Understanding curriculum leadership in Hong Kong primary schools: An analysis of three cases

Understanding curriculum leadership in Hong Kong primary schools: An analysis of three cases

• Lo, Yiu Chun The Hong Kong Institution of Education

2004

International Council on Education for Teaching (ICET) World Assembly 2004 (2004: Hong Kong)

• D Curriculum
  • DD Primary Education Programmes

Teacher Education and Professional Development Primary Education

• Hong Kong

• 1997.7 onwards

• Primary Education

Current curriculum reform in Hong Kong has highlighted the importance of leadership at the school level. It is reflected in the allocation of special funding by the Government to develop a scheme for creating a curriculum leadership position entitled "Primary Senior Masters/ Mistresses - Curriculum Development (PSMCDs)" in primary schools. To be effective curriculum leaders in leading school-based curriculum reforms, the PSMCDs need to build up working relationship with their colleagues at different levels. Thus this study aims to explore, from a micro-political perspective, the strategic role of PSMCDs in leading curriculum development in primary schools. The research questions are: - What strategies have the PSMCDs used to build up their working relationship with colleagues so as to perform their role of curriculum leaders? - What support have the PSMCDs received in schools for performing their role of curriculum leaders? - What problems and difficulties have they encountered in performing their role? By interviewing three PSMCDs who have just completed their first year of service in schools, it is found that one of them used authoritarian approach while the other two used interpersonal tactics to build up working relationship with their colleagues. Both strategies appeared to be effective in helping these PSMCDs to perform their role as curriculum leaders in their schools. The outcomes of this study are significant in helping school principals, curriculum leaders, serving teachers and other educators to have an in-depth understanding of the characteristics of PSMCDs in performing their change agent role in schools.

Paper presented at the International Council on Education for Teaching (ICET) World Assembly 2004: Teachers as learners: Building communities for professional development, Hong Kong, China

• English

Conference Papers

https://bibliography.lib.eduhk.hk/bibs/ffb48cf5

2015-02-25