背景：「小班教學」已於2009年9月開始分階段實施。 有教育同工反對這項改革，認為「小班教學」只會製造一種假像。亦有社會人士期望老師可以有多些時間，照顧學生的個別差異和成長；而學生家長也會期望老師可以有多些時間照顧學生的需要。學生、家長及其他社會人士對老師的期望提高了。但老師是否真的可以有多些時間去照顧學生的需要和成長呢？本文作者嘗試跟進教育同工們的關注，提出有關教育目的及關顧「心靈教育」的討論，特別是近年大陸學者所關注的「生命化教育」、「回歸生命教育」等，盼望能拋磚引玉，擦出進深探究教育使命的火花來。
討論焦點：本文嘗試從教育理念入手，闡釋小班教學計劃推行的主要精神應是在於「教學以學生為本，照顧個別學生的需要」。作者跟著提出兩個重要的課題去思考，即是：(一) 心靈教育是甚麼？ 及 (二) 如何推行心靈教育？。在跟進的討論中，作者進一步闡釋三個基本的問題，分別是：(一) 心靈是甚麼？；(二) 心靈成長需要怎樣的空間？；(三) 心靈成長需要甚麼元素？。
建議： 盼望教育當局在推行小班教學的同時能加強關注及投放更多資源去推動關顧學生心靈的教育；從事教育工作者今後亦應更多地關注學生的心靈、並能更有效地推動關顧學生心靈的教育。
總結：教育工作者的重要任務之一是要關注學生心靈的成長，小班教學的推行正是一個大好機會提醒前線教育工作者照顧個別學生的需要、包括幫助他們心靈的成長。心靈教育也就是生命化教育，須幫助學生認識自己、肯定生命的價值、發揮自我的潛能，建立更正面、更積極的人生觀。
Background: Hong Kong Education Bureau has been promoting small-class teaching in primary schools, reducing the number of pupils per class from 30 to 25. However, education frontiers were complaining that it would only create a mirage. While the society and the parents are expecting teachers to have more time and space to care for the students' individual needs in small class, the teachers in fact do not have much time for their students. It is indeed the proper time for us to re-think our educational mission underlying the small class provision and the present paper is doing precisely this fine job. Hence, it is proposed that alongside with the implementation of small class policy, more effort should be made for the concern of spirituality education in schools of Hong Kong today.
Aims or focus of discussion: It is made clear that the educational mission of small class teaching would be aimed at the caring for the students' individual needs and spiritual growth. Two issues will be raised and discussed in this paper, namely: (a) what is spirituality education?; and (b) how to promote spirituality education in schools today? The author moves on to elaborate three basic concerns for the promotion of spirituality education in schools, namely: (a) what is meant by 'spirituality'? ; (b) the kind of space needed

背景： 教統局檢討中學教學語言政策，提出微調的方案。
目的： 本文主要是為回應中學教學語言微調政策而寫。
論點： 文中指出主要有經濟、政治和教育三個因素影響著中學使用何種教學語文，在正常情況下，經濟為主導因素，故1949年之前，學生多選讀中文中學，1950-97年間則選讀英文中學，惟政府在回歸時的強制性母語教學政策，將政治因素放在首位，引至近年中學教學語文的亂局。核心問題是：教育署(1989)將「中英混用方式來教學」和「校本分流教學語文調適」混淆，將「在雙語教學的世界中，課堂上的講解多是英語輔以粵語，書面語才是全英文」這種學習第二語時的必經過程，貿然定性為錯誤。
總結：要解救現今中學教學語文的困境，校本分流中學教學語言微調政策應是溫和的良方。
Background: The Education Bureau reviewed the on medium of instruction in secondary schools and proposed the fine-tuning of policy.
Aim: This article is in response to the fine-tuning policy of medium of instruction.
Exposition: The economic, political and educational factors were found to be the main ones influencing the choice of medium of instruction in secondary schools. In particular, the economic factor was found to be the dominant one under normal situations. Before 1949, students chose to study in Chinese middle schools. They switched to choose Anglo-Chinese secondary schools during 1950-97. The scene has been seriously distorted recently due to the Government's strong policy of imposing mother tongue education to a majority of secondary schools after 1997. Parents, students, and educators are unhappy about the Government's explicit intervention. Crucial issue: the Education Department (1989) mixed up the [mixed code teaching] and [school based mixed mode teaching according to subjects and levels]. They wrongly concluded the auxiliary use of Chinese in some English medium class were unacceptable which is against the general trend of linguistic development of students.
Conclusion: The fine-tuning policy of medium of instruction, particularly the school based mixed mode teaching according to subjects and levels, language streaming within school will be a moderate but good way to resolve the dilemma of medium of instruction in secondary schools.
[Copyright of New Horizons: The Journal of Education, Hong Kong Teachers' Associationl is the property of Hong Kong Teachers' Association at http://www.hkta1934

Background: Cantonese-English mixed code is ubiquitous in Hong Kong society, and yet using mixed code is widely perceived as improper. This paper presents evidence of mixed code being socially constructed as bad language behavior. In the education domain, an EDB guideline bans mixed code in the classroom. Teachers are encouraged to stick to Cantonese or English, depending on the school-based medium of instruction policy (i.e. EMI vs. CMI schools).
Aims or focus of discussion: This paper analyzes the major reasons why mixed code is so difficult to avoid, both inside and outside the classroom. One important factor is the 'medium-of-learning effect'. Empirical evidence will be presented to demonstrate students' cognitive dependence on English terminologies as a direct result of English medium education. The paper draws implications for classroom code-switching, which is pedagogically a valuable linguistic resource.
Arguments / comments / suggestions: The EDB guideline banning mixed code in the classroom is too rigid. Code-switching has great potential for helping the bilingual teacher to achieve context-specific teaching and learning goals like clarifying difficult concepts and reinforcing students' bilingual lexicon (e.g. melamine/三聚氰胺, financial tsunami/金融海嘯). For EMI teachers, switching to Cantonese helps maintain class discipline, build rapport and reduce social distance with students. The assumption or claim that mixed code leads to declining English or even Chinese standards is not informed by sound empirical evidence.
Conclusion: Educated Chinese Hongkongers find it difficult to resist using some English in their informal interactions with others in Cantonese, resulting in mixed code. Instead of banning mixed code indiscriminately, a more proactive and productive approach will be to conduct empirical research with a view to (a) better understanding the circumstances under which classroom code-switching is necessary, (b) identifying pedagogically

背景：香港進入了兩文（中、英文）三語（英語、粵語、普通話）的新紀元。藉訓練普通話口語的同時亦教導思維技巧，是一項創新課程的設計及具挑戰的教學安排。
調查對象：研究對像是普通話興趣班的學生，分別來自小學及初中，依年齡分為6-10 和11-14 歲。
調查方法：採用質量調查方法，透過導師的觀察和收集學生的導圖作品進行評估。
調查結果：研究結果發現心腦導圖對學生學習興趣和說話內容的組織程度有幫助。
總結：本文報導的普通話科使用心腦導圖的行動研究，在學生來說除了是一種新的體驗外，對教師的教學素質也是一種提昇。
Background: Hong Kong has entered a new era with the usage of two written languages (Chinese and English) and three spoken languages (English, Cantonese, and Putonghua). To teach Putonghua and thinking skills at the same time is a creative and challenging lesson arrangement.
Aims: This paper reported the findings of an action research involving the introduction of mind map not only as tool to help the students organizing their thinking and learning but also to further enhance the quality of the spoken Putonghua.
Sample: The participants of the research were primary and junior school students aged between 6 and 10 as well as 11 and 14 respectively. They were all interested in learning Putonghua.
Method: Qualitative method was used to gather data for the study and involved teacher observations and the evaluation of the mind maps drawn up by the students.
Results: It was found that the mind maps had been helpful in student motivation and organization of the contents of the spoken Putonghua.
Conclusion: The action research reported in this study had provided very insightful experiences for the students on one hand and had raised the quality of teaching Putonghua on the other.
[Copyright of New Horizons: The Journal of Education, Hong Kong Teachers' Associationl is the property of Hong Kong Teachers' Association at http://www.hkta1934.org.hk/]

Curriculum innovation has been regarded as an essential strategy for educational reform throughout the era of educational change. Because of the changing nature of the knowledge age, students need to develop ways of dealing with complex issues and problems that require different kinds of skills and knowledge that they have ever learned. Given the advancement of information and communications technologies (ICT), a number of models of learning communities have been advocated in recent years. Realizing the impact of this new learning culture, six primary schools in Hong Kong participated in a curriculum innovation project, in which students were engaged in building learning communities and constructing knowledge through Knowledge Forum, a computer mediated communication platform. This paper reports the results of data analysis based on interviews of principals, teachers, and students to explore how the innovation initiated a change in learning culture as well as the leadership issues arising from the project implementation.
近年的教育改革當中，課程革新已成為推動改革的重要策略。由於工作和社會本質的改變，人們需要發展不同種類的知識去解決複雜的問題，所需的知識可能是他們未曾接觸過的。隨著資訊及通訊科技的發展，近年提倡了不少學習社群的學術模型建議。六所香港的小學在體會到這種新的學習文化的影響，參加一項課程革新計劃，其中學生利用知識論壇(一種電腦仲介傳播的工具)從事知識建構和建立學習社群。這研究報告根據校長、教師和學生的訪談分析，探索課程革新如何推動學習文化的改變以及推行當中的領導問題。
[Copyright of New Horizons: The Journal of Education, Hong Kong Teachers' Associationl is the property of Hong Kong Teachers' Association at http://www.hkta1934.org.hk/]

The experience of a two-year project to promote the use of Web-based teaching and learning at XXX University was presented. A total of 68 courses over two semesters were included in the study. Surveys of students and teachers suggested that the quality of learning and teaching were improved. Over 80% of the students had used Web-based teaching and satisfied with its results and a majority of them would continue to use WebCT in the future. It was found that students developed a more favourable attitude toward the subjects and the teachers in the process. Teachers were delighted with the results and appreciated the support made available to them through the project team. Some even volunteered to be "mentors" for future novice teachers in this endeavour. Reservation and resistance offered by a few university administrators were noted and their concern would provide future challenges and targets for improvement. It is concluded based on the case study at XXX University, Web-enhanced/based teaching and learning is a trend that cannot be overlooked and should be seriously considered for adoption by tertiary institutions.
[Copyright of New Horizons: The Journal of Education, Hong Kong Teachers' Associationl is the property of Hong Kong Teachers' Association at http://www.hkta1934.org.hk/]

「合作探究學習法」是「合作學習」其中一個模式，一般以小組形式進行。這模式強調各成員的個人學習績效、積極互賴精神和人際及小組學習技巧。它能有效提升學生的探究思維能力，有系統地提出問題、界定問題、搜集有關資料，利用有關語言和文字作出解釋，促進小組各成員及團體彼此之間的交流及增進他們的內在動機。教師及教育工作者可從有關中國語文教學的建議中，參考此創新教學模式的實施和評估，並商議其在未來教育改革上的可行性。
Group Investigation (GI) is a model of cooperative learning in which students learn together in a group. The module emphasizes individual accountability, positive interdependence and interpersonal and group skills of the group members. Hence, GI is effective in enhancing students' skills of exploring and thinking, their ability to raise and identify questions systematically, seek relevant materials and present the organized materials verbally and in written form. The model can also increase interaction among students and their intrinsic motivation. From the example given on the teaching of Chinese language, teachers and educators can make reference to the implementation of GI in the classroom to determine the feasibility of such a model of innovative teaching in the education reform for the future.
[Copyright of New Horizons: The Journal of Education, Hong Kong Teachers' Associationl is the property of Hong Kong Teachers' Association at http://www.hkta1934.org.hk/]

Background: Information and communications technologies (ICT) are often characterized as offering new and exciting possibilities for changing and enhancing the way people work and play. Similarly, ICT-based learning environments offer opportunities for new types of learning and cognitive activity that have not been previously available in formal educational settings. Lessons from business reveal that technology can be a powerful accelerator of change, however it must be focused on productive applications.
Focus of discussion: In education, there have been calls to more closely examine some of the claims for ICT and to re-think the ways it has been used to date. This paper argues that at the school-level, the form ICT will take and the functions it will serve for teaching and learning are still yet to be determined.
Argument: It is clear from studies of highly successful organizations that that they think differently about technology and work hard to develop thoughtful and creative applications. The continuing challenge for Hong Kong schools is to demonstrate that ICT has a credible place in the development of collaborative learning environments that emphasize knowledge production over knowledge reproduction.
Conclusion: The educational leadership that is required for the new millennium is to look for smart uses of technology that are designed to foster knowledge creation and productive learning.
眾所周知，資訊與通訊技術給人們帶來新的機遇，並且改變著人們工作與休閒的方式。同樣，基於資訊通訊科技的學習系統也向人們提供了傳統教育所無法提供的新的學習與認知方式。實踐經驗表明，技術可以成為促使改善認知方式的強有力的催化劑，但是選擇技術時必須注意這種技術是否的確可以提高效率。已經有人呼籲要密切關注資訊通訊技術在教育領域的應用方式。筆者認為在中小學階段，資訊通訊技術服務於教學的方式還有待於研究。香港中小學目前所面臨的挑戰是如何證明在開發側重於知識開發的協作學習環境時，資訊通訊科技佔有重要的地位。我們對一些在這個領域內取得成功的機構作分析的結果顯示，這些機構對技術的認識與其他機構有所不同，並且這些機構致力於開發出富有創新的應用系統。教育領域領導階層需要尋求合理利用技術來服務於知識獲取及高效率學習的新方法。
[Copyright of New Horizons: The Journal of Education, Hong Kong Teachers' Associationl is the property of Hong Kong Teachers' Association at http://www.hkta1934.org.hk/]

背景： 教統會在今年二月發表檢討中學教學語言及中一派位機制的諮詢文件，邀請各界回應。
目的： 本文主要是為回應上述的中學教學語言政策而寫。
論點： 文中指出主要有經濟、政治和教育三個因素影響著中學使用何種教學語文，在正常情況下，經濟為主導因素，故1949 年之前，學生多選讀中文中學，1950-97 年間則選讀英文中學，惟政府在回歸時的強制性母語教學政策，將政治因素放在首位，引至近年中學教學語文的亂局。
總結：要解救現今中學教學語文的困境，校本分流應是溫和的良方。
Background: The Education Commission is now reviewing the policy on medium of instruction and school places allocation in secondary schools of Hong Kong. They invite response from different sectors about the present policy.
Aim: This article is in response to the above invitation on the policy of medium of instruction.
Exposition: The economic, political and educational factors were found to be the main ones influencing the choice of medium of instruction in secondary schools. In particular, the economic factor was found to be the dominant one under normal situations. Before 1949, students chose to study in Chinese middle schools. They switched to choose Anglo-Chinese secondary schools during 1950-97. The scene has been seriously distorted recently due to the Government’s strong policy of imposing mother tongue education to a majority of secondary schools after 1997. Parents, students, and educators are unhappy about the Government's explicit intervention.
Conclusion: Language streaming within school will be a moderate but good way to resolve the dilemma of medium of instruction in secondary schools.
[Copyright of New Horizons: The Journal of Education, Hong Kong Teachers' Associationl is the property of Hong Kong Teachers' Association at http://www.hkta1934.org.hk/]

為了提高本地的教育質素，小班教學經已在二零零四年九月在37 間小學的一年級試行，並逐年推廣至小二。小班教學耗資不少教學經費，當局計劃對這試驗計劃先作評估，然後才考慮是否值得正式推行。不過，這計劃的目的現時還未清晰，評估指標亦欠具體，這些都會對教師要採用哪些教學策略有關鍵性的影響。本文就美國威斯康辛的「學生教育成就保證」計劃的結果進行討論，期望為教師及制訂政策者帶來一點啟示。
Small class teaching is currently tried out in 37 primary schools in Hong Kong, with a view to enhancing the quality of education. Commencing from September 2004, the Project targets at the primary one and then proceeds to the primary two for two consecutive cohorts. The costly project will be assessed before it might be considered for implementation. However, as the Project is in lack of clarity in terms of its objectives, teachers can be clouded by its evaluation criteria and hence will be hesitant to the appropriate teaching strategies to employ. This paper aims to draw the attention of the local teachers and policy makers to the experience of implementing small class teaching in the Student Achievement Guarantee in Education Project in Wisconsin, and its implications on small class teaching in Hong Kong.
[Copyright of New Horizons: The Journal of Education, Hong Kong Teachers' Associationl is the property of Hong Kong Teachers' Association at http://www.hkta1934.org.hk/]