In the Consumer Council’s latest survey on textbook revision, among the 17 volumes of revised textbooks examined, 11 were classified as “necessary” while the 6 other editions were considered to be “somewhat necessary”. Outcome of the survey is found to be more acceptable than that of last year.
Based on the textbook lists for the current academic year, the samples surveyed this year were selected from revised books prescribed by a larger number of schools. They were then evaluated by academics, school principals and frontline teachers from relevant faculties of local tertiary institutions and association of heads of schools.
Specialists on the panel evaluated the samples from the perspective of teaching quality improvement. Based on the changes in content, sequence of chapters, and layout and design, the overall assessment of the need to revise the edition is derived.
The 17 volumes surveyed covered 1 volume of primary class textbook and the rest are secondary class textbooks across 8 subjects and all conform to the Education Bureau’s “five-year no revision” rule.
Among the 11 volumes for which revision was considered to be “necessary”, the specialists found that some amendments made to the content were reorganised either on account of the new syllabus or in line with present day circumstances. The revisions were believed to be beneficial for both teaching and learning. Revision of 6 out of the 8 Physics textbook samples was regarded as “necessary”. The specialists believed that the new editions have a closer link to the curriculum and “the added examples and supplementary information are highly effective”. Most of the new content are better than that of the old edition.
Of the 6 volumes classified as “somewhat necessary”, the specialists believed that some of the revisions are not essential. Taking the 2 Chinese Literature volumes as an example, the panelists agreed that revising the previous version was “reasonable” because it has already been 6 years since the last edition, and the integration in the new edition of scattered literature knowledge was also beneficial for teaching. However, the changes in layout and design were of little significance and there was room for reducing the number of pages.
Regarding the Business, Accounting and Financial Studies textbook sample, although various real life examples and examination questions were added in the new edition, the specialists considered that by experience, the teachers are able to filter outdated content without the help of a new edition with little changes. The publisher was suggested to consider introducing the additional content in loose-leaves or utilise its website to deal with the revisions.
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