Liberal studies is formally included in the new senior secondary curriculum. Critical thinking, being the core of liberal studies, has therefore received much attention by educators who are enthusiastically exploring the right teaching materials and methods for the subject. In fact, in local tertiary education a significant development of liberal studies (aka “general education” in tertiary institutions) has been taking place for a long time; its well-developed curriculum can indeed serve as a model for secondary schools.

For decades, critical thinking has always been a core course in local tertiary institutions, with huge resources being devoted to its research and development. At this juncture of the implementation of new senior secondary curriculum, it is timely for colleagues of the institutions to share their fruits of teaching and research in the subject. “Critical Thinking: Teaching and Learning”, a conference organized by the Department of Philosophy of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, aims at providing a platform for exchange of ideas in this regard. Scholars and experts in the field of general education will present papers, while secondary school teachers are most welcome to participate in the discussion and to share their valuable teaching experience.

通識教育已被列入中學課程，批判思考作為通識教育之核心內容，備受重視。教育界正積極探求合適的中學教材和教學方法。而由於大專院校早已開展通識教育，具備較成熟之課程編制，自然成為模範。數十年來，批判思考一直是大專院校的重點科目，學者專家投放了大量資源作相關的教學研究。適逢通識教育被編入中學課程，如今正是時機，讓各大專院校之同仁聚首一堂，總結豐碩之研究成果，繼往開來。有見及此，本系將舉辦「批判思考：教與學」學術會議，藉此促進批判思考之教學研究及學術交流。本會除了邀請專家學者發表學術論文，還邀請各中學之教師出席，分享教學心得，共襄盛舉。