HERMAN CHAN — THE DIGITAL HUMANIST — CH. 01 — EDUCATION & CULTURE

CHAPTER 01 — EDUCATION & CULTURE

The Bridge

Bridging Worlds Through Empathetic Knowledge

My passion lies in knowledge transfer—translating complex concepts into tangible realities. I believe learning must be felt, experienced, and deeply understood to be truly transformative.


CORE PHILOSOPHY — THE COUNSELOR-EDUCATOR

"I don't just teach content; I teach people. My background in counseling allows me to build deeper connections, fostering a safe environment where students feel seen, heard, and empowered to learn."

FIG. 01 — THE LEARNING ROUTE · 1998–2015 · SIX WAYPOINTS

From Third Culture Kid to Global Educator

  1. WAYPOINT 01 · 1998–2000 — 25.03°N 121.56°E

    TAIPEI BRITISH SCHOOL

    IGCSE

  2. WAYPOINT 02 · 2000–2003 — 1.35°N 103.82°E

    TANGLIN TRUST SINGAPORE

    GCSE

  3. WAYPOINT 03 · 2003–2005 — 22.32°N 114.17°E

    GSIS HONG KONG

    AS & A-Level

  4. WAYPOINT 04 · 2005–2006 — 22.42°N 114.21°E

    CUHK SCE

    Higher Diploma — Translation Studies

    Trilingual — English · Cantonese · Mandarin.

  5. WAYPOINT 05 · 2006–2010 — 22.34°N 114.18°E

    HKBU

    AD then BSocSc Psychology, 1st Hons Dean's List — Associate Degree

    One of four students who received the first-class honours of the course.

  6. WAYPOINT 06 · 2013–2015 · ROUTE END — 22.42°N 114.21°E

    CUHK — THE BRIDGE

    MASGC President's Award

My educational philosophy is deeply rooted in my own cross-cultural journey. Growing up in international school environments (GSIS, Tanglin, Taipei British School) gave me a firsthand appreciation for diverse perspectives.

This experience fostered a deep cultural humility—a core counseling trait. It informs my work with minority families and my approach to inclusive education, ensuring that every learner feels seen, valued, and understood regardless of their background.

The route reads like a passport: stamped in Taipei, renewed in Singapore, settled in Hong Kong — first as a translator between languages at CUHK SCE, then between people: a psychologist at HKBU, and finally a guidance counsellor at CUHK.


CH. 01 § BEYOND THE CLASSROOM

Stamps in the Margin

The bridge-builder was always competing, solving, playing — every port left an honour in the passport.

VISA · HONG KONG · 2005

Season MVP — Hong Kong League of International School Basketball, 2005

VISA · SINGAPORE · 2003

Season Championship — Singapore International School Basketball League, 2003

VISA · KUALA LUMPUR · 2001

3D Puzzle Champions — fastest problem solving, South-East Asia Mathematics Competitions, Alice Smith School, Kuala Lumpur, 2001

VISA · SINGAPORE · 2001

Golden Class Award in Mathematics — Tanglin Trust School of Singapore, 2001


CH. 01 § PRACTICE

The Counselor-Educator

Integrating psychological insights into pedagogical practice.

Active Listening

Applying counseling techniques to truly hear student concerns, adapting teaching styles to meet their emotional and academic needs.

FIG. 02 — ACTIVE LISTENING

Student Relations

Bridging the gap between faculty and students. I create safe spaces where students feel comfortable seeking guidance.

FIG. 03 — STUDENT RELATIONS

Psychological Insight

Leveraging psychology and sociology knowledge to understand group dynamics and individual learning behaviors.

FIG. 04 — PSYCHOLOGICAL INSIGHT

CH. 01 § THE LEDGER

Teaching Impact & Stories

Psychology & Sociology

Maria College

Mentoring with Empathy: Beyond delivering lectures, I mentored students in the "Student Relations" program. I used my own counseling experience to show them how to handle real-world cases, turning abstract theories into practical empathy.

Vocational Education

Institute of Vocational Education (IVE)

Holistic Career Development: Focused on student development and soft skills. I designed interactive workshops that addressed student anxieties about the future, bridging the gap between academic study and workplace reality with reassurance and clarity.

Project Management & Operations

Workplace Training

Empowering Teams: As a Project Officer, I trained teams on workplace software. My goal was to reduce workplace stress by making efficiency accessible, understanding group dynamics to turn "boring" admin tasks into streamlined workflows.

Autism Child Foundations

SEN Teaching

Individualized Care: Provided specialised support for children with autism. This role taught me unconditional positive regard and the importance of observing non-verbal cues to tailor learning strategies.


CH. 01 § PUBLICATIONS & RESEARCH

Publications & Research

The bridge stands on evidence — mapping how culture and faith shape civic life, and turning inclusive-education research into classroom-ready materials.

AERA · New York · 2018

Mapping Religious Affiliation with Civic Engagement

Yuen, C. Y. M., & Chan, H. (2018, April 25). Mapping religious affiliation with civic engagement outcomes among diverse student cultural groups in Hong Kong [Poster Abstract]. 2018 Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association, New York, NY.

EdUHK · 2020

Inclusive Education Teaching Package — Primary

詹浩洋、陳冠喬、羅加鎂(2020)。學思達:融合教育教材套(第二冊)《小學篇》(第二版)。香港教育大學,香港:特殊教育與輔導學系。

EdUHK · 2020

Inclusive Education Teaching Package — Secondary

詹浩洋、陳冠喬、羅加鎂(2020)。學思達:融合教育教材套(第二冊)《中學篇》(第二版)。香港教育大學,香港:特殊教育與輔導學系。


CH. 01 § BROADCAST & FILM

Education Beyond Walls

Leveraging media to scale educational impact and reach digital-native audiences.

Bilibili Series

Educational content exploring the intersection of technology and culture. Designed to engage students outside the classroom.

Watch Series →
FIG. 05 — BILIBILI, LIVE CHANNEL

Inclusive Teaching Cases

Produced video cases for EdUHK to demonstrate inclusive teaching practices for teacher training programs.

View Cases — In Press

FIG. 06 — EDUHK, TEACHER TRAINING

END OF CHAPTER 01 — THE BRIDGE

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