Academics are increasingly expected to be research productive. An impressive research output requires the ability to communicate in sophisticated written English in order to ensure that a publication is of an acceptable standard. In response to the demands for advanced writing skills to maintain high standards in research publications, a pilot online writing network of information (OWN) has been developed to provide academics in the School of Nursing at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University with research writing support in English. In this paper the OWN database is introduced with an explanation of the theoretical foundations and the needs analysis that shaped each link. Then, with data from two questionnaires completed by the users and interview of four users, I present a user evaluation of OWN. The questionnaires suggest that users see certain links as more useful in providing individualised writing support, while the interviewees most appreciate the complete privacy in which support could be sought. Through this description and user evaluation, I argue that academics could benefit from English language support when writing for publication, and computer technology may offer both flexibility and privacy.
[Copyright of Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education is the property of Routledge. Full article may be available at the publisher's website: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02602930301679]

Despite frequent attempts to address educational changes and the roles of information and communication technology (ICT) in effecting changes in student learning, few have conceptually examined ICT implementation within a wider context of managing change in schools. Methodologically, it has been argued that ignoring the multilevel nature of the data collected might incur significant discrepancies in the results. These research gaps direct us to develop multilevel models to explore how the relevant contextual factors contribute to effective ICT implementation, in particular the school-level factors. Results indicated that from teacher perspectives, ICT was able to act as a lever to bring about changes in student learning in the context of establishing collegiality in schools. Sociocultural setting rather than structural characteristics of the school accounted for the variation of school mean for perceived changes in student learning. Specifically, perceived changes in pedagogy modulated perceived changes in student learning among schools.
[Copyright of School Effectiveness and School Improvement is the property of Routledge. Full article may be available at the publisher's website: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09243450801896809]

Like many other countries, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government has invested heavily in the computer facilities of schools. It is expected that by using ICT, the quality of education will be enhanced through a paradigm shift in school pedagogical practices. However, some educational innovations resulted in disappointing outcomes and some of them did make the progress expected and failed to sustain their development. This research addresses such problems by presenting a model that provides guidance on how to facilitate effective and sustainable Innovative Pedagogical Practices Using Technology (IPPUT). The model was derived from an in-depth case study of one innovative primary school in Hong Kong. The research first investigated what an innovative classroom might look like, then by using the "Layer-Two" Model Instrument (Typology of ICT Uptake) (Newhouse, Trinidad, & Clarkson, 2002) and other Matrix Construction Techniques (Miles & Huberman, 1984), various conditions and constraints on the development of IPPUT were identified, subsumed and grouped into two "issue trees." It is particularly useful for the school leaders to formulate optimum strategies for implementing IPPUT by comparing their school's realistic situations with those factors in the two "issue trees". Finally, the whole-school system model was presented suggesting that given favourable conditions including visionary school leadership, whole-hearted collaboration and participation of all school stakeholders, with a systematic managerial methodology, it is possible to have true ICT integration and sustainable pedagogically-sound environments for students' learning.
[Copyright of International Electronic Journal for Leadership in Learning is the property of International Electronic Journal of Elementary Education.
Access via Directory of Open Access Journals: http://www.ucalgary.ca/iejll/]

This article presents data from a qualitative case study examining secondary ESL students' attitudes toward and perceptions of a collaborative e-mail exchange between a Form 4 (10th grade) ESL class in Hong Kong and an 11th grade English class in Iowa. The exchange was based on a researcher-designed instructional model, utilizing widely accepted theories and methods for modern second language instruction: cooperative learning, communicative language learning, process writing, project-based learning, and an integrated approach.
After exposure to the exchange, Hong Kong students were questioned about (a) changes in attitude towards computers and language learning; (b) effect of computer background on attitude, interest, and motivation; (c) perception of their acquired reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills; and (d) attitude towards cooperative learning. Data was collected primarily from pre- and post-model surveys and personal interviews.
The majority of Hong Kong participants said they enjoyed the exchange, gained general confidence in English and computer skills, and felt that they made significant progress in writing, thinking, and speaking. They were, however, ambivalent as to whether it improved standardized exam-related skills such as grammar usage and discrete language functions. As the project progressed, students with strong computer skills indicated less satisfaction than those with weak computer skills.
[Copyright of Language Learning & Technology is the property of Heinrich-Heine-University in Düsseldorf.
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