Teacher stress and professional development in special schools under education reform 2000 in Hong Kong

Teacher stress and professional development in special schools under education reform 2000 in Hong Kong

• Fok, Daniel Chun Wing

2008

• M Teachers & Education for Teachers
  • MG Identities, Attitudes & Opinion of Educational Workers
• E Special Education

Special Education Teachers - Job Stress - Hong Kong Educational Change - Hong Kong Special Education Teachers - Training of - Hong Kong

• Hong Kong

• 1997.7 onwards

• Primary Education
• Secondary Education

This study aimed to investigate how the special educators perceive their stress and professional development amidst Education Reform 2000 in Hong Kong. A conceptual framework was constructed to probe the external and internal influences of education reforms upon teachers in special schools. A combined inquiry was used to complete the task. For knowing external environment influences, two methods were employed. Historical study was selected to scrutinize 21 official documents that were closely related to the education reforms. Document analysis was chosen to examine 21 local theses, surveys, or reports on teacher stress, and to categorize 409 relevant news clippings related to the education reform, teacher stress, and professional development. As to internal influences, three methods were utilized. First, a four-section modified questionnaire was sent to 159 teachers in special schools, among them 92 teachers responded (57.9%) for data analysis. Second, 11 individualized semi-structured interviews were conducted, which were categorized into four administrative teachers, three experienced teachers and four novice teachers to triangulate the findings of quantitative analysis. Third, a focus group discussion with six experienced teachers was held to collect further relevant data.
Results were found in data or evidences on four foci. As for the education reforms, most teachers realized that the influence of education reform was complex. The frequent changes in educational policies, which were relating to class structures, curricula, teachers' qualification and composition, existence and stability, quality assurance and accountability, operation style, and provision of special schools, had affected the schools' operations and teachers' lives. Regarding teacher stress, all levels of teachers in special schools were working at a high level of stress. The stressors of professional investment, school organizational variables, personal variables, and work-related stressors were found significant in this study. Meanwhile, evidences showed that teachers had attended abundant trainings for professional development in the midst of education reforms. Teachers attended trainings due to the need for professional growth, external request and support, and lowering work-related stress in descending order. Finally, suggestions were provided to sustain the special education teachers by doing things to reduce teacher stress, or to promote their professional development, or to achieve both.
Recommendations were given to various stakeholders like educational officials, school leaders, special need educators, and teacher training institutions, as well as future study as a whole for better prospect of local special education.

EdD

University of Hong Kong

Hong Kong

• English

Dissertation Theses

https://bibliography.lib.eduhk.hk/bibs/cdfd9dfb

2010-12-16