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In the Student Voices panel, 9 students varying from primary 5 to secondary 6 described the deepest learning experiences they had experienced and answered questions from Mrs Fanny Law, the Permanent Secretary for Education and Manpower, on why such experiences were so significant to them. The kinds of learning experiences that students like are generally ones that involve authentic problems related to real situations around us, and are difficult and challenging. Further, they greatly appreciate opportunities where they are given the opportunities to explore and work on solving problems collaboratively with peers. Mrs. Law, in responding to the students' presentations, pointed out that their hearts-on, minds-on learning experiences are exactly the kind of learning that the education reform wants to bring about, but unfortunately are still not reflected in the majority of learning experiences in school settings. Students at the symposium also pointed out that to take on the kind of learning experiences they like involves "risk-taking" on the side of teachers as well because of the incompatibility with existing assessment and examination systems.
This was followed by a session led by teachers and principals, sharing their best experiences in supporting deep learning that touched children's lives. They emphasized the importance of giving students the space to become autonomous learners. Students do not need teachers to be the all-knowing source of knowledge but rather be a caring and supportive adviser and confider. According to Professor Marlene Scardamalia of the University of Toronto, who delivered a keynote speech on Breaking Barriers in Reforming Learning: International experiences from the Knowledge Society Network, the experiences and views of the students and teachers shared in the symposium are very similar to the best practices in school education around the world in one important respect - the continual quest for sustained improvement.
Dr K K Chan, Principal Assistant Secretary of the Curriculum Development Institute, EMB, exchanged views with participants on the impacts of the Education Reform efforts. Mrs. Mak, principal of the QESOSA secondary school pointed out that school culture and learning/teaching practices would not change simply because of structural reforms in the education system. Schools need to embrace the values and beliefs about what is good learning and decide on how to take advantage of the education reform initiatives and when not to implement policy rigidly as an end in itself. Professor Cheng Kai-Ming of HKU's Faculty of Education, summarized the outcomes of the symposium in his closing remark on Learning to Reform: what have we learnt? He pointed out the most important mission of the education reform is to change the mindset on learning rather than to change structures & practices of schooling. Success in reform requires everyone engaged in the educational process to take on the agency of change rather than passive implementers. The main message the symposium was "reform as a continuing collaborative conscious effort of the education community".
Programme rundown of the day can be viewed at: http://lcp.cite.hku.hk/RLLR/programme.htm. For media enquiries, please contact Mr Johnny Yuen of HKU's Centre for Information Technology in Education at 2241 5192 or email: johnny@cite.hku.hk.
An Exciting Dialogue & Debate held at HKU between Policy Makers, Students, Teachers and Parents on Learning and Education Reform Issues
28 May 2005
The Centre for Information Technology (CITE) at the University of Hong Kong (HKU) held a symposium entitled Reforming Learning and Learning to Reform on May 28, which brought together around 300 participants to engage in a dialogue on topics concerning learning, reforming learning, and learning to reform. The symposium is jointly organized by CITE and the Education and Manpower Bureau (EMB) with the support from the Quality Education Fund. Participants included students, teachers, principals, parents and policy makers.
In the Student Voices panel, 9 students varying from primary 5 to secondary 6 described the deepest learning experiences they had experienced and answered questions from Mrs Fanny Law, the Permanent Secretary for Education and Manpower, on why such experiences were so significant to them. The kinds of learning experiences that students like are generally ones that involve authentic problems related to real situations around us, and are difficult and challenging. Further, they greatly appreciate opportunities where they are given the opportunities to explore and work on solving problems collaboratively with peers. Mrs. Law, in responding to the students' presentations, pointed out that their hearts-on, minds-on learning experiences are exactly the kind of learning that the education reform wants to bring about, but unfortunately are still not reflected in the majority of learning experiences in school settings. Students at the symposium also pointed out that to take on the kind of learning experiences they like involves "risk-taking" on the side of teachers as well because of the incompatibility with existing assessment and examination systems.
This was followed by a session led by teachers and principals, sharing their best experiences in supporting deep learning that touched children's lives. They emphasized the importance of giving students the space to become autonomous learners. Students do not need teachers to be the all-knowing source of knowledge but rather be a caring and supportive adviser and confider. According to Professor Marlene Scardamalia of the University of Toronto, who delivered a keynote speech on Breaking Barriers in Reforming Learning: International experiences from the Knowledge Society Network, the experiences and views of the students and teachers shared in the symposium are very similar to the best practices in school education around the world in one important respect - the continual quest for sustained improvement.
Dr K K Chan, Principal Assistant Secretary of the Curriculum Development Institute, EMB, exchanged views with participants on the impacts of the Education Reform efforts. Mrs. Mak, principal of the QESOSA secondary school pointed out that school culture and learning/teaching practices would not change simply because of structural reforms in the education system. Schools need to embrace the values and beliefs about what is good learning and decide on how to take advantage of the education reform initiatives and when not to implement policy rigidly as an end in itself. Professor Cheng Kai-Ming of HKU's Faculty of Education, summarized the outcomes of the symposium in his closing remark on Learning to Reform: what have we learnt? He pointed out the most important mission of the education reform is to change the mindset on learning rather than to change structures & practices of schooling. Success in reform requires everyone engaged in the educational process to take on the agency of change rather than passive implementers. The main message the symposium was "reform as a continuing collaborative conscious effort of the education community".
Programme rundown of the day can be viewed at: http://lcp.cite.hku.hk/RLLR/programme.htm. For media enquiries, please contact Mr Johnny Yuen of HKU's Centre for Information Technology in Education at 2241 5192 or email: johnny@cite.hku.hk.
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