Most teachers are spoon-feeding students in liberal studies classes, although this is discouraged, a University of Hong Kong study has found. Teachers are relying heavily on textbooks, despite guidelines that they should not do so.
Student Theodora Yu, 18, often engages in lively debates on topical issues in class. She thinks she learned more through exchanging ideas than through textbooks - which only covered a small part of the subject. 'While textbooks help explain fundamental concepts, discussions allowed us to analyse social problems critically and from multiple perspectives,' Yu says.
Gabrielle Chan, 17, agrees that a reliance on textbooks destroys the essence of the subject.
'Teachers just taught us how to score more points, rather than teaching us to think,' Gabrielle says.