The spotlight is on Ka Tim Chu, vice-principal, Hong Kong True Light College.

Ka Tim Chu is vice-principal of Hong Kong True Light College a girls only Christian secondary school founded in 1872. Its mission is to provide young women with a balanced education focused on physical and spiritual development. The college promotes bilingualism; some classes, including information technology, are delivered mainly in English.

Mr. Chu teaches IT with a strong focus on data science. He incorporates Oracle Academy’s Database and Java curriculum into the courses, emphasizing to girls that IT has as many opportunities for women.

He is an award-winning teacher, with his awards including Outstanding IT Teacher award and several International Outstanding E-learning Awards for STEM, Coding and Computational Thinking. Chu also holds leading roles in the Hong Kong Association for Computer Education (HKACE), and the Curriculum Development Council at Hong Kong Education Bureau, and he is active in supporting STEM at the Women Foundation of Hong Kong, an NGO promoting education for girls.

Oracle Academy: How did you get involved with Oracle Academy?

Ka Tim Chu: I first learned Oracle database technology in my graduate studies and then taught it at my first school. So, I was already hooked when in 2017, several of us from HKACE attended an Oracle Academy event. It was there that I learned about Database Foundations, which is the basis of our database teaching at True Light.

Oracle Academy: What other Oracle Academy resources do you use?

Ka Tim Chu: We have adapted Oracle Academy curriculum in our courses. Database Foundations, for example, fits perfectly for the database elective course offered senior year. What’s more, Database Foundations mirrors the database and programming competencies stipulated in the Hong Kong Qualifications Framework. This gives students an advantage when entering higher education or the job market.

I also teach Java Foundations and Java Programming, priming the girls first with Getting Started with Java Using Alice. In addition, I teach this course in extracurricular workshops.

Oracle Academy: Can you tell us more about the Alice workshops?

Ka Tim Chu: The Alice workshops have been held both in-class and online, weekends and holidays, and are attended by girls from True Light but also from the STEM 4 Girls Mentorship Programme at HKACE, which specializes in STEM learning and gets young women to contribute to projects such as Smart Home.

I also use Oracle Academy Education Bytes in these workshops for teaching new concepts such as the Internet of Things.

Oracle Academy: Do you use Oracle Academy Education Bytes at True Light too?

Ka Tim Chu: For sure, we place great store on database knowledge to help our girls with job opportunities. However, we did not focus as much on data science. Oracle Academy Education Bytes give our girls a broader picture of the role database plays in today’s connected and analytical world. These compact modules help prepare them for further education in data science.

With resources such as Oracle Academy Education Bytes, Oracle is an even stronger partner and plays a key role in promoting data science, both to our teachers and to our students.

Oracle Academy: In what other ways do you help girls in their careers?

Ka Tim Chu: Earlier this year, I was staging visits to universities and sometimes to employers so that our girls can see what they will learn or implement after they graduate. We were hoping to organize a job-sharing program and, in collaboration with Oracle Academy, had planned a symposium on job opportunities.

The idea was to showcase successful females as one way to countermand the idea that ICT is exclusively a male domain. We are hoping when the world returns to the new normal, we will be able to hold this event.

Oracle Academy: You have a very busy schedule, but what do you like doing in your off hours?

Ka Tim Chu: Running is my way to relax. My professional world is full, but marathons and other races have changed my life. I use this habit to inspire students not to give up when faced with difficulties. Healthy body, healthy mind. I’ve been doing it 20 years, and my wife and two small children are active outdoors too.

Thank you Mr. Ka Tim Chu for your passion for Oracle Academy and for preparing your students to make a positive impact.