The Learning-to-Learn Curriculum Reform in Hong Kong and
School Practitioners' Successful Coping Efforts

Ming-Gon John Lian
Hong Kong, People' s Republic of China

Stepping into the 21st century, Asian/Pacific countries and areas such as Australia, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, New Zealand, Singapore, and Taiwan are devoting a great amount of effort for modern curriculum reform. Realizing the importance of an outcome-based curriculum which may prepare school students for the rapid and constant-changing and technology-demanding society, the Hong Kong Education Commission (HKEC, 2000, September) suggested the direction of educational reform toward students' life-long learning and all-round development. Based on these suggestions, the Hong Kong Curriculum Development Council (HKCDC, 2000) disseminated its "Learning to Learn" consultation document. According to the guideline in this document, the aim of the curriculum reform is to "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" (p. 17). Students are to be taught with nine generic skills: collaboration skills, communication skills, creativity, critical thinking skills, information technology skills, numeracy skills, problem solving skills, self-management skills, and study skills. These generic skills are to be enhanced through teaching in the eight key learning areas (KLAs) of Chinese Language Education, English Language Education, Mathematics Education, Science Education, Science Education, Technology Education, Personal, Social and Humanities Education, Arts Education, and Physical Education.

School practitioners in Hong Kong, including teachers, related service providers (e.g., speech/language therapists, social workers, and librarians), principals and other administrators are devoting their efforts in an attempt to follow the HKCDC consultation document and provide their students with timely and quality-level curriculum. A great number of task force activities as well as staff inservice workshops and conferences/seminars within and between schools were engaged (e.g., Aloia, 2001; 2001 Annual Conference of the Hong Kong Society of Special Education; Lian, 2001a, 2001b, 2001c, 2002; Lian, Poon-McBrayer, & Tam, 2001; Ng, 2001), which may be continued until an innovative curriculum structure with upgraded contents and more effective delivery strategies is fully developed. Governmental support included the Hong Kong Education Department's Quality of Education (QE) Funds (e.g., the Hong Kong School Leadership Network--SEG 1 Cross-School Collaboration Project), and the HKED-CDI (Curriculum Development Institute) Seed Grants (e.g., the Seed Project of "Constructing a School-based Curriculum on the Basis of Generic Skills). Support and encouragement also came from nonprofit organizations (e.g., the Hong Kong Society of Special Education) and private foundations.

The purpose of the present session is to share the experience and efforts of curriculum reform in, as well as between, schools in Hong Kong, which include (1) ongoing staff development, (2) team approach to maintain value and enhance positive attitude, (3) appropriate use of technology and other resources, (4) case study and establishment of student portfolio, (5) action research and progress evaluation, (6) school visits and observations, (7) parent/family involvement, and (8) collaboration with the governmental education agencies. The present session will also include teachers and other staff's perceptions and effective action plans regarding curriculum reform for their school's and Hong Kong's regional uniqueness, including the rich language (Cantonese, Mandarin Chinese and English), multi-culture, and tradition. It is expected that this session will increase conference participants' international exchange of effective ideas and approaches, and sharing of successful experiences, as well as establishment of connection and collaboration for future joint projects and efforts in the Southeast and global perspective.