Foshan Bound: students dive into geography and culture

To broaden our students’ knowledge of how geography lessons are conducted on the mainland, Dr Karen Liu Shuwen from the Department of Social Sciences and Policy Studies (SSPS) led fifteen students from the Bachelor of Education (Honours) (Geography) programme (BEd(GEOG)) on a visit to a secondary school in Foshan between 10 and 11 October 2024. The field trip enabled students to familiarise themselves with the latest developments in the Greater Bay Area (GBA) and gain a deeper understanding of the educational environment through in-depth discussions with experienced teachers from the mainland.

At Foshan Number One High School (佛山第一中學), a leading school in the city with a history of over 100 years, BEd(GEOG) students observed how a professional geography teacher delivered lessons on the mainland, and participated in a campus tour guided by the teachers. They also explored several historical and cultural sites in the school’s vicinity to understand the changes brought about by urban development and government planning.

Sam Wong Tsun-kit was one of the students who joined the Foshan tour. He was impressed by the use of case studies to teach landscape observation and the rich cultures of Foshan. “The mainland teacher’s use of Loess Plateau in geography class to teach geographical concepts inspired me. After observing the lesson, we had discussions with experienced mainland teachers about the differences in the curriculum design for senior form geography classes between the two regions,” he said.

In Foshan, Sam and his classmates from the BEd(GEOG) programme also visited Donghuali (東華里), an area of houses built during the Qing Dynasty, Foshan Ancestral Temple, commonly known as Foshan Zumiao (佛山祖廟), and Lingnan Xintiandi (嶺南新天地). The field visits enriched students’ understanding of the historical, cultural and social significance of these places. Dr Karen Liu along with on-site docents briefed her students on the intangible cultural heritages associated with these places, and the conservation work done on the historical buildings at these sites.

“Lingnan Xintiandi is a commercial development featuring traditional Lingnan-style architecture. The area is suffused with a cosmopolitan atmosphere, complete with many bubble tea shops, modern cafés, boutiques, and accessory outlets. At the Ancestral Temple Museum, we saw an exhibition related to the industrial development of the Greater Bay Area (GBA) and watched a martial arts performance by the Wong Fei-hung's Lion Dance Team. These learning activities enabled us to understand more about various aspects of Foshan and the GBA,” Sam said.

“Urban renewal often brings significant changes to the original environment and entails challenges. The two-day field trip provided an opportunity for our students to learn about changes brought about by urban renewal in Foshan, along with the related challenges and issues that need addressing during the process,” Dr Karen Liu, programme Leader of Certificate in Professional Development Programme on Teaching Geography of China elements in the Geography Curricula, said. She added that students not only learnt from the trip how to conduct effective teaching sessions but also gained subject knowledge by examining various case studies in the GBA.

As cross-boundary initiatives foster deeper integration between Hong Kong and GBA, an enhanced understanding of the region is vital. SSPS will continue to provide immersive learning activities for our students so that they can acquire deeper knowledge about the region's diverse cultures, histories, and urban environments.

Click here for more details about the BEd(Geog) programme.