Research Findings: This study surveyed 216 pre-service early childhood teachers in Hong Kong to examine their levels of confidence in teaching different topics of sexuality. It also sought to explore the relationships of their different perceptions about sexuality education to their behavioural intentions towards children’s curiosity. Results showed that the participants reported the highest level of confidence in teaching about self-protection and the lowest level of confidence in teaching about body parts of the two sexes and origin of life. Surprisingly, there was no significant relationship between overall confidence and behavioural intentions. Perceived benefits of sexuality education and embarrassment of talking about sexuality were associated with the avoidance intention, but only the former was associated with the approach intention.Practice or Policy: Our findings suggest that teacher educators should seek ways to help pre-service teachers realise the benefits of sexuality education and reduce their discomfort of talking openly about sexuality. Copyright © 2020 International Review of Finance Ltd.

The education reform in Hong Kong advocated the Project Approach as an effective pedagogy to support childrens' learning through exploration and play. This paper outlines a case study of a Hong Kong kindergarten which implemented the project approach using a picture book and digital picture book as a stimulus to begin the project topic and develop the inquiry process. The qualitative data sources included analysis of documentation such as teacher lesson plans, teacher questionnaire on reflection, documentation of children's works and activity photos of the project. The findings revealed that picture book was a good stimulus to arouse children's interest. The children were observed to be highly engaged in the investigation and the benefits from the picture book in project were not limited to literacy learning but also integrated learnings such as in the domains of music and movement, drama, and science. Additionally, the project provided opportunities to use the 21st skills of collaborating, communicating, creativity and critical thinking. The case also acts as an example of implementing the project approach in a non-Western context and recommendations are made for Hong Kong early child educators who participate the education reform. Copyright © 2020 The Author(s). All Rights Reserved.

The practice of documentation has been a "hard to reach place" for many preschool teachers despite the fact that it has largely been encouraged and used as a tool in early childhood settings to assess young children's learning. Recent policy changes in Hong Kong have also called for the continuous documentation and authentic assessment of children's performance to replace traditional examinations in preschools. In this study, 62 preschools in Hong Kong were surveyed to determine the current situation of documentation as a tool for assessment of children's learning in Hong Kong preschools in the face of the new governmental requirements and interventions. The results showed that (1) preschools generally recognized the importance and necessity of using documentation to assess children's learning, (2) governmental influences were clearly demonstrated in the learning areas documented and assessed, and (3) there was a dissonance between the practice and belief of preschools, and various concerns related to the implementation were also reported. Implications for policies, professional development, and research are discussed.
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This study examined the relationships between teachers' perceptions of faculty trust, professional learning communities, and their professional learning among a sample of 2106 Hong Kong kindergarten teachers. It analysed the differences between the effects of faculty trust in various stakeholders (i.e., colleagues, parents, and the principal). The results show that while trust in colleagues exerted a positive effect on teacher professional learning, the direct effects of trust in the principal and trust in parents were non-significant. Meanwhile, professional learning communities positively mediated the effects of teachers’ perceived faculty trust on their learning. Implications for teacher learning in kindergartens are presented. Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

This chapter comparatively analyzes the most recent national curriculum guidelines for early childhood education (ECE) in Norway, Finland, China, and Hong Kong. By exploring the aims and dominant concepts in the guidelines, we aspire to better understand how governments of different cultures utilize the dominant concepts, that is, play and learning to manage and facilitate ECE and children’s development. The major data sources are the national curriculum guidelines for ECE and major policies directing and/or influencing the formulation of the guidelines. Content analysis and comparative analysis methods are utilized to analyze the documents. Through analysis and comparison, this chapter aims to inspire policy makers, practitioners, and interested parties in the four cultures and internationally to understand and reflect on their own ECE so that ECE can be better approached in their own culture as well as in settings of diverse cultures.
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Educators and policy makers have increasingly recognized the importance of computational thinking (CT). Despite the growing body of CT literature, how to cultivate CT is still underexplored and undertheorized in early childhood education. Informed by Piaget’s Theory of Cognitive Development, this exploratory study was conducted with a focus on three CT skills: pattern recognition, sequencing, and algorithm design. The framework for the study was developed in two stages. First, we designed two sets of unplugged activities (relying on tangible materials), aiming to (1) provide students with more concrete experiences of CT and (2) equip them with the necessary vocabularies/instructions for the subsequent plugged activity (with a digital device). The theoretical foundation for such an unplugged and plugged design comprised Piaget’s Theory of Cognitive Development and Asher’s Total Physical Response. In the second stage, we offered our CT course in a kindergarten in Hong Kong, involving six teacher participants and a total of 11 students from K1 to K3 (aged 3 to 6). After 10 h of CT training, almost all students demonstrated their mastery of pattern recognition and sequencing. However, the K1 students could only partially complete the tasks of algorithm design while the others generally reached the target level of achievement. Strengthening preschoolers’ training on CT language and differentiated instruction are some possible strategies to improve the CT instructions. Copyright © 2019 De La Salle University.

Inclusive education has been promoted in primary and secondary schools in Hong Kong since the 1990s, and it has now spread to pre-primary education. Without qualified teachers and sufficient resources, however, it is difficult to implement inclusion in early childhood settings. This case study investigated how inclusive education was practised in an ordinary kindergarten in Hong Kong with a focus on its benefits and challenges. Two children with special educational needs, their teachers and parents, the learning support team members, and the school principal were involved in the study, which included the triangulation of observations, interviews, and documentation analysis. The results indicated that (1) the chosen kindergarten demonstrated a variety of inclusive practices and (2) although there were some problems and difficulties, all of the participants interviewed showed positive attitudes towards the inclusive programme. The implications and challenges of implementing inclusion in Hong Kong early childhood settings are discussed.
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The conflicting education values in Hong Kong kindergartens and primary schools pose various challenges to kindergarten teachers in providing pupils with a smooth transition to primary school which requires collaboration from schools and families. This study explored these challenges as well as the benefits of a professional teacher training programme. In-service teachers (N = 35) and tutors (N = 2) engaged in the module ‘The Social and Emotional Aspects of Teaching and Learning’ participated in this study. The trainees’ weekly reflective journals throughout the 22-week module were subjected to documentation analysis. Group interviews with the in-service teachers and individual interviews with the tutors were conducted on completion of the module. Findings reveal a gap between teacher training and providing pastoral care for pupils through supporting the social and emotional aspects of their families in Hong Kong, and indicated that traditional beliefs associated with the teaching profession should be widened. Meanwhile, counselling knowledge and skills should be contextualised and integrated into teacher training programmes.
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This study examined the relationships between teachers' perceptions of faculty trust, professional learning communities, and their professional learning among a sample of 2106 Hong Kong kindergarten teachers. It analysed the differences between the effects of faculty trust in various stakeholders (i.e., colleagues, parents, and the principal). The results show that while trust in colleagues exerted a positive effect on teacher professional learning, the direct effects of trust in the principal and trust in parents were non-significant. Meanwhile, professional learning communities positively mediated the effects of teachers' perceived faculty trust on their learning. Implications for teacher learning in kindergartens are presented.
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This study attempts to identify the leadership practices in Hong Kong pre-primary schools, and to examine their impact on children's learning. A total of 287 key stakeholders, including principals, curriculum leaders and teachers, completed the questionnaires. The study adopted a structural equation model to examine the dimensions of leadership practices. The results of confirmatory factor analyses suggest that core leadership practices can be measured in accordance with the following four dimensions: setting directions for curriculum design and development; developing people in schools; building a collaborative and reflective culture; and improving teaching effectiveness. Multiple regression analysis reveals that the implementation of those leadership practices has a positive influence on children's whole-person development in terms of knowledge, skills, and attitudes. This evidence confirms the findings of previous studies that children's development and learning are enhanced through teacher leadership practices in schools.
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