Use of technology in the classroom will continue to change teaching methods and course content, reflecting the broader developments made possible by advances in IT and easy access to internet resources.
However, experts are quick to stress that while this does open a new frontier, both teachers and students need appropriate training to see where the real value lies. To maximise the educational benefits, they must make the distinction between mere tools and the true skills, understanding and spirit of inquiry they are meant to create.
It is also essential to realise that today's high-speed modes of communications, and vast volumes of data, often count for little. What matter most - in school, as in later life - are still abilities such as critical thinking, self-expression, deduction and interaction with others, which should be the basis of any good curriculum.
'Classroom technology is about enabling learners to do things that are not otherwise possible,' says Professor Nancy Law, director of the Centre for Information Technology in Education at the University of Hong Kong. 'The hardware is one thing, but it is really about allowing students to explore collaborative learning, with the possibility to reach out to different sources while studying in an organised, formal manner.'
Law notes that in most Hong Kong schools, there is some way to go before computers become the learner's tool rather than just the teacher's aid for presenting course material. But she has seen excellent examples in primary classes where a general studies teacher might ask a question about greetings in different countries. Groups then use internet links to discover people typically bow in Japan, kiss in France, or shake hands in the US.
The lesson, of course, is not about bytes and keyboards. It is about cultural differences, communication and research skills, with the teacher asking which search words give the most useful results. 'Students become more open and inquiry-oriented,' Law says. 'They find classes more interesting and are not just learning what is in the textbook.'