EdUHK Promotes Sustainable Reading Habits through e-Learning Platform

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The Department of Mathematics and Information Technology (MIT) at The Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK) conducted the second dissemination seminar for QEF Project 2013/0545 entitled “Building Reading Community of Tomorrow in Hong Kong and Asia-Pacific Region” today (17 February). The project’s objective is to encourage local primary students to develop reading habits through modelling from teachers and the use of an e-learning platform.

Led by Professor Kong Siu-cheung, Professor at MIT and Director of the Centre for Learning, Teaching and Technology at EdUHK, the project is supported by six collaborating schools, including The Education University of Hong Kong Jockey Club Primary School (EDUJCPS), Ma On Shan Ling Liang Primary School (MOSLLPS), Marymount Primary School (MPS), Baptist Rainbow Primary School (RAINBOW), Po Leung Kuk Chee Jing Yin Primary School (PLKCJY) and Po Leung Kuk Dr Jimmy Wong Chi-Ho (Tin Sum Valley) Primary School (PLKWCH). The project team is aiming to create a reading community of tomorrow in Hong Kong, building on the reading community of tomorrow in the Asia-Pacific region established by the project consultant, Professor Chan Tak-wai of the National Central University in Taiwan.

The team has scaled up the successful Taiwanese experience to Hong Kong primary schools to promote modelled sustained silent reading, whereby teachers consistently read silently in schools to encourage students to develop sustainable reading habits and better prepare for future self-directed learning. The students participating in the two-year project have been using the online game-based learning platform “Bookstore of Tomorrow” to discuss their reading with peers in the same local school, across different local schools and with overseas schools (in Taiwan, Singapore and/or Macau) by stages.

Project leader Professor Kong Siu-cheung chaired the dissemination seminar and reported the major project outcomes. Reporting the school-based experiences and outcomes of promoting the reading community of tomorrow were representatives of the six collaborating schools, including Principal Sylvia Chan of MOSLLPS, Principal Shirley Duthie of EDUJCPS, Principal Ko Oi-luen of PLKCJY, Vice Principal Candy Chan of MPS, Ms Wong Ka-yung of RAINBOW and Ms Wong Chung-king of PLKWCH.

Following a Q&A session, Professor Kong led a discussion about how to effectively introduce teachers’ modelling and use the e-learning platform to achieve the complementary relationship of face-to-face communication and digital communication among students and teachers, and hence to better prepare students for self-directed learning.

The project will be completed in late February 2017. The project team has also published four booklets summarising the experiences and outcomes of the collaborating schools, which have been delivered to all local primary schools for dissemination and reference.