A Philosophical Framework for Education and Information Literacy Development in Hong Kong

Abstract

Principles for furthering information literacy in Hong Kong after 1997 must come into line with the education policy of the HKSAR, which shall encourage both freedom of the individual mind and the growth of a national identity. Freedom of the mind will increase creativity and independent thinking capability of the individual; the build-up of a national identity for Hong Kong people is crucial as this will lead to the steady development of the local democratic political establishment. Although these two elements of education policy are fundamental in many other countries, they were basically missing before 1997. Therefore, on the eve of political and cultural change, the principles for information literacy, the author believes, should be the “no-action” principle laid down by the famous Chinese philosopher, Lao Tzu, and the principles brought out in the Theory of Legal and Moral Value Balance and Rules of Spontaneity developed by the author.