On March 16 and 17, 2018, Yew Chung - Yew Wah 85th Anniversary Conference was held at Hong Kong Yew Chung International School (YCIS Hong Kong). All academic staff attended or participated via the video broadcasting. Scholars from prestigious universities were invited to discuss the changes to education required to keep up with ever-increasing advancements in technology and prepare the next generation for the challenges.

The participating educators included Dr Nathan Holbert, Assistant Professor of Communication, Media and Learning Technologies Design of Teachers College, Columbia University; Dr May Liu, Senior Lecturer of Singapore Centre for Chinese Language, Nanyang Technological University (NTU) whose research focuses on curriculum development and instructional design; Dr Stephanie Sanders-Smith, Assistant Professor of Curriculum and Instruction of College of Education, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; Dr Bonnie Yim, Associate Professor and the Course Director of the Bachelor of Early Childhood Education at Deakin University, and Dr Natalie Robertson, Lecturer of Early Childhood Education at Deakin University.

Before the day of the conference, Dr Nathan Holbert visited the Primary and Secondary Sections of YCIS Hong Kong to learn how Yew Chung integrates technology in the academic programmes. Dr May Liu also visited the Secondary Section and expressed appreciation of Yew Chung’s innovative teaching method.

In the opening speech, Dr Betty Chan Po-king, CEO & School Supervisor said, “Technology is driving the future and the world is changing at an unprecedented rate. As education workers, we must be aware of the changes that are taking place and rethink how our teaching pedagogy, methodology and content should be changed to adequately arm the next generation such that they would become capable leaders of tomorrow, when artificial intelligence and robots would become common features of the home and workplace.” Our Group Chairman, Professor Paul Yip Kwok-wah, in his speech said, “Along with the progression and development of our country, as the largest private school group in China, we continuously cope with China’s developments and set up the China standard. The common goal of Yew Chung and Yew Wah’s staff, teachers and students is to glorify China which is the same as glorifying a community of common destiny of mankind.”

In his speech to the conference, Dr Holbert suggested research on how to introduce technology devices into games, and fully utilise images and interactive methods in games to facilitate thinking.

In her address, Dr Liu believes that education in the 21st century should be student-centered, and the “learning community” approach encourages teachers and students to explore the unknown areas together, and differentiated teaching and learning can meet the different needs of students and improve student’s learning efficiency.

In her speech, Dr Stephanie Sanders-Smith shared her findings in a study about uniqueness of Yew Chung’s teaching methodology. She said as the findings show when children are supported and respected, they will build up their new ideas and they will even think more deeply than teachers.