Friday, January 12, 2007

YangXin Computer Laboratory

This is “the” computer laboratory in a major YangXin high school. It contains 30 personal computers, in a high school of 5,000 students. If the laboratory is utilized all day, for seven days a week, each student can use the laboratory on average for about one minute per week. Because they are children of poor farmers, most have no computers at home. And the school forbids them to visit Internet cafes.

So computer lessons are learned mostly conceptually, with very little opportunities for practice. That partly explains why Chinese students are much stronger in conceptual and mathematical skills, but much weaker in practical, experimental skills. In this information-saturated age, this is a huge handicap.

This is collaborated by our experience with students from mainland China in the universities in Hong Kong. Many of them excel in mathematics, conceptual and analytical problems, tests and examinations. But they often perform less well in programming, implementation, and project execution.

2 comments:

YEAH said...

I am a mainland China student so I do not quite agree with you. I think the students who could have the chance to come to HK are not good at conceptual learning but also application since most of them are from the big city. The situation you are talking about might be in the median or smaller city. Instead, after learning one and a half year in HK, I don't think my personal development, including academic study, interpersonal skills and working skills, is weaker than the local students, instead, I do better than lots of locals. So I think nowday the students in big cities of mainland china have the same ability as HK students do. I do know that it is a big discrepancy between big cities and smaller cities so I have the interest and responsibility to help those people to catch up. Also I really appreciate you!

YEAH said...

ah~~~I made a mistake...
" I think the students who could have the chance to come to HK are not only good at conceptual learning but also application since most of them are from the big city."