Chapter 6 Learning and Teaching Resources
E- learning and teaching resources packages
As there will be no textbooks for the Elective Part of the ICT curriculum, a series of learning and teaching resources packages for specific topics in this Part (e.g. Web Programming and Applications in the Web Application Development option) will be developed by the EDB for use in schools before 2023. Teachers may like to use these packages with their students.
Glossary of computer terms
As discrepancies exist in some Chinese ICT terminology used in Hong Kong, China and nearby areas such as Taiwan and Singapore, the CDC has prepared a glossary of computer terms which can be downloaded from the EDB website. It provides Chinese translations of English terms and English translations of Chinese terms commonly used in teaching computer subjects in secondary schools. The glossary is particularly valuable for teachers since many useful references and resources for ICT on the Internet are in English. Teachers can use it to aid the translation process in schools where Chinese is the medium of instruction.
The glossary will be reviewed periodically and updated as necessary.
6.3.4 Community Resources
A spirit of partnership is necessary among the many parties in the community who can contribute in different ways to helping our students learn effectively. Some examples of the specific roles they can play in relation to ICT are given below, but the list is by no means exhaustive.
Professional organisations
The Hong Kong Association for Computer Education (HKACE) (http://www.hkace.org.hk/) was founded in 1981, in response to the planning of a pilot scheme to introduce S4–5 Computer Studies as a subject in secondary schools by the then Education Department. The formation of the HKACE aimed to promote computer education in schools through collaboration. Its core members were actively involved in the design and revision of various ICT-related curricula. The HKACE has mounted various sharing activities to support ICT teachers, and has organised student competitions such as the HKOI to raise interest in learning the subject. The HKACE has established a professional membership system, with members classified according to their academic qualifications, professional development, experience and contributions to IT education in Hong Kong.
The Association of IT Leaders in Education (AiTLE) (http://www.aitle.org.hk/) is a local non-profitable educational association organised by a group of enthusiastic voluntary IT co-ordinators and IT-related people who are working mainly in primary or secondary schools.
Its overall aim is to improve the quality of ICT education, and it does so by, for example:
holding lectures, exhibitions, meetings, classes and conferences; sharing experience and resources in education; and supporting studies and development programmes. Guest speakers/consultants are frequently invited to conduct free seminars/workshops for ICT teachers. All IT-related teachers in local primary or secondary schools are eligible to apply for free Associate membership of AiTLE, and members can use the resources on its website freely.
Parents
Parental involvement in schools is important for the community and students. When parents are involved in their sons’/daughters’ schools (e.g. in helping to choose curriculum materials), they feel more committed to their education, more responsible for encouraging them, and more supportive of the teaching staff. Parents should be encouraged to play a support or advisory role in curriculum development to provide a community perspective. In the context of ICT, schools can invite parents with a relevant background to, for instance: help and monitor students using IT facilities during and outside normal school hours; be consultants for school computer/ICT clubs; share their working experience of using ICT; and be a speaker at computer/ICT club activities.
Alumni
Schools should establish close links with alumni to draw on their resources and professional knowledge for improving schools’ “hardware” and “software” and strengthen their sense of belonging to the school. Many alumni are likely to be involved in ICT-related fields, including education and ICT professions, and their knowledge and practical experience can be a valuable source of authentic daily-life examples for students.
Government bureaux and departments
Various government bureaux and departments, including the Hong Kong Police Force (HKPF) and the Television and Entertainment Licensing Authority (TELA), have been involved in public education on information security and the prevention of computer-related crime. The InfoSec website (http://www.infosec.gov.hk/) – co-developed by the HKPF, TELA and the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer – serves as a portal for the general public on these issues. The materials in this website are particularly useful for teaching the topic “Threats and Security on the Internet” in the compulsory module Social Implications.
The Intellectual Property Department website (http://www.ipd.gov.hk/) consists of materials to educate students to respect intellectual property rights and the proper use of works protected by copyright. There are interesting, interactive materials that are useful for students’
independent study, and they are particularly relevant for the Intellectual Property topic in the compulsory module Social Implications.
Government-funded organisations
Hong Kong Education City (HKEdCity) is a large-scale project launched by the EDB, and funded by the government’s Quality Education Fund (QEF). The website has been built collaboratively by the government and the education, social services, and business sectors to provide high-quality information. It collates education resources and provides them online for use by schools, teachers, students, parents and the general public, the resources can be found at the EDB One-stop Portal for Learning & Teaching Resources (http: //www.hkedcit y.net/edbosp/ ).
6.4 Flexible Use of Learning and Teaching Resources
Schools are encouraged to develop their own school-based learning and teaching resources according to the needs, interests and abilities of their students whenever appropriate and feasible. In developing school-based learning and teaching resources, members of the ICT panel should hold collaborative lesson-planning meetings. For example, teachers working at the same level can meet, say, once a term to plan/design a unit in the scheme of work and subsequently use the materials and activities developed with their classes. Also, peer observation of lessons, followed by discussion among the teachers, can improve the quality of learning and teaching materials.
School-based learning and teaching resources should be specially prepared for students who have difficulty in understanding particular topics, even after reading their textbooks. Also, as there will be no textbooks for the Elective Part of the ICT curriculum, teachers need to develop resources for the options they offer to students. They can refer to the resources developed by the EDB and customise them to provide suitable learning tasks for less able students. Also, to fulfil the potential of students gifted in ICT, extension activities should be provided in which they investigate topics of interest in depth outside the classroom (e.g. by compiling a different resource/reference list, or providing more Internet websites to promote a global perspective on topics in ICT).
6.5 Resource Management
Effective management of resources, including the use of computer rooms and other IT resources, is important for successful implementation of this curriculum. Schools should co-ordinate and maximise the use of computer rooms and/or the multi-media learning centres within and across all subjects. Also, IT resources such as hardware, software and network resources need to be managed and maintained systematically.
6.5.1 Developing a School-based Resource Bank
Good use should be made of schools’ Intranets as teaching, learning and management tools.
Teachers should be encouraged to upload materials there and classify them in a systematic way for effective retrieval by ICT teachers and students – for example, teachers may structure the hierarchy of resources with reference to the curriculum framework. By refining it regularly, the resource bank can become a comprehensive platform to support a variety of learning and teaching activities, including homework submission, discussion forums and
6.5.2 Sharing Resources
A culture of sharing is the key to the success of knowledge management. Schools should make arrangements for:
teachers and students to share learning and teaching resources through the Intranet or other means within the school; and
ICT teachers to form professional development groups for the exchange of experience.
6.5.3 Accessing Resources
It is important for teachers to be fully aware of where to access relevant resources to support their teaching; and they must foster in themselves and in their students the habit of looking for relevant new resources, and update the school website/Intranet regularly. Students should be encouraged to read ICT-related news and magazines and share their findings with their peers in class.
6.5.4 Inventories of Computer Equipment
Teachers need to know what computer equipment is available for use in school. For this purpose, ICT panel chairpersons should maintain the following three inventory records:
a hardware inventory of the number and location of the major items, such as personal computers, monitors, notebook computers, printers and other external peripherals;
a software inventory of the software installed in each computer/server; and
a license inventory, including the number of licenses for each piece of software the school possesses, together with the relevant license documents (such as the storage boxes of Microsoft full pack products and the whole-school license agreement).
Schools are advised to verify fully or randomly check the stocks of computer equipment at least once a year.
6.6 Funding
To assist schools in the implementation of senior secondary curriculum, the EDB will continue to provide them with additional funding and to allow greater flexibility in the use of resources to cater for their diverse needs. Schools are advised to refer to the relevant and latest circulars issued by the EDB from time to time.
(Blank Page)