Chi Chung LAM Visiting Professor Curriculum, Teaching and
Learning AG, NIE
Slide 2
To answer this question What are the changes? What are the
outcomes? Sustainability of the system?
Slide 3
The changes Curriculum Educational and school management New
academic structure (334 reform)
Slide 4
The change: Curriculum Learning to learn whole-person
development life-long learning emphasis: generic skills life-wide
learning
Slide 5
Generic skills Collaboration skills Communication skills
Creativity Critical thinking skills Information technology skills
Numeracy skills Problem-solving skills Self-management skills Study
skills
Slide 6
4 key means moral and civic education reading to learn project
learning information technology for interactive learning
Slide 7
The changes Education and school management: Accountability and
managerialism Hold schools and teachers accountable for their work
Quality assurance review/ school review Opening up information of
school and school performance Participation of the public (parents,
alumni, and the public) in school management Induce competition
among schools Territory-wide System Assessment (P3, P6 & S3)
These scores + School Certificate exam and A-level exam results:
value added figures)
Slide 8
Academic structure: 334 reform 2004: first proposed 2005:
decided to move ahead 2009: implementation at S4 334 reform: change
in academic structure From 3.2.2.3 to 3.3.4 i.e. 3 years (lower
sec), 2 years (upper sec), 2 years (sixth form/JC), 3 years
(undergraduate) To 3 years (lower sec), 3 years (upper sec), 4
years (undergraduate) Only one public examination at the end of
secondary education The old system: two exam: school cert (O level)
and A-level
Slide 9
12 year: free education The importance of education in the eyes
of the parents AND The high level of economic devt: Virtually all
students will stay in school after 9 years of compulsory
education
Slide 10
The major challenge Catering for individual differences
Individual differences among students: widening with age (Review of
9 year compulsory education, 1998) The extension of senior
secondary education from 2 years to 3 years: means most students
will stay on for one more year. Old system: only 40% of the O-level
students could proceed to A-level
Slide 11
Strategies No streaming All students: 4 core subjects English,
Chinese, Mathematics & Liberal Studies Electives: 1-3
traditional academic subjects And/Or Applied Learning subjects
Slide 12
What are the impacts of the education reform? Students learning
outcomes PISA: 2000, 2003, 2006, 2009
Slide 13
2000 Overall, Hong Kong students performed well compared with
students in most other countries, ranking first in mathematics,
third in science, and sixth in reading among the participating
countries. Hong Kong got 560 on the mathematical literacy scale1,
outperforming all the other participating countries significantly
except Japan (557) and Korea (547). Hong Kong scored 541 on the
scientific literacy scale. Only Korea (552) and Japan (550)
performed better than Hong Kong among all the participating
countries, but the differences were not statistically significant.
On the combined reading scale, Hong Kong obtained a score of 525.
Only one country, Finland (546), performed significantly better
than Hong Kong. In reading, Canada, New Zealand, Australia and
Ireland also performed better than Hong Kong, but the differences
were not statistically significant.
Slide 14
2003
Slide 15
Slide 16
2006 Science Finland, with an average of 563 score points, was
the highest-performing country Six other high-scoring countries had
mean scores of 530 to 542 points: Canada, Japan and New Zealand and
the partner countries/economies Hong Kong-China, Chinese Taipei and
Estonia.
Slide 17
2006 Reading Korea, with 556 score points, was the
highest-performing country in reading. Finland followed second with
547 points and the partner economy Hong Kong-China third with 536
points. Across the OECD area, reading performance generally
remained flat between PISA 2000 and PISA 2006. However, two OECD
countries (Korea and Poland) and five partner countries/economies
(Chile, Liechtenstein, Indonesia, Latvia and Hong Kong- China) have
seen significant rises in reading performance since PISA 2000.
Korea increased its reading performance between PISA 2000 and PISA
2006 by 31 score points, mainly by raising performance standards
among the better performing students. Hong Kong-China has increased
its reading performance by 11 score points since 2000.
Slide 18
2006 Mathematics Finland and Korea, and the partners Chinese
Taipei and Hong Kong-China, outperformed all other
countries/economies in PISA 2006.
Not only PISA, PIRLS also showed students have improved in
reading competency The 4 key areas: i.e. IT, reading, project
Implemented More new school-based curriculum initiatives, in
particular in primary schools Classroom teaching: More
student-centred methods used
Slide 21
Preface to the Progress report on the Edu Reform (4), Dec.,
2006 The Education Reform is a mammoth and complex task. Reform
proposals spanned across areas which are interrelated. Adjustments
in one area may have significant impact on other areas. Changes
will inevitably give rise to anxiety, difficulties and challenges.
In implementing the reform initiatives, our educators have worked
diligently with devotion and commitment. Expected improvements are
now gradually taking place in teaching and learning in schools. Our
efforts are bearing fruits. The Education and Manpower Bureau and
the education sector seem to have sailed through the most difficult
period in the establishment of rapport and partnership. Arthur Li
(Secretary for Education and Manpower), 2006
Slide 22
So, isnt the answer to the topic of the presentation very
obvious? But: outcomes of a change: More than students learning
outcomes See for example, Stakes countenance approach &
Stufflebeams CIPP model Lets look at three phenomena before making
the final verdict
Slide 23
Pressure on teachers 23
Slide 24
Pressure on teachers: increasing Overwork: a committee was set
up in 2006 to look into the matter But still very heavy Not only
teachers, principals also face similar problem Getting more and
more difficult to attract quality young graduates to the
profession
Slide 25
Teachers: loss their sense of professional satisfaction They
complained that they had been pushed to take up many non-edu work
Ho, Y.F. (2006)
Slide 26
Intensified pressure in secondary schools The introduction of
new senior secondary schools Upset the ecology in schools The
introduction of Liberal Studies as a compulsory subject: a
redundancy of teachers in all subjects Teachers: have to be
retrained to take up LS If each school needs 8 teachers, nearly
4000 teachers have to be retrained
Slide 27
What is LS? A transdisciplinary subject 6 units: from three
areas: Self and personal development Personal development and
interpersonal relationships Society and culture Hong Kong Toady
Modern China Globalisation Science, technology and the environment
Public Health Energy technology & the Environment 27
Slide 28
28 X1 English Language X2 Other Learning Experiences Use
contemporary issues as a platform to: study contemporary events not
covered by any single disciplines (Awareness) expand knowledge
& perspectives beyond single disciplines (Broadening) connect
knowledge and concepts across different disciplines (Connecting
& Critical thinking) X3 Issues in Liberal Studies Chinese
Language Mathematics
Slide 29
Liberal Studies Not only subject content knowledge Also new
pedagogy: issue-based enquiry learning Centred around generic
skills Multiple perspectives Values teaching Assessed in public
examination Independent Enquiry Study: school-based assessment
29
Slide 30
Lam & Chan (2011) find: Schools find it difficult to cope
with LS Attempt to scale it down For example Assign two or even six
teachers to teach one class Independent inquiry study: students are
given a limited choice of topics Teachers morale and subject
identity crisis As good subject teachers are assigned to teach LS,
the devt of other subjects is adversely affected
Slide 31
The backwash effect of TSA Performance of students in TSA (P3,
P6 & S3) counts The data: used to judge and monitor schools
performance Back to drill and practice a search of the Commercial
Press on 31 March, 2011: 125 exercise books for TSA, mostly for P.3
and P.6
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