The Working Group on Textbooks & e-Learning Resources Development has submitted a report proposing a three-year "promoting e-learning" pilot scheme be launched in up to 30 primary and secondary schools in the 2010-11 school year.

It also suggests the development of the depository of curriculum-based learning and teaching resources be expedited and strengthened at the primary and junior secondary levels with additional resources from the 2009-10 school year.

The report proposed a one-off grant to be disbursed to all primary and secondary schools this school year for buying e-learning resources in the next three years, and an e-commerce platform for e-learning resources and an online community for teachers at the Education City website be established.

The working group also recommended debundling textbooks, and learning and teaching resources for pricing, and changing textbooks' three-year rule of no revision to five years from 2010-11.

More recommendations

Other proposals include:

* considering forming a steering committee to supervise the e-learning pilot scheme's implementation and to make recommendations on long-term strategies on using e-learning resources;

* encouraging and supporting the establishment of a cross-sector working group which will endeavour to promote collaboration and partnership among schools, the publishing sector and the information technology sector;

* conducting in-depth studies into the intellectual property rights issue related to using e-learning resources and the possible impact on students' health due to frequent use of such resources to formulate strategies and support measures;

* enhancing communication with parent organisations to collect their views on textbook quality and prices and reflecting them to textbook publishers; and,

* encouraging schools to launch school-based textbook recycling programmes.

Tripartite collaboration

Secretary for Education Michael Suen welcomed the report saying the Government is committed to developing e-learning which will enhance student learning and development.

He said the recommendations on how the Government can encourage and support schools to make good use of e-learning resources will be carefully considered, noting printed textbooks have their own value as learning materials.

Working group chairman and Under Secretary for Education Kenneth Chen said the successful development of e-learning depends on a change in teaching modes by teachers and the development and supply of diversified e-learning resources, adding collaboration among schools, and the publishing and information technology sectors is needed.

He said debundling printed textbooks and learning and teaching resources for pricing is in line with the user-pays principle and teachers will be able to get proper teaching materials of their own choice.

The five-year rule of no revision has been proposed as it takes three years to complete a key learning stage and another two years to revise and review a published textbook for that particular learning stage. The prerequisite requirement is there must be strong justification for any revision.