本文寫作的背景，源於對香港鄉村學校發展的研究。2003 年，教統局為了改善小學的成本效益，規定學校取錄小一新生必須滿23 人才可開辦一班，政策導致多間鄉村小學被迫停辦，單以2005-2006 年計算，被迫停辦的村校達36 間，佔村校總數的三分之二，香港鄉村學校有從此在歷史上湮沒的趨勢。有見及此，香港歷史博物館、香港文化博物館及香港教育學院合作進行了一項「香港鄉村學校」的研究，這個研究計劃的時間從2006-2008 年，目的在搜集和撰寫學校資料，又透過口述歷史的形式，為香港的鄉村教育保留一些剪影。計劃的組長是羅慧燕博士，研究小組成員包括了教育政策與行政系的余惠冰、李展華、謝慶生及筆者，另有學生助理鄭漢癸和鄭悅。這個研究最終成就了54 所鄉村學校的檔案和18 份口述歷史，在研究的過程中，筆者「耳聞目染」，增加了對鄉村學校校長的了解：有些是透過直接訪談校長的；有些是透過其他受訪者轉述的，同時也引發出對鄉村學校校長的教育理念、領導和風格的體會和興趣。這些資料，除了反映香港社會一定時空的教育發展之外，對豐富香港校長領導的文獻也很有幫助。於是，研究小組將這部分的專題交由筆者整理，並代表研究小組就着香港村校的校長領導，作一些報道。
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Factors affecting planning effectiveness in Hong Kong self-managing schools are investigated. Questionnaire survey data from teachers, gathered in late 1994 from schools participating in the Phases I & II of the School Management Initiative scheme, are analyzed by principal-components analysis and multiple regression. Flexible planning, teachers’ participation in planning, principal’s support and resource support are found to be significant factors in predicting positive outcomes of planning. The concept of flexible planning is explored and conceptualized in terms of built-in flexibility and flexibility through evaluation. As interactive model, “A self-Managing School Planning Model”, which is responsive, recurrent and flexible in nature, is proposed.

In the past decade, there have been numerous researches on motivation, which is generally agreed to be the key to student learning. Concepts like intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation, students’ perception of their own competence and sense of control over their study, mastery-oriented goal or performance goal theories are much explored. These researches have generated theoretical support and arguments for educational reforms taking place in the 1990s in the educational scene in Hong Kong. However, the outcome of the research findings, which is vital to successful teaching and implementation of new education policy, is always given only fragmented and superficial treatment in most teacher training courses. Consequently, teachers in Hong Kong cannot see why they are forced into adopting new practices different from traditional methods, creating a huge gap between beliefs and actual practices. This paper argues that the rich knowledge base on motivation has already had its impact in shaping educational reforms in Hong Kong but teachers and educational practitioners are not ready to cope with the changes mainly because of the lack of coherent effort to organize this important body of knowledge into programs that help teachers see the linkage between old and new educational practices.