| "Enquiry study" has been advocated by Curriculum Development Council and Education Bureau as a teaching strategy in secondary Chinese History since the curriculum reform launched in 2001. Also, the "data-based question" was introduced as an assessment question type in the public examination of Chinese History. Although the junior secondary Chinese History teaching is still following the curriculum document of 1997, the historical enquiry and source-based study elements have been included to the textbook and daily teaching practice. This research interviewed 12 junior secondary Chinese History teachers and 31 S3 students from six secondary schools in order to examine the implementation of the historical enquiry and source-based study in junior secondary Chinese History in Hong Kong. The three major research findings are as follows.;First, there is a teaching paradigm shift under the curriculum reform. This not only promotes teachers' self-reflection on the nature of the subject they teach, but also facilitates their adoption and mastery of the student-centered and generic skill-based teaching paradigm and strategy. In addition, given the dramatic drop in the number of students taking Chinese History under the new senior secondary reform, the competition among subjects has become more intense. The survival of Chinese History as a subject has become a critical concern of subject teachers. In response to the above changes, the historical enquiry and source-based study was initiated as a "pragmatic approach" to the curriculum change and new senior secondary reforms.;Second, there is a discrepancy between the philosophy and the implementation of historical enquiry and source-based study in classroom teaching. Such discrepancy was originated from two factors namely: "the tension between the philosophy of enquiry and the traditional Chinese historiography" and "the relationship between historical knowledge and competence in making enquiry study". It was revealed that the tensions and conflicts were formed due to inadequate understanding of the nature of the subject. In order to deal with this dilemma, teachers may exercise more professional judgment and adaptation in their classroom teaching. However, the effectiveness of implementation is subject to personal and contextual differences.;Third, the research has examined the students' learning outcomes through historical enquiry and source-based study. In knowledge aspect, students have shown understanding of the concepts of chronology, change, and cause and effect in an individual historical event, a linear historical process and historical facts. Yet, they cannot use these concepts to construct a holistic "historical picture" to explain the complicated historical phenomena. In skills aspect, the relative lack of Chinese interpretive and expressive skills training in Chinese History teaching has limited in the students' understanding and use of the historical sources. Moreover, students have shown more confidence in handling factual knowledge than in historical interpretation and enquiry competence. Finally, for the attitude aspect, students hold the view that learning history can help them to understand the interactions, diversities and rapid changes in today's world. Besides, historical enquiry can arouse students' interest in studying history.;Based on the above research findings together with reference to the literature review and empirical studies of historical enquiry and source-based studies, two recommendations are proposed. For the curriculum developers, they should break through the polarised conflict between chronological framework and theme-based curriculum organisation. Also, they should clarify the implication of historical concepts and, build the concept of 'historical picture'. As for the curriculum implementers, teachers should try to sustain students' motivation through a well-planned school-based history curriculum with clear learning objectives developed in line with the history thinking capacities and cognitive development of students at different stages. Moreover, teachers can help students to overcome their learning difficulties in by institutionalising the regular teaching and learning practices of historical enquiry and source-based study. |
