The impact of social media

This project is dedicated to providing free teaching materials for secondary school teachers. It builds upon the highly successful major research project, Why We Post (UCL) which focuses on the uses and consequences of social media. It specifically aims to engage teachers and students using a range of fun and relevant contemporary social research activities.

The activities are designed to support the knowledge and skills required for the DSE Liberal Studies (Hong Kong) and OCR A Level Sociology (UK) courses in interesting new ways by producing teaching resources tailored to the curricula. These resources come with a teacher pack and are designed by experienced teachers.

In particular these activities seek to address the gap between learning about social research through textbooks, notes and teacher led pedagogy rather than learning about real research experience first-hand. This project also draws on the topic of social media which is both highly topical and relevant to students own lives and is therefore accessible and familiar. The research based activities culminate in a knowledge exchange between students based in Hong Kong and the UK.

Furthermore, the project furnishes students with the skills to think reflectively about their own use of social media in a global context. Finally it provides students with opportunities for learning how to be autonomous learners and develop the kinds of skills which are undoubtedly useful for employment and university as well as developing effective interpersonal skills.

Download teaching and learning materials

Our materials can be downloaded free of charge.

Materials supporting OCR A-Level Sociology course:

• Teacher pack (PDF) | (DOC)
• Teacher slides (PPT) | (PDF)
• Student pack (PDF) | (DOC)

Materials supporting HKDSE Liberal Studies course (English language):

• Teacher pack (PDF) | (DOC)
• Suggested lesson plans: 2 lessons  (DOC) | 3 lessons  (DOC)
• 2 lesson version:
  • Teacher slides – Part A & Part B (PPT) | (PDF)
  • Teacher slides – Part C & Part D (PPT) | (PDF)
• 3 lesson version:
  • Teacher slides – Part A (PPT) | (PDF)
  • Teacher slides – Part B (PPT) | (PDF)
  • Teacher slides – Part C & Part D (PPT) | (PDF)
• Student pack (PDF) | (DOC)
• Student pack (with example answers) (PDF) | (DOC)
• Kahoot games: Good enquiry questions | Choose the best method

通識教育科獨立專題探究教材套（繁体中文版）：

• 教師版教材套 (PDF) | (DOC)
• 2 lesson version:
  • 教師版幻燈片 – Part A & Part B (PPT) | (PDF)
  • 教師版幻燈片 – Part C & Part D (PPT) | (PDF)
• 學生版教材套 (PDF) | (DOC)
• 學生版教材套 (附參考答案) (PDF) | (DOC)

Register your interest

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Contact

For further enquiries please contact Dr Tom McDonald (mcdonald@hku.hk).

Project partner