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The Education and Manpower Bureau (EMB) today (March 16) launched a two-month public consultation on the way forward for promoting information technology (IT) in education.
The consultation document, entitled "Information Technology in Education - Way Forward'', reviewed the achievements of the five-year IT in education strategy launched in 1998/99 and proposed the way forward to canvass public opinions, an EMB spokesman said.
"The five-year strategy has succeeded in laying a solid foundation for IT in education in Hong Kong. The government is committed to sustaining IT development in education, making enhanced efforts to equip our students for the information age, and fostering collaboration among schools, parents and the community."
The consultation document proposed six strategic goals for implementing IT in education. They are:
* Empowering learners with IT;
* Empowering teachers with IT;
* Enhancing the leadership capacity of schools for the knowledge age;
* Digital resources for learning;
* Sharing and continuing professional development; and
* Community-wide support and community building
To allow schools maximum flexibility to allocate resources to support school-based IT plans and account for results, the EMB is proposing merging all recurrent IT grants for schools, reducing constraints on the use of such grants and enlarging the scope of permissible use of the grants.
On students, the document proposed to empower learners with IT, strengthen their skills on information retrieval, evaluation and analysis, establish clear learning targets and formulate an "Information Literacy" framework to give clear targets for students and teachers.
It also suggested that through professional development, teachers be empowered with IT to undertake the challenge of pedagogical innovation. For teachers responsible for co-ordinating IT in education across the curriculum, it was proposed that schools be allowed to designate a promotion post in recognition of their key role.
Noting that IT had played an important role in supporting curriculum reform, the spokesman said that it was vital to enhance the e-leadership of school heads.
"We believe that school heads and their associates should be provided with professional development to help them understand better how IT can be used to promote innovation. They should also be given more flexibility in making decisions and leading changes effectively."
Extensive support for schools is also indispensable in promoting IT in education, the spokesman added.
"While digital resources will continue to be enriched, the Hong Kong Education City will strengthen its role as an agent for sourcing, editing and disseminating those resources. We will also continue to identify effective strategies for IT in education and facilitate sharing of exemplars among teachers," he said.
"In addition, community-wide support, in particular parents' involvement in backing children's learning of IT, should be encouraged. Collaboration among the government, schools, professional bodies and members of the private sectors in support of IT in education should also be deepened."
The consultation document is now available from EMB's Regional Education Offices and Information Technology Education Resource Centre, and can be downloaded from its website (http://www.emb.gov.hk/consultation_ited).
Comments and suggestions can be forwarded to EMB on or before May 15, 2004, by post (Address: Quality Education Division, Education and Manpower Bureau, Shop 28-37, UG/F, Phase I, Waterside Plaza, 38 Wing Shun Street, Tsuen Wan, New Territories), by fax (Fax no. : 3571 8121) or by e-mail (Address: consultation_ited@emb.gov.hk).
Members of the public are also invited to five public consultation sessions to be held in March and April as follows:
1) Date: March 31
Time: 4-6.30 pm
Venue: Theatre, Ngau Chi Wan Civic Centre
2) Date: April 6
Time: 4-6.30 pm
Venue: Cultural Activities Hall, Sha Tin Town Hall
3) Date: April 20
Time: 4-6.30 pm
Venue: Leighton Hill Community Hall
4) Date: April 29
Time: 4-6.30 pm
Venue: Cultural Activities Hall, Tsuen Wan Town Hall
5) Date: April 30
Time: 4-6.30 pm
Venue: Lecture Hall, Hong Kong Science Museum
Ends/Tuesday, March 16, 2004
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