培養香港青少年科技創新素養政策研究報告

全球科技發展迅速，各國都需要大量科技人才，培養人才需要從學生出發。香港科技創新教育聯盟（下稱聯盟）意識到現今教育制度下，年青人難以對科技、創新產生深入的認識，影響構建科學精神和科學思維，未能培養科技創新素養。聯盟希望藉此研究報告，參考各地培養年青人科技創新素養經驗，檢視香港目前相關狀況，提出培養香港學生科技創新素養的政策建議。

科技創新素養包括擁有能夠利用科技去解決現時社會上問題的能力，聯盟認為所有年青人都必須要具備這些元素。因為這種解難能力是科技創新素養的核心，此外，科技創新素養亦包括科學精神、求知精神，因為二十一世紀社會資訊太發達，令每個人都很容易在短時間內得到很多訊息，在大量的訊息當中有真有假，但並不是每個人都會用基本的科學精神去求證這些資訊背後的真偽，令年青人被錯誤的資訊誤導。所以我們相信要及早培養青少年科技創新素養，因為要下一代每一位年青人都具備科技創新素養是一項艱鉅的任務，需要社會每一位合作去達成這個目標。

為了知道更多香港青少年對科技創新素養的認知和看法，聯盟向學校會員發出一份問卷調查。問卷調查總共訪問了1816位學生，當中有773位小學生以及1043位中學生。男生1000名，女生816名。聯盟亦都約見了7位科技創新教育相關人士，包括中小學校長、大學教授、前線老師、業界專家作深入訪談。

聯盟提出多項政策建議，希望能夠進一步加強香港青少年的科技創新素養，令他們可以全面地發展。

In recent decades, global science and technology has been developing rapidly. It became a central issue for countries to develop a great number of scientific and technological talents, which needs to start from training students. The Hong Kong STEM Education Alliance (hereafter "the Alliance") realizes that under the current educational system, it is difficult for young people to have an in-depth understanding of technology and innovation, as well as a scientific thinking, hence they may fail to acquire scientific and innovative literacy. In this report, we explored the experience of developing young people's scientific and innovative literacy in other countries, and reviewed the relevant situation in Hong Kong and made several suggestions for policy makers.

The ability to solve current social problem using the technology is the core part of the scientific and innovative literacy. The Alliance believes that it is necessary for all the young people to acquire these capabilities. Also, scientific and innovative literacy includes the spirit of science and the thirsty for knowledge. Because of rapid growth of digital technology in 21st century, people can receive a great volume of social information in a short time but can hardly verify those information, unless they have basic scientific knowledge. Young people are a group that can easily misled by the false/forged information. Therefore, we suggest that it is important to develop the scientific and innovative literacy of future generation as early as possible, as it is a gigantic task and needs the cooperation of every stakeholders in the society to accomplish.

The Alliance has gathered data from a questionnaire survey on our school members, in order to learn more about Hong Kong youths' perceptions and views on the scientific and innovative literacy. We have interviewed 1,816 students in total, including 773 primary school students and 1,043 students from secondary schools. Among the interviewees, there are 1,000 boys and 816 girls. We also conducted in-depth interviews with seven stakeholders in STEM education, including primary and secondary school principals, university professors, teachers, and industry experts.

The Alliance has made several policy recommendations, hoping to further strengthen the scientific and innovative literacy of Hong Kong youths, to facilitate their comprehensive development.

Findings from this report indicate that we need to face up and cooperate to seek solutions. With aforementioned suggestions, the Alliance hopes to play a leading role in developing scientific and innovative literacy of Hong Kong youth. We wish that all parts of our society will realize the importance of STEM education. Compared with other regions in the world, Hong Kong is advantaged in scientific innovation, however, it lacks the driving force of united effort in our society. We believe that the potentials of Hong Kong youth can be fully utilized, once the government receive those suggestions. The development of youth's scientific and innovative literacy will have a positive impact on the development of society and enable Hong Kong to maximize its advantages in a long term.