Hong Kong Baptist University and City University (CityU) of Hong Kong have joined forces to build a Chinese language teachers' support system, which makes use of their newly-established computer network. The $90,000 project, financed by the Government's Language Studies Fund, allows the exchange of teaching materials and ideas through the network. The project, initiated by Alex Fung Chi-wah, an associate professor of the Department of Education Studies at Baptist University, and Hung Sui-luen of the Computer Science Department at CityU, is operating under a network system called 'Wei Wen', which means cultural and language interaction. The main role of Baptist University is to set up and operate this network for 23 secondary schools to use. This is the second year that the Chinese language teachers' support system is being offered. It took Baptist University about six months to prepare the materials and to choose 20 secondary schools to use the new system last December. Dr Yip Kwok-hung, an assistant professor of the Department of Education Studies at Baptist University, said a new computer and a telephone system had been installed for the schools. 'Many teachers do not have enough time to prepare their lessons and materials, so we have built a network for them to exchange their ideas and teaching materials,' Dr Yip said. He revealed that the universities were also planning to get a worldwide web site. However, it is still at a preliminary stage. The project team hopes to open the system to all Chinese teachers in Hong Kong when more funding and manpower are available.
