This knowledge transfer project, led by Prof. Oi-Lam Ng from the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), aims to address educational inequality by equipping underprivileged primary school students with computational thinking (CT) and mathematical problem-solving skills.
A major initiative of the project is the “I’m a Programming Mathematician” course, a 10-contact-hour program designed to enhance students’ programming and mathematical problem-solving skills through Scratch. A total of six cycles of the course are being implemented at partner organizations, including local primary schools and NGO (Boys' and Girls' Club Association), serving under-privileged students. As part of this effort, CUHK students majoring in mathematics or mathematics education are trained to deliver the designed courses, where young learners actively developed computational thinking skills. Their enthusiasm underscored the effectiveness of interactive, hands-on learning, while CUHK instructors gained valuable teaching and mentoring experience.
Beyond student engagement, the project extends its impact through professional workshops on curriculum design for pre-service and in-service teachers. These workshops aim to enhance teachers’ pedagogical and technological knowledge, equipping them with strategies to support student learning through computational thinking education and STEM empowerment.
By integrating CT and digital literacy into the learning experiences of underprivileged students and strengthening teacher capacity, this project takes a meaningful step toward bridging educational inequality. It underscores the importance of providing equal access to quality STEM education, empowering students and educators with the critical skills needed in an increasingly technology-driven world.