Enhance students' scientific literacy via reading and discussion scientific classics

Author : Jie YANG

Abstract : In Dialogue with Nature is a compulsory course of the General Education (GE) Foundation Programme at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) which was introduced to the undergraduate education of CUHK in 2012 when all universities in Hong Kong transited to a 4-year undergraduate curriculum. For more than a decade, this seminar-based courses, which emphasise intensive reading, have exposed CUHK students to a world of classics and served as a platform for fostering intellectual exchanges and personal reflections that culminate in academic writings. This presentation will share the experience and teaching strategies used in in dialogue with nature, illustrating how reading and discussing classic scientific works can enhance students' scientific literacy: enabling them to identify the essential characteristics of how human beings view Nature; to formulate informed personal views on the societal implications of scientific explorations; and to evaluate the scopes of application, achievements and limitations of highlighted scientific methods. Through the study of classics, the students engage in dialogues with Nature, to explore the world of science, technology and nature, and reflect on the ideal society and the good life.

Keywords : Scientific Literacy, General Education, Nature, Classic Texts, Higher Education

Conference Name : International Conference on Curriculum Reform and Higher Education Change (ICCRHEC-26)

Conference Place : Tokyo, Japan

Conference Date : 11th Jul 2026