Interactive whiteboard (IWB) has been widely used as a learning tool in the western classrooms since 1991. Many researchers reported that the technology benefits students by increasing their engagement in classroom activities, arousing learners’ motivation and helping with their knowledge retention. Hong Kong, as a Chinese society has its unique learning culture and environment, what benefits western students may not apply there. It is therefore worthwhile to explore the usefulness of IWB in Hong Kong schools. This paper reports on the research of what benefits can bring to Hong Kong students through the teaching with IWB. Result of this study shows that in general teachers and students in Hong Kong welcome the use of IWB in their classrooms.
[Copyright © 2006 IOS Press.]

In the Science Department of the Hong Kong Institute of Education (HKIEd), on e of our prominent research and teaching development areas is the application of information science and related technologies (which consist of scientific and 3D visualization, virtual reality, scientific computation, computer-simulated experiments, datalogging systems for computer-controlled/interfaced experiments as well as the conventional IT elements such as multimedia and Internet) in Science education. We have been applying our project output not only for teaching a thousand of Science or General Studies and non-Science elective student-teachers enrolled in various HKIEd sub-degree and degree level courses, but also for providing value-free knowledge to the public through the Internet (e.g. Hypermedia And Self-learning Centre with website http://www.ied.edu.hk/has) and some in-service teacher training programs. From a teacher educator’s point of view, we will share our expertise/experience in some practical and plausible applications of information science and related technologies for promoting quality teaching and effective learning through a subject-based or subject specific approach with particular reference to the Science education. We shall also discuss some feasible ways of training/upgrading the IT competence of school science teachers through a series of hands-on and minds-on workshops.

The Hong Kong Special Administration Region Government is promoting the use of Information Technology (IT) in education. A two-year IT-pilot scheme was launched among 10 primary and 10 secondary schools. This project aimed to study the planning and implementation of the pilot schools by adopting a case-study approach. Nine primary schools were studied. Data were collected via interviews, observations, and examinations of artefacts such as teaching plans, school web sites, and samples of students' work. A typical primary pilot school had two multimedia computer rooms, computer(s) in each classroom, and computers for teachers. All computers were connected to a LAN and the Internet. The findings of the study indicated that some formal school policies were emerging while the others were articulating. Some teachers accessed regularly to the IT facilities in their work especially for those schools provide individual portable computer and ceiling-mount digital projector in each classroom. Most students used computer once a week in computer awareness lessons. Most schools were planning to integrate IT to all primary curricular areas by developing or selecting courseware materials. Most schools were organising school-based training of developing teachers' competencies in using technology for teaching. Implications of these findings were discussed.

One of the roles of music teacher education is to produce music teachers with proficiencies in delivering music education at different educational levels. The impact of the development of IT in education in Hong Kong has been tremendous. The Hong Kong Education Department and the teacher education institutions are urging teachers in every discipline (including music) to apply the technology to a certain proportion of teaching and learning. Teacher proficiency requirements in IT have been developed quickly. As such, the philosophy that has prompted the inclusion of technology in music teacher education must be evident. The paper aims to investigate some aspects of the philosophy behind promoting IT to a level of such importance. A paradigm shift has come about in the approaches of teaching and learning from teacher-centered to student-centered for a range of reasons including the advent of IT. The teacher has to take on more of a facilitator role in stimulating students to learn how to learn rather than teaching what to learn. This aligns with the advocacy of flexible and life-long learning which are prevailing thoughts in the education world nowadays. These generic values are to be considered with the more unique values of IT in music teacher education. A new philosophy could imply more drastic changes in education in the near future. This could affect music teacher education as well as music education. The issues of how far a philosophy will induce quality learning and whether this application of IT could equate to quality teaching are to be considered. In a world which calls for reflective thinking as well as quality assurance and excellence, it is hoped that this paper will contribute to the discussion on the philosophy of the application of IT in music teacher education.
[Copyright © 2001 Aichi University of Education.]