As part of a major study that investigated the quality of school education in Hong Kong, this study assessed the quality of schooling in Band 5 secondary schools. If the quality of school education is to be enhanced, students' views of the quality of school life and their reactions to school should be examined. With reference to the Australian model and subscales of quality of school life, a sample of 2460 students from three selected Band 5 secondary schools was surveyed. Principal component analysis was used to analyze the data to explore the multidimensionality of quality of school life and the existence of subscales. The research contributes to provide insights to understand Band 5 schools and hints to assure the quality of education. Findings show that sense of achievement was not evident in the students' views of quality of school life and sense of opportunity had no effects on students' general satisfaction and negative affects. To promote the quality of education in schools which have admitted a great proportion of Band 5 students, enhancing teacher-students relations, strengthening social integration, and improving adventurous experience in the classroom are the effective strategies.
在制定提升學校教育質素政策和措施時，我們必須考慮學生對學校生活質素的觀感和他們對學校的反應。這篇文章報告香港「第五組」學校的學生對學校生活質素的觀感和反應。來自三所第五組學校的2460名學生參加了是項研究，回答了一份有關學校生活質素的問卷。經由統計學之因子分析法和直線回歸法分析資料後，證明學生對學校生活質素的概念是多層次和多度向的。研究結果顯示，第五組學校的學生在學校生活上缺乏成功感，對學業前途並不存有希望。如要提升第五組學校學生的學校生活質素，學校應增強師生關係，促進社群融合和改善學生在課堂上的經歷。
[Copyright of Asian Journal of Counselling is the property of The Hong Kong Professional Counselling Association at http://www.hkpca.org.hk/]

Background: Most previous research on beliefs on language learning (BALLs) has been focusing on tertiary level learners. Information of learners of other backgrounds is extremely lacking.
Aim: To identify the BALL patterns of Chinese ESL learners undertaking vocational education in the Hong Kong context and to explore the possible influences on their BALLs.
Sample: Questionnaires were administered to 243 Chinese ESL learners undertaking vocational education in Hong Kong.
Method: Surveys on the Beliefs About Language Learning Inventory (BALLI) were conducted and descriptive analyses were performed.
Results: Results indicate that respondents endorsed the existence of a specialized ability on language learning. They believed in the existence of foreign language aptitude, but did not agree that they had a special ability of learning foreign language. Respondents regarded English a language of medium difficulty. One hour a day for one to two years was regarded as necessary for speaking the target language well. The learning of vocabulary and grammar were regarded as important, and respondents viewed foreign language learning as different from learning other academic subjects. Respondents were overwhelming in their view that it is best to learn English in an English-speaking country. In addition, they endorsed the importance of excellent pronunciation, repetition, practicing, guessing word meanings, and were tolerant of making mistakes in speaking. Finally, there existed a high level of motivation among the respondents, with instrumental motivation being more prevalent than integrative motivation.
Conclusion: Certain learner characteristics and features of the socio-linguistic context of the Hong Kong society are suggested to contribute to the unique BALL patterns of this group of learners. Several implications for teaching in light of the findings are suggested.
背景：過往大部份關於語言學習觀念的研究，對象為大專學生。現時關於其他背景的學生在這方面的資料很缺乏。
目的：找出在香港正接受職業教育的學生對語言學習的觀念

Background: Recognizing that arts education is important in facilitating learning and in enhancing creativity in students, recent education reform in Hong Kong has sought to promote arts education and efforts to encourage creative expression through different art forms. Among different modes of creative arts expression, drawing has been suggested as the best choice for allowing creative expression by students with high ability in visual arts. Therefore, the connection between students' drawing and creativity warranted investigation.
Aims: This study explored the drawing abilities and creativity of Chinese students in Hong Kong based on their drawing performance, and examined their connection in relation to students' self-perceived artistic characteristics and involvement in drawing activities.
Sample: 105 Hong Kong Chinese primary and secondary school students, nominated by their schools to participate in the gifted programs of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, participated voluntarily in this study.
Method: Students completed two drawing tasks adapted from Clark's Drawing Abilities Test and a self-report questionnaire that included the Artistic Characteristics Scale of the Scales for Rating the Behavioral Characteristics of Superior Students and the Drawing Activity Checklist. The drawings were rated on students' drawing abilities and creativity by three Chinese visual artists as expert judges.
Results: Judges agreed more on their ratings on students' drawing abilities than on students' creativity. Judged drawing abilities and creativity were found to be moderately but significantly correlated. While judged drawing abilities were found to correlate significantly with students' self-reported artistic characteristics and drawing activities, judged creativity was found to correlate minimally with these variables.
Conclusion: This study provided supportive evidence on the connection between drawing abilities and creativity. The findings

Background: The Service-Learning and Research Scheme (SLRS) is the showcase of Lingnan's Service-Learning model, which is the manifestation of Lingnan University's Liberal Arts education and mission "Education for Service". The scheme was a pilot project, from 2004 to 2005, which led to the development of a University-wide protocol for Service-Learning at Lingnan University.
Aims: This paper highlights the processes and the strategies of incorporating Service-Learning into courses, based on the experiences in Lingnan University. Implementation and evaluation models are suggested to provide a framework for other interested parties to apply Service-Learning in their learning and teaching.
Results: This is a descriptive analysis, associating outcome measurement (three outcomes: "ABC" quality--Adaptability, Brainpower and Creativity) through the process of Service-Learning. Evaluation contents and guidelines for doing Service-Learning are developed based on the past experience in doing Service-Learning at Lingnan. The research element procedures offer instructors with guidance as well as a well-defined protocol and evaluation for Service-Learning programs in Lingnan.
Conclusion: In consolidating the above experience and in detailing the validity of the Lingnan Model of Service-Learning, a manual is produced documenting our efforts. This is the first manual which can be the protocol of applying Service-Learning in higher education for students' whole-person development.
背景：服務研習計劃正好展示了嶺南大學的服務研習模式。服務研習計劃是嶺南大學博雅教育及辦學宗旨「作育英才，服務社會」的實踐。計劃在2004年至2005年推行先導試驗計劃，並有助嶺南大學發展全校性的服務研習計劃草案。
目標：本文以嶺南大學的服務研習計劃作例，握要說明將服務研習元素融入在課程中的程式和策略，並提供執行程式和評估模式的架構，以供其他有興趣人士將服務研習融入在學習和教學中。
結果：本文結合了服務研習成果評估方法（三項成果 “ABC”素質：Adaptability 適應力、Brainpower智力和Creativity 創造力）的描述性分析。實踐服務研習評估內容和指引是建基於過往在嶺南大學執行服務研習的經驗而制定的。研究元素能為導師提供明確的嶺南大學服務研習執行指引、草案及評估。
結論：本文作者統整過往經驗，以推出執行手冊，手冊並詳細列出嶺南模式的服務研習計劃的有效性。這本執行手冊是第一本有關應用服務研習的草案，推動高等教育界學生的全人發展。
[Copyright of New Horizons: The Journal

Background: Seventeen pre-service teachers from The Hong Kong Institute of Education involved in a service education project during the summer vacation in 2008. They spent seven weeks in an orphanage and a commune in Vietnam to provide various services for disabled children and to help constructing a house for the poor villagers respectively. They learned how to cope with challenging environment through developing service leadership, problem solving and communication abilities in a different cultural context.
Aims: To reveal what respondents have experienced, reflected and gained through involving in the cross-cultural service exposure project and how such fruitful learning experiences can be enhanced.
Sample: All seventeen pre-service teachers involved in the project.
Method: Content analysis was conducted on service-learning journals, day logs and writings prepared by the students after the service-learning experience.
Results: The analysis based on respondents' reflective writings revealed that the development of genuine relationship among participants through mutual care, their generic skills, leadership abilities and cultural competencies are enhanced while they work collaboratively and support each other to overcome difficulties.
Conclusion: As a multicultural service-learning co-curricular activity, participants can acquire new knowledge, change attitudes and develop constructive behaviors through a genuine and caring environment and reflection. They are perceived to attain gains in leadership abilities, cultural competence skills and professional commitment.
背景：在2008年的暑假，十七位來自香港教育學院師資培訓的學生，遠赴越南參加了一項為期七個星期的服務學習計劃，他們分別在兒童院為有肢體障礙的孩童提供服務，並為貧困村民修建房屋，同學在過程中學習面對種種環境及文化差異上的挑戰，從而鍛鍊出服務領導才能、解決困難和溝通能力。
目的：作者透過參加者的文章以描述他們在這異地服務計劃中所得出的經驗，從而總結出如何更有效地推展此種在文化差異環境中的學習經驗。
調查對象：十七位參加該服務學習計劃的師資培訓學生
調查方法：作者以內容分析方法，從同學們的學習日誌及反省文章中探討他們的學習經歷。
調查結果：從參加者文章中反映出學員間在合作和支持解困的過程中，能建立出彼此照顧的誠懇關係，以促成共通能力、領導才能及文化勝任能力的培養。
總結：學生在參加不同文化背景的服務學習聯課活動中

Background: Creativity is associated with many pet beliefs, unfounded or based on limited personal experiences and observations.
Aims: The intention of the present study is to take the research one step backward to look at possible antecedents of beliefs regarding creativity, as such knowledge has implications for education where creativity is concerned. The present study attempts at uncovering the beliefs regarding various aspects of creativity among tertiary students in Hong Kong.
Sample: Students (N=139) from a teacher education institute (67.6%) and a university (32.4%) in Hong Kong were asked to complete a questionnaire about beliefs in creativity. Participation was voluntary and the respondents were assured of anonymity. As the respondents formed a convenient sample (as is true of many studies of similar nature), no representation is claimed.
Method: A questionnaire of 30 items that included 15 aspects of beliefs in creativity was presented to the respondents in the form of a series of six-point Likert scales. To avoid possible carrying-over effect, the two items for the same aspect were separated systematically, with items for the other aspects intervening. Surveys were conducted and the general written responses received from the respondents were tabulated.
Results: The respondents agreed more strongly that creativity (a) is dependent of culture, (b) is the result of consistent effort, (c) can be found in everyone, and (d) is general across many fields. On the other hand, they disagreed that creativity has to do with gender and birth order. Five aspects were dropped due to inappropriate reliability.
Conclusion: In view of the complexity of the findings, efforts in developing creativity in tertiary students need to take into account their demographic backgrounds so that correct beliefs can be further strengthened and incorrect ones can be rectified early in the creativity training programmes.
背景：創意常與一些無理由或根據有限的個人經驗和觀察的信念聯繫在一起

Background: In Hong Kong, secondary school students face high levels of stress due to the examination oriented curricula. According to Sun (2006), some secondary school students cannot bear the pressure when facing the examinations, and some of them may exhibit destructive behaviors such as suicide and bullying. Therefore, cases of school bullying break out frequently (Ming Pao, 2003, 2004). Moreover, school alienation contributes to the risk of bullying while support from teachers and peers decreases one's tendency towards bullying (Natvig et al., 2001).
Aims: The objective of this study is to investigate the relationship between students' stress and bullying. Based on an insight into prevention of bullying in school, some applicable strategies to prevent students' academic and interpersonal stress will be suggested.
Sample: Altogether 340 Fung Kai No. 1 Secondary School students, 200 boys and 140 girls, participated in the present study.
Methods: Students completed and returned two questionnaires: the Subjective Stress Scale (Li and Ng, 1992) and the Bullying Checklist (Chui, 2001), in class.
Results: The results show that girls felt more stressed than boys in the family, and they also exhibited more social bullying than boys did. Both interpersonal and personal stress are factors leading to bullying.
Conclusion: In the present study, girls felt more stressed than boys in the family. They were eager to be more independent from the family. This arouses conflict between parents and daughter. It was found that Form 3 perceived higher levels of academic and personal stress than Form 1 students. It is understood that they were experiencing identity formation and making decisions on future study in art or science. Provision of a one-week orientation program for Form 1 students before the commencement of the school term is recommended. Finally, workshops for parents were introduced to enhance parent-child relationships and to help them communicate

Background: A limited amount of research has been conducted on children and adolescents who are low achievers. In Hong Kong, educators describe low achieving students in terms of academic performance, they seldom focus on socio-emotional aspects, such as self-esteem, peer affiliation, and inter-personal relationships. However, low achieving students could also be described differently in different contexts. Students who experience difficulties academically are characterized as having difficulties in studying, completing assignments and organizing information Therefore, this study attempts to explore the impact of the transitions from primary school to secondary school among low achieving students on their peer affiliation and the reciprocal effect of self-esteem and academic outcomes, using data triangulation and methodological triangulation (different methods, i.e., observation, journal entries, portfolios and interviews) (Denzin, 1978).
Aims: This study examined the effects of a peer support programme in smoothing the transition to adolescence and secondary school for students in the first year of secondary school by enhancing self-esteem, peer affiliations and academic performance.
Sample: Participants in the study were students from a secondary school in Hong Kong. Seven form-one students participated three times weekly in groups facilitated by a trainer and older students. Method: The methods of data triangulation and time series design were employed. Data was collected from teacher interviews, observational field notes, inter-rater checklists, and conversations with students.
Results: The results suggested that the peer support programme has significant effects on students' academic outcomes and peer affiliations.
Conclusion: Three major findings arise from this investigation. First, the overall effectiveness of the peer support programme could enhance the students' academic performance and peer affiliations, this was agreed by the participants

Background: In recent years, more and more secondary schools in Hong Kong begin to employ service learning in designing student learning activities. A vast majority of these attempts is developed based on the philanthropic ideas of altruism, love and care; it involves serving elderly people living in the elderly homes far away from the school community. While it is quite right to say that both the students and the elderly people benefit from these projects; the connection of these students to their community, as well as the student learning from the senior citizens in these projects are still in question. In other words, there is a missing linkage between student learning and the community in these philanthropic service learning projects.
Aims or focus of discussion: In this paper, we suggest to bridge this missing linkage with the concept "classroom in community" to connect students, and their learning, with the community.
Arguments / comments /suggestion: Based on the service learning curriculum derived by us with local secondary schools, we will illustrate how "classroom in community" could facilitate students to learn from and learn for their community, and to act with the community to co-produce public goods. Examples of community based services for elderly people will be used to further elaborate how students could initiate community services through collective dialogues with the community, in these cases, to get connected with their community by serving the elderly people and learning from them as senior citizens.
Conclusion: A summary of the characteristics of the approach of classroom in community to service learning is suggested to conclude the paper.
背景：近年，香港越來越多中學開始嘗試以服務學習作為教學活動。當中大部份的計劃，多以推廣關懷慈愛或慈善救濟作為理念基礎，而服務對象大多是遠離學校所在社區的長者。誠然，從上述服務當中，學生與長者是有所得著的。但是，在這些計劃能否連繫學生與身處社區和使學生從長者身上學習這兩個問題上，就值得存疑。換句話說，這些以慈善為理念基礎的服務學習計劃，欠缺了結連學生學習於身處的社區當中。
目的或討論焦點：我們透過本文提出善用“社區有教室”的概念來彌補這些不足，把學生、學習、以及社區三者緊密地結連起來。
論點/評論/建議：根據我們在中學進行服務學習課程的經驗，我們將透過本文說明

Background: To tie in with the education reform and cope with needs of students' growth, all primary schools in Hong Kong has implemented the Comprehensive Student Guidance System since 2002. The system covers four domains of services. This study looked into cultivating school caring culture which belongs to the domain of "policy and organization" and investigated how staff of primary schools in Hong Kong cultivates school caring culture.
Purpose: To investigate good practices of cultivating caring culture in schools and factors causing the success.
Sample: Three focus groups and student guidance teachers of four sampled schools.
Method: Analysis of responses collected in semi-structured interviews of focus groups and sampled schools.
Results: Participating student guidance teachers mentioned many good practices of cultivating caring culture and three factors causing the success, including leadership and acting as role models by principals, encouragement and strengthening of the culture by teaching teams, and participation by all teachers and students of the schools.
Conclusion: This study brought up good practices of cultivating school caring culture and factors for success thus has significant implications for school practitioners, policy makers and teacher educators.
背景：為配合教育改革及學生成長的需要，本港小學於2002年推行「全方位學生輔導服務」體系，此體系涵蓋四個範疇，本研究選取了「政策及組織」範疇中之建構學校關顧文化作探討，探究香港小學的教職員如何建構學校之關顧文化。
目的：探究建構學校關顧文化之優良範例及其背後之促成因素。
研究對象：三個聚焦小組及四所個案學校的輔導老師。
研究方法：分析聚焦小組及個案學校之半結構式訪談。
研究結果：受訪輔導老師提出了很多建構關顧文化之優良範例，而促成因素有三個，包括校長之帶領和示範，教職員團隊之策動和鞏固，及全校教職員和師生之參與。
結論：研究提出了建立學校關顧文化之範例和促成因素，給教育工作者、政策制定者和師資培訓者帶來啟迪。
[Copyright of New Horizons: The Journal of Education, Hong Kong Teachers' Associationl is the property of Hong Kong Teachers' Association at http://www.hkta1934.org.hk/]