The essence of learning: A study of the learning needs of primary school teachers in Hong Kong

The essence of learning: A study of the learning needs of primary school teachers in Hong Kong

• Fok, Shui Che Janet The Hong Kong Institute of Education

2004

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

• M Teachers & Education for Teachers
  • MA Professional Education for Teachers

• Hong Kong

• 1997.7 onwards

• Primary Education

This paper is about a study of the learning needs of serving primary school teachers in Hong Kong. The question involved is what are the training needs of these teachers. Literature review shows that there are different elements in teacher development and different stages of teachers' career are related to teachers training requirements. In our study, a questionnaire is given to the participants who have attended an in-service program. In the questionnaire, the respondents have to indicate their perceived competences of themselves and their perceived training needs. They have also to rank (heir psychological needs. The results of the study reveal that there is no big difference in the training needs between teachers of different teaching experience and teaching duties. Also, there is no significant correlation between teachers' perceived competencies and their perceived training needs. The conclusion is that the education reform since 2000 has exerted such great pressure on all teachers that they have a sense of insecurity. Therefore there is a feeling of inadequacy in primary school teachers and they feel an urgent need to upgrade themselves in whatever area in teaching. The positive outcome is that teachers are more ready to attend in-service training program. The negative outcome is that teachers have no long-term goals in their professional development. The true learning needs are to satisfy the government's top-down demand for educational reform in order to attain job security.

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

• English

Conference Papers

https://bibliography.lib.eduhk.hk/en/bibs/9ff00912

2016-01-07