Self-directed learning as a key approach to effectiveness of education: A comparison among Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan

Recent education reforms in countries around the world have had only modest success. Many reasons have been offered to explain the failure of the reforms, but at the top of the list is the inadequate preparation of teachers for the implementation of these reforms. One such type of preparation involves the development of teachers into selflearners. Self-learning throughout the lifespan is a sine qua non of education. Parallel to this is the development of the Internet as an important medium for teaching and learning. There is an urgent need to develop a theory to deepen the understanding of the nature and process of self-learning of teachers, with the support of a networked human and IT environment. The implications drawn from the theory can contribute to the paradigm shift of education in current worldwide education reforms. Copyright © 2007 Springer.