research

Research

Teaching and learning, research and practice inevitably interface with each other. Our faculty members in social work and counselling are active researchers who seek to interface research with teaching and practicum training. Their research areas cover positive education, school and cyber-bullying, substance abuse and rehabilitation, disability and diversity, housing and poverty, family process and parenting practice, health and ageing, and practice research. To move ahead, we strive to continue our academic excellence in conducting high quality research and producing scholarly work to inform teaching and practice in the collaboration with counterparts locally, nationally, and internationally.

RESEARCH GROUPS

Our research-active staff has formed research groups in Positive Education, Substance Abuse & Rehabilitation, Diversity & Disability, Housing & Poverty, School & Cyberbullying, Health & Ageing, Practice Research, Family Process & Parenting Practice. Here you can find out how our research groups are delivering our vision of research excellence.

RESEARCH IMPACT CASE

Our current projects span different research areas of Social Work and Counselling. These projects are funded internally and externally by research grant councils, government departments, and other foundations or non-governmental organisations. Here you can find out about our current research projects.

RESEARCH FACILITIES

The teaching laboratory provides a dedicated space for didactic and clinical education for students and accommodates a wide range of departmental activities.

    Positive Education Laboratory

    Positive education laboratory, consisting of colleagues from the social work, counselling, and psychology disciplines, was established in 2015. The laboratory aims to promote positive education for students, parents, teachers in schools and social welfare agencies. The ultimate goal is to enhance wellbeing of people so as to help them attain a flourishing life.

    Based on Professor Martin Seligman’s framework on character strengths, positive emotions, relationship, engagement, accomplishment, and meaning of life, we adopt a six-step learning pedagogy “learn”, “live”, “reflect”, “conceptualize”, “apply” and “embed” to conduct whole school / agency positive education.

    The laboratory has been providing services to over 300 pre-primary, primary, and secondary schools in Hong Kong. We provide school support, student curriculum and school activities, professional development for teachers, parent education, and community services. Examples include: (1) Designing of positive education curriculum, assisting school activities like school assembly and leadership training, (2) Conducting teaching training, lesson preparation, observation, and debriefing, (3) Giving parenting talks, workshops, organizing parenting groups, family activities, (4) Providing consultation on school policy, school development plan, teacher and student assessment and evaluation, (5) Promoting positive education in the community.

    We also have service and research collaboration with different social welfare agencies, e.g. Caritas Social Services, St. James Settlement, Mental Health Association, BGCA, ELCHK, Tung Wah Group of Hospitals, HK Rhenish Church Synod Social Services, and business corporations such as MTR Corporation Limited. We have received funding from different sources such as General Research Fund, Public Policy Research Fund, Quality Education Fund, UGC teaching and learning related fund, Bei Shan Tang Foundation, Yan Tak Charity Fund Limited, Wofoo Charity Fund, and MTR Corporation Limited. Our projects have won the UGC Teaching Award (Team) in 2021, Teaching Innovation Award (Team) by College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences (CLASS) in 2019, and Excellence in Knowledge Transfer Award by CLASS in 2013.

    To know more about our Positive Education Laboratory, you are welcome to visit our website at http://www6.cityu.edu.hk/ss_posed.