While a class gap remains in obtaining a degree despite an expansion of higher education, a variety of second chances have become available. How class matters in receiving parental assistance for seeking a second chance is of increasing importance to understanding educational inequality in an altered context of higher education, but it is under-researched. This article seeks to fill this gap by referring to a qualitative study of 85 community-college students in Hong Kong for illustration. First interviews with respondents recruited from a community college were conducted between the year 2006 and 2009 where they discussed how they desired a second chance option by studying an associate degree in community college. Encouragement and emotional support to seek this new, costly, and risky second chance was provided by parents of most respondents. And yet, as a deficit approach would have us believe, middle-class respondents received more relevant information and academic advice with financial support from their parents than working-class respondents. In spite of that fact, it seems to remain whether the middle class are indeed better able than the working class to get transferred to university through the transfer of an associate degree in Hong Kong. This illustration suggests that the availability of a second chance does not immediately imply that the middle and the working classes are equally capable of taking advantage of it to rectify their previous educational failure. This article will be concluded by discussing the implications of this study for educational inequality.
[Higher Education is a copyright of Springer, 2017]

This study investigated the moderating effect of gender on the causal relationships between different school play activities (pretend and non-pretend play) and social competence in peer interactions among a sample of Hong Kong children. Participants were 60 Hong Kong preschoolers (mean age = 5.44, 36.67 % female). Children with matched home pretend play time period were randomly assigned to pretend or non-pretend play groups to take part in pretend or non-pretend play activities respectively in the 1-month kindergarten play training. Children's pre- and post-training social competences were assessed by their teachers. Results revealed a trend that girls who participated in school pretend play tended to be less disruptive during peer interactions after the training than those who participated in non-pretend play, while boys were similarly benefited from the two play activities. The implications for play-related research and children's social competence development are discussed.

Conceptual Framework: This study is founded on the framework of life satisfaction (Huebner, 2001), spiritual health (SH) (Fisher, 1999; 2008), academic engagement (AE) (Appleton et al., 2008) and civic engagement (CE) (Schulz et al., 2008). Objective: To investigate the structural relationships among SH, SE and CE of secondary students. Method: The study employs an integrated questionnaire survey to unfold the complex relationships among the three factors: SH, SE and CE. Over 8500 students aged 12 – 19 were surveyed in 2015. The following hypotheses were tested: (H1) SH is positively predictive for SE. (H2) SH is positively predictive for CE. (H3) Students’ SE is predictive for their CE. (H4) The effect of SH on CE is mediated by SE. Results: Our findings confirm the structural relationships with SH having a significant direct effect on SE (0.883***) but not directly on CE (-0.028). Moreover, SE contributes significantly and positively to CE (0.753***). Spiritual health does not have a significant impact on civic engagement. However, a significant indirect effect of SH on CE via SE (0.665***) was confirmed. Discussion and conclusion: Our overall findings have supported the aforementioned hypotheses with one indirect effect between SH and CE. The study concludes that SH is a core factor with regard to positive student development academically and socially. Additionally, desirable school engagement is linked with students’ future societal engagement such as obeying rules and laws, serving others, expressing their views on civic issues and voting etc. Implications for developing a success for all engagement framework are discussed.

A two-wave longitudinal study on 470 parent–child dyads examined the impact of family mealtime environment, parenting style and family functioning on preschoolers' (three to six years old) learning. Measures included parent report on parenting style, family functioning, family meal frequency, mealtime television, feeding practice, teacher/parent report of academic competence and individual assessment of preschoolers' preschool concepts. Family mealtime environment variables were associated with pre-schoolers' learning, in addition to parenting style and family functioning, after controlling for family income and wave 1 preschoolers' learning. The results highlighted the importance of family mealtime environment on preschoolers' learning.
[Copyright © 2017 Department of Social Work, National University of Singapore, Singapore.]

Children's understanding of the concepts of teaching and learning is closely associated with their theory of mind (ToM) ability and vital for school readiness. This study aimed to develop and validate a Preschool Teaching and Learning Comprehension Index (PTLCI) across cultures and examine the causal relationship between children's comprehension of teaching and learning and their mental state understanding. Two hundred and twelve children from 3 to 6 years of age from Hong Kong and the United States participated in study. The results suggested strong construct validity of the PTLCI, and its measurement and structural equivalence within and across cultures. ToM and PTLCI were significantly correlated with a medium effect size, even after controlling for age, and language ability. Hong Kong children outperformed their American counterparts in both ToM and PTLCI. Competing structural equation models suggested that children's performance on the PTLCI causally predicted their ToM across countries.
[Copyright © 2017 Wang, Wang and Chui.]

This study aimed to investigate parents' understanding of, support for and concerns about e-learning and proposed a school–parent partnership distributing responsibilities to parents and schools based on the results of the study. A total of 61 parents from 21 schools in an e-learning pilot scheme in Hong Kong responded to a questionnaire survey and focus group interviews. Results indicated that there was a high correlation between parental understanding and support for e-learning although parents demonstrated only a basic level of understanding. Four types of parental support and six major areas of parental concern were identified. These results shed light on the school–parent partnership whereby parents should implement a proactive e-learning policy at home to monitor, support and inspire e-learning. Schools should formulate a holistic policy to address parents' concerns responsively and proactively to gain support. Schools can enhance parents' pedagogical understanding of e-learning and address parental concerns through school–parent communication and peer support among parents.
[Copyright © 2017 Association for Information Technology in Teacher Education.]

School-based physical activity (PA), including activity during physical education (PE) lessons and after-school hours, is a possible opportunity for increasing children' s daily PA. The purposes of this study were (a) to compare children' s school-based PA levels during PE lessons and after-school hours and (b) to examine whether there is a difference in children' s PA behaviour (moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA)) and sedentary behaviour on a day which includes school-based PA (i.e. PE class or after-school sports class). The participants were 242 children (mean age = 8.7, SD = 1.6) from five primary schools in Hong Kong. Children' s PA levels were measured using an accelerometer (ActiGraph GT3X) for four school days, and the data were used to derive the duration (min) of MVPA and sedentary behaviour using age-specific criteria. The PA data were grouped according to the school-based PA opportunities, i.e. (a) with a PE lesson (PE day); (b) with an after-school sport class (AFS day); or (c) without school-based PA (N-Act day). The results indicated that the groups differed significantly in daily MVPA [F (2,108) = 16.62, p < .00] and MVPA during school hours [F (2,108) = 36.22, p < .00]. There was no significant difference in children' s sedentary behaviour with school-based PA participation. The present study confirmed the contribution of school-based PA opportunities to children' s MVPA in the school day, while sedentary behaviour may not necessarily be reduced.
[Copyright © 2017 The Author(s).]

It is increasingly recognized in the field of gifted education that giftedness is asynchronous development, which posits that the combination of advanced cognitive abilities and heightened intensity and sensitivity in the gifted population creates inner experiences and awareness that are qualitatively different from the norm. The asynchronous development of the gifted renders them vulnerable particularly in the social-emotional aspects (Silverman, 1993). The purpose of this chapter is to look into the social-emotional characteristics of gifted students. It is further asserted that the social-emotional challenges or inner conflicts experienced by the gifted students were actually the driving force of the personal development for the gifted students. Implications on effective counselling for the gifted are also discussed with the aim to facilitate an optimal personal development of the gifted in a Hong Kong school context.

香港作為一個亞洲國際都會，香港的高等教育一向重視培育國際化人才。為了剖析香港高等教育國際化現況，這篇文章將回顧教資會的政策，並就各院校的國際化措施、境外生來港升讀、高等教育學生交流等方面作出分析和討論。