Introduction
4.1 The development and use of textbooks and e-Learning resources are a complicated issue.
Using a range of strategies to collect views and information, the WG had provided members with a comprehensive picture to facilitate discussions and to formulate recommendations. A total of nine meetings were held, where the issues of textbook provision, pricing, and feasibility of developing e-Learning resources for wide adoption in schools, were discussed in depth. The WG also conducted three open seminars, two student forums and a school questionnaire survey to collect views from the public, school principals, teachers, students and parents, covering a variety of topics which included the quality, pricing and development of textbooks, the recycling of textbooks in schools, and the development and use of e-Learning resources. To gather more views from parents, the WG invited them to submit their views through the HKEdCity’s electronic platform. Apart from reporting their work progress to the CDC and LegCo Panel on Education and seeking their advice, the WG also visited schools experienced in using e-Learning resources to gain first-hand understanding of how they could be applied to promote interactive learning and teaching in class.
Student Forums
4.2 In February 2009, the Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups and the WG jointly organised two student forums. The first forum discussed “the current use of e-Learning resources among young people” and “the vision of young people about e-Learning resources”, while the second forum focussed on “the use of e-Learning resources in various Key Stages”. Most student participants supported the implementation of e-Learning. A summary of the views from the student forums is attached at Appendix 6.
Open Seminars
4.3 From February to March 2009, the WG held three open seminars to collect public views.
The seminars consisted of two parts. Part One was on the quality, development and pricing of printed textbooks. Part Two was on the modes of development for e-Learning resources.
4.4 Suggestion boxes were provided to collect written views from the public on the current situation of textbook and e-Learning resources development as well as the use of e-Learning resources.
4.5 On the whole, the written comments corroborated with those expressed during the seminars.
It was generally felt that the weight, thickness and price of textbooks could be reduced. Further, instead of giving undue emphasis on the implementation of e-Learning resources, it was believed that they should be used together with conventional textbooks to enhance learning and teaching effectiveness. Other topics like the price of e-Learning resources, their effect on student health and professional development for teachers were also among the public’s concerns. For a summary of the views collected during the seminars, please refer to Appendix 7.
School Questionnaire
4.6 School principals and teachers are major contributors to student learning. Their views on education policies are therefore very important. The WG had launched an online school questionnaire on the HKEdCity website to collect their views on the quality, pricing and provision of textbooks, as well as the development and use of e-Learning resources. All school principals and teachers in Hong Kong were invited to log on to their accounts at HKEdCity between 10 March and 10 April 2009 to complete the questionnaire. Approximately 48% of the schools in Hong Kong, i.e.
3,106 school principals and teachers from 537 schools, responded. For details of the questionnaire findings, please refer to Appendix 8.
Collection of Parents’ Views on the Web
4.7 The WG understands that parents care about their children’s education and that their support and engagement are necessary in the process of policy formulation. As a result, the WG set up a platform at the HKEdCity website from 27 April to 20 June 2009 to collect their views on the quality, pricing and provision of textbooks as well as the development and use of e-Learning resources. To encourage greater online participation, the WG sent an invitation letter to parents through schools. In total, 12,337 parents’ views were collected. For details regarding their views, please refer to Appendix 9.
Consultation with Professional Bodies and Community Groups
4.8 Regarding the direction in which the development of textbooks and e-Learning resources should take, the WG reported its work progress to the CDC and LegCo Panel on Education and sought advice from them.
4.9 The EDB, Consumer Council, textbook publisher associations, school councils, community groups and green groups presented their written comments on the prices of textbooks, the modes of publication and the future development of e-Learning resources to the LegCo Panel on Education, a brief summary of which can be found at Appendix 10.
School Visits
4.10 All schools in Hong Kong are equipped with IT facilities and have implemented e-Learning resources to varying degrees. Some of our members had visited schools that applied e-Learning resources in both learning and teaching, and gained an understanding of how they actually worked in class. Schools that made good use of e-Learning resources not only managed to create space for effective learning, but were also able to cater for students’ diverse needs and abilities. These success stories can serve as examples for textbook publishers and schools as they collaborate on the
development of e-Learning resources.
Meeting Discussion
4.11 Taking into consideration overseas practices in textbook development and provision (please refer to Appendix 11), as well as the school questionnaire findings and the parents’ views collected on the web, the WG had thoroughly discussed the following issues:
(i) textbook review mechanism;
(ii) selection and use of textbooks in schools;
(iii) textbook cost and pricing;
(iv) textbook revision;
(v) textbook recycling plan;
(vi) current implementation of IT in education in schools;
(vii) current development of EDB’s IT in education strategies, and the way forward;
(viii) impact of e-Learning resources on students’ eyesight;
(ix) strategies and measures for introducing e-textbooks/e-Learning resources;
(x) copyright of e-textbooks/learning resources;
(xi) learning and teaching resources depository pilot scheme.