Internationalisation of the curriculum (IoC) is on the agenda of many higher education (HE) institutions worldwide. Typically seen as associated with a top-down strategy, IoC often meets resistance from university teachers, many of whom struggle to understand its relevance to teaching practice. This phenomenographic study investigates university teachers’ conceptions of IoC. Five conceptions ranging in sophistication have been identified. The least sophisticated focuses on making the curriculum content internationally relevant, whereas the most sophisticated centres around developing self-awareness, awareness of others, and a change in mindset in students. The latter is realised by embracing reflexivity and criticality and, more importantly, utilising societal and political issues as learning opportunities for identity development. Situated in the Hong Kong context, the findings not only suggest the need for teachers to shift their focus from curriculum content to value-based development but also for educators to reflect on their role in helping students to reconcile their identity in relation to their counterparts regionally and globally. Copyright © Springer Nature B.V.

Capstone projects are common in undergraduate programmes, providing students with a culminating educational experience designed to draw on the knowledge and skills accumulated over the course of their studies. While there are many benefits to capstone projects, they are not without challenges. In particular, when these projects are conducted in groups, forming groups to optimise the learning outcomes and managing group dynamics can be challenging. In this article, we report on the analysis of data collected from 346 undergraduate business students who completed capstone projects at a Hong Kong university. Measures included students' learning goal (mastery and performance), satisfaction with their supervisor and group diversity in relation to gender, prior academic achievement, self-report nationality and programme of study. Analysis of this data in conjunction with student grades for the project was conducted to inform improvements in design and delivery of the capstone subject to improve students' learning outcomes. The results showed that for groups consisting of three students, group diversity in respect to prior academic achievement as measured by grade point average (GPA) is positively related to the grade achieved in the capstone project. However, diversity in respect to the nationalities in the group was related to poorer performance. Furthermore, the more teacher-focused the group supervisor's approach was, the worse the grade achieved for the project. The results suggest that groups made up of students of different nationalities tend to have lower grades compared to homogeneous groups. In contrast, having a group with a mix of GPAs can result in higher grades on the project. While these findings have informed our understanding of group performance on capstone projects, work is needed to fully understand what underlies the diversity effects identified which will be explored with future cohorts. Copyright © Routledge.

As a result of globalization, kindergarten curriculum frameworks in Asia have been strongly influenced by Western theories, pedagogies, and values. In this article, we argue that Singapore's Nurturing Early Learners and Hong Kong's Kindergarten Education Curriculum Guide present key notions that are inconsistent with cultural values that are deeply rooted in these two societies. To overcome the challenges these inconsistencies trigger for teachers, principals, teacher educators, and parents, we advocate for the design of 'glocal' (global/local, explicitly hybrid) curriculum frameworks, based on principles that are culturally appropriate and socially situated. Drawing on recent research studies, we analyze current curriculum/practice gaps in relation to the notions of Child-Centeredness, Quality Interactions, Creativity and Self-Expression, and Play. In seeking the global/local balance that is needed in Singapore and Hong Kong, four alternative glocal notions are proposed: Child-Appropriateness, Pedagogical Quality, Arts Engagement, and Child-Led Activities. We conclude there is an urgent need for generating a solid corpus of local research in both jurisdictions, which should guide subsequent curriculum reforms and teacher preparation models. Our final aim is to contribute to early childhood education policy discussions in Asia, against the background of internationalization. Copyright © 2020 The Author(s).

Across East and Southeast Asia, the International Baccalaureate (IB) is expanding and diversifying. More students from affluent families are 'opting out' of mainstream schooling to take the IB's Diploma Programme (DP), which is marketed as a distinctive skill-based education that prepares students for university. This research investigated how DP alumni reflect on their educational experiences in developing cognitive and non-cognitive skills and as preparation for elite universities in Hong Kong. An online undergraduate survey (n = 734) found that DP alumni self-perceived higher capacities than non-DP alumni in communication, creativity, critical thinking, cultural sensitivity, global-mindedness, leadership, and time management. In interviews (n = 42), DP alumni perceived the DP as a privileged educational experience that 'worked' in developing cognitive and non-cognitive skills. The DP alumni were overall positive about their DP experiences in developing skills for university preparation. However, there were complexities as the DP alumni also perceived that students from mainstream schools were often better prepared for pedagogy and assessments in the context of higher education in Hong Kong. Copyright © 2020 Society for Research into Higher Education.

課程實施是課程改革取得成功的關鍵因素之一。本文試圖透過目標為本課程這個案例，從改革特性、整體策略、教師發展、資源提供、學校行政和教師文化等幾方面，剖析影響香港課程實施的諸多因素。研究表明，雖然政府已經意識到課程實施的重要性，並採取了一些相應措施，但是許多不利因素依然存在。因此，此項改革的課堂實施情況，與改革的理想之間，還存在巨大的反差。目標為本課程，遠非一項成功的改革。 Copyright © 2006 華東師範大學.

成功的教育變革，取決於多種因素，包括：變革的規模和複雜性適中，易於操作；變革的策略是民主的、問題解決式的；通過各種靈活的方式發展教師的知識和信念；教師能夠從變革中獲取利益；學校行政的支持和教師文化的配合。成功變革的指標，應該是該項變革制度化、持續化，整合成為學校的常規。 Copyright © 2002 華南師範大學.

要進一步完善課程與教學改革，我們必需加強理論與實踐的對話。本文第一部分探討課程與教學理論與實踐之間的關係，以及兩者出現差距的原因；第二部分探討實踐者研究（或教師研究）作為強化理論與實踐的對話之一個取向，並根據有關文獻探究，將實踐者研究的目的、與學術研究的關聯、溝通方式組成一個初步架構，亦會討論香港一些實踐者研究（如行動研究）的例子；第三部分探討課程與教學理論工作者的研究取向如何在實踐層面有助於課程與教學改革，並對學術的理解，以及大學與學校建立夥伴關係的定位作一審視。To further improve curriculum and instructional reforms, we need to strengthen the dialogue between theory and practice. This article is divided into three parts. The first part explores the relationship between curriculum and instructional theories and practices as well as reasons behind the discrepancy between theory and practice. The second part discusses the practitioner research (or teacher research) as one of the approaches for reinforcing the dialogue between theory and practice. This part refers to Zeichner and Noffke’s literature review and formulates an initial framework based on the components of purposes, relevance with academic research, and modes of communication. Examples of practitioner research (e.g., action research) in Hong Kong will be discussed. The third part highlights how the research approach of experts on curriculum and instructional theories (scholars) enhances curriculum and instructional reforms as well as examines the understanding of scholarship (e.g., Boyer’s scholarships of discovery, integration, application and teaching) and the orientations of university and school partnerships. Copyright © 2004 北京大學.