More study needed on class e-book plan

More study needed on class e-book plan – Adele Wong (The Standard - 15/12/08)

The government should ensure all students have computers before deciding on establishing an e-book learning environment, a teachers’ group said.

Hong Kong Women Teachers’ Organization chairwoman Pauline Chow Lo-sai said many issues need to studied before deciding whether electronic books are the way to go for classroom learning.

“The government should consider things such as why type of electronic books and whether each student will be able to have his or her own computer first,” Chow said regarding a government task force set up in October to study the use of electronic book in schools.

Factors such as maintenance fees and other costs involving electronic equipment need to be taken into account, she added.

“The Education Bureau must solve all of these issues before making any decisions.”

She warned that e-books may end up being more expensive than the printed version.

According to the organization, 45.86 percent, or 482 out of 1,051 teachers polled, agrees that e-books were a good method of teaching while 382 or 36.35 percent did not agree.

Of interest to note was that elementary school teachers tended to believe more in electronic books as a useful classroom learning tool.

Out of those who agrees e-books were a good learning tool, 81.5 percent were primary school teachers while only 34.98 percent were secondary school teachers.

But 48.53 percent, or 510 teachers did not believe that a total e-book environment was possible.

The poll covered 1,051 teachers from 50 kindergartens, and primary and secondary schools last month.

2. Summary

Hong Kong students use electronic books instead of printed version that will be very common in the future. Nevertheless, Hong Kong Women Teachers’ Organization deemed the Government should ensure all students have computer before deciding on building an e-book learning environment. The chairwoman – Pauline Chow Lo-sai thought the Government should consider more carefully concerning what type of electronic books first. And the other factors such as maintenance fees and other costs involving the equipment also are very important. According to their poll, near 46 percent teachers agreed e-books were a good method of teaching. Most the elementary school teachers tended to believe in e-books as a useful classroom learning tool.

3. Feedback

Recently, the Government actively promotes electronic books instead of printed version. Needless to say, electronic books learning can enhance the interest of primary school students who will pay more attention on the lesson. However, there are lots of considerable factors regarding launching this plan such as the costs of buying the equipment and the maintenance fees. It is a high and expensive expense. Now, we encounter the financial crisis; need more money to open the plan of helping the company. Have we any extra resources to afford the extensive expense? I don’t think so. Therefore, I prefer this plan to be delayed that the Government can have more time to plan and prepare better. In addition, the students can also have a great environment for leaning at the same time. So, I think this method to progress this program better.