Innovation in pedagogy by technology integration in kindergarten classroom has always been a challenge for most teachers. This design-based research aimed to explore the feasibility of using Augmented Reality (AR) technology in early art education with a focus on the gains and pains of this innovation. A case study was conducted in a typical kindergarten in Hong Kong, with a class of four- to five-year-old children (N=30) and their class teacher, ICT teacher as well as two parent volunteers. A series of art education activities using AR was designed and implemented in the class. Effectiveness of the activities was evaluated through a triangulation of semi-structured interviews with teachers, principal and parents, and surveys administered to children. The results indicated that (1) all the children could design, control and interact with the animated objects generated by the AR application; (2) all the stakeholders interviewed were supportive of this pedagogical innovation and (3) the principal, teachers and parents were concerned about the side effects of using AR in early childhood education. Possible improvements and implications to AR-based art education were also addressed.
[Copyright of Early Child Development & Care is the property of Routledge]

A study was conducted for creating digital classrooms to support students to develop information literacy competency and critical thinking skills through domain knowledge learning in digital classrooms. A total of 107 students from four Secondary 1 classes were invited from a secondary school in Hong Kong to participate in the study. In the 13-week trial teaching, every three students shared a Tablet PC for learning two topics in the Integrated Humanities subject. The pre- and post-tests of the two target subject topics found that the students had a statistically significant growth in domain knowledge. The three identical information literacy tests and critical thinking tests throughout the trial teaching found that the students had a statistically significant growth in information literacy competency and critical thinking skills. The semi-structured interviews found that the students and teachers positively perceived the effectiveness of the pedagogical designs of the digital classrooms on supporting the development of information literacy competency and critical thinking skills. Three implications are drawn for enhancing the pedagogical designs in digital classrooms that put emphasis on fostering students' development of information literacy competency and critical thinking skills through day-to-day domain knowledge learning in class.
[Copyright © Pergamon Press].

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.