Chapter 13 Managing Change: Participation, Communication,
13.3 A number of sectors in the community, organisations and professional bodies have shared that education reform is not only the responsibility of schools and teachers but of the whole community. They have volunteered their expertise to support the “3+3+4” in one way or another as appropriate to the needs of teachers and schools.
Concerns
13.4 It is suggested that we should collaborate more with the business sector to provide students studying COS with more practical training opportunities and to support student learning experiences outside schools.
13.5 Parent education could be further strengthened to help the reform.
13.6 Apart from parents, the community, including business or industrial sectors should also share in the funding for implementing the reform measures.
13.7 The Government should encourage more investment/sponsorship of university researches and other learning activities in schools.
The Way Forward
Participation – working hand in hand
13.8 The reform of the new academic systems will succeed when the whole community in Hong Kong contributes to it and if there is an effective sharing of effort and expertise.
Government and non-government organisations
13.9 The HKSAR Government sees education as an investment in our next generation and considers that it has responsibility to take a leading role in preparation and implementation.
13.10 EMB will take the lead and facilitate all actions designed to take “3+3+4”
forward as set out in this Report.
13.11 EMB will promote and co-ordinate the contribution of relevant government departments and NGOs to provide professional development opportunities for teachers and to provide appropriate learning experiences for students, for example, COS and other learning experiences, for whole-person development.
Principals and vice-principals
13.12 Principals and vice-principals are holding positions which influence cascading of change in schools. School leaders should:
use the guiding principles set out for NSS in this Report to develop coherent short-term and long-term school development plan aligning the school aims, the needs, interests and abilities of students; adjusting the focus of education and curriculum reform, staff development plan, expected achievements of the school suited to the school and community contexts;
take part in professional development programmes on NSS specifically designed for them in order to have more information and reflective opportunities for further on-going planning and decision-making;
develop/join networks of principals/deputy principals to serve as change agents/helpers for each other (collaborative learning);
collaborate, if necessary, with other schools in the same region to offer subjects with lower demand so as to provide more choices for students;
create space for teachers so that they can focus on developing their own professional development plans according to their needs and the future needs of their school and their students;
continue to carry out curriculum and assessment reform at junior secondary levels to pave the way for the new change; and
communicate with parents, students and colleagues regularly on the changes needed.
Teachers
13.13 Teachers are change agents who have the most direct impact on student learning.
They should:
understand the curricula, the needs of their students, and keep abreast of changes;
employ learning and teaching strategies that suit the curriculum aims and learning needs of students, and widen their teaching repertoire;
support colleagues in the schools through sharing and collaborative lesson preparation to build up the collective professional capacity of the teaching force;
explain to students the choices and opportunities that lie ahead of them;
and
join subject associations to contribute their expertise and provide feedback on KLA/subject development as it proceeds.
Parents
13.14 Parents lend valuable advice to their children and support studies most suited to their aspirations. They should:
read school communications and keep in touch with the school and teachers;
understand the needs, interests and abilities of their children and help them choose the appropriate student programme in consultation with schools;
and
show support to school and teachers, including supporting meaningful homework of students and contribution to activities with teachers.
Post-secondary and higher education institutions
13.15 Post-secondary and higher education institutions provide important post-school pathways for graduates of the NSS education. They should:
contribute their professional views on the curriculum development of the NSS subjects, the learning and teaching processes, assessment and recognition of students achievements;
ensure that the interface between the NSS education and post-secondary and higher education is coherent and well coordinated; and
provide balanced education to students to fulfil the mission of individual higher education institution in the new system.
Professional bodies
13.16 Professional bodies could contribute to NSS through appropriate feedback mechanisms or supporting initiatives. They should:
contribute their professional views on the proposed curriculum changes as regards articulation to further study and work;
take part in providing professional development opportunities for teachers, principals and parents; and
provide feedback to curriculum evaluation.
Employers
13.17 Employers have a more important role to play in education than before as the
“3+3+4” is closely and dynamically aligned with the changes and needs of economy and society. As part of the system, employers should:
take into consideration all learning experiences of students and broaden recruitment criteria;
contribute to enriching life-wide learning opportunities that keep pace with
the needs of curriculum development;
contribute to the development and recognition of COS;
provide work experience opportunities for students; and
provide feedback to the Government on students’ capabilities in the workplace and on areas requiring improvement.
Students
13.18 Senior secondary students, with the facilitation of the above groups, should take charge of their own learning to fully realise the benefits of “3+3+4”. They should:
provide feedback to teachers on how to help them learn better;
contribute, along with schools, teachers and other parties to their own whole-person development;
pursue study in both academic and other learning experiences and avoid devoting all effort to prepare for examinations only; and
engage as a life-long learner.
(B) Communication Means
13.19 Communication with the different stakeholders above will be maintained and in particular, parents of students currently in P5 will be updated periodically as the NSS system is rolled out. Communication will be effected by means of:
A Web-based bulletin board
Formal advisory bodies such as EC, CDC, SCOLAR Regular liaison meetings with different parties Visits to schools
Other forms of submission
(C) Critical Milestones and Coherence-making
Original Proposal
13.20 A minimum lead-time of 4 years is necessary to have the critical conditions for the reform in place.
13.21 The set of critical milestones includes the 2nd consultation exercise on curriculum and assessment details of subjects, provision of C&A Guides, announcement of university admission requirements, review and recommendation of textbooks, and provision of professional development programmes for teachers and principals.
13.22 The new SS1 level was proposed to be implemented in September 2008, the earliest date possible with the first cohort of SS3 students entering the 4-year first degree at university in September 2011.
Support
13.23 The tertiary sector strongly supports implementation in 2008.
13.24 According to the survey administered by EMB to 471 secondary schools, about 60% of secondary schools are ready to implement the NSS structure in 2008 and about 30 % prefer 2009 or after.
13.25 School councils representing the majority of secondary schools in Hong Kong have indicated a preference to implement “3+3+4” in 2008 on condition that a number of supportive conditions such as professional development programmes and funding are available.
13.26 There is general support from parents and other community sectors on implementation in 2008.
13.27 There is a higher tendency for the business community to support an early implementation.
Concerns
13.28 Some people doubt whether a 4-year preparation period is long enough.
13.29 There is concern whether teachers have enough preparation time to implement the new curriculum.
13.30 For those who do not support 2008 as the year of implementation, there are diverse views on the implementation years (from 2009, 2010, 2011 or 2012).
13.31 More preparation time is deemed necessary for the professional development of teachers and writing of textbooks.
13.32 Implementation time should be flexible depending on the availability of adequate resources.
13.33 The reform measures should be implemented in stages.
The Way Forward
A start date for the new academic structure
13.34 The tertiary institutions, while indicating their preference for the earliest start possible, acknowledged that a critical success factor would be the preparation of schools for the change.
13.35 Feedback from the consultation exercise and school surveys indicated that about 60% of secondary schools generally supported implementation in 2008 and about 30% preferred deferring the implementation to 2009 or after.
Follow up interviews with schools preferring a later start indicated their preference was based on the consideration that another year would provide more time for teachers to prepare and for the necessary planning for any changes to class structure.
13.36 The realisation of the learning goals of the NSS programme is critically dependent on the professional preparation of teachers and school planning for a smooth change. We must ensure that all the supporting measures are in place,
including professional preparation of teachers, high quality textbooks and learning and teaching resources and changes in class structures before we can proceed.
13.37 In view of the magnitude and the far-reaching impact of the reform, we need to ensure that all schools and relevant parties are ready. After striking a balance of various considerations, the Government has decided that the new SS1 level will be implemented in September 2009 and the first administration of the HKDSE will be in the school year of 2011/12. The first cohort of SS3 students will enter the 4-year undergraduate programme at university in September 2012.
13.38 By starting the new academic structure in 2009, we are confident that the interests of students will be served.
Critical milestones – heading towards implementation in 2009
(See Table 13.1 overleaf)
Review – responsive actions
13.39 A regular review process will be an essential feedback mechanism for determining whether adjustments are necessary.
13.40 There will be on-going review of the processes leading up to each critical milestone. Inputs from local and international consultants and stakeholders will be sought, focus group meetings will be organised, curriculum visits made, and regular review/evaluation will be used to provide formative feedback. Timely actions could be considered to ensure that each critical milestone is achieved.
Table 13.1: Critical Milestones for Key Actions
Key Actions 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 Policy on
“3+3+4”
Final report issued in May
First cohort of new SS1 students in September (Entry to 4-year first degree at university in September 2012)
Curriculum Design
Finalise
curriculum aims and design for all subjects for the 2nd consultation of detailed curriculum and assessment framework in mid 2005.
Completion of C&A Guides for all subjects and NSS Curriculum Guide.
Development of standards-referenced assessment Assessment
and
Examination
Initiate the school-based assessment framework for subjects that are ready.
Handbook
and
Regulations for HKDSE to schools Textbook and
Learning/
Teaching resources
Start textbook writing and development of learning/teaching resources
Recommended textbooks and learning/teaching resources available by beginning of 2009 University
Admission Criteria
General university admission criteria to schools in mid 2005
Specific requirements at faculty/
programme level to schools in mid 2006 Professional
Development
Professional development programmes for teachers and principals will be undertaken in a timely manner to ensure adequate preparation for the change. All teachers will have completed the necessary training by September 2008.
Class
Re-structuring
Discuss with schools on a case-by-case basis the class structure for next school year with a view to implementing the new academic structure in 2009/10 school year.
Staff
Establishment
Implement new staff establishment as agreed for the transition and ongoing years.
13.41 There will be collaboration across the Government, universities, professional experts, teachers and schools in research and development ventures to generate informed practice and experiences for building up the capacity of different parties to carry out the reform.
13.42 Evaluation on the implementation of “3+3+4” structure, including NSS, will be conducted in light of data obtained including those obtained from the first new examination.
Further consultation
13.43 As part of the on-going communication process leading to the critical milestones, a more focused consultation on the following will be conducted soon after this Report is released:
(a) 2nd Consultation exercise on the curriculum details and assessment mode of the proposed subjects.
(b) Consultation on specific issues requiring further development such as COS and the needs of students with SEN. (See Chapters 5 and 6)
(c) Discussion with laboratory technicians and workshop teachers over their future roles and duties. (See Chapter 11)
Coherence-making
13.44 The “3+3+4” reform is an integral part of the total Hong Kong education reform. To ensure coherence of measures and actions set in the context of other current reforms, special attention has to be paid to the following aspects:
4-year undergraduate programmes
13.45 The tertiary institutions will review their undergraduate programmes, human resources plan and campus development plan in order to ensure a smooth transition from NSS to the 4-year undergraduate programmes.
The impact of existing policies and processes
13.46 EMB needs to align policies and the impact of these policies on schools including:
revision of the JSEA System;
reviewing the Education Ordinance/Regulations/Code of Aid to determine whether any amendments are necessary to facilitate the implementation of the NSS curriculum in schools;
the learning environment of students with SEN and the structure of secondary schooling in different types of special schools;
Quality Assurance inspections including External School Review to focus where appropriate on assessing school needs for implementation of
“3+3+4” and provide necessary advice;
teacher education, principal training and CPD measures to help schools and teachers prepare for the NSS curriculum;
the timing of the MOI policy to allow schools to prepare for NSS in their appropriate language medium; and
school-based management policy provides schools with greater flexibility and autonomy in the use of funds for preparing for implementing NSS.
Appendix 1 Summary of Major Concerns
Consultation on Reforming the Academic Structure for Senior Secondary Education and Higher Education New Academic Structure
Concerns The Way Forward
Schools and teachers might not be ready for the implementation of the reform in 2008. The reform of the academic structure should not proceed simultaneously with the reform of the curriculum and assessment.
The reform of the academic structure and senior secondary curriculum may impose heavy workload on teachers.
Teachers indicate strong need for the provision of quality professional development opportunities and timely support for the implementation of the new curriculum.
Para. 2.14
Curriculum
Concerns The Way Forward
Continuity of Curriculum Reform in Basic Education (P1 – S3) with New Senior Secondary Curriculum (NSS)
The continuity in the curriculum between the Basic Education (P1-S3) and the NSS should be spelt out more clearly.
Para. 3.4 - 3.5
Curriculum Framework and Choices in NSS
The curriculum should strike a balance between breadth and depth of knowledge.
More closely guided choices such as requiring combination of some elective subjects from different KLAs should be provided.
There should be basic and advanced components in the curriculum so that students can take more “subjects” and choose different components according to abilities.
Students should be allowed to take more elective subjects.
Different curricula within subjects should be provided for students with different abilities/backgrounds.
Para. 3.12 - 3.19
Concerns The Way Forward The moral development of students needs to be continuously
strengthened, and positive values and attitudes need to be nurtured in Hong Kong students.
The Knowledge Base, Chinese Culture, Sciences and Other Proposed Elements of Learning
The cultural elements in Chinese language appear to be weakened in the NSS curriculum.
The free choice of elective subjects among arts and science subjects may lead to students failing to have sufficient knowledge in physics, chemistry and biology in some university programmes.
Certain themes in the NSS such as environmental education, legal education and consumer education should be strengthened.
Para. 3.27 - 3.28
Language Standards, Putonghua and Other Languages
The language standards of Hong Kong students would be lowered as the percentage of time allocated to Chinese Language and English Language seems to be less than before. There is also concern that Putonghua (PTH) is no longer an examination subject.
As Hong Kong is a cosmopolitan city, more encouragement should be given to the study of languages other than Chinese and English. The needs of ethnic minorities in learning Chinese need attention to ensure that students can integrate more effectively into the Hong Kong community.
Para. 3.32 - 3.35
Catering for Learner Differences and Students with Special Educational Needs
The NSS curricula would not be able to cater for a diverse range of student abilities in schools as students not expected to study sixth form in the past would now have to stay in school for one more year.
There is little information provided on how to cater for students with special educational needs in either ordinary or special schools. The issue of equal opportunity for all will have to be addressed.
Para. 3.39 - 3.40
Concerns The Way Forward Development of Career-oriented Studies
Career-oriented Curriculum (COC) and Yi Jin/Secondary Schools Collaboration Project, which are both being piloted, should be described more fully regarding their future development. They should also be made an integral part of the overall senior secondary curriculum in schools.
Para. 3.43
Time Allocation
Different views on the proportion of time allocated to the learning of core subjects and how the learning time for other learning experiences might be allocated more flexibly.
Para. 3.46 - 3.50
Names of Subjects
With the revision of the curriculum framework, the names of some subjects such as Home Economics and Liberal Studies may not reflect the essence of these subjects.
Para. 3.53
Further Consultation and Guidance
As the changes in the NSS curriculum are complex, there should be guidance provided to schools.
Para. 3.56 - 3.57
Liberal Studies
Concerns The Way Forward
The Position of Liberal Studies in the NSS curriculum
Other subjects can also serve the purpose of developing critical and independent thinking among students.
Diverse views among academics regarding the different traditions and interpretation of Liberal Education and General Education.
Para. 4.10 - 4.12
Balancing Breadth and Depth
As the subject is new and demanding to most teachers and students, nine core units and six elective units are too much for teachers and students to cope with.
Para. 4.15 - 4.17
Curriculum Design, Framework and Time Allocation
There are too many core units. The coverage of the knowledge embedded within them will not be deep enough, and there will not be sufficient time for discussion and the development of
Para. 4.22 - 4.23
Concerns The Way Forward independent thinking skills.
As Liberal Studies is a new core subject, the design should be trimmed and the subject should only take up about 10% of the lesson time of students rather than 12.5% as originally recommended.
Knowledge Base and Connection with Skills, Attitudes and Values, and Rational Thinking
The subject should help promote positive values and attitudes, and the core values need to be included as essential for the success of Hong Kong.
The knowledge base of the subject is insufficient for supporting discussion of the issues, broadening students’ perspectives and developing rational thinking. The issue-enquiry approach may not help expand the knowledge base. Some feel that the spirit of
“arts” for “sciences” and “sciences” for “arts” is lost.
Para. 4.28 - 4.36
The Issue-enquiry Approach
Query whether senior secondary students will have any experience of the issue-enquiry approach.
The use of issue-enquiry approach will only encourage the development of a culture of “criticism” that is not constructive to society. Instead, more positive values and attitudes should be emphasized.
Worry that too high demands and expectations will be placed on students in the approach.
Para. 4.42 - 4.46
Assessment and Examination
Reservations about the objectivity of public assessment of the subject, and worries about the potential increase in teacher workload.
Liberal Studies should be an elective subject, and assessed and reported at fewer levels, for example “pass” and “fail” at least in the initial years of implementation or graded as “outstanding”,
“satisfactory” and “unsatisfactory”.
Widespread concerns among teachers about being held accountable for the assessment of student performance in a subject seen as new and unknown by most people. There should be
Para. 4.52 - 4.58