This paper describes how a team of teachers and researchers in Hong Kong worked together to develop a research lesson on electro-chemical series in a Learning Study at Secondary 4 level in the subject of Chemistry. Learning study is premised on a conceptual framework that builds on three types of variation: variation in students' understanding of a specific object of learning (V1); variation in teachers' understanding and ways of handling the object (V2); and the use of patterns of variation based on the Theory of Variation (V3). The study reported in this paper illustrates how the conceptual framework, in particular, the use of patterns of variation, helps to enhance student learning. In this study, the same teacher taught the research lesson in two cycles to two Secondary 4 Chemistry classes in the same school. The two cycles of research lesson were videotaped, analyzed and triangulated with the student learning outcomes in a diagnostic test administered before and after the lesson, and a post-lesson group interview with a sample of students. Whereas the theoretical framework of variation was employed to analyze what patterns of variation were created and hence what was made possible to learn in the lessons, the results of the pre- and post- test were compared to trace the students' progress in categories of questions that measured for their understanding. In the research lesson, patterns of variation which served the functions of ìseparation and ìgeneralization were used to help the students to understand how the electro-chemical series is derived, and to discern that the order of the metals in the series and the potential difference between any two given metals are constant and independent of the reference metal used. The student learning outcomes showed that there was substantial growth in the students' understanding of these concepts.

This paper explores the concept of "cultural cross-currents," their implicit nature and the potential they have to effect second language literacy learning, teaching and curriculum reform in Hong Kong primary classrooms. Despite the substantive implications for learning, explorations of cultural influences upon teacher and student thinking and the resultant educational consequences, remains a largely unrecognized area. It is argued that cultural differences in attitudes, beliefs and values of cultural groups toward the way first and second languages are acquired needs to be made explicit in order to facilitate second language literacy teaching and learning.

隨著社會政治和經濟的急劇變遷，以及資訊科技的廣泛應用，兩岸四地華人社會的母語教育在過去變年不約而同地重新定位。新修訂的母語課程也逐步開始實施。通過在香港進行的一個各地母語能力指標的對比分析研究所得的數據，作者發現各地的母語課程對各學習階段的基本能力要求各有異同，顯示了各地的母語課程在歷史、社會和文化等不同的因素影響下作出的回應。

本研究主要探索在九七主權回歸之後，本港是否具備條件在初中階段使用普通話教授中國語文科。這裡所謂「條件」包括社會條件、教師專業條件以及學生的普通話能力等等。本論文在分析和研究這些條件之後，提出了一個在本港初中試用普通話教授中國語文科的設想。其中包括學校行政、教師心態、學生中文及普通話成績、家長意見等方面的具體研究。此外，作為本論文的重要內容之一，是有關教師培訓課程之初步構擬。本論文根據本港教師的實際情況提出了一個60學時的以普通話教授中文科（PMI）之教師培訓課程求之綱要。此課程包括教師語言、課程設置、教材改進、課程評估等有關內容。
[Copyright © 2000 The Hong Kong Institute of Education.]

這篇文章探討影響教師華語文網路教學策略的因素。科技發展改變了課程的面貌。隨著電腦和互聯網的普及，愈來愈多教育院校採用電子教學模式(Bates & Poole, 2003; Mitrovic, Suraweera, Martin & Weerasinghe, 2004)。學校和高等教育導 師的教學活動大多融合優質數碼多媒體和網路活動(Botturi, 2004; Morrison, 2002) 。許多研究探討網路語文教學的效能(Enjelvin, 2005; Sanders, 2005; Uzunboylu, 2005)，但是使用網路教學需要各類支援(Hanson & Carlson,2005)。本文作者以訪問收集教師的意見，比較香港普通話教師和中國語文教師的網路教學模式和對網路教學的看法，檢視哪些因素會影響教師的網路教學策略。訪問所得資料可以反映教師華語文網路教學上所需的支援，例如電子資源對語文教學的影響、網路教學課程架構的發展、資訊科技技能培訓等。研究結果可供語文教師培 訓課程設計參考。