Experience from Hong Kong:

A Network Model for Promoting MIL

Dr. Alice Y.L. Lee

Hong Kong Baptist University

November, 2015

Purpose of the Presentation Put forward “Network Model Strategy” to promote MIL in schools and the community in Hong Kong

Changing Concept of Literacy Traditional Literacy à Media Literacy à Media and Information Literacy (MIL)

MIL= media literacy + information literacy

+ ICT skills

(HK media educators: explore the new literacy concept and develop strategies to spread the idea of MIL)

Why Is MIL Needed in Hong Kong?

MIL for Hong Kong? Media & Technological Environment

Socio-economic Aspect: Knowledge Society

Population Change: Net Generation

HK as Regional Communication Hub A media-saturated, technologically well-developed city n  Household broadband penetration rate is 83%

n  Mobile subscriber penetration rate: 228.8%

n  Public Wi-Fi access points: 39,267

n  4.3 million of the city’s 7 million citizens have Facebook accounts

Marching into Web 3.0 Era In one year time, Hong Kong à Web 3.0

Read-write-execute Web

Wireless access through smart phones, iPads and tablets: very common

Most of the people in Hong Kong: get connected

à need MIL

Moving into Knowledge Society Hong Kong: A dynamic business city

Timely, untainted and varied information is needed to make rational and educated business decisions

Financial services, trade and logistics, business services and tourism: major industries in HK – forming the backbone of the local knowledge economy

Information is a currency – keep that currency flowing rapidly and freely

Safeguarding freedom of speech and cultivating media-and information-literate citizens are regarded as vital to HK’s development

Net Generation and Mobile Generation

Educational Reform New school curriculum à preparing students to be knowledge workers

To learn how to learn

Generic skills

Knowledge creation and management

à MIL: 21st century skill

Hong Kong -- China Bridging China with the world

Strength its information capability à maintain its significant role in national development

There is a social need for MIL

The Media Education Net

The Media Education Movement in HK A bottom-up social movement, media education, emerged in Hong Kong

1980s à 1997 handover à 2015

2000: The Hong Kong Association of Media Education (HKAME)

The Unique Development Model Not “Top-down”

Not “Spoke-wheel”

A “Networking Model”

Centre

Network Model：

n  A multi-source voluntary grassroots movement and it expands more like a network

n  Participants are like individual nodes on the net

n  The big nodes serve as network hubs, giving support to the smaller nodes

The Network Model Strategy for Promoting MIL in Hong Kong

Promote MIL in Hong Kong Use the existing media literacy network to launch the new initiative

Expand the scope of the network to include people from the field of libraries, museums, information sector......

Use the hubs in the net to spread the idea and practice of MIL

Develop the MIL Net Hubs of the Net: HKAME (Hong Kong Association of Media Education) IJS (Institute for Journalism and Society, HKBU) HKALL (Hong Kong Academic Library Link) NM (News Museum) SCSMCPS (Shak Chung Shan Memorial Catholic Primary School) CHSC (Committee on Home-School Co-operation, Education Bureau) HKLA (Hong Kong Library Association)

The Network Model The impetus to the network (the social forces and agency efforts) and the launching of the MIL net

The configuration of the network (the nature of the participating organizations)

The hubs of the network (leadership and support)

The communication of the network (the links among participating organizations and the sharing of resources) and

The expansion of the network

The Network Model

The Configuration of the Network

(Nature of the participating organizations)

The Communication of the Network

(Linkages among participating organizations: Sharing of resources and expertise)

The Hubs of the Network

(Leadership and support)

The Expansion of the Network

Impetus to the Network (Social forces and agency efforts)

The Launch of the Net

The Impetus The driving forces:

1.Change of media and technological environment:

n  Infomedia revolution – the convergence of media and computer technologies

n  Infomedia literacy

Publications on “Infomedia Literacy” Written by Hong Kong Media Educators

Year Paper Title Type Region of Publication Language 2000 The impact of the “infomedia revolution” on the youth in Hong

Kong: Information explosion and information confusion. Journal of Youth Studies 3(1): 17-25.

Journal Article Hong Kong Chinese

1999 Infomedia literacy: An educational basic for the young people in the new information age. Information, Communication and Society 2(2): 134-155.

Journal Article International English

1999 Promoting “infomedia literacy.” Modern Communication 101: 17-23. Journal Article China Chinese 1998 The curriculum of infomedia literacy: Teaching new literacy in a

digital world. Paper presented at the Annual Conference of the Hong Kong Education Research Association, Hong Kong, November 21-22.

Conference Paper

Hong Kong Chinese

1998 Promoting “infomedia literacy”: A new task for Hong Kong in the world of technology convergence. Paper presented at the Conference on Theoretical Framework and Scope of Practical Application in Chinese Education Technology Towards the 21st Century, Shenzhen, China, December 14-16.

Conference Paper

China Chinese

1997 Infomedia literacy: Meeting the technological challenge of the 21st century. Paper presented at the 3rd Conference of the David C. Lam Institute for East-West Studies, Hong Kong, November 17-19.

Conference Paper

Hong Kong Chinese

2. Marching into the knowledge society n  2000-2002 The Media and Information Literacy

Education Program (MILE) was conducted by Breakthrough (a youth organization)

n  HK$6,000,000 (US$ 769,230) “Quality Education Fund” from the HK government

n  Website, textbooks, camps, workshops, magazine publication, VCD, resources center, train the trainer programs for teachers

n  4000 participants (3005 students, 795 teachers and 143 parents)

MILE Textbook (primary school edition) 2001

MILE Project Prepares HK students for Knowledge Society (ICA Conference, NY, 2005)

3. Agent effort n  Hong Kong media literacy educators joined the UNESCO

working teams à more updated MIL information to local media literacy practitioners as well as the public

à MIL net is opening and stretching

The Network Model

The Configuration of the Network

(Nature of the participating organizations)

The Communication of the Network

(Linkages among participating organizations: Sharing of resources and expertise)

The Hubs of the Network

(Leadership and support)

The Expansion of the Network

Impetus to the Network (Social forces and agency efforts)

The Launch of the Net

The Configuration of the Network The existing media literacy organizations

University libraries, public libraries, the Hong Kong Film Archive

Museums, the coming News Museum

Information organizations, Internet associations, media organizations

Education department

Existing ML organizations: n  Universities, schools

n  Youth organizations

n  NGOs

n  Religious groups

n  Media organizations

n  Hong Kong Association of Media Education

The Network Model

The Configuration of the Network

(Nature of the participating organizations)

The Communication of the Network

(Linkages among participating organizations: Sharing of resources and expertise)

The Hubs of the Network

(Leadership and support)

The Expansion of the Network

Impetus to the Network (Social forces and agency efforts)

The Launch of the Net

The Hubs of the Network (share experience, resources, vision and expertise)

1. Hong Kong Association of Media Education n  Chairman : One of the authors of UNESCO’s document

“Media and Information Literacy Curriculum for Teachers”

n  Vice-chairperson: One of the members of the MIL Indicators writing team

[leadership, expertise & knowledge]

2.The Institute for Journalism and Society at the Hong Kong Baptist University n  General Education course (university wide) for media

literacy and MIL

n  Information on Website

n  Promote MIL by writing articles for the community

n  International conference

n  Research and development

(teaching, resource center)

http://media-education.journalism.hkbu.edu.hk

「傳媒資訊素養」提升香港競爭力

最近發表的世界競爭力年度報告指出，香港的競爭力正在倒退，香港究竟在哪

些方面的發展需要急起直追？現時全球各國正邁進知識社會，香港準備好了嗎？

聯合國教科文組織（UNESCO）在過去十年，發展「傳媒資訊素養」（media and

information literacy，簡稱 MIL），倡議各國培養國民處理資訊的能力，認為「傳媒資

訊素養」高的國家才能在知識型經濟中具備競爭力，順利過渡至知識社會。那麼，

香港在這方面有甚麼進展？我們的新一代如何在未來的國際舞台上保持優勢？

面對知識社會的挑戰，香港反應並不見得快速，比起韓國及新加坡，我們相對落後，不過近年我們也意識到有

需要改變，除了推行教育改革，上月（五月十一日），教統局家校合作委員會，聯同香港浸會大學傳理學院新聞與

社會研究所，舉辦了「傳媒資訊素養」研究會，向家長、老師及年青人介紹「傳媒資訊素養」的重要性，可以說是

「起動的呼喚！」（wake-up call）。香港的教育工作者，亦正式開展香港的「傳媒資訊素養」運動。

「傳媒資訊素養」是指一組處理資訊的能力，它包括了傳媒素養（media literacy）、資訊素養（information literacy）

及資訊科技技巧（ICT skills），是傳媒教育的進階課程。一位具備「傳媒資訊素養」的年青人，他應該有能力處理

來自不同資訊源的訊息，這些資訊源包括大眾傳媒、互聯網、圖書館、資料庫、博物館等。所以當日研討會的講者，

也來自不同的界別，包括學者、老師、傳播界的專業人士、圖書館館長及博物館館長等。除此之外，聯合國教科文

組識北京辦事處的傳播及資訊顧問安卓，也來港介紹「傳媒資訊素養」在知識社會中的角色。

資訊力

踏入廿一世紀，人類社會正在各方面發深刻變化，而其中一項最重要的，是從工業社會轉型至知識社會，無論

是政治、經濟及文化領域均醞釀翻天覆地的範式轉移。我們的下一代將是知識工作者，他們靠腦力勞動及知識創造

來謀生，所以「傳媒資訊素養」是他們的基本生存技能。

日本作家大前研一在他的新作《大前研一的趨勢思考》中指出，面對資訊社會，只能靠人才來決勝負。他說日

本文科省熱心教導知識，這些知識可以全部存放在用一百日圓就可以買到的晶片裏。他認為真正重要的是，在工作

及生活中遇上有需要的時候，能夠快速找到必要的知識，再根據批判思維，對這些知識進行分析解讀，並多角度思

考，引發具創意的構想或解決問題的方案。他堅信培育這類人才，才能令日本在國際企業發揮領導角色。

公平參與知識社會

大前研一所描述的這種能力，跟「傳媒資訊素養」不謀而合。但值得注意的是，不應該用太功利主義的眼光來

看待「傳媒資訊素養」教育（MIL education），它不是純粹人力資源培訓。聯合國教科文組織顧間安卓特別提出，

「傳媒資訊素養」教育除了訓練有資訊力的公民，還旨在促進自由、獨立、多元及開放的資訊體制，建立一個平等、

A.Y.L. Lee & C.Y.K. So Hong Kong (China)

Media Literacy and Information Literacy: Similarities and Differences

Research papers:

3. Shak Chung Shan Memorial Catholic Primary School n  “21st Century Skills Learning: Creative Information

Technology Education project (2009 – present)

n  An innovative curriculum, integrating media literacy training with information technology education

Hubs of the Net: HKAME (Hong Kong Association of Media Education) IJS (Institute for Journalism and Society, HKBU) HKALL (Hong Kong Academic Library Link) NM (News Museum) SCSMCPS (Shak Chung Shan Memorial Catholic Primary School) CHSC (Committee on Home-School Co-operation, Education Bureau) HKLA (Hong Kong Library Association)

The Network Model

The Configuration of the Network

(Nature of the participating organizations)

The Communication of the Network

(Linkages among participating organizations: Sharing of resources and expertise)

The Hubs of the Network

(Leadership and support)

The Expansion of the Network

Impetus to the Network (Social forces and agency efforts)

The Launch of the Net

The Communication of the Net The strength of the network model is its link among the nodes

The nodes connect, support, exchange and cooperate with one another

The hubs of the net play a significant leadership role

Personal networking

MIL advocates have several identities

Committee on Home School Cooperation (Education Bureau): MIL Seminar

Member, Special Meeting on Review of Teacher Competencies Framework (TCF), Education Bureau, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government

Committee Member, Committee on Professional Development of Teachers and Principals, Education Bureau, HKSAR Government

School Talks

Talks for parents

The Network Model

The Configuration of the Network

(Nature of the participating organizations)

The Communication of the Network

(Linkages among participating organizations: Sharing of resources and expertise)

The Hubs of the Network

(Leadership and support)

The Expansion of the Network

Impetus to the Network (Social forces and agency efforts)

The Launch of the Net

The Expansion of the Network ML à library institution & IT arena

Schools & organizations à family

Hong Kong à Mainland China

n  MIL article (Cultivating the 21st Century Skills) published in China Radio & TV Academic Journal

n  MIL as conference theme: Institute of Media Literacy Studies at Zhejiang University of Media and Communication

Critical thinking à knowledge building

MIL network > ML network

Challenge and Future Development

Looking into the Future 24/7 learning everywhere

MIL is an indispensable life skill

MIL should be included into the school curriculum

The Challenge Ahead ML à MIL

n  Need more input form the information literacy discipline

Motivate more information literacy experts and ICT experts to join the network and participate in the MIL promotion campaign

Thank You!

Dr. Alice Y. L. Lee

Email: alicelee@hkbu.edu.hk