Since the 1990s, Hong Kong has been promoting globally-endorsed, Western-derived early childhood ideologies and approaches, such as the Project Approach (*Chen et al., 2017). This orientation appears to be influenced by policies and practices linked to global neoliberalism and neocolonialism. To shed light on the state of knowledge concerning the implementability of the imported "foreign" practices by Hong Kong kindergarten teachers (teaching children ages 3-6), I conducted a research synthesis analyzing the 10 empirical articles that met the inclusion criteria. The analysis was guided by the two existing theoretical frameworks: (1) "Tian Shi" (timing/temporal), "Di Li" (context/spatial), "Ren He" (human capital) (Chen and Li, 2023) and (2) the "foreground-middle ground-background" (Chen, 2022) as well as the newly proposed "globalization-localization interaction dynamics model." A content analysis revealed three salient findings. First, due to the lack of "Tian Shi," "Di Li," "Ren He," Hong Kong kindergarten teachers' implementation of the imported early childhood approaches with fidelity has been largely unsuccessful. Second, the evidence corroborates the "foreground-middle ground-background" theory, suggesting that a hybrid approach (combining both the local and global practices) represents the "best" implementable one. Third, the manner in which the teachers implemented the imported practices seemingly reflects a "glocalization-dominant" pattern. This pattern constitutes one of the four quadrants within my proposed "globalization-localization interaction dynamics model." The four quadrants represent the specific degree of interactive dominance: (1) "grobalization-dominant" (high in globalization and low in localization); (2) "glocalization-dominant" (high in both localization and globalization); (3) "non-committal" (low in both globalization and localization); and (4) "localization-dominant" (low in globalization and high in localization). Copyright ©2024 SAGE Publications

This study examines the impact of a seamless learning environment combined with a multicultural educational environment on the cognitive development of preschool children in Hong Kong (n = 200). Using a quasi-experimental design, this study compared the cognitive development of children in an experimental group exposed to continuous learning and multicultural elements with those in a control group using traditional teaching methods. The main methodology included the use of ANOVA (analysis of variance) to study the differences in cognitive development between these groups at three stages of testing. Initially, both groups showed similar results, with averages of about 49 points, providing a comparable starting point. However, over time, the experimental group exposed to seamless learning and a multicultural environment showed significant growth. Six months later, the average score in this group increased to 61.52 and reached 74.42 after one year, indicating a significant improvement in cognitive abilities. The intermediate and subsequent testing results showed remarkable cognitive improvements in the experimental group compared to the control group, indicating the effectiveness of a seamless multicultural learning environment in enhancing cognitive development. This research contributes to educational psychology by providing empirical evidence on the benefits of innovative and culturally diverse learning environments in preschool education. Copyright © 2025 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

This study explores the efficacy of the Early Advancement in Social‐Emotional Health and Positivity (EASP) programme, designed to enhance personal resources, namely self‐compassion and positivity among preschool social workers, to reduce stress and bolster work engagement. A total of 84 preschool social workers (Mage = 32.47 years, SD = 6.86, range = 22–55; female = 90.48%) participated in a 5‐week randomized control trial. Participants were randomly allocated to either the intervention group (n = 38), which received four online workshops and an online activity, or the wait‐list control group (n = 46), which received the intervention post‐data collection. Self‐compassion, positivity, work engagement, and work stress were measured before and after the intervention. Results from a path analytic model indicated excellent fit with the data, χ2 = 2.08, df = 3, Comparative Fit Index = 1.00, Tucker‐Lewis Index = 1.00, Root Mean Square Error of Approximation = 0.00 (90% CI = 0.00–0.16), SRMR = 0.03. The intervention demonstrated direct effects on changes in self‐compassion (β = 0.21, p = 0.04) and positivity (β = 0.28, p = 0.03), with indirect effects on work engagement (β = 0.13, p = 0.02), while no significant impact was observed on work stress (β = −0.09, p = 0.06). These findings underscore the efficacy of positive psychological interventions in fostering work engagement among social workers. Incorporating the EASP programme into ongoing professional development activities is recommended to enhance the job engagement and psychological well‐being of social workers in early childhood education and care sectors. Copyright ©2024 Wiley-Blackwell.

The early childhood education system in Hong Kong operates within a corporate governance framework. However, there is a lack of research on the interaction between principalship and corporate governance in kindergartens and childcare centres. This study aims to address this gap by examining how a preschool education coordinator (PEC), working under corporate governance principles in a non-governmental organization (NGO), influenced the resignation decisions of principals. Using micro-political theory, this study examines power dynamics, conflicts, and decision-making processes that led to principals’ resignations. This phenomenological case study utilized a focus group discussion with three principals who had resigned from the NGO. Through thematic analysis, three key themes emerged from the study: changing governance and accountability, conflicting educational values and beliefs between the preschool education coordinator and the principals, and contrasting leadership behaviours and styles. The findings of this study have significant implications for the local community, as well as offering valuable insights that can inform and benefit international audiences interested in early childhood education leadership development and human resources management. As early childhood education systems worldwide grapple with similar challenges, understanding the relationship between corporate governance and principalship can help devise strategies for enhancing organizational effectiveness and ensuring principal retention. Copyright ©2024 Sage Publications.

Online teaching was adopted in Hong Kong and many other places worldwide due to lockdown policies during the COVID-19 pandemic. This research explores the effectiveness of kindergarten students' online learning as measured by parents' reports of their child's satisfaction with learning, engagement in learning, effective teaching strategies, and an environment conducive to online learning. Parents of 392 students from 40 randomly selected kindergartens in Hong Kong completed questionnaires in March 2022, a few months after the end of online teaching. A questionnaire was designed for this study, with reliability and validity supported by Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA). Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was used to test hypotheses. The findings show that effective teaching strategies and an environment conducive to online learning positively affected student learning. It can cast light on the issue of whether online teaching is suitable for kindergarten students, the appropriate teaching strategies, and the kind of learning environment needed to enhance online learning processes and outcomes. Copyright ©2024 Gate Association for Teaching and Education.

香港特區政府近十年積極推動職業專才教育（下稱「職專教育」），以滿足未來社會的人力資源需求。大專院校在港開辦職前幼稚園教師課程已近四十年，持續影響本地幼兒教育與服務的發展。為了探討課程在職專教育下的發展前路，本文透過文獻研究分析，先回顧其歷史發展，然後根據特區政府的「推廣職業專才教育專責小組」檢討報告為基礎，從「資歷級別」、「進階路徑」及「職場學習」三方面審視課程的現況與前路，以給予業界與學界啟示。 Copyright © 2024 教育研究獎勵計劃工作小組秘書處.

As the caregivers and educators of young children, kindergarten teachers often have to make spontaneous decisions and deal with challenging situations on a daily basis. The well-being of kindergarten teachers is of interest to parents, teacher trainers, and policymakers, as whether kindergarten teachers do well physically, psychologically, and occupationally has important implications for young children—the future pillars of society. Therefore, it is important to examine factors that may contribute to our understanding of the well-being of kindergarten teachers. This cross-sectional study examined whether mindfulness was linked to Chinese kindergarten teachers’ physical, psychological, and occupational well-being and tested self-compassion as a mediator. Online questionnaire data were collected from 336 kindergarten teachers working in Hong Kong, China (mean age = 31.6 years; 86% of them were women). Kindergarten teachers rated their physical well-being (indicated by physical health and voice disorder symptoms), psychological well-being (indicated by life satisfaction and depressive symptoms), and occupational well-being (indicated by job satisfaction and turnover intentions) as well as their mindfulness and self-compassion. Structural equational modeling revealed that mindfulness was associated with all three aspects of well-being and self-compassion mediated such associations. Theoretically, findings highlighted the multidimensional nature of kindergarten teachers’ well-being and the roles of intrapersonal factors—such as mindfulness and self-compassion—in understanding it. Practically, findings pointed to the potential utility of supporting kindergarten teachers’ well-being by targeting their mindfulness and self-compassion. Copyright © 2024 The Author(s).

Early childhood educators' (ECEs) well-being is important for many outcomes. Drawing on the job demands-resources model, many variable-centered studies have found that job demands, job resources, and personal resources are linked to ECEs' well-being. Yet, little is known about the heterogeneity of these demands and resources and their implications for well-being, especially considering school-level effects and the adoption of a holistic view of well-being. This study used multilevel latent profile analysis to examine these issues. Participants included 1198 Chinese ECEs from 50 kindergartens who reported their job demands (i.e., quantitative, cognitive, and emotional demands), job resources (i.e., influence at work, quality of leadership, support from supervisors and colleagues, and sense of community at work), and personal resources (i.e., self-control and resilience). At the teacher-level, four profiles emerged: (a) at risk, (b) undemanded, (c) safeguarded, and (d) vulnerable learners. ECEs with lower salaries, higher educational levels, and larger class sizes were more likely assigned to the at-risk profile. Teachers in the at-risk and the safeguarded profiles reported the worst and the best well-being, respectively. Demands (in particular quantitative and emotional demands) appeared more critical than resources in distinguishing well-being. At the school-level, two profiles emerged: (a) high demand climate and (b) mixed climate. Kindergartens in Hong Kong were more likely assigned to the high demand climate profile and kindergartens with a high demand climate showed poorer school average well-being. This study reveals the complex configuration of job demands, job resources, and personal resources in ECEs and its implications for well-being at both teacher- and school-levels. The findings also inform strategies to enhance ECEs' well-being. Copyright © 2024 Society for the Study of School Psychology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights are reserved, including those