chor-hang, Founder of Yew Chung Schools, we have never ceased to provide and promote high quality education, and now have the opportunity to do so at the Bachelor degree level. Being a specialist in Early Childhood Education, I am acutely aware of its critical and lasting impact on children’s development and indeed their life trajectories. The creation of our Discovery Space on campus is therefore of great significance and will allow us to share our play philosophy and pedagogy much more widely with the entire Hong Kong community – whether practitioners, parents, or policymakers, raising public awareness and serving as a living ECE laboratory for our students, faculty and other collaborators, both locally and overseas. Despite being a veteran in this field, I remain deeply excited at the prospects of building greater bridges between research, policy, and practice, and witnessing the rise of a new generation of innovative and passionate early childhood educators, as well as inspired and skilled parents and caregivers who will together fundamentally transform our society.”
To further discuss and explore ECE topics on play-based learning with local educators and parents, Professor Kathy Sylva, member of YCCECE Board of Governors and Professor of Educational Psychology and Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Oxford Department of Education, will be visiting Hong Kong and giving a public talk on 22nd January 2019.
About YCCECE
Yew Chung College of Early Childhood Education (YCCECE), a registered non-profit institution, was established in June 2018. It is an upgrade of the Yew Chung Community College (YCCC), which was started by the Yew Chung Education Foundation (YCEF) in 2008. The success of the upgrade is grounded on the impressive track record of YCCC and Yew Chung’s 86+ years of experience in Early Childhood Education (ECE). YCCECE aims to nurture passionate and innovative early childhood education professionals who can advocate and bring about improvement in the field, and seeks to be recognised in Hong Kong and in the Asia-Pacific region as an ECE hub for its excellence. In order to be a tertiary institution of excellence, YCCECE brought in world-renowned ECE academics and local ECE leaders as advisors and consultants. Its teaching faculty is hired from all over the world to provide international perspectives and experiences. Its student body is also multi-cultural and from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds. YCCECE offers Bachelor of Education (Honours) in Early Childhood Education (BEdECE), Higher Diploma in Early Childhood Education programme (HDECE) and Diploma in Early Childhood Studies programme (DECS). As part of the commitment to academic excellence, YCCECE is also committed to serving the wider community and sharing good practices. The Discovery Space (DS) at its Aberdeen campus, which is an interactive play space specifically designed for children aged 0 to 8 years old and their accompanying adults will welcome children from all our communities. Through expert facilitation by DS staff, children and adults will be liberated by true learning through play.
Released by Seedland International Limited
On behalf of YCCECE
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