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善惡之分 (蘇格拉底和學生之對話)

善惡之分 (蘇格拉底和學生之對話) 

學生:蘇格拉底,請問什麼是善行?

蘇格拉底:盜竊、欺騙、把人當奴隸販賣,這幾種行為是善行還是惡行?

學生:是惡行。 蘇格拉底:欺騙敵人是惡行嗎?把俘虜來的敵人賣作奴隸是惡行嗎?

學生:這是善行。不過,我說的是朋友而不是敵人。

蘇格拉底:照你說,盜竊對朋友是惡行。但是,如果朋友要自殺,你盜竊了他準備用來自殺的工具,這是惡行嗎?

學生:是善行。

蘇格拉底:你說對朋友行騙是惡行,可是,在戰爭中,軍隊的統帥為了鼓舞士氣,對士兵說,援軍就要到了。但實際上並無援軍,這種欺騙是惡行嗎?

學生:這是善行。
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港大校長撐學生

馬斐森校長在12月17日的演辭

先看尾二的一段:

....My last word is on our students. There seems to be a widespread belief in Hong Kong that school and university students, and perhaps Hong Kong U students more than most, are difficult, rebellious, subversive trouble-makers: this is just not true and I need all of you to join me in countering this misinterpretation. The vast majority of Hong Kong students are hard-working, conscientious and respectful of authority. They are talented individuals working to improve themselves and society. No-one in Hong Kong should think that student activism is only a Hong Kong issue. In recent months there have been massive student demonstrations in universities in the United States about issues of race and fossil fuel divestment and in South Africa about issues of tuition fees, closing universities down in some cases. Our young people are passionate and idealistic and they care about the world that they are inheriting. We may disagree with some of their methods, but we should work with them, understand them, help to mould them into a generation of mature adults that can address the challenging issues facing their world.....

幸虧從英國聘請了他做校長,港大的淪落還可以拖幾年。

全文:


Message from President and Vice-Chancellor

This is the speech of the President and Vice-Chancellor Professor Peter Mathieson to the Court (December 17, 2015).

First, I want to personally thank all the staff, students, alumni and friends of the University for all their support and for all their hard work in advancing the best interests of Hong Kong U. The twelve months since last year's meeting of Court has been a very challenging period for everyone associated with this great University. There has been intense public and media scrutiny of decision-making in the University Council, there have been controversies around many issues and there have been challenges to the core values of the University. Throughout this period, I and the senior management team have stuck to our principles, remained politically neutral and continued to be driven by our commitment to maintain and enhance the high standards of excellence in teaching, research and knowledge exchange which characterize and define Hong Kong U and must continue to do so. The senior management team has been joined by 4 new members in 2015: together with the rest of the team and in consultation with the Faculty Deans, we have initiated bold reforming steps to address the University's future. The draft document that has been provided to Court members for today's meeting describes our current thinking on a high-level vision of the way forward. A previous version of the document has already been shared with Council and at that meeting I appealed to members to contribute to the vision and then to unite around its delivery. I make the same appeal to all members of the University today. I acknowledge that there will be a debate on some contentious issues later in today's meeting; we may have differences of opinion on the priorities or on how to address them: that is healthy, let's have a debate and reach a conclusion and then move on. Let's not have conflict and confrontation. It is time to put divisions behind us, to be unified by our shared passion for Hong Kong U and to move forward. In my opinion there has been far too much focus on individuals: who the Chancellor is and how he is selected, who will be the next Chair of Council, who is awarded honorary degrees, who is appointed to a vice-president post, who the President is and how long he will last etc, and not enough focus on the University as a whole. We must all remember that we are transient in the history of the University of Hong Kong. In another hundred years this University will still be here striving for excellence. Our job is to nurture and protect the legacy of the University, its current activities and its future strategic development. We should shift the focus from individuals and get it back onto the University. The new strategic plan, and the major capital campaign that we propose to mount alongside it, can be the catalysts for a new positive energy, so that we can achieve the aim of making the University of Hong Kong Asia's global university and one of the world's greatest universities.

In my speech to Court a year ago, I commented on the need for greater strategic coordination. You will have seen that the new plan centres around 3+1 Is: Internationalisation, Innovation and Interdisciplinarity, all converging on Impact. With each of the new vice-presidents leading on a key area, we have started work under these headings. A major part of the work that our Vice-President for Teaching and Learning, Ian Holliday, has completed this year was around the assessment visits by the Quality Assurance Council (QAC) which last visited HKU in 2009. Ian and many colleagues did an enormous amount of work preparing the submission documents and interacting with the visiting team, which included local and international experts. We do not yet have their full report but the initial comments were generally very positive. Our Academic Development Proposal 2016-2019 was submitted to the UGC in February and included bold commitments to provide opportunities in the Mainland and overseas to 50% of our undergraduate students by 2019 and 100% by 2022 and to double our number of joint or dual degrees with highly selected overseas partner universities. These are important planks of the first of the Is, Internationalization, which is an essential component of enhancing our standing in the world. We believe that there are sound educational reasons for ensuring that our students have international experience and that this will help us to ensure that our graduates are equipped to be global citizens. The new opportunities that we will create don't all have to be study exchanges or joint degrees. Living in diverse geographical and cultural settings, working in schools, charities or social enterprises, or doing internships or research attachments can all make massive contributions to personal development. We believe it will be good for our students to get outside their comfort zones, experience adversity, take calculated risks and test themselves in challenging situations. Thus it is that the future global leaders will be born.

However, that is not enough: internationalization must also start at home here on campus. We have a truly international staff and a diverse student body. We have a constant stream of international conferences and symposia in the University, numerous distinguished international professors visiting under our various schemes, huge numbers of international collaborations in research and teaching. We must ensure that we have an international approach to all that we do, bench-marking ourselves against international best practices and aspiring to achieve characteristics which define the world's greatest universities.

The second I is innovation: in teaching and learning, we are actively developing our electronic learning capability, led by Associate VP Ricky Kwok, including the development of MOOCs (massive open online courses) but also SPOCs (small private online courses), 'flipped classrooms' where students study teaching materials electronically before the classes and then use the class time with the teachers to debate and understand the materials. As we come to the end of the first four year undergraduate cohort, we will evaluate our core curriculum and our general education provision, learning lessons, innovating where necessary to ensure that we provide exactly what our students need.

We must also innovate in research: our work here is being led by our new Vice-President for Research Andy Hor, a Hong Konger with many years of experience in Singapore where innovation and tech transfer are stronger than in Hong Kong. There is a real mood in Hong Kong now for innovation to be the key to the city's future. We have already played a leading role in this. Our Dreamcatchers event in May brought together some of the region's most successful entrepreneurs including Pony Ma with over 1000 students, staff, alumni and friends of Hong Kong U. The event highlighted ways forward that we are following up: the creation of an Entrepreneurship Academy and working with the government, Cyberport and the Science Park to ensure that our students and staff have access to all the opportunities created by the new drive to support Innovation.

The third I is Interdisciplinarity: we prize this in all that we do. We have numerous examples of interdisciplinary teaching and research already, for example the Social Sciences Faculty working with Law on aspects of public policy, the Architecture Faculty working with Medicine and with Dentistry on the public health implications of urban design etc, but we want more: we are creating budget incentives to favour even greater interdisciplinary working, between departments, across Faculties and with outside parties.

These three intersecting Is, internationalisation, innovation and interdisciplinarity, all converge on the fourth I, impact. Impact is the aim of everything that we do: we have a social and moral responsibility to ensure that this is the case. All of us want our efforts to make a difference: to our subject area, to society and to our own personal and professional development. By assessing impact, we justify the investment of public money in our activities, as well as the massive investment of time and energy that a modern university demands and expects from its members.

So how are we doing? I recently presented to the Senior Management Team and subsequently to Council some analysis of the major international league tables over the last 11 years. I won't reiterate now my views on rankings, which are well-known and on the public record, except to say that I stand by my assertion that we will never set institutional strategy to meet the criteria of any particular league table. However, rankings are here to stay and we all know that they are widely used as a short cut: by prospective students, parents, governments and media. They are a surrogate for a university's international reputation.

The first point to make is that Hong Kong U's position now is quite similar to its position in the first rankings which were published 11 years ago jointly by the Times Higher Education Supplement (THE) and the Quacquerelli-Symonds (QS). We were ranked number 39 in 2004, compared to 30 and 44 in the most recent 2015 rankings from the QS and THE respectively. In the 11 intervening years, there has been quite a lot of fluctuation, some of it undoubtedly explained by the frequent methodological changes which provide one reason why rankings are so controversial and open to various interpretations. Hong Kong U's peak position was eight years ago in 2007 when HKU was ranked number 18 in the world. Stanford that year was number 19, so you can make up your own mind about whether that high point flattered HKU or not. The very next year, 2008, HKU dropped 8 places to number 26 (Stanford rose slightly to 17). In 2010, the two rankings agencies split and used slightly different methodologies but since then both of them show a definite slow downward trend for HKU, starting in 2011 in the QS and in 2010 in the Times Higher. There are various possible contributors to this: student-staff ratios influence the rankings and the 334 transition adversely affected these because the increased number of students was not accompanied by a commensurate increase in staffing. The fact that Chinese U and Hong Kong UST showed similar trends in this time period supports this as a contributor. Hong Kong U also had the possible impact on its reputation of the 818 incident in 2011. The fact that HKUST jumped above HKU in one of the rankings this year (the QS) has caused a lot of comment: in fact QS themselves said that this was largely explicable by a change in methodology, where an adjustment was made for the presence or absence of a medical school because having a medical school was deemed to give an unfair advantage via an effect on citations and other prestige indicators. Accordingly, HKU dropped by 2 places and CUHK by 5 places (it is noteworthy that Yale also dropped by 5 places), with HKUST rising by 12 places: sudden changes like this in rankings usually reflect methodological changes because reputations don't usually change overnight. It is worth noting that in the other major league table, the Times Higher, between 2014 and 2015, HKU actually did the best of the three local universities, dropping by 1 place compared to a drop of 8 places for HKUST and 9 places for CUHK.

Of course we have no way of knowing what effect recent events in Hong Kong will have on next year's and the year after's rankings: we will just have to wait and see. However, there is clear evidence that Hong Kong U's position has deteriorated slowly but steadily for the last 4 or 5 years. We need to turn it around by enhancing the University's international reputation: that is one reason why internationalization is so prominent in our plans. The other, better reason, is of course that internationalization will enhance the quality of our teaching and our research.

I am on record as saying that the ranking that matters the most to me is the fact that Hong Kong's brightest and best students continue to vote with their feet and want to come to Hong Kong U as their first choice for their university studies. The 2015 admissions results from the Hong Kong DSE, which accounts for about 75% of our undergraduate intake, were truly spectacular. There was a total of 12 students that scored perfect results, 5** in seven subjects: all 12 of these students were admitted to Hong Kong U. Even more impressively, of the 689 students in the top scoring bracket, nearly 60% were admitted to Hong Kong U, ie only 40% went to all other universities combined. Of those wanting to study Medicine, 82% chose Hong Kong U. Of those wanting to study Law, an incredible 98% (102 out of 104) chose to come to Hong Kong U's Law Faculty rather than the other Law Schools available to them in Hong Kong. This was an outstanding vote of confidence in the educational provision offered by our University. I am proud of the fact that we don't just admit students from privileged backgrounds: our First in Family scheme for all subjects and the Springboard scholarships offered by the Faculty of Medicine are examples of ways in which we ensure that Hong Kong U is accessible to the brightest and best students irrespective of their backgrounds or their family's wealth.

Our researchers have also had an excellent year: numerous high-level publications in the world's top journals, conference presentations at top international events, prizes and awards. To mention just a selected few, the Thomson-Reuters 2015 list of the world's most highly cited researchers included nine academics from Hong Kong U, compared to 5 in the previous year; no other university in Hong Kong had more than 3. Vivian Yam, our Professor of Chemistry was elected Foreign Member of Academia Europaea (The Academy of Europe), the only Foreign Member elected in 2015 under the Chemical Sciences Section of the Academy; she also won the 2015 Ludwig Mond award from the Royal Society of Chemistry. Chi-ming Che, also Professor of Chemistry, completed the licensing of two multi-million US dollar patents to Samsung for his work on organic light-emitting diodes, bringing money as well as prestige to Hong Kong U. Vivian and Chi-ming were amongst the 27 founding members of the newly established Hong Kong Academy of Sciences, together with Malik Peiris and KY Yuen (who were both amongst the top 1% highly cited researchers that I mentioned earlier) as well as two distinguished visiting professors to Hong Kong U, one alumnus of ours and three retired members of HKU staff including of course my predecessor Lap-Chee Tsui who is the founding Dean of the new Academy. Thus HKU has a direct claim on 10 of the 27 Founding members, far more than any other university. Just last night, we announced that Professor So Kwok-fai of our Department of Ophthalmology, has been named a Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors. Most spectacularly of all, Ngai-ming Mok, our Professor of Mathematics, has just been confirmed as a new member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the only Hong Kong scholar to have been elected this year, our first formal academician for 12 years and the first of any kind for 5 years, bringing to 12 the total number of Hong Kong U staff to have held this prestigious honour. My sincere congratulations to Ngai-ming.

I said last year that we would make progress on our work in the Mainland. One example is the HKU-Shenzhen Hospital: I have worked hard with colleagues here and in Shenzhen to improve the understanding of the aims and methods that will help both HKU and the Shenzhen government to achieve their goals. The first repayment of HKU's financial contribution has now been made by the hospital and a repayment schedule has been set that will see the debt fully repaid as the hospital's activity levels continue to rise and diversify. I am delighted that Hong Kong U medical, nursing and pharmacy students are now regularly benefiting from the teaching opportunities available to them at our hospital in Shenzhen. Research opportunities in Shenzhen are also growing. Our new Vice-President (Global) John Kao is working hard on our partnerships in the Mainland as well as other links all around the world. Our Vice-President (Institutional Advancement Douglas So has produced a new branding and marketing strategy and is working on the more proactive communications approach that I talked about last year. Our Executive Vice-President (Administration) Steve Cannon is addressing some of the issues that I highlighted last year by bringing forward radical reforms of various aspects of human resources policy and practice as well as new approaches to providing equitable access to staff accommodation for as many of our staff as possible. We are making progress on gender equity issues: we have improved our maternity leave provision, we are working on improving facilities for breast-feeding on campus and we are actively planning a nursery for children of staff and students. Our most recent appointment to the senior team, our new Associate Vice-President for Research, is female (Mai Har Sham). We are working with the other UGC-funded institutions to understand why the gender balance at the highest levels of the universities in Hong Kong is so poor. We need culture change across the sector to address this and I will continue to work with the United Nations Women HeForShe initiative to learn from other universities and from corporations across the world about how we can adopt best practices in this domain. UN Women's next meeting on HeForShe will be at the World Economic Forum in Davos next year. I have also been invited to the main Forum in Davos and it will be the first time that Hong Kong U has been represented at this prestigious gathering of thought leaders from politics, business, academia, media and international society. This follows from my attendance at the so-called "summer Davos" meeting of the World Economic Forum in Dalian in September and is a marker of Hong Kong U's international recognition.

I want to finish by saying something about academic freedom and institutional autonomy. These two terms are often confused or used interchangeably and they should not be, because they are different. Academic freedom is the critical underpinning of university life: the freedom to study, research, read, write and/or talk about whatever subjects that we find most interesting, stimulating or important, no matter how controversial they might be or how the findings may challenge dogmas or official viewpoints. In my opinion, academic freedom is alive and well at Hong Kong U. We do not however have complete institutional autonomy and nor can we expect it. We are a publicly funded institution and it is entirely appropriate that we are responsible to the public, and hence to the government that represents them, to assess, justify and adjust our activities according to societal impact and need. Publicly-funded institutions all over the world have similar responsibilities: look at recent events in universities in the UK, the US, Canada and Japan or schools in Korea: none of them have complete institutional autonomy, so no-one in Hong Kong should think that this issue is purely a local matter. We have to work within existing rules, regulations and governance structures to ensure that the University of Hong Kong achieves its potential. It is healthy to have debate about whether any of those structures should be changed, but structural change takes time and the University cannot stand still whilst these debates take place. We are not doing so: as I have illustrated to you, substantial progress is already being made and we have a detailed plan for the strategic direction that we believe is in the best interests of the university going forward.

My last word is on our students. There seems to be a widespread belief in Hong Kong that school and university students, and perhaps Hong Kong U students more than most, are difficult, rebellious, subversive trouble-makers: this is just not true and I need all of you to join me in countering this misinterpretation. The vast majority of Hong Kong students are hard-working, conscientious and respectful of authority. They are talented individuals working to improve themselves and society. No-one in Hong Kong should think that student activism is only a Hong Kong issue. In recent months there have been massive student demonstrations in universities in the United States about issues of race and fossil fuel divestment and in South Africa about issues of tuition fees, closing universities down in some cases. Our young people are passionate and idealistic and they care about the world that they are inheriting. We may disagree with some of their methods, but we should work with them, understand them, help to mould them into a generation of mature adults that can address the challenging issues facing their world. We must ensure that Hong Kong U is a place where complex and sometimes controversial issues can be debated, where differences of opinion can be respected, where diversity is celebrated, and intellectual, personal, professional and political advances can be achieved.

Our strategy document uses the strapline "Asia's global university". I have outlined some of the ways in which we are working to justify that title. Your input will help me and the rest of the senior management team to achieve our vision. Our university is already great: let's make it one of the greatest.

We are on our way: please join us!

Thank you.
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英國借鏡》央行徵人,學比特幣背後技術 政府帶頭當學生 倫敦三年變Fintech首都

2015-12-28  TCW

我們待在倫敦的最後一天,英格蘭銀行的一則徵人啟事,在比特幣的討論區被大量轉載:「徵求『區塊鏈 玩家』(Blockchain-savvy)的有薪實習生」(編按:區塊鏈(blockchain)指的是形成虛擬貨幣背後,結合帳和金流,由所有參與者 共同組成的分佈式數據庫)。

創新心法:懂科技,才不會被反傷

凡是被英格蘭銀行錄取的個人或團隊,如果是大一到大三的學生,有六週帶薪實習;如果錄取者是即將畢業的大四畢業生,可以跳過基礎面試,進入第二階段面試。

「你們不會害怕新科技顛覆既有秩序?」這讓我想起台灣中央銀行兩年前在一份新聞稿中表示:「比特幣不是貨幣,屬於高投機的數位『虛擬商品』。」於是忍不住問英國貿易投資署金融科技部主管大衛(Shaul David)。

「關鍵在於是不是真的想要競爭、想要開放。」大街說,「如果是,你一定要涉獵(engaged)。不了解科技、不了解創新,終究會被科技和創新所傷,「涉獵了,才會知道如何規範科技,銀行、政府該怎麼做。人類無法阻止科技,只能持續跟著它、學習、瞭解它。」

這回答了我們的最大疑問:有兩千年歷史包袱的金融城倫敦,究竟如何在三年內成為金融科技成長最快的地區?

答案就是:開放,而且是主管機關帶頭開放。

包袱沉重如倫敦,保守如金融業,如果

沒有致命一擊,也很難有改變的動機,這致命一擊便是金融海嘯。

金融海嘯搖撼了西方消費者對金融業的信任,英國民眾對金融業的信任度尤其低。根據英國貿易投資署的調查,金融海嘯後,英國民眾對於金融業的信任度從二00八年的四七%降到二0一二年的二三%,不但降幅最高,絕對信心水準也低於德國、法國,甚至美國。

擁抱金融科技三部曲首部曲:政府設獨立機關引導

「金融科技可以視為金融海嘯過後、草根底層出現的反動,」國際研究暨顧問機構顧能(Gartncr)金融投資服務部研究副總裁烏茲霍 (Christophe UZureau)說,金融海嘯之後,資金流動性不足,加上民眾對金融業信任不再,既有大品脾被質疑,民間渴求新的資本流動模武、擁有更大的自主權。

開放競爭不是降低金融業門檻、修改相關條例這麼簡單,執行單位比執行內容更重要。

二0一三年英國國會通過,由業界出資,成立獨立的政府組織「金融行為監管局」 (Financial Conduct Authority,簡稱F C A),除了站在消費者的角度,監管金融業,不得有損害消費者權益的行為之外,另一項任務,便是建立基礎架構引導競爭。

大衛指出,FCA不單是主管機關,也在法規之內,代表新創公司發言,參與並且彙集各方對話,擔任溝通者的角色,否則無法制定出有效能的政策。「讓新創公司和大公司一樣,也可以直接、快速的跟法規制定者對話,投資者和消費者在面對新創公司時,不用擔心不合法的問題。」

另一方面,則是心態的開放。例如,英格蘭銀行帶頭涉獵比特幣背後的「區塊鏈」技術,瞭解區塊鏈是什麼、可以怎麼 用,同時也教育政府不同部門的人學習這項新科技。

二部曲:新創投資減稅,全球最優惠

除此之外,英國政府同時減稅引外資投資中小企業,創造金流流入,鼓勵新創公司。好比在二0一二年提出的「種子企業投資計畫」(Seed Enterprisc InwestmentSCheme.簡稱SEIS),若企業投資新創企業的種子基金每年在十萬英鎊以上,所得稅可減免五0%;如果企業有賺錢,資本利得免 稅;企業若倒閉、沒價值,減稅後的曝險資金可享曝險資金四五%的風險減免,是目前全球最優惠的新創投資減稅方案。

這些政策實施以後的一年內,倫敦新創公司最密集的區域,郵遞區號下便增加了一萬五千家新創公司:在前一年,該區的新創公司數量只有個位數。

政府將金融環境逐步開放後,金融業大玩家也隨著調整,開始與金融科技的生態系統尋求連結,免得自外於市場。

三部曲:銀行尋求合作,做大市場

「科技趨勢不可擋,但分行不可能被數位服務取代,水遠有人需要分行,」滙豐銀行全球創新長夏佐(Christop Chzot)說,「我們在尋找的是分行和數位的最佳結合點(marry in the best way)。]

他指出,過去金融業強調自行開發,或者以公司需求為出發點,向外尋求技術配搭,新創公司相對是計畫裡面的配角,合作是任務導向,沒有延續性:現在金融業尋 求與金融科技新創公司的合作,是策略導向的長期合作夥伴,希望藉由投入新創公司的協助,深入傳統銀行無法採入的族群和死角,其次才是考慮獲利。

滙豐在去年成立一筆兩億英鎊的企業創投,根據企業策略所做的趨勢投資和育成,而非短期的合作計畫。夏佐坦言,「現在的金融環境跟二十年前完全不同,銀行再大也不可能全都自己來,你必須向外找不同領域的合作夥伴,才能滿足客戶的需求。」

倫敦的故事,告訴我們,所有的創新可能都得先有開放的心態,才能有策略的創造創新環境,進而引導市場舊玩家順勢改變並且投入,才可能甩掉舊包袱,邁向創新。

採訪後記》不是非用不可,而是選擇更多了

在製作封面故事這段期間,我代替團隊收下一筆報導得獎的獎金。為了將獎金分給其他同事,我要把這筆錢全數領出再由主管分配;這麼單純的一件事,如果用ATM我得分三天領六次,要不然就是花一小時到銀行抽號碼脾、排隊、填單。

當下我對一位銀行數位部門主管發出一聲慼嘆:「如果有某種轉帳平台App就好了!」他也只能苦笑。

但在倫敦,很多人都不會有我這種煩惱,他們可以用各種轉帳App,幾秒內解決獎金分配的事,而且沒有手續費。

不過,要想省手續費,也得要有本事。光要管理手機和平板裡面的App,不但得花時間適應行為的改變,還要管理密碼、即時訊息和行銷內容,而且除本人以外, 沒有人能替代你管理「你」的銀行:「拿回金融自主權」其實意味著個人有更獨立自主的金錢觀,及更高的風險意識和金融素養,而這,絕非人人都有,也勉強不 來。

所以,即便倫敦每輛計程車都能刷卡,司機還是偏愛收現金。金融科技再怎麼破壞式創新,終究不會取代銀行,只是選擇多了;未來選擇只會更多,不會減少。

這已無關信任與否,就算懷疑網路資安,金融業歸還金融主權的年代終究會來到;我們需要準備的,其實也跟英格蘭銀行一樣:不用、不投入沒關係,但是至少要知道科技做什麼;瞭解了,再為自己選擇適合的管道,才是真正的「人人是銀行」。 (文.單小懿)

撰文者單小懿                                                                                                                               

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港大校長就學生包圍校委會會議聲明

港大校長馬斐森,就學生於2016年1月25日晚上至翌日凌晨,包圍校委會會議,1月26日下午發表的聲明:


Dear Colleagues, Students and Alumni,

On behalf of the Senior Management Team, I condemn the behaviour last night of HKU students who (amongst others) put the safety of Council members, including me, and University and security staff at serious risk, and besieged the building in which Council had met so that we were unable to leave for several hours. This is not the way to achieve progress: we will always be willing to engage in rational discussion and debate with students but we cannot condone mob rule. The actions were totally unnecessary because the Council had earlier, as announced in a press statement at the end of the meeting, unanimously agreed to commission a review into the University’s governance which was one of the central demands that the students had made publicly. The scenes last night will have further damaged the University’s reputation and they bring no credit to those involved: HKU students should be capable of better. Video images were recorded and will be made available to the police.


Professor Peter Mathieson
President and Vice-Chancellor

香港獨立媒體報道

BBC中文網報道

蘋果日報報導

聯合新聞網報道
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幫學生做訪問

今天午飯時間,與一些學苑新聞系的學生做了一個財經訪問,其實這是他們的功課。約了他們到止凡工作的地方附近,邊午飯邊做訪問,對我頗方便吧。



這次訪問,是由一位blog友作為中間人,這位blog友也是大學生,但並不是新聞系,當他得知朋友需要作一份財經功課時,他就向朋友推介了幾位blogger,我是其中一位。對於這類訪問的邀請,我是相當願意配合的,因為面對的是學生,他們的可塑性高,接受啟發後的功效很大,因為他們的時間值很高。所以我得知這個訪問邀請後就立即答應,亦盡快約好。

剛出來見面時,我問了他們的訪問經驗,得知這訪問功課原來是他們的第一次,大概會感受到他們有多緊張吧。既然他們還是學生,亦是第一次,我對他們的表現是極之包容的。

他們都是讀新聞系的,日後可能會當記者或編輯的工作,所以應該會有很多這類訪問他人的機會。其實,我也算有多次被報章雜誌專業記者的訪問經驗,面見與電話,甚至筆記訪問都試過。為了讓他們日後能進步,我希望把我的觀察記錄一下,好的壞的也寫出來,他們若來看這文章,應能得到改進的點子。

今次訪問,從whatsapp到會面,他們的態度都是十分有禮,這是值得一讚的。不過還是有些改進空間,首先是約會的位置有誤,之前他們提議到某家餐廳,但其實這餐廳已經不在,之後改去另一家餐廳,但原來我工作附近是沒有那家餐廳的,臨時才再更改地址。其實這也不怪他們,因為所約會的地方是我工作附近,所以我應該比他們更熟識的。如果可以的話,記者應該先做點調查才確實約會地址,否則可以讓受訪者給予一個提議,然後自己再確認一下,這會更穩當。

訪問問題,在昨晚深夜發給我,其實我已經睡覺了,今朝才看見,看完後大概感覺問題沒什麼特別,應該可以應付,所以沒有太上心。但若訪問問題有一些更深入的層面,例如需要我看看年報做點功課或記點資料才可以在訪問中回應的話,這樣的短時間實在不足夠我作準備。若要有一個很詳細的訪問,給予受訪者足夠準備時間頗重要的。

昨晚得知連絡我的同學會多帶一些同學出來,我沒有反對,出來時看到有3位同學,這是沒有多大問題的。只不過大家見面時,其實我不太認識他們,單單看過whatsapp中的profile pic,我不能分辨誰是跟我連絡的一位。當然,連絡我的一位同學第一時間就與我握手,也確認了他的身份,但就沒有好好介紹身邊兩位同學的名字。若是記者訪問,一般記者都會閒談一下,互相認識,再讓受訪者對環境作點適應,帶入情緒才開始。

可能訪問時間未必充足,只有一小時的時間,所以變得很緊湊,互相認識這類細節都自然忽略了。訪問開始得頗突然,一坐下就直入問題,三位同學都拿出手機開始錄音,當然有先徵求我同意,不過兩部手機放到枱上,一部手機由同學拿起對著我,我說話時看到餐廳內其他客人都不時「眼望望」,幸好我們所選的位置較偏僻,都不算令我很尷尬。

因為時間有限,我一直講,嘗試帶出很多週邊知識予他們,他們就靜心聆聽著,不時抄筆記。其實,這令我有點奇怪,他們三個人一起錄音與抄筆記,到底這份訪問功課是一個人還是三個人一起做呢?他們沒有好好向我說清楚,我無從得知。

我一直講我的理念時,不時試圖反問他們是否明白一些詞彙,但原來他們未必太掌握,所以我又花時間解釋一下。感覺上,財經題材的訪問對他們來說是頗吃力的,不過就算吃力,也得要先做好功課,若連「盈富基金」都不知道是什麼,又未能掌握財務自由的概念,可能有很多訪問內容也會聽不明白。不過,又正因為這樣,又有機會讓我向年青人再次談談這些理念,對於「長氣」的我也頗不錯。

今天訪問,他們不知道會否登出,若登出的話也不清楚會登在什麼地方,可能最後也只作交功課之用也說不定。在不知訪問內容的用途之下,錄音也好,拍照也好,我都沒有抗拒,最重要能幫助他們完成功課。

最後我問了他們這次訪問的感想,有一位同學表示聽完好像「叮一聲」一樣,更了解投資計劃這些東西。另一位同學就指他發覺過往沒有好好理財,要加把勁。希望他們一直會追看這裡各位的分享,一起進步吧。

始終理財對任何人都很重要,我在訪問中所說的話,不只是為了他們的功課而已,我希望能做到的,是影響他們一生。

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滄州一中勸退12名攜帶或使用手機學生

來源: http://www.infzm.com/content/116163

資料圖:學生攜帶手機上課。(新華社記者 沈伯韓/圖)

2016年3月,河北滄州一中的12名學生遭遇了學校的勸退處理,理由是“在校內攜帶或使用手機”。

南方周末記者獲得了這份滄州一中發布的處分通報,里面稱,“以下學生自2月29日學校宣布手機違紀處理新規後,無視學校制度,在校內攜帶或使用手機。經校長辦公會研究決定,予以勸退。”

對於學校的處理結果,家長們覺得過於嚴厲了。學生家長季永健表示:因為女兒在學校用手機給媽媽打了個電話,就被學校勸退,這實在難以接受。

季永健的女兒季娟(化名)今年15歲,是滄州一中高一的學生。3月9日下午課間,季娟用隨身攜帶的手機給媽媽打了一個電話,隨後被學校發現並被帶到教務處。

當天下午6點多,季永健接到學校教務處的電話,隨即趕到學校,對女兒批評教育。令季永健意想不到的是,教務處要求季娟必須轉學。季永健告訴南方周末記者,女兒季娟用的手機是她媽媽淘汰的一部老款諾基亞非智能手機,“買的時候一百多,不能上網也不能聽歌”。

季娟課間打電話也事出有因。季永健說,因為孩子的媽媽此前跟別人發生沖突被打傷,孩子很擔心,才會在課間給媽媽打電話,“在學校打電話雖然有錯,但不至於到被勸退轉學的地步。”

此次勸退的12名學生,包括兩名高一學生,兩名高二學生和八名高三學生,其中高三學生被學校要求“回家複習,直至高考”。

對於學校的處理結果,學生家長們普遍不能接受。尤其讓家長們不解的是,去年學校曾與聯通公司合作建議學生帶手機,許多學生這才購置了手機。為什麽學校突然出臺如此嚴厲的制度,這實在很難理解。

得知學校的處理決定後,多名被勸退學生的家長一同到滄州一中和滄州市教育局溝通,但是校方堅持勸退處分,一位學生家長告訴南方周末記者:“教育局說已經有兩位局長在過問這個事情,讓回去等消息。”

3月24日,季永健等12名家長聯合到滄州市信訪局反映情況,但是沒有結果。3月25日,南方周末記者致電滄州一中教務處,兩名工作人員都表示對此事不知情。

不過,滄州市教育局一名負責人告訴南方周末記者,學生攜帶或使用手機被退學一事屬實,此事已經引起滄州市政府和教育局領導的關註,目前教育局已責成學校和校長盡快解決,但具體如何處理不便透露。

目前,8名高三學生已經報了培訓班,4名高一和高二學生依然在家。

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中企海外地產投資創紀錄:酒店物流學生公寓成新寵

來源: http://www.yicai.com/news/5010108.html

非官方的研究數據顯示,2015年中國企業的境外不動產投資額刷新歷史紀錄。繼2014年突破140億美元關口之後,2015年中國企業的境外(大陸以外地區)投資成交額接近213億美元,同比增長49.5%。

第一太平戴維斯首席執行官兼董事長劉德揚認為,從區域來看,中國企業在英國市場的房地產投資交易有所放緩,暫別前兩年聚焦倫敦巨資收購的勁頭。另一方面,美國房地產市場成為投資者的新寵,2015年投資額累計近87億美元,約為境外投資總額的41%。澳大利亞緊隨其後,2015年總投資額達35億美元。日本房地產市場投資額增長最為迅猛,較2014年投資總額實現近10倍增長,達到14億美元。

酒店資產成新寵

寫字樓和開發項目仍是中國企業境外投資的重點,分別占投資總額的34%和26%。但隨著中國境外遊不斷壯大,中國企業正瞄準這一商機,酒店資產成為境外投資新寵,占比一舉躍升至24%。上海錦江集團以約13億歐元(14.6億美元)收購法國盧浮酒店集團,成為國內酒店業迄今為止達成的最大一筆境外投資。

劉德揚表示,當前境外投資主體仍以開發商,主權財富基金,保險公司為主。受制於境外投資審批流程繁瑣,外匯結匯管制,稅務籌劃以及境外投資經驗缺乏,境外投資市場鮮有私募基金的身影,同其他國家境外投資主體構成大相徑庭。

險資監管放松,境外商業資產租約長,回報率較高的特點也推動保險公司頻頻“出海”,成為境外投資主力。2015年,境內保險公司參與共計約60億美元的境外不動產投資,占全年總額30%。

此外,開發商走出去熱情依然不減,完成27%的總投資額,達成最多成交宗數。盡管主權財富基金僅有兩家開展境外投資,但在2015年共達成19%的總投資額,成為第三大投資主體。

市場新動向

在劉德揚看來,中國企業海外投資不動產也出現了一些新動向。

近期,人民幣對美元貶值明顯,自2015年8月至2016年1月,在岸人民幣已經累計貶值8%。短期內人民幣貶值壓力不減,境內投資者也將加速境外資產配置以抵抗人民幣貶值影響。與此同時,美國迎來自2006年來首次加息,美國樓市回暖也將推升以美元計價資產價值攀升。

劉德揚表示,資本的湧入也將繼續對不動產回報率施加下行壓力,傳統投資熱點城市,諸如倫敦等回報率將繼續下降。積累了一定境外投資經驗的境內投資者也將目光瞄準成熟經濟體的二線城市,例如曼徹斯特,休斯頓等,謀求更高投資回報。

從投資的標的物來看,寫字樓和開發項目仍將是市場成交主力,另一方面,其他另類不動產投資也正在成為市場新的投資熱點。2015年跨境電商正式起步,正逐漸成為支撐外貿發展的新支點,實力雄厚的險資開始搶灘境外物流設施。2015年包括平安和中國人壽等大型保險公司通過聯合其他境外投資者投資物流平臺。出國留學群體不斷壯大,境外學生公寓租金走高,也使得這一另類不動產投資成為投資者新寵。

此外,劉德揚認為,通過聯合境外投資者,收購資產平臺部分股權,可助其享有境外投資者成熟資產管理經驗,並降低風險。例如中國投資有限責任公司聯合AEW集團斥資14.4億美元收購歐洲10家商場,而中國人壽保險耗資10億美元收購普洛斯美國倉儲資產組合。中國人口老齡化到來,也將促使國內養老金提高投資回報率。養老金等資本或也將追隨歐洲和韓國養老金的步伐,開展境外投資多樣化投資組合,獲取更高收益。

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下流世代 教改不願面對的真相 20萬學生淪為…

2016-05-16  TWM

日本社會正為「下流老人」現象發愁,你所不知道的是,台灣未來可能出現「下流世代」! 他們是現今國中小學生中,基本學力嚴重落後的20萬人,連加減乘除都不會,這樣的孩子,長大後恐怕翻身不易。 在2016年國中會考熱騰騰登場之際,搶救20萬學生大作戰,正要開始。

「我從一、二年級開始功課就很有障礙,每次放學都被留下來到三點半再回家。」「三、四年級時,午休我都坐在特別位,老師請其他同學教我功課,可是還是救不起來。」外形可愛的新北市竹圍國中一年級學生王美英(化名),談起最弱的科目時,皺著眉低下頭去。

她最後才說出,最差的科目是英文,幾乎都是二、三十分,上了國中後更是苦惱,「每次都考五個單字,改完錯的要罰寫,但我還是記不起來。」「英文大部分都是抄抄寫寫,很無聊。」「國小教單字我就不會了,國中教翻譯句子,怎麼會啊!」其他科目的情況也不佳,小學除了數學可以考到七十幾分,國語在及格邊緣,其他都不及格。

出身低收入戶家庭,王美英從未補習過,本身沒有學習熱情,除非遇到好老師,才有轉機。她形容,國中有位老師五十幾歲,上課只在黑板上抄寫,沒有人聽得懂,每次老師問有沒有問題,大家安靜無聲,老師就繼續講,然後要大家抄下黑板上的內容,馬上默寫,讓他們很痛苦。

但是數學課就不同了,遇上教得好的老師,本來數學平均四十幾分的她,最近一次月考進步了二十幾分,王美英露出得意的笑容說,數學課上課時全班分成六組,每組都有最好和最壞成績的學生,最近她總算脫離了最壞那群,「往中間靠一點」。

「我不喜歡寫作業,偶爾會問哥哥,但他們也不一定會。」王美英的兩個哥哥成績也不好,大哥一路念到科技大學,二哥靠體育技優管道考上私立大學體育系;問她未來想做什麼?她歪著頭說不知道,「也許演戲吧!」但聽到當演員需要好的語言表達能力,她馬上說:「那算了,我不行。」近來因替臉書抓漏獲得獎金而聲名大噪的資安程式高手張啟元,高中以前是被教育遺棄的孩子,明明有資質,卻被學校放棄;學業的挫敗、同儕的排擠,甚至被視為校園怪胎,讓他國中小學時期被歸為「失敗組」。「我以前常覺得自己很失敗,小學三年級剛開始上英文課的時候,我心想,大家都是同學,為什麼我的程度差這麼多?」他說。

台灣有成千上萬個王美英和張啟元,他們在國小國中階段,基本學力落後大部分同儕,求學過程對學習、學校環境感到無力,對未來困頓不安。

無法讓下流世代翻轉

教育,已成不平等世代產出器俗話說,給他魚,不如給他魚竿;給他魚竿,不如教他釣魚。如今台灣有二十萬、約占中小學生一成的像王美英,像當年張啟元的孩子,他們連基本的加減乘除都不會算,如果問題不改善,二十年後,他們的未來在哪裡?

今日的日本正因「下流老人」現象而預警發愁(編按:(指「收入少、存款少、可依賴的人少」的銀髮族愈來愈多,政府龐大的社福支出恐將拖累財政的問題),明天的台灣,會不會因為學力落差懸殊,讓今日學力落後的孩子,成為明日的「下流世代」呢?

情況之嚴重,連台灣師範大學教育學院院長許添明也敲出警鐘:「台灣有二十萬個學生等待失敗!」教育,已淪為社會不平等的產出器。

許添明的呼籲其來有自。從國內外幾項測驗顯示,我國十五歲學生學習成就出現M型化現象,前、後段學生學力懸殊世界第一。中央研究院歐美研究所研究員黃敏雄指出,多年來進行跨國比較學生數學表現的研究顯示,台灣學生數學未達初級國際標竿的比例,隨著年級提升而增加。

教育程度M型化

台灣,比其他國家都嚴重黃敏雄以每四年舉行一次的「國際數學與科學教育成就趨勢調查(TIMSS)」為例指出,TIMSS將同一年級學生的數學表現設定四級,二○○七年測驗顯示,台灣小四學生未達初級(最低一級)的比率約僅一%,但過了四年,這批學生上了八年級(國中二年級),未達初級的比率提高為四%。也就是說,數學成績嚴重落後的學生,在這四年期間約增加三倍。根據他的研究,這些數學學習成長緩慢的學生,通常也是家庭社會經濟地位較低者。

事實上,台灣學生整體數學表現優異,一一年有將近一半高於進階(最高一級),「但從小四升到八年級之後,學生之間的數學表現懸殊程度劇烈擴大,這是台灣特有的教育現象,而且是發生在學校內或班級之內。」黃敏雄說。由於法令禁止能力分班,台灣八年級班級之內數學表現懸殊現象,比其他國家都嚴重;以一一年為例,是新加坡的二.三倍、美國的二倍、香港的一.八倍;「這是因為有一部分功課好的學生在外補習,但落後的同學沒有進步,故班內學習表現差異增加。」如果,救起這些落後學生不只實現社會正義 更對經濟有利OECD(經濟合作暨發展組織)每三年進行一次的全球性十五歲學生「學生能力國際評量計畫(PISA)」,一二年評比結果也顯示,在經濟競爭國家,以數學素養能力最大值與最小值差距,台灣都是最大,程度落差有「七個年級之差距」。台東大學特教系教授、國家教育研究院前副院長曾世杰指出,PISA數學表現台灣是全世界第四名,表面成績看起來不錯,但其中有一二.三%的學生,無法答對「具備參與現代社會運作所需的基本學力」的試題。

此外,檢測國中畢業生學力狀況的會考,一四年成績,英語及數學未達基礎級(待加強)比率超過三成,而五科都待加強的學生約七%。

許添明以PISA未達基本學力的一二.三%學生,以及會考後段學生約七%來平均估算,全國二百萬國中小學生約有一○%學力嚴重落後,亦即國中小有二十萬個學生「等待失敗」,台灣下一個世代的未來,競爭力堪憂。

「OECD計算,如果台灣所有學生在二○三○年都具備基本學力,國內生產毛額(GDP)將增加八五二○億美元,約是目前的八成,表示投資弱勢者教育不只維持社會正義,更可以提高經濟產能價值。」許添明說。

台灣師範大學五月九日提出對新政府教育政策建言,即主張政府必須將弱勢者教育視為國安議題,投入資源在最弱勢的學校與學生,讓每個孩子具備未來社會所需要的基本學力。

「到二○三○年,超過一半工作會不見,培養小孩思考、互動能力,就不用太擔心學用落差,人才培育不是等到大學才做。」許添明說。

對於學生表現懸殊,尤其後段學生人數增加,教育部曾經提出各項補救政策,但成效有限,到底問題出在哪裡?

問題1》資源錯置!成績落後學生多在「非偏鄉」教育部針對弱勢學生,編有不少預算支援,然而,無論是每年近十五億元的補救教學計畫,或助學金、特殊專長弱勢學生補助等,都是以原住民、低收入戶、新移民子女為主;但國際評比卻呈現出,需要拉一把的孩子,可能是中低收入戶或城鎮的學生。

曾文昌(化名),三重商工進修學校模具科三年級,回首求學生涯,因為英文與數學不好,吃足苦頭。

「國小還可以,但上國一出現斷層,從此就放棄了。」其他科目都表現不錯,可以有七、八十分,唯有數學和英文就是聽不懂,始終與及格有很大距離。「台灣的學生好像要每科都好,才有好的未來,所以我很自卑。」曾文昌說。

過程中班導師是否曾伸出援手,他想了一下答「好像沒有耶」。國三時,他連基測都沒有勇氣去考,直接申請分發到離家近的學校,原因很簡單,因為學費幾乎全免,還有每學期低收入戶的八千元獎學金。但一進高職,他馬上發現自己對於模具專業一點興趣也沒有;面對未來,他坦承感到迷惘。

「中低收入戶」更需要資源「我不反對資源往偏鄉送,但成績落後學生,很多是在『非偏鄉』,應該要有一定比率分配。」黃敏雄分析二○○七至一一年TIMSS資料,獲得的結論是,全台功課最落後的學生,只有四分之一來自鄉村偏遠地區,近八成是來自都市與城鎮。他分析,都市城鎮人口相對偏鄉多得多,因此整體占比高。

換言之,需要提升成績低落的學生群,其實是散布在各個學校、班級內,若過度集中在偏鄉地區,可能導致資源配置錯誤。不僅如此,根據OECD統計,各國政府教育經費占GDP(國內生產毛額)比率,台灣僅四.二%,相較各國偏低。教育部補救教學計畫,不僅經費與資源應該增加,也該普及各公立國中小學校,才能對症下藥。

「在越都會區越明顯有優劣的對比,和家庭社經地位有很高的關係,社經地位差的學生,通常沒有機會上補習班,國英數是最容易被放棄的科目。」全國中小學校長協會副理事長、新北市昌平國小校長張信務也以他長期觀察點出,中低收入戶學生人數眾多,補助不足,確實更需要資源。

另一方面,由於教育部鼓勵偏鄉地區小學朝特色學校發展,當學生基本學力都有問題時,特色學校的政策反而可能成為學生逃避學習的藉口。

偏鄉學校不應忽略基本學力曾世杰曾分析○六年台東國中基測結果,發現平均值全國一五○分、台東一一四分,但該校棒球隊的孩子平均值只有四十七分,「這些孩子幾乎等於文盲」,曾世杰說。他認為小學應重基本學力,先把基礎打好。

再以南投創造力中心示範學校長福國小為例,九成五的學生來自社經地位落後的家庭;該校教導主任廖婉雯說,「偏鄉最可怕的事情,就是大眾期待它發展特色,反而讓學生沒辦法專注在學習,學生若連基本學力都沒有,要談創新特色教學是空的。」問題2》補救教學成效有限,易澆熄學習熱情台北市惇敘工商電機科二年級學生陳文平(化名),家中經濟不佳,媽媽做餐飲業,講到成績,神情就黯淡下來。「我一直都是倒數幾名,國小時很累,每天中午下課後,同學可以回家,我都被老師留到四點補救數學,效果不好,心情也很差不想學。」陳文平的過來人經驗談,很多後段班學生都心有戚戚焉。即使教育部每年投入十五億元,加上民間的課輔機構,至少有二十億元的資源投入補救教學,但似乎成效有限。不少在教學前線的校長或老師,對補救教學成效持保留態度。

「每年能力檢測後,找每班後面三五%的學生做補救教學,但如果老師只是簡化課程去教,學生還是會卡在學習點上跳不過去。」張信務說。他曾到荷蘭、芬蘭參訪,發現老師都會在課堂上直接做補救教學,例如課程最後留十分鐘,把落後學生找來特別教學,其他學生寫作業,更重要的是,老師們有設計補救教學教材的能力;他建議教育部可以效法前述作法,並多培養補救教學的專業教師。

學生學不來,乾脆放棄像南投縣長福國小屬於小校規模,一班雖只有五位學生,但學生的程度懸殊,教學難度很高,教導主任廖婉雯很認真想找補救教學的專業老師,但學校地處偏遠,就算教育部有培訓種子教師,「但我們根本找不到這樣的老師,因為學校很遠,每天這樣來回不划算。」廖婉雯說。

新北市泰山國中導師林怡秀更坦言,學校的補救教學沒有什麼效果,「數學補救班當天懂了,下周又回到原點,學生後來都沒去上了。」問題3》學前教育資源不足,弱勢小孩剛起步就輸了如果要根本解決學力落差問題,把義務教育向下延伸,提前到學前教育,是現在世界各國教育政策的主力方向。

許添明指出,「九○%的人腦發展介於○到五歲, 我們卻將九○%的教育經費花在五歲以上。」相對於我國國民教育向上延伸三年,近幾年世界各國反而向下延伸,南韓即提供三歲孩童免費學前教育。台灣在一四年起提供五歲幼兒免學費,但只是將原來的家戶學費支出改由政府補貼。

《經濟學人》研究單位 (EIU)於一二年發表研究報告,在四十五個國家和地區的幼兒教育,台灣排名第三十,顯示給學前教育的資源太少。

事實上,一四年全國教育經費八千三百億元,學前教育經費僅九十五億元,占比僅僅一%,確實少得可憐。且根據教育部一六年四月公布,一○四學年二至五歲幼生粗在學率(學生人數除以二至五歲人口數乘以一○○%)為五七.四%。這些幼兒所上的幼兒園,有高達七成是私立的,且具有幼教資格的教師僅占二七%;可見,在師資匱乏、公立供給量過少等情況沒改善之前,想提升學前教育,顯然還有一大段路要走。

教育品質隨城鄉差距變大

台中教育大學幼兒教育系主任邱淑惠則提醒,公私立幼兒園的教學品質有差異,城鄉差距也大。以偏鄉來說,不論私幼或是公幼,多難逃「市場導向」,即絕大部分家長教育價值觀著重認知發展,在乎識字與背誦,幼兒園只好順應家長要求,結果孩子的學習興趣在幼小時就破壞,這是困境;偏鄉公幼另一問題是,過去幾年不願釋出正職,多用代課老師,或是老師等退休,沒有動力去激勵改進。

教育品質才是關鍵,但目前學前教育屬於地方政府責任,除非改革稅制,增加地方收入,否則財政較差的地方政府,往往也難投入資源來改善公幼品質,結果就是好一點的公幼擠破頭,中低收入戶家庭也負擔不起較好的私幼;孩子就這樣輸在起跑點。

問題4》孩子沒有學習目標,不知為何而學台北市大同區雙蓮國小老師郭俊成,最近讓孩子自訂題目在學校做街訪,有一組主題是:哪個科目對未來最沒有幫助?訪問一百人的結果,前一、二名竟是自然和數學,各占三九%和三三%。學生發表時說,希望課程內容多和生活作聯結。「沒有學習目標,不知為何而學,是孩子不想學習而出現落差的因素之一。」郭俊成說。

監察院一四年曾通過監委沈美貞提出的糾正案,直指教育部未積極督導實施因材施教策略,強化學習動機及確保有效學習,嚴重失職。不過,不少學校已開始嘗試各種創新教學。

位於新竹縣尖石鄉的嘉興國小,是泰雅族部落小學,校長徐榮春認為,學習動機與意願決定成效,最重要是「有效教學」。這學期,他針對嘉興國小義興分校五名六年級學生,設計建築與環境空間課程,透過實際操作來教學,成果豐碩。

他所設計的創新課程讓老師在上課時講建築家故事,帶學生去亞洲大學參觀安藤忠雄的建築;台南震災後,機會教育讓學生了解建築的重要性。接下來,帶學生去中華大學建築系,教授教做一比五百比例尺的模型,讓學生了解有多少月薪、要存幾年錢才能蓋房子,孩子原本缺乏的數字與理財的概念有了,最重要是啟發孩子思考人際關係與生涯規畫,「回校還一直催老師,看何時能再去參觀。」徐榮春說。

「有效教學不是補救教學的責任,而要發生在每一間教室。」曾世杰強調。

問題5》教學無差異化,不合框架的學生只能出走「我們把差異化訂在學科上,孩子原本有很多興趣,被我們的框架排掉了,孩子的潛力與天分,在應付考試與學科就不見了,差異化很難展現。」台北教育大學課程與教學傳播科技研究所教授林佩璇感嘆。

她並指出,台灣的課程綁手綁腳,教材應是給學校參考,卻被當作全部版本要達到齊一水平,家長學生與老師都受限,學習十分窄化,「中小學是要建立基本能力,不是內容搪塞,目前卻本末倒置。」「國中性向測驗,我的空間、藝術都是滿分,但這些不考;我的語文數學很低,就被說『功課不好』。我有興趣的美術、家政課都被拿去考試,我覺得反感就乾脆不準備;我跟不上進度,但老師還一直往前教,和同學的差距越拉越大。」資安程式高手張啟元,對僵化的教育體制餘悸猶存。

無差異化的教學內容,缺乏彈性的制度設計,讓不合框架的學生只能選擇出走,較好的結果是往自學或體制外學習發展,最差的結果則是成為中輟生。

一四年十一月立法院通過《實驗教育三法》,讓在家自學或實驗教育辦學機構有了法源,也開展民間的辦學活力;第一所影視專科的實驗高職,由台北市政府推動的寶藏巖「影視音實驗教育機構」,就將在今年六月開辦。

然而,絕大部分學生還是得留在體制內受教育,提供「有品質的教學」,是搶救二十萬名後段學生應該努力的目標。五二○即將上任總統的蔡英文,聽到學子的心聲了嗎?

(本文部分資料由台灣大學系統—台灣大學、台灣師範大學、台灣科技大學提供)撰文 / 許秀惠、郭淑媛、賴若函、洪依婷

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從小一開始 搶救20萬落後學生 補救措施》學校腦袋要「解嚴」 這三件事不能等

2016-05-16 TWM

搶救二十萬個學力落後的學生迫在眉睫,除了政府有限的資源放在刀口上,協助弱勢, 更要聚焦基本學力,從小救起。無論是教育制度或教學方法,只有從根本改變,才能達到目標。

解方1》每年檢測學力 別等到國中教育會考「若問我給新政府建議,想辦法把小學一、二年級帶好吧!」甫卸任國教院副院長的台東大學特教系教授曾世杰呼籲。多年來研究以低成就學童的閱讀歷程與補救教學為主,他認為,台灣現況是,低成就表現的孩子愈來愈多,補救已經來不及,能預防就越早介入越好,出了問題就趕快幫忙拉回來。

目前國中小學學生的學力檢測機制,只有到九年級時才舉行國中教育會考,曾世杰說,這樣太晚了,會錯失教學介入的有效黃金時期。他主張,國小應建立學力監控機制,每年要監測一次基本學力(讀、寫、算)不要等到會考成績出來,才來補救。他特別強調,「尤其國小前四年每年都要做,帶不起來,唯老師是問!這樣才有機會在出問題時抓出來。」而且,這項監測機制應由國家負責,不要縣市政府來做,才能鼓勵縣市長把提升學力當政見。

有了學力監測機制,一發現學生學力低落,就應開始補救。曾世杰說,要先有基礎的讀寫能力,數學不好可能是國語不好、看不懂題目,「只要讀寫不好,所有學科都不會好」。麥肯錫顧問公司曾針對世界各國的教育系統做研究,發現優先專注於學生基本學力提升的學校,學生學力的進步成果顯著;英國教育也證實,在小學階段結束前消除分數差距,是弱勢協助最有效的方式。

消弭分數差距,讓學生學習有效,依能力實施年級內分組教學,是個不錯的辦法。不過,現行辦法是規定國中二年級才能開始分組教學,這個俗稱跑班的制度,曾世杰認為太晚了,應該小學四年級就開始。

但真正實行跑班制的學校並不多。

依據監察院調查,一○二學年度,僅有一五六所國中實施年級內之分組教學,實施常態編班而未採分組學習有七一一所,比率高達八二%;國中學生人數七十七萬餘人,接受部分基本學科如英文、數學、自然分組學習者只有五萬三千多人,只占國中學生總數的七%,顯然多數學生未能因材施教。

除了跑班,彈性的上課進度與評量方法,有其必要。新竹嘉興國小校長徐榮春就指出,山上的老師都很有熱忱,想讓學生多體驗課程,但會擔心課上不完。曾世杰曾實驗,把教材難度降低,學生的學習能力有回來,只是,期中、期末考又變成全校一致的評量,後段學生依舊落在後面。

事實上教育部也放寬考試可分A、B、C卷三種標準,但學校不敢,擔心被抗議不公平,「體育課就可以依身高、體重有不同標準評分,學科為何不可以?新政府一定要讓學校腦袋解嚴。」曾世杰說。

解方2》課程結合地區文化 提升學習興趣「台灣有不同族群,中小學課程必須回歸文化傳統或社區本位,原住民、偏鄉或新住民的孩子,若能學習到與自己文化或生活經驗相關的課程,學業表現可能會改善。若課程內容與生活經驗太多落差,孩子興趣與能力無法展現,所以不是後端的孩子無能力,而是國家標準對他太不公平。」政大教育系教授馮朝霖點出問題。

馮朝霖認為,國家控制整個課程發展與標準,讓課程太一致性、標準化;但內容是既得利益者的文化,弱勢族群有很大一部分是原住民、新住民或偏鄉的孩子,他們學習現有課程,感受非常遙遠。

馮朝霖主張,要讓學生有學習動力與自信,就要做得更充分,突破國家對課程的壟斷,目前是「多綱多本」,未來希望能「無綱無本」。

台北教育大學課程與教學傳播科技研究所教授林佩璇也建議政府,可以有課綱但不要發展教科書,由學校老師去建構。教學不是老師單打獨鬥,結合同校與附近學校老師,一起把重要概念弄出來,團隊互相支援;老師要關心孩子,孩子受到關注,能量就會展現。

馮朝霖還建議,教學若太過無聊單調,學習成就很難提高,教學要翻轉,朝生活性(如蓋房子)、體驗性(如爬山)、實作性發展,讓學習成就較低的孩子提升學習動力,並讓學生從事服務學習,如此一來,即使小學生、幼兒生,也可以從服務別人之中,發現存在的價值。

解方3》提高學前教育品質 別讓孩子輸在起點國教向下延伸,提升學前教育品質,是不少學者專家共同心聲。台中教育大學幼兒教育系主任邱淑惠說,國教往下延伸,可減緩家長負擔,同時讓大家正視幼教本質是什麼;避免一味市場導向(如應家長要求,著重在教識字或背誦),並避免公立幼兒園老師過勞又流動性高,又可改善部分私立幼兒園以低薪聘人來當老師、無法把好人才帶進去的問題。

只不過,這條路蜿蜒又難走。關鍵在於,現有幼兒園高達七成是私立。邱淑惠也提醒,私幼擔心如果納入國教,會有生存危機,反彈力量很大,比較好的作法是,由政府直接給家長補助,減緩經濟壓力。同時,保障私幼老師基本薪資,改善勞動條件,優秀人才才會進來,教學品質才不會落後。

台灣師大提出二○二○年給新政府指標之一,是三○%學前教育機構通過專業認證評鑑,讓每一名幼兒都能享有至少一年的高品質學前教育。

台灣師大教育學院院長許添明說,幼兒接受低品質的學前教育,和沒接受學前教育的效果沒兩樣,有必要以專業認證評鑑,提供提升教育品質的評鑑標準,引導幼兒園自我改善,也讓家長選擇幼兒園有所依循。

許添明並建議,中央政府應提高對地方政府教育的一般補助,責成地方政府為學前教育負起責任;甚至,為了擴大財源,應改革稅制,以提高政府對教育的投資。

撰文 / 郭淑媛

 
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師心聲:還剩多少熱情給學生 教學現場》寫評鑑、掰成果 行政工作爆量

2016-05-16  TWM

中小學教師熱情在各種以「評鑑」、「創新教學」等為名、實質爆量的行政工作下, 幾乎消失殆盡,該怎麼尋回教學現場的活力?

周二上午七點不到,新北市國小老師黃明彥(化名)已經站在校門口執行導護,趁著早自習進行班級晨間檢查,再開始上午的課。下課時,學生爭執等狀況讓他應接不暇,往往還來不及喝水,又得站上講台。

午餐時間,他快速解決午餐之後,開始批改堆得有如小山一樣高的作業,同時心裡開始想如何回覆來自教育局處詢問「用哪個版本的教科書」、「全校洗手台數量」等問題的公文,早上問、下午就得回。

下午四點放學,工作卻還沒結束,回家以後,除了準備明天的教材,為著即將到來的校務評鑑,他開始填寫多如牛毛的表格,一路忙到晚上十二點,期間還不時接到家長打來問功課、問學生狀況的電話……。

這是黃明彥的一天,也是所有小學老師一天的縮影。

一天要處理數十封文件

「非必要」工作,分割教學時間老師,是啟發學生學習熱情的重要角色,但當老師的精力窮於應付各種行政庶務、處理一天數十封的文件、配合各種上級單位要求的宣導、活動,又能剩下多少教學熱情留給真正重要任務:教育學生。

最大的問題之一,是行政量過大。彰化縣三民國小校長楊恩慈寫在臉書網誌上的內容,就暴露了老師們的無奈。這篇網誌後來因媒體轉載而引發很多基層教職人員的共鳴,文中表達的重點之一,就是在教育上級單位為了督導、為了追求成果,「所有人都忙著做成果,而不是辦教育—『教育』,成了最大的輸家!」宜蘭縣教育處就曾提出:「老師除了教學、備課,還要協助學校活動、研習,各項評鑑多達七十四項,所要準備的管考公文、報表等有三、四百個表格,平均每二.六天教師便要接受一項考核或訪視,平均每位教師每日須花費一至兩小時不等處理行政工作。」事實上,學校不止因配合教育部的「統合視導」政策(編按:中央政府為檢視各地方教育政策的執行力,所設計的一套評鑑方法),增加各式各樣的行政工作,各種評鑑也讓老師疲於奔命。

「各種評鑑或是政策推動都給我『做表面』的感覺,準備紙本很麻煩,內容又可以編造,根本無法反映實際狀況。」教學年資已有十年的泰山國中老師林怡秀說。拿「觀課」來說,每學期各科必須有一位老師公開授課,被抽到的人得另外花時間預備主題式課程;觀課當天,所有教師都要到,三個小時內包含講解、觀課、討論回饋,但「一來這不是該師平常的教學方式;二來其他老師也多以讚美代替批評,不會有很深入的討論」,所以林怡秀認為,觀課沒有不好,只是如果行禮如儀,但學校平時內部沒有創意教學討論的氛圍,實質效用也不大。

「老師長期處在忙、茫、盲的教學困境裡,一邊要管理班級秩序,一邊備課、教學、參加研習;桌上堆滿未批改的作業、行政調查表,這樣的環境下,怎麼展現自己的教學熱情?」充滿教學熱情的台北市雙蓮國小老師郭俊成,任教十三年來,同時也擔任六年行政職,對於老師的困境,也有著深深無奈。

研習強制參加

小校老師十個派三個,誰授課郭俊成期待,「讓教室回歸單純的教學現場,讓老師回歸單純的教育專職者。」他認為,政府應去除教師不必要的行政負擔,才有更多熱情和時間,去為孩子的未來著想。

再者,教育部開設的各類研習課程,是否符合教學現場,也不無疑問。被教育部列為教學典範學校、南投縣長福國小教導主任廖婉雯指出,目前教育部的研習課程,以議題類為多,如性別、環境、行政等,內容規畫對提升教學「幫助有限」。

採訪前一天,教育部主辦了三場有關體育、遊學和戶外教育的研習,發文要求每所國小派人參加,但長福國小「全部老師也不過十個人,一次派三人,怎麼可能不影響正常教學?」廖婉雯表示。

認真的老師,常常在教學和行政工作之間蠟燭兩頭燒,但是反觀教學現場,尸位素餐的老師也所在多有,更缺乏監督機制改善這種狀況。

教育部評鑑的教學典範學校、新北市昌平國小校長張信務對此很有感。他曾在之前任職的學校,對兩位不適任教師提出不續聘,兩位教師仗著是資深老師,平時不參加研習課,可優先選擇要教什麼年級和課程,就選擇體育和自然等相對輕鬆的科目。然而教自然課卻不做實驗,上課照念課本,也不重視班級秩序,導致學生學習態度差、師生關係不佳,結果就是該班的學業,是同學年最落後的。

爛老師out!

讓教師接受評鑑,汰壞留好台東大學特教系教授、國家教育研究院前副院長曾世杰同樣觀察到,很多老師沒有熱忱,「上進修課時還改作業、打瞌睡」,他希望教師評鑑與待遇有關聯,「讓教學品質與薪水掛鉤,教育部要全力推教師專業成長。」目前,教育部推動的教師評鑑,尚處在自願加入的試辦階段,對於教師評鑑入法,過去曾有調查顯示近七成教師同意進行「教師評鑑」,希望以外力推動教師成長,而非僅期待教師自律、長年保持教學進步的動能。

教師評鑑的推動,其結果若不與薪資、聘任掛鉤,就失去意義。張信務主張「教師分級制」,不同等級有不同薪資,「從初級、中級、高級到教授級,以五年為一個時間點,越高階的老師,課程時數越少。」他認為,現在的教師透過如研習時數、交報告、進修學位就可以升級,容易淪於形式。

放眼英國作法,由或資深教師擔任評鑑者,主要透過教室觀察,輔以會談、評量會議等方式,每兩年一次評鑑。每學期都至少有二次教室觀察,指標則包含教師與學生的活動紀錄、學生反應、教學中的長處和弱點等,評鑑後更針對須強化的部分,進行定期追蹤。其評鑑結果和薪資、聘任、分級正相關,教學表現若良好,未兼行政職者,薪資換算最高可達約一百四十萬元新台幣。

廖婉雯雖認同教師評鑑的理念,但認為執行面還有很多可以討論。林怡秀也擔憂會再次成為「搞紙本的繁文縟節」,畢竟就她的工作來看,教學之外有行政工作,還要花很多時間處理學生的人際問題、家庭狀況,這些就已讓她加班加不完了。

如何卸下教師肩頭沉重的行政負擔、回歸教學專業,是當務之急,而教師評鑑的實質作法,也有待更多執行面上的方法討論,才能成為推動教師進修、成長的有效機制。

撰文 / 賴若函、郭淑媛

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