(1)(2)CONTENTS A MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIRMAN OF THE CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL (CDC

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(CDC)... 1

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Introduction... 3

Looking Back ... 6

Foundation, Achievements and Strengths... 6

The Issues... 9

Looking ahead – challenges and opportunities, balanced consideration and guiding principles... 10

Challenges and opportunities ... 10

Balanced considerations ... 11

Guiding principles... 15

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The Aim of the school curriculum ... 17

Goals... 18

Learning aims at each stage of schooling ... 18

An incremental and interactive approach... 21

Development strategies to support schools and teachers (2000-2005)... 22

Phases of Development... 25

Changes in the short-term phase (2000-2005) ... 26

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? Learning experiences ... 32

The whole curriculum framework ... 33

Components of the curriculum framework ... 33

I Key learning areas ... 34

II Generic skills... 35

III Values and attitudes ... 37

The Key Learning Area curriculum framework ... 38

Connection of KLAs... 40

General Studies (primary)... 40

Liberal Studies (Advanced supplementary (AS) level), Integrated Science & Technology & Integrated Humanities at School Certificate level ... 40

Values education... 41

Moral & civic education... 41

Chinese history and culture... 42

Sex and family education ... 44

Health education... 44

Environmental education ... 44

Computer ethics... 45

Other value issues... 45

Life-wide learning (connecting the formal and informal curriculum)... 45

Catering for student diversities – the gifted and the academically low achievers ... 46

School-based curriculum development... 47

Booklets on 8 KLAs and General Studies... 47

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The principles to facilitate learning and teaching... 49

I Opportunities for learning and the learning environment... 50

II Improving the curriculum... 51

III Learning and teaching strategies... 52

IV Assessment for learning ... 54

V Home – school communication ... 55

The roles of change agents in schools --- school heads, middle managers, school teachers and librarians... 56

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Appendices

1 Subjects under the 8 Key Learning Areas (KLA) ... 63 2 Phases of curriculum reform development in other places ... 69 3 An exemplar of the phases of curriculum change in a

primary school ... 73 4 Suggested lesson time allocation for Primary, Junior

Secondary and Senior Secondary... 77 5 Gists from the 8 Key Learning Areas... 83 6 Values and attitudes as generic elements in the school

curriculum... 111 7 Life event approach to values education curriculum ... 115 8 Putting gifted education into perspective and our tasks

ahead ... 123 9 Possible measures to ensure a smooth interface between

early childhood education and primary education ... 127 10 Suggested roles of change agents to facilitate learning to

learn ... 129 Glossary ... 133 List of Abbreviations ... 135

Learning to Learn

A MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIRMAN OF THE C^URRICULUM D^EVELOPMENT C^OUNCIL (CDC)

We are in an era when knowledge is expanding at an unprecedented rate and moral values are being challenged. To prepare our younger generation to meet the challenges of an ever advancing knowledge-based society and the dynamically changing environment, it is not enough to impart them with mere ‘knowledge’. Instead, we have to help them develop a global outlook, equip them with a repertoire of skills and the positive attitudes to respect knowledge and to learn how to learn.

In preparing the curriculum framework for Learning to Learn, which is a student-focused curriculum developed in the best interest of students, we firmly believe that all students could learn, and that they have different intelligences. We provide them with opportunities to learn. We identify key learning experiences and key learning areas, integrating the generic skills, values and attitudes that are essential to their whole person development. We help them to become more aware that there are different ways of learning. What is important is to enhance their quest for knowledge, their awareness and responsibilities in advancing the frontiers of knowledge.

As learning is such a complex process, it requires the collective will and coordinated efforts of all parties concerned to make it effective.

We need the partnership with all stakeholders and sectors to maximize expertise and resources. Past experience has also told us that being prescriptive is undesirable. In order to allow for holistic and coherent planning and to provide more flexibility and choices for schools and teachers, we have developed a curriculum framework with key learning areas (knowledge/concepts), generic skills, values and attitudes as the major components. Schools are encouraged to make reference to these

frameworks and develop their own school-based teaching and learning programmes according to the needs and characteristics of their students.

It should be noted that the curriculum review is to improve the school curricula to help our young generations face the challenges of the 21st Century. There is no perfect way to achieve all curriculum intentions and goals; nor is there any point in time when all pre-existing conditions can be ‘absolutely’ ready before any curriculum improvement is to be made. We must bear in mind that curriculum development is an ongoing endeavour and the ultimate goal of curriculum reform is to benefit students and to raise the quality of learning.

I am now inviting your suggestions and views on this document. Your valuable support and contribution to this curriculum reform will be much treasured by the Council.

Dr CHENG Hon-kwan, GBS, JP Chairman

Curriculum Development Council

C^HAPTER O^NE L^OOKING B^{ACK AND} L^OOKING A^HEAD

Introduction

1.1 The theme "Learning to Learn" is chosen to represent the thrust of this document, which is the outcome of the holistic review of the school curriculum conducted by the Curriculum Development Council in January 1999. This review is done in parallel with the Education Commission's (EC) review of the education system conducted during 1998-2000. It aims at providing schools with a quality curriculum, and proposing strategies of development with a view to achieving the aims of education. By Learning to Learn, we mean that students not only learn what they are expected to learn well, but that they become better at learning new things in the future. We should help students to build up their capabilities to learn independently (e.g. creative and critical thinking, mastering of information technology, communication), to become self-reflective on how they learn, and to be able to use different ways of learning. They will then have the opportunities for developing diverse ways of learning in accordance with their interests, needs and abilities in order to achieve the aims of education.

1.2 The Overall Aims of Education as set out by the Education Commission are:

To enable every person to attain all-round development in the domains of ethics, intellect, physique, social skills and aesthetics according to his/her own attributes so that he/she is capable of life-long learning, critical and exploratory thinking, innovating and adapting to change; filled with self- confidence and a team spirit; willing to put forward continuing effort for the prosperity, progress, freedom and democracy of their society, and contribute to the future and well-being of the nation and the world at large.

1.3 In the EC Report (May 2000), the following are suggested as priority areas:

§ enabling our students to enjoy learning,

§ enhancing their effectiveness in communication;

§ developing their creativity; and

§ developing their sense of commitment.

1.4 The Holistic Review of the Hong Kong School Curriculum (HORSC) specifically embraces three questions:

(1) What are the experiences of curriculum development in Hong Kong?

(2) What is worth learning in the school curriculum to achieve the aims of education for the 21^st century?

(3) How to facilitate effective teaching and learning?

1.5 HORSC adopts a multi-stage approach to development and consultation. The three stages and outcomes are:

§ Stage 1 (January - October 1999)

– sets out the directions of curriculum development in A Holistic Review of the Hong Kong School Curriculum:

Proposed Reforms (October 1999) in line with the EC’s consultation document Review of Education System:

Framework for Education Reform (September 1999) – for consultation during October - December 1999

§ Stage 2 (January - May 2000)

– contributes further recommendations to the EC’s Review of Education System: Reform Proposals (May 2000)

– for consultation during May - July 2000

§ Stage 3/Final Stage (January – November 2000) – runs in parallel with Stage 2

– prepares this document Learning to Learn

– for consultation during November - mid February 2001

1.6 The review involves a wide range of participants including teachers and principals, teacher educators, local and international curriculum experts and consultants, professionals, employers, parents, students, non-government organisations etc. The channel of participation is made through the legitimate formal structure of CDC, its committees and working groups, the numerous workshops, open forums, school-based staff development talks conducted, and at the same time, gauging public opinion in the mass media and related agencies with representation of CDI officers (especially assessment agencies and teacher education institutions).

The informal networks of participants, supporters, critical friends which are built up during the process are equally valuable. The review is also coordinated with other educational reforms such as those on examination and assessment, and the promotion of life-wide learning. References are made to relevant curriculum experiences, education reviews and research, both locally and internationally, and public opinion.

1.7 The review has been conducted in three stages. Each stage is done within a short time span. The first stage in 1999 has set out the main directions of curriculum development in Hong Kong, while the second and third are based on the outcomes of the previous ones. The review mainly relies on qualitative information to elicit the complexity of related issues, and makes reference to quantitative data for specific issues such as standards. The proposals made in the report are based on the needs to solve problems as well as to meet social expectations. While there is ample evidence to inform experiences of curriculum development in the past, there is less evidence to inform the nature of teaching and learning in the local contexts. It is hoped that a shortage of research evidence in teaching and learning could be compensated by improving co-ordination with different educational bodies, on-going curriculum review and improvement in teaching and learning processes through research and development, and effective dissemination of knowledge and good practice.

1.8 The purpose of this chapter is to provide the outcomes of the review which are necessary for the understanding of ideas and proposals presented in this document. The outcomes of the review are structured around the following two themes:

1. looking back: foundations, achievements, strengths and issues

2. looking ahead: challenges and opportunities, guiding principles and dynamic balance

Looking Back

Foundation, Achievements and Strengths

1.9 The school education in Hong Kong, since the 1970s, has contributed to the development of school curricula with a strong academic focus. The curricula have served to identify students with appropriate abilities for higher education which has provided the foundation for a strong middle class in Hong Kong. The characteristics, achievements and strengths of curriculum development since the 1970s are:

n The school curriculum in Hong Kong has been characterized by a collection of school subjects and examination syllabuses produced by subject committees appointed by the government.

There has been more open participation since the setting up of the Curriculum Development Council in 1988 and a new structure in 1999.

n Curriculum development has been given greater attention and higher importance with the expansion of school education and the restructuring of schooling in response to fast changing demographic, social, political, economic and technological environments. Hence different curriculum models (i.e.

grammar, technical, pre-vocational) have been developed to

respond to those changes. Reference could be made to the CDC Curriculum Guides (1993).

n Curriculum development has always been a continuous process of improvement. Cross-curricular guidelines (for moral, civic, sex and environmental education) were developed in addition to school subjects, in response to the more robust social and political changes. Reviews based on needs of specific areas and subjects include civic education (1996), the New Technical Curriculum (1997), the Review of China elements (1998), the mathematics curriculum (1999), and a range of subject curricula were conducted.

n There has been greater aspiration for qualitative changes accompanying the expansion of education. Curriculum innovations such as the Activity Approach (AA), remedial teaching, resource classes, the Targets and Target Related Assessment (later renamed the Target Oriented Curriculum), mastery learning and integration of subjects were introduced to schools. All these were consistent in moving towards student- centred learning, teaching/learning effectiveness (through promoting concepts such as a clear purpose of learning and teaching, strengthening teaching, learning, assessment and feedback cycle, group work, catering for student diversities).

There are visible effects such as changes in classroom practices, and the emergence of school heads and teachers as curriculum leaders.

n Student activities conducted by both government and non- government organisations have also flourished since the 1980s.

Through outdoor activities and community service, some of which go beyond the borders of Hong Kong, students have been given the opportunities to develop an international outlook to life.

n Teacher education, educational research and public examination reforms (e.g. Teacher Assessment Scheme, project assessment in Advanced Supplementary Liberal Studies) have further

catalyzed and augmented positive changes. The promotion of leadership by the principals and the overall development in curriculum management have also witnessed success. We now have a nucleus of keen principals and teachers who are leading curriculum change in Hong Kong.

n Many teachers and schools have taken the initiatives to improve and adapt their curricula to suit the needs of their students.

Many innovations and good practices are witnessed as reported in the media and research, observed in schools and projects funded by QEF and the School-based Curriculum Development Project Scheme.

n The local teaching force has been successful in showing great concern for the personal development of students. Many teachers are very hardworking in fulfilling their teaching duties and responsibilities, and have responded to curricular changes.

n Student achievements in local and international areas have brought distinct motivation and high impact to curriculum changes and enhancement. Some well-known examples are:

Sports Activities/Events, Arts Activities/Festivals, Hong Kong Olympiad in Informatics, the Millennium Entrepreneurship Programme Project, Cambridge Young Learners English Tests, the Odyssey of Mind Programme and the International Mathematical Olympiad. The increasing emphasis on civic education since the 1980s has also resulted in an enhancement of civic awareness and identity as reflected in the young adult population in Hong Kong.

n More diverse strategies to support teachers and schools have been introduced, such as the New Teachers Induction Programmes, Chinese Textbooks Incentive Award Scheme, funding support (e.g. Quality Education Fund, grants for specific areas), on-site school-based curriculum support service, Native English Teacher Scheme, School Management Initiatives, and other professional development courses.

The Issues

1.10 Like many other curriculum reforms in the world, a gap between intention and practice always exists. The barriers identified are:

n There are rising and changing expectations of society towards whole-person development and educational standards. The dominance of academic subjects and piecemeal changes, teaching/learning styles geared towards examinations, and the concomitant characteristics of curriculum development in Hong Kong are not conducive to meeting the expectations. There is also an overall lack of effective moral and civic education to enhance the understanding of our nation and the development of national identity.

n The course of curriculum development has been dominated by the many subject committees that were not well coordinated before the re-structuring of CDC in 1999. This has resulted in overlapping and outdated school subjects and syllabi, and overcrowded school curricula at all levels. It also takes too long to develop a new curriculum (4 to 6 years) to respond to the fast changing needs of society.

n Curriculum innovations were implemented in a linear manner with a schedule for all schools fixed beforehand, whereas help to schools and classroom processes to develop at their own pace were insufficient. The incentives provided to schools tended to focus on funding support (e.g. remedial teaching, subject grants) with little professional support to teachers and schools. The monitoring system tended to focus more on what the teachers had done (the quantity) rather than what and how students had learned (the quality).

n Channels of communication were not good enough to communicate change clearly to users in schools. Public involvement was limited in the curriculum development process, despite the procedures of consultation.

n There is a tendency to polarize the new (as good) and old (as bad) upon introduction of new initiatives (e.g. in the case of TOC). The insufficient building on strengths of schools and teachers’ repertoire as the basis for change has been a source of resistance from teachers.

n The suggested time-tabling by the number of periods/week or cycle was inflexible for effective teaching/learning.

n Curricular change was often linked with the needs to changes in examination subjects at senior secondary level. The rigid and prescriptive subject syllabuses give little room for creative and critical thinking. The inadequate attention to the developmental needs of students at lower levels of schooling (primary and junior secondary) has resulted in a lack of continuity of curricula of the primary, junior and senior secondary levels.

n In public assessment, there is heavy reliance on written examinations, and grading is based on comparison among the group rather than on students’ ability. Since it is linked to the very high stakes of university entrance, teaching to the test/examination is a common practice. Written examinations have a ‘narrowing’ effect on what teachers teach and what students learn. The adverse washback effect on classroom experiences has filtered donwards to primary levels.

Looking ahead -- challenges and opportunities, balanced consideration and guiding principles

Challenges and opportunities

1.11 The present situation of Hong Kong, like many other major cities in the world, is faced with global challenges of the following:

n Knowledge-based society and economy

n Rising need for moral considerations

n Fast social, environmental, cultural, political and technological changes and their impact on moral values

n Impermanent knowledge

n Globalization

n Interdependent but competitive world

n Impact of information technology

n Increasing civic participation in government

1.12 The challenges posed to curriculum development have become acute when there is a need for Hong Kong to continue to grow and excel in the 21^st century as Asia's world class city. Hong Kong has been able to overcome many barriers in the past, and is able to turn crises into opportunities. The opportunities presented to us to ride over the barriers are:

n there is a coordinated and concerted effort to reform the education system in Hong Kong, including both the curriculum and the assessment aspects, by different parties (e.g. the Education Commission, the Hong Kong Examinations Authority, Board of Education, CDC, Education Department)

n there is strong support to education by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government

n there is increasing awareness of the complexity of issues, and the desire to resolve tensions and balance views rather than to look for a simple and one-size-fits-all solution

n there is strong public demand to improve the school curriculum prompted by the demographic, economic, political, social and technological changes

Balanced considerations

We are aware of the different perspectives and tensions involved in the curriculum review process, and a need to have balanced

considerations. A summary of the tensions is illustrated in Fig. 1.1, and the considerations to resolve the tensions are given below.

Fig.1.1

§ Globalization and localization

While keeping abreast of global trends, we will adapt and situate things best for the local contexts. It is essential to enable students to learn and teachers to teach based on existing strengths, and in harmony with the local culture and environments.

§ Academic, personal, social and economic goals of the curriculum

The personal, social, economic goals and academic goals of education are not mutually exclusive. A student must acquire the skills and develop the attitude to learn a number of different things in order to achieve the aims of education.

Tensions/Balance Consideration Tensions/Balance Consideration

Globalization/

Globalization/

localization localization

Central development/

Central development/

school-based school-based development development Academic, personal, Academic, personal, social & economic, social & economic, goals of the curriculum goals of the curriculum

Specialist development/

Specialist development/

whole-person development whole-person development Co-operation/

Co-operation/

competition competition

Uniformity and Uniformity and diversity/

diversity/

flexibility flexibility Assessment for selection/

Assessment for selection/

Assessment for learning

Assessment for learning

Dynamic Dynamic Balance Balance

Urgency/

Urgency/

feasibility feasibility

Knowledge transmission/

Knowledge transmission/

knowledge creation knowledge creation

§ Central development and school-based development

A centrally prescribed curriculum would not be able to enable all students to learn in ways suited to them. It requires school- based autonomy to facilitate learning at the school level, and the government to set the broad directions for schools to achieve the overall aims of education for Hong Kong. The government will maintain the responsibility to take the lead in outlining general directions and to support schools with professional service. The valuable initiatives developed by individual schools would be used to inform policy and for wider dissemination to other schools. The relationship between central policy making and school-based development will be more on a partnership basis than a top-down and bottom-up dichotomy.

§ Specialist development and whole-person development

The development of generic learning skills (such as critical thinking, information technology) and a broad and balanced curriculum is necessary for students to lay a firm foundation for whole-person development in the 9-year basic education and prepare for learning at higher levels. Therefore, early specialisation into subject streams is undesirable. Yet at senior secondary level, students should be entitled to learning opportunities of more specialist studies such as chemistry, Chinese history and economics in order to develop their potential and interests for further studies.

§ Uniformity, diversity and flexibility

While we advocate entitling students to broad learning opportunities, diversity and flexibility of practices should be allowed for students to learn in ways suitable for them, and to develop pluralist values.

§ Co-operation and competition

While co-operation among schools, teachers and students would contribute to raising teaching/learning effectiveness, competition through examination embedded in Chinese culture and other activities provide incentives for learning to work hard and to strive for excellence.

§ Knowledge transmission and knowledge creation

Both knowledge transmission and knowledge creation are complementary to learning. While the skilful knowledge transmission in Chinese classrooms has been successful in knowledge scaffolding of students, knowledge creation can be effectively built on the experience of scaffolding.

§ Assessment for selection and assessment for learning

As long as selection remains a function in the education system, there should be an equal balance in the use of assessment for selection and assessment for helping students learn at the school level in particular. The most important thing to bear in mind is no one form of assessment should take over the other.

§ Urgency and feasibility

While there is a strong sense of urgency to see visible impact on student learning in schools, we are very cautious about any measure that claims to change things overnight. The feasibility of any measure is actually dependent on many intriguing factors such as teacher readiness, competence, commitment, physical conditions in schools, evidence to inform practice, resources, and other systemic features (e.g. assessment, school place allocation). Therefore, priority and strategies should be given to helping students learn in their own ways and broaden their scope of learning in order to be able to adapt to different learning needs for the future society.

Guiding principles

1.13 In planning the curriculum for the 21^st century, the following guiding principles are used as the basis for making recommendations in this document:

n Curriculum aims in line with the Aims of Education and with life-long learning as the key vision - “Enjoy learning, enhance effective communication, develop creativity and a sense of commitment” – should be given high priority.

n A learner-focussed approach should be used to make decisions in the best interests of students.

n We should respect the fact that all students have the ability to learn, though they might have their own different ways of learning. Therefore, they should be entitled to opportunities of essential learning experiences for whole person development, as well as opportunities for developing diverse potentials.

n In order to keep abreast with the development of a knowledge- based society, the prescriptive “teaching/ examination syllabus” should be opened up so that it is made up of learning experiences (contents, processes, social interaction, etc) to help students learn more and better. Any supportive guidance in the form of curriculum guides to schools should be open to adaptation and flexible changes.

n Both the basic education and senior secondary curricula should be broad and balanced comprising different learning experiences and all KLAs in order to lay a good foundation for their future life, employment, further studies and life-long learning. In addition, the senior secondary curriculum should be diversified providing students with a variety of options for some specialization to cater for their different aptitudes and learning needs.

n The strategies of development should be built on the strengths of students, teachers and schools in Hong Kong and the wider educational community. Long standing practices (e.g. effective whole-class teaching) have to be valued and not to be lost.

Suitable reference should be made to international and research experiences, and continuous improvement is to be made in response to these when appropriate.

n Curriculum development should be a continuous improvement process to help students learn better. Education/curriculum aims should be adjusted with time and with reference to the contexts of specific schools.

n The development of the curriculum and support mechanisms to schools should involve the participation and collaboration of government, parents and all community sectors to maximize the use of resources.

n There should be corresponding changes in assessment to complement the concerted effort to change the curriculum and promote learning.

C^HAPTER T^WO T^HE A^IM, GOALS AND DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES

2.1 This chapter is intended to spell out the curriculum aim and goals, which emphasize learning to learn as defined in Chapter 1, and the development strategies to achieve them.

The Aim of the school curriculum

2.2 The school curriculum for the 21^st century is defined as the learning experiences (learning elements, process, social environment) to be provided to students necessary for achieving the aims of education in Hong Kong. In order to be in line with the aims of education, the CDC has set out the overall aim of the school curriculum as follows:

The school curriculum should provide all students with essential life-long learning experiences for whole person development in the domains of ethics, intellect, physical development, social skills and aesthetics, according to individual potentials, so that all students could become active, responsible, and contributing members of society, the nation and the world.

The school curriculum should help students to learn how to learn through cultivating positive values, attitudes, and a commitment to life-long learning; develop generic skills to acquire and construct knowledge, which are essential for whole-person development to cope with challenges of the 21^st century.

A quality curriculum for the 21^st century should therefore set the directions for teaching/learning through a coherent and flexible framework which could be adaptable to changes and different needs of students and schools.

Goals

2.3 In view of the contexts of Hong Kong and the development strategies proposed below, we hope students would be able to:

1. recognize their roles and responsibilities as members in the family, the society, and the nation; and show concern for their well-being;

2. understand their national identity and be committed to contributing to the nation and society;

3. develop creative thinking and master independent learning skills (e.g. critical thinking, information technology, self- management);

4. engage in discussion actively and confidently in English and Chinese (including Putonghua);

5. develop a habit of reading independently;

6. possess a breadth and foundation of knowledge in the eight key learning areas; and

7. lead a healthy lifestyle, and develop an interest in and appreciation of aesthetic and physical activities.

Learning aims at each stage of schooling

2.4 The learning aims of the school curriculum from pre- primary to senior secondary levels are:

Kindergarten Children would:

1. enjoy exploring things around them;

2. develop good living habits and self-care abilities;

3. have good coordination of basic motor skills;

4. be able to adapt to group life and have acquired communication skills;

5. express their creativity confidently and enjoy participating in creative activities;

6. develop an active learning attitude;

7. make good use of their literacy and early mathematical experiences in their daily life; and

8. appreciate cultural art and their environment.

Junior primary Students would:

1. master basic skills in reading and writing and develop an interest in and a habit of reading;

2. develop good living habits, and be able to take care of themselves and get along with others;

3. have learning experiences relevant to daily lives;

4. be equipped with basic skills of utilizing IT to learn;

5. learn basic knowledge of mathematics; and 6. develop some aesthetic sensitivity.

Senior primary Students would:

1. master basic reading and writing skills; be able to read and communicate effectively at a higher level, both orally and in writing;

2. master a basic understanding of mathematical and scientific concepts; develop the habit of exploring science with an open mind;

3. participate actively in group life; develop healthy psychological development and physical fitness;

4. develop basic learning skills and thinking abilities, and learn to look for various learning resources and obtain knowledge independently;

5. develop positive values, to learn to care about the society and identify themselves with their own nation; and

6. appreciate beauty and arts.

Junior secondary Students would:

1. learn independently;

2. be adept at applying IT in learning;

3. develop the capability for reasoning, problem-solving and knowledge application, and creativity;

4. be bi-literate and tri-lingual (i.e. able to read and write fluent Chinese and English, and communicate orally in Cantonese, English and Putonghua);

5. experience an educational process that is all-round and life- wide;

6. master basic concepts in all key learning areas;

7. develop concern with the development in China and their relationship with other developments around the world;

8. be civic-minded;

9. be health-conscious, considerate and respectful to others; and 10. develop the interest in and ability of aesthetic appreciation.

Senior secondary Students would:

1. establish a sound foundation of skills in preparation for life-long learning;

2. develop a good physique and civic awareness, as well as a sense of commitment to the society and their country;

3. develop a solid grounding in mathematics, languages and other learning areas in preparation for higher education;

4. develop a global vision;

5. develop an adequate understanding and foretaste of the career to be chosen and of the job market; and

6. enjoy and possess the ability of aesthetic appreciation.

An incremental and interactive approach

2.5 Both the basic education and senior secondary curricula should be broad and balanced to lay a good foundation for students’

future life, employment, further studies and life-long learning. Besides, the senior secondary curriculum should be diversified providing students with a variety of options for some specialization to cater for their different aptitudes, abilities and learning needs. An incremental (based on cumulative knowledge and experiences) and interactive approach is better than a radical approach to initiate change based on the following analysis:

§ On the basis of the strengths of teachers and schools as a matter of priority, it is possible to strengthen students' learning to learn abilities through infusing generic skills into the learning/teaching processes of existing curricula/subjects (please see Appendix 1 for subject groups), reducing knowledge transmission, and appreciating students’ ability to construct knowledge. (More suggestions on facilitating learning to learn are provided in Chapter Four of this document.)

§ In the long run, the present curriculum should be broadened and improved to facilitate life-long learning through the following: an open curriculum framework to facilitate change, key learning areas as the basis of the grouping of subjects and further review, a balance between central requirements and school-based development, and emphases on learning experiences/processes, and using assessment to improve learning and teaching, and providing more opportunities for life-wide learning.

§ Teachers must be adequately supported to see the benefits of helping students learn to learn through changing the learning/teaching practices and the curriculum.

§ Schools and teachers in Hong Kong have varying strengths on which they could build to enhance learning to learn. They could make reference to the new curriculum guides to help them prepare

for transition to adopting the new framework in 2005 at their own pace together with the support of strategies listed in para 2.6 as required.

§ Effective moral and civic education will support the commitment of students to learning to learn. Other key tasks to help include promoting a reading culture, project learning, and using information technology.

§ When the nature of learning has changed, teachers would realise a need to change in assessment practice to reflect the performance of students.

§ Regular review is necessary to inform practice and make adjustment in policies.

Development strategies to support schools and teachers (2000 - 2005) 2.6 Professional support to teachers and schools is essential to all reforms. Since different needs require different strategies and no one strategy is all-powerful, multiple interactive development strategies are planned for 2000 to 2005 to support teachers and schools. The key strategies are:

1. Curriculum support materials

A variety of curriculum support materials will be developed:

§ Curriculum guide for each Key Learning Area (KLA), revised/new subject guides, and other modes of planning (please see website www.cdccdi.hk.linkage.net/cdi for the schedule of the issue of the curriculum guides);

§ A bank of exemplary teaching/learning/assessment materials for the curriculum framework to be generated by development and research projects and contributed by

schools (dissemination through EduCity and other means as appropriate);

§ Exemplary curriculum planning tools (through electronic means) for school-based development;

§ A central data-base of life-wide learning provisions in Hong Kong;

§ Textbooks to be made available by publishers; and

§ Other relevant publications such as research and development reports and newsletters.

2. Teacher development programmes

§ A variety of professional development programmes will be provided to in-service teachers and school heads based on the needs of curriculum change, the purpose of different modes, the demand from schools, and other opportunities available in Hong Kong. Teachers may choose to study those that are relevant to their needs.

§ Two broad categories of professional development programmes would be provided:

(1) Courses to enhance overall professional knowledge of teachers (e.g. catering for individual differences, motivation, critical thinking skills, curriculum and assessment, gifted education, moral and civic education, Chinese culture, media education, curriculum management and leadership)

(2) Key Learning Area/Subject specific courses to meet the needs of the new curriculum framework.

§ Some of Category (1) will be offered in 2000-2001, and all of Categories (1) and (2) will begin in 2001 and onwards.

§ A web-based component will be provided as the basic structure for most courses so that they are accessible to all teachers in Hong Kong. Interactive elements will be provided as required by the different purposes of courses.

§ School-based INSTEP programmes will be provided in some courses to help school-based staff development.

§ Suitable recognition/accreditation of courses, such as Refresher Training Course, Principal Graduate Master Course, etc. as well as teacher participation in research and development projects, will be sought.

3. The components of curriculum and instructional leadership, and school-based curriculum development will be strengthened in training courses for principals and other courses for middle managers.

4. There will be close contacts between the CDC and teacher education institutions so that the new student cohorts would be competent to meet the new needs of schools.

5. A range of collaborative research and development projects on key curriculum changes will be conducted in partnership with schools and consultants/universities beginning in 2001. Priority will be given to the following emphases:

§ learning to learn skills and strategies across the curriculum (e.g. critical thinking, project learning),

§ new emphases in KLAs, and

§ catering for students with diverse needs (including the academically low achievers and the gifted).

The projects will serve the following purposes: (1) to generate useful experience for the reference of other schools, evidence- based learning/teaching/assessment materials, and (2) to enable schools and teachers to be reflective practitioners, curriculum and instructional leaders, and life-long learners.

6. The CDI school-based curriculum development (primary and secondary) teams will provide on-site advice to help schools to strengthen learning to learn in the existing curricula, to promote curriculum leadership, and develop a school-based curriculum along the lines of the new curriculum framework through taking part in research and development projects or on the basis of their own plans. Schools may also use the capacity

enhancement grant, the services of Regional Education Offices (REO), Education Department, and other sources of flexible funding such as the QEF to meet different needs.

7. Schools and teachers would be networked to facilitate the sharing of experiences and dissemination of good practices through the REO, the District Teacher Network (DTN) and other means.

8. Local and international experts will be invited to advise on the above development strategies whenever appropriate.

9. The provision of life-wide learning opportunities (e.g. moral and civic education, physical and aesthetic development) would be coordinated by a committee with input from the ED, other government departments (such as the Leisure and Cultural Service Department, the Social Welfare Department, the Home Affairs Bureau), and non-governmental organisations. Priority will be given to promoting national identity, service learning, and exposure to career-related opportunities.

10. Greater autonomy and flexibility will be given to schools in funding, management and staffing, in order to create more time and space for curriculum change and improving learning and teaching.

Phases of Development

2.7 In view of other educational reforms proposed by the EC Report and references to international experiences of the need for incremental change (please see Appendix 2), short-term, medium-term and long-term phases are designed at school/teacher and government levels. The phases of development and the rationale for each phase are:

Phases Rationale

Short-term 2000-2005 § Teachers and schools could promote learning to learn through infusing generic skills into existing school subjects.

§ With government support, ample time is to be given to schools to prepare for transition to the new curriculum framework and develop a school-based curriculum using the framework to suit the needs of students and schools.

Medium term

2005-2010 § Schools should have followed the central directions and used the curriculum guides of the open framework provided to develop a school- based curriculum most suited to the needs of students and mission of the schools. Schools should continue to raise the quality of teaching and learning.

Long term 2010+ § Vision for life-long learning to be achieved.

Changes in the short-term phase (2000 - 2005)

2.8 The principles for short-term change are building on the strengths of teachers and schools to develop incremental change, and enhancing interactive collaboration to support teachers and schools using the development strategies planned above (Appendix 3 shows how a school has changed its school curriculum over time.) On the one hand, schools and teachers could promote more independent learning by infusing generic skills into the learning and teaching of existing school subjects and life-wide learning activities (formal or informal curricula). The following key tasks have shown to be useful strategies for promoting learning:

§ Promoting a culture of reading

§ Use of information technology

§ Moral and civic education

§ Project learning

2.9 On the other hand, schools could adapt the existing school subjects to suit the needs of students and society (e.g. trimming of non- essential contents) according to the suggestions given in Chapter Three and separate KLA booklets. In 2001 when the curriculum framework is finalised, schools could further develop their own curriculum and learning plans for 2001-2005 (see Chapters Three and Four).

Recommendations for the migration to using the new curriculum framework are given in Chapter Three. For instance, a school may start with using the new arts education framework at Primary 4 by participating in one of the ‘seed’ projects, and then phase in adopting recommendations of other KLAs’. Another school may wish to focus on permeating values and generic skills into existing subjects, and wait till curriculum guides for KLAs and subjects are available. More detailed recommendations on the immediate adaptation of the school curricula, and also future changes related to Key Learning Areas for the period 2000-2005 are provided in separate documents.

2.10 Schools and teachers may choose to seek support from the development strategies which are appropriate to their needs for implementing their curriculum and learning plans. Schools and teachers are most welcome to take part in ‘seed’ projects on key curriculum changes as sources of support and professional development.

These projects are conducted with the collaboration of the government and universities or consultants to generate useful experiences and practices through research and development. The useful experiences will be disseminated continuously to benefit more schools and teachers.

2.11 It is hoped that by 2005, all schools would develop a school-based curriculum in line with the open framework which is suited to the needs of their students, the mission of the school, and society. The following table (Fig. 2.1) provides a summary of the government support and the expected changes both inside and outside the classroom according to recommendations in this document and the EC Report (Sept 2000).

Fig. 2.1 Curriculum Changes and Support to Teachers and Schools (2000 - 2005)

Changes inside and outside the classroom

Key support to teachers and schools

Change the culture of teaching and learning

Promoting learning to learn through infusing generic skills in teaching and learning of existing school subjects, e.g. more open questions, inquiry learning

Put more emphasis on the Key tasks:

§ reading (to learn)

§ project learning

§ information technology

§ moral & civic education

§ Those stated in Chapter 4 of this document, relevant exemplars in KLA booklets & other sources, networking and dissemination of good practices

§ Multiple mode courses on critical

& creative thinking, IT

§ Relevant ‘seed’ projects

Create an environment for learning in schools, cultivate curriculum leadership,

& develop curriculum & learning plans for short-term and medium-term phases

§ Principal/middle management training

§ On-site school-based curriculum development teams

§ Capacity enhancement grant

Provide students with the five essential learning experiences

Provide life-wide learning opportunities for the following:

§ Intellectual development

§ Moral & civic education as life experiences

§ Central database on life-wide learning opportunities

§ Capacity enhancement grant

§ Partnership with other organisations

Changes inside and outside the classroom

Key support to teachers and schools

§ Community service

§ Physical and aesthetic development

§ Career-related experiences (only for secondary school students)

Understand the differences between Key learning areas & subjects, and consider a flexible time allocation

§ The existing subjects are grouped into 8 key learning areas.

Students are offered a balance of school subjects/contents of the 8 key learning areas; reduce specialisation in basic education.

§ School-based curriculum according to KLA documents or the new framework (See separate booklets for 8 key learning areas)

§ Slight or no adjustment in time allocation to improve the breadth of the curriculum, or to be in line with the mission of the school e.g. technical schools may include Chinese History, grammar schools may have more learning elements in Technology Education KLA

(Please see Appendix 4 for the suggested lesson time allocation)

§ Curriculum support materials (curriculum guides for KLAs and specific subjects)

§ On-site school-based curriculum development teams

§ ‘seed’ projects for each KLA and cross-KLA studies (General Studies) with inputs from schools/

consultants

§ Multi-mode professional development courses

§ Curriculum bank of exemplary materials

§ Networking and dissemination of good practices

Changes inside and outside the classroom

Key support to teachers and schools

§ Incremental transition to using new curriculum framework for all KLAs

§ A broader and more diversified curriculum at senior secondary level: adoption of new examination subjects to be introduced in different years:

Integrated Humanities for non- arts students, Integrated Science and Technology for non-science students, new Liberal Studies (1 module, 1 project) as university pre- requisite (subject to university requirements)

(Please see Appendix 1 for subject groups)

Adopt diversified modes of assessment Reduce the number of tests, examinations, use other modes e.g.

projects, observation

§ New special courses for examination syllabuses

§ ‘seed’" projects of school-based assessment

§ Curriculum bank of exemplary materials

§ Professional development courses on using formative assessment

§ The Basic Competency Assessment in Chinese, English and Mathematics recommended by the EC Report will provide schools with information on student progress, and also tools for teachers to assess students for learning

Changes inside and outside the classroom

Key support to teachers and schools

Cater for student diversities

§ Mixed abilities

§ Lower achievers

§ Gifted students

§ ‘seed’ projects with inputs from schools/consultants

§ Professional development courses

Use of homework

Reduce mechanical repetition type of homework, set more stimulating and creative types that engage students in an active learning mode (e.g.

reading, sharing of learning experiences with family members)

§ Parent education in partnership with other organizations so that parents can have a more thorough understanding of the functions of homework in the process of learning

C^HAPTER T^HREE WHAT IS WORTH LEARNING?

3.1 The school curriculum defines the views of society about

"What is worth learning" for it to achieve the aims of education. This chapter is intended to answer the question with specific intention to prepare students for a knowledge-based society and life-long learning.

The answers to the question are based on the guiding principles identified in Chapter 1, the need for short-term, medium-term and long- term development strategies in Chapter 2, and principles of learning and teaching in Chapter 4. The attached 9 separate booklets: 8 for respective key learning areas identified below and 1 for the primary General Studies curriculum also contribute to the answer to the question.

Learning experiences

3.2 Learning experiences are the milieus of learning processes, learning contents and the social environment for students to learn how to learn. Students should be entitled to five learning experiences that correspond to the ‘moral, intellectual, physical, social and aesthetic’

development in the aims of education. Areas of:

1. Moral and civic education (called life experiences in earlier documents) for developing personal character and interpersonal skills; the creativity to innovate; the spirit to live up to expectations and enjoy learning;

2. Intellectual development for laying a firm foundation in knowledge;

3. Community service to develop commitment and responsibility;

4. Physical and aesthetic development to lead to healthy living styles and appreciate aesthetic qualities; and

5. Career-related experiences to link studies with career aspirations and job opportunities.

3.3 The five essential learning experiences listed above are to be developed throughout all stages of schooling, except for career-related experiences which are more appropriately developed in senior secondary education.

The whole curriculum framework

3.4 In order to provide the above learning experiences to students, a curriculum framework is developed as the basic structure for defining broadly the aims and elements of learning such as knowledge/concepts, skills, values and attitudes. The whole curriculum framework is intended to serve the following purposes:

1. It aligns the aims of education with a holistic view of what students should learn in terms of values and attitudes, generic skills, and knowledge/concepts.

2. It ensures that curriculum planning is coherent (not overcrowded or overlapping), continuous across the levels of primary and secondary education so that learning experiences are connected.

3. It provides schools with a structure for setting their learning aims/targets, the development of curricula/subjects, different modes of curriculum planning, learning/teaching strategies, learning/teaching materials and assessment; and also for schools and teachers to develop school-based curricula.

4. It allows flexible changes and adaptation to suit different student needs, and respond to changing needs of society e.g.

core, extension, curriculum space, optional time. (Unnecessary detailed prescriptions are to be avoided to facilitate quick updating, school-based development, and to give room for students to construct knowledge.)

Components of the curriculum framework

3.5 The curriculum framework is made up of three components, namely:

I Key learning areas (knowledge/concepts) II Generic skills

III Values and attitudes

I Key learning areas

3.6 The first component of the curriculum framework is made up of 8 key learning areas (KLA), namely

1. Chinese Language Education 2. English Language Education 3. Mathematics Education

4. Personal, Social, Humanities Education 5. Science Education

6. Technology Education 7. Arts Education

8. Physical Education

3.7 The delineation of KLAs has taken into consideration the cultural, socio-economic, and technological contexts of Hong Kong. The delineation can be subject to change in accordance with changing needs, for example, language policy and advancement of knowledge. The eight KLAs provide the broad knowledge domains that serve the following functions:

1. They group existing subjects into 8 areas. In the short run, schools are to choose subjects from each group or to adapt them in order to provide a broad and balanced curriculum for students mentioned in Chapter 2 and Appendix 1.

2. Each key learning area provides the platform for reviewing elements of learning in the existing curricula, trimming outdated and non-essential ones, making reference to other KLAs, and identifying key concepts necessary for foundation studies and knowledge building. For example, Typewriting should not be offered as a school subject.

3. The concepts in each KLA provide the structure for organizing the curriculum into different forms. These include school subjects, modules and subjects that cut across more than one KLA (e.g. General Studies in primary schools) to serve different purposes of learning. They are also the bases of intellectual development and life-long learning.

(Please see Appendix 5 for the gist of each KLA.)

II Generic skills

3.8 The component of generic skills is fundamental to help students learn how to learn. They are to be developed through the learning and teaching in the contexts of different subjects or key learning areas, and are transferable to different learning situations. Nine types of generic skills (listed in para 3.13) are identified as essential.

3.9 Exemplars of how generic skills are incorporated into the learning of the KLAs are available in their separate booklets. One has to note, however, that as the nature and emphasis of the KLAs are different from one another, a generic skill may be more applicable to a KLA than the other KLAs. One KLA may contribute more to certain types of generic skills than another. There is no need for each KLA to pay equal emphasis to each generic skill, e.g. numeracy in Mathematics KLA than in Science KLA.

3.10 Generic skills are by no means new, yet some skill objectives have been emphasized in many curriculum documents in the past, such as problem solving and communication in Target Oriented Curriculum, critical thinking in languages and many other subjects, and self- management skills in Social Studies and Liberal Studies. They are now re-iterated to highlight their relevance to achieving the aims of education, and new skills, such as information technology, that become important as a result of new challenges.

3.11 The term ‘skills’ is used instead of its more inclusive counterparts like ‘literacy’ or ‘competencies’ so that it can be

differentiated from other components of the whole curriculum framework, namely values and attitudes. We are aware that, for example,

‘information literacy’ refers not only to the skills to handle different sorts of information, but also the abilities, competencies, attitudes, and dispositions involved. For the purpose of clear distinction, ‘information literacy’ is split into ‘information technology skills’, ‘communication skills’, and ‘study skills’ as well as the related values and attitudes.

3.12 Being generic in nature, these skills still overlap in some cases (e.g. self-management skills contain some elements of study skills).

Further overlap between these generic skills and the values and attitudes mentioned earlier is also unavoidable, as the acquisition of the former inevitably needs to go together with the development of the latter.

3.13 A simpler classification, however, is adopted for the understanding and practical usage by teachers. This classification also serves to provide a direction for the education profession through expressing the curriculum intentions of the new framework. The nine types of generic skills identified in the framework, in alphabetical order, are as follows:

1. Collaboration skills (e.g. listening, appreciation, and negotiation) help students to engage effectively in tasks and teamwork, and to benefit from collaborative relationships.

2. Communication skills help students to interact with people and express their ideas effectively.

3. Creativity is the ability to produce original ideas and solve problems appropriate to the contexts.

4. Critical thinking skills help students to draw out meaning from given data or statements, generate and evaluate arguments, and make their own judgements.

5. Information technology skills help students to seek, absorb, analyze, manage and present information critically and intelligently in an information age and a digitized world.

6. Numeracy skills help students to master basic computation in daily life, use basic mathematical concepts in practical situations, make reasonable estimates, understand and interpret graphs, charts, and data.

7. Problem solving skills help students to use thinking skills to resolve a difficulty and determine the best course of action.

8. Self-management skills (e.g. preserving emotional stability, handling of stress) help students to build up self-esteem and accomplish goals.

9. Study skills (e.g. collecting and processing information) help students to develop good learning habits, and the abilities and attitudes to enjoy learning.

III Values and attitudes

3.14 Values are qualities that students should develop as principles for conduct and decision (e.g. rights and responsibilities, commitment, honesty, national identity), while attitudes are personal dispositions needed to perform a task well (e.g. open-mindedness, co- operativeness). Values and attitudes affect the development of each other.

3.15 Values and attitudes are of course not new to our subject curricula, and many cross-curricular guidelines (e.g. sex, moral, civic, environmental) issued before were value-oriented. Yet, values are not as successfully developed in students as the knowledge components. In this document, the enhancement of values is given high priority and moral and civic education is the top most to be developed. A separate section is devoted to values education with specific reference to morality, civics, sex, health, family, environmental conservation, intellectual property, and other related themes (such as drug).

3.16 Values can be learned as key concepts, for instance, filial piety and honesty in school subjects such as Chinese language and General Studies, sustainability in science/ technology; hospitality in Travel and Tourism, or be applied to specific themes for relevant understanding and decision making (e.g. respect for law).

3.17 Suitable attitudes are to be cultivated whenever the learning activities help, e.g. perseverance in Physical Education, integrity in project learning. Meanwhile, teachers should also employ those attitudes as pedagogical principles to guide student learning, e.g.

giving students freedom to choose a topic of interest, being open- minded and respect evidence in the development of critical thinking.

3.18 A set of core and sustainable values and attitudes are provided in Appendix 6 to serve as reference for curriculum planning for KLAs, permeation into learning and teaching activities, especially those involving personal judgement and relating man to society, and life events of students at different stages of schooling.

3.19 The three components (that is, KLAs, Generic skills, and Values and Attitudes) form the bases for defining the elements of learning for students at different levels of specificity as appropriate to each level of schooling, and the needs of specific KLA/subjects.

The Key Learning Area curriculum framework

3.20 With reference to key elements of learning in each KLA, eight separate KLA frameworks, and a framework for General Studies (primary) comprising PSHE, Science, and Technology KLAs are developed in separate booklets. It must be stressed again that an open framework is necessary for schools so that it is more flexible, and adaptable to changes and different needs. Figure 3.2 on the following page shows the general features of KLA framework, and their descriptions are given below:

Figure 3.2 General features of the KLA framework

Features Descriptions

Overall aim The overall aim of learning of KLA

Learning targets General expectations of students

Strands Strands* as the basic categories for organising the curriculum (concepts/knowledge contents, processes, or values) have the following functions:

§ organise contents (for subjects, modules, etc) for the purpose of developing skills, knowledge and understanding, and values and attitudes as a holistic process;

§ synthesize/integrate contents across more than one subject area; and

§ accommodate content from subject areas not included in traditional curriculum.

Learning objectives To be used as a resource list for curriculum and lesson planning for teachers, and also as sources of ‘quality criteria’ for teachers to make judgement (general assessment) on student learning rather than measurement of outcomes.

Quality criteria See learning objectives

Key stage 1 (P1-P3) Key stage 2 (P4-P6) Key stage 3 (S1-S3) Key stage 4 (S4-S5)

§ The key stages are only simple representations of the range of levels of schooling rather than indicators of specific learning outcomes.

§ Key stage tables in strands and generic skills are only provided where appropriate.

*(Future CDC curriculum guidelines will furnish more details for contents of strands for the reference of schools, whereas schools could also develop their school-based curriculum using the strands.)

Connection of KLAs

3.21 In actual life, a lot of experiences actually transcend boundaries of knowledge domains, and are integrated within the students. For instance, in the decision to choose a food product in the supermarket, the student would use his/her knowledge of science to understand the nutrient functions and calorie intake, use numeracy skills to compare across products, consider whether the packaging is environmentally friendly and apply the home economics knowledge in using the food product healthily in a meal. It will be useful to help teachers and schools to see the interconnectedness among KLAs so that the connectedness of knowledge could be implied or made explicit in curriculum planning, and the learning and teaching of students. Each KLA booklet will also spell out the major linkages with other KLAs to raise the awareness of teachers.

General Studies (primary)

3.22 In connection with the fact of integrated learning experiences in daily life, the subject of General Studies in the primary curriculum deserves additional attention. The curriculum will be further revised in line with the new framework to include integral elements of learning of PSHE, science and technology KLAs. The booklet on General Studies provides an account for the short-term and medium-term changes to the subject.

Liberal Studies (Advanced supplementary (AS) level), Integrated Science

& Technology & Integrated Humanities at School Certificate level

3.23 The AS Liberal Studies has served two good functions in the sixth form curricula. Firstly, it helps to broaden the existing sixth form curricula by providing a range of modules that could complement the subject streams (e.g. China Today; Science, Technology & Society;

Environmental Studies; Hong Kong Studies; Modern World). Secondly, there is evidence in HKEA’s public assessment that student projects can