Integrated curriculum mainly covers three Key Learning Areas (“Personal, Social & Humanities Education”, “Science Education” and “Technology Education”) in Hong Kong primary schools. Six primary schools were involved in a curriculum project which aimed to promote the development and implementation of integrated curriculum. Six sets of integrated curriculum with different themes from primary one to primary six were developed and implemented in the schools; and the contents of individual themes included the rationale of curriculum development, curriculum concept map, and scheme of teaching. The purpose of implementing the integrated curriculum was to provide feasible approaches to humanities- science-technology education, which other school curriculum leaders may apply, with reference to the school-based considerations, in their schools. It is anticipated that individual curriculum leaders can, after implementation, obtain valuable experiences of nurturing students for “learning to learn” and “whole person development” by means of humanitiesscience- technology education. As a consequence, six curriculum leaders from the six primary schools were invited to share their experiences of implementation; and the comments provided are discussed and analyzed according to the following focuses: 1) rationale and characteristic of curriculum design, 2) achievement of and challenge to curriculum implementation, 3) review of the integrated curriculum.
[Copyright © 2008 Common Ground, Wai Lun Anthony Leung.]

Mentoring has long been recognized as an effective approach in the professional development of teachers since it combines career advancement and psychosocial development (Kram, 1988). While a body of mentoring research in music education focusing on professional development exists (Benson, 2008; Conway, 2008; Haack, 2006), there is little evidence that the benefits arising from the process have been recognized or acted upon at the governmental level. Through the collection and analysis of quantitative and qualitative pre-, present- and post-case study data from a three-year school-based mentoring program in Hong Kong, this paper examines how the effective delivery of the music curriculum in early childhood education can be enhanced by the implementation of mentoring in helping to ensure the long-term professional development of its participants. The findings indicate the inadequate amount of training and preparation for kindergarten teachers in Hong Kong to adequately deliver a multifaceted music curriculum, and the mentor could fulfill the role of a music specialist. As a reference source for those considering the implementation of similar programs within their kindergarten settings, the findings can have applications across different subject areas, providing a practical perspective on the implications for sustained delivery as it pertains to novice and veteran teachers alike. To this end, a number of considerations as they relate to the research objectives – along with practical recommendations for the various stakeholders involved within early childhood education – are also discussed.
[Copyright © 2010 HKIEd APFSLT.]

There have been many claims about the benefits that the use of technology can bring to music learning. In fact, examples of successful applications and high levels of motivation associated with computer-based music learning reported in the literature have evidentially substantiated both the feasibility and adaptability of technology applications to music education. This paper describes the experience of Information and Computer Technology (ICT) integration in primary school music education in countries where both pioneering and relatively advanced developments have taken place. A comprehensive study of related literature and curriculum documents has been undertaken, aspects including major software programs development for music education and its pedagogical orientation, hardware configuration and classroom organization, applications of ICT in music teaching and learning, requirements for curriculum, hardware and software, and technology competency requirements and related professional development for music teachers are studied. Findings from the literature reviewed and documents analyzed reveal that ICT can best support constructivist approach to music learning, particularly activities of creative nature such as composing, improvising and creative music making; in addition, resource and related circumstantial factor as well as music teacher‘s readiness were found to be the most influential factors of successful ICT integration. Coupled with these findings, conclusion and implications for ICT integration in primary music curriculum in Hong Kong are then drawn and discussed.
[Copyright © 2010 HKIEd APFSLT.]

This paper examines the field of art education for young children in Hong Kong with a focus on the curriculum policy. A number of researchers have found that effects of cultures on the conceptions and understanding of art education for young children and its values are significant in their process of formation (e.g., Duncum, 2000, 2002; Freedman, 2000; Gardner, 2004; Green, 2000; Piscitelli, 1999; Piscitelli, Renshaw, Dunn & Hawke, 2004; Schirrmacher, 2001; Wright, 1991, 1997, 2003). This paper has applied the framework of the three orientations from Efland (1990), i.e. expressionism, reconstructionism and scientific rationalism in the analysis of Hong Kong curriculum policy documents and found that contradictions in terms of principles and practices are embedded. It is argued that these hidden but value-loaded assumptions about theories and practices in early childhood education and art education should be made explicit both in the formation of the policies and their implementation in schools if success is expected.
[Copyright © 2009 HKIEd APFSLT.]

Choral singing in Hong Kong schools has been developing for over four decades. Nowadays most of the schools own their choirs for performances and competitions. However, the teaching methods of choral conducting in Hong Kong are in lack of formal research and documentation. Many music teachers tend to work on their own without seeking for improvement through research, workshops, seminars and conferences at a large extent. Meanwhile, applying kinesthetic movement and gesture (KMG) has been advocated in other overseas countries for a period of time and significant teaching effectiveness has been noticed. After reviewing the relevant literature as a background, this study therefore aims at investigating the present situation of applying KMG in Hong Kong schools by a questionnaire survey. In addition, three semi-structured interviews were conducted to seek the opinions and personal experiences of three pioneer music teachers who have been applying KMG for 10 to 24 years. Findings from the questionnaire survey reveal that those music teachers who apply KMG in their choral teaching admitted that they found KMG very effective in various ways such as relaxation while singing. Furthermore, the three interviewees have provided a number of concrete examples of applying KMG in teaching children to understand musical elements, and developing their vocal skills and choral skills. These findings provide implications on how music teachers should teach in their choral activities.

The fast growth of digital technology, transportation system, and wireless communication networks in recent years has dramatically increased the contact of people from different countries and regions. Accompanying this is the need to have better understanding of different cultures to attain harmony among all walks of life for a concerted effort to develop the earth. As an important part of culture, music facilitates the multi-faceted understanding and knowledge of countries and regions. Western classics, which have long taken an important portion of the music curriculum, gradually got more companies from local traditional music and popular music as can be seen from the music curriculum of many places. Excluding these, to what extent music from other parts of the world is included in the music, educational, and cultural policies of china is worth investigation. This paper will focus on cultural inclusivity in the music curriculum of primary and secondary schools in Hong Kong and Nanjing. Curriculum documents for various stages of learning from lower primary through senior high school levels would be investigated and compared. It will see how much cultural understanding may be brought about by the music curriculum. The depth and breadth of this cultural understanding would be analyzed and the transparency of purpose checked. There would be a review of the literature in an attempt to establish the basis for analysis of the curriculum documents. The inclusion of music from different parts of the world appears to be covered in relation to the domains of appreciation, performing, and creating, as well as cultural specific areas such as aesthetic sense, philosophical aspirations, and functionalities (context of the music). Implications for music education, teacher education, and policy-making regarding cultural inclusiveness would be deliberated to inform concerned music educators.

Similar to many other countries, creativity has been included in the arts education curriculum in schools of Hong Kong since 2003. in order to prepare preservice music teachers to cope with the requirement of the curriculum, a specific course titled “Creativity in Music” has been introduced to a B.Ed program at a major teacher education institution in Hong Kong. The course was designed with an outcome-based learning approach in which the learning outcomes of the students are clearly defined and assessed formatively and summatively. This presentation introduces the specific aims, content and assessment method of the course. A number of 30 final year music majors took part in the course from September to October 2011 and afterwards they participated in a field experience for their teaching practice in schools for eight weeks. They were required to employ collaborative creative music-making activities in their teaching practice. Semi-structured interviews with observation of video recordings were used to collect qualitative data in order to examine these research questions: to what extent the course could nurture the student teachers in teaching musical creativity effectively? And, what and how should the course be improved to further enhance the learning effectiveness in schools? The findings of this study would shed light on how pre-service teachers respond to an existing course in teacher education program and provide evidence on the effectiveness of such course. Implications for other countries’ references are to be made.

The most updated ICT in education policies in Hong Kong music curriculum are the music curriculum guide and the music curriculum and assessment guide implemented in 2006 and 2009 for primary and secondary school. Both curriculum guides emphasis the importance of the role of technology in the music curriculum. This paper focuses on the music software design from the perspective of Hong Kong music teachers’ pedagogical considerations. Most music software used by teachers today in their teaching is originally designed for professional or commercial usage, and little pedagogical considerations have been taken. While technology is gradually and increasingly integrated into music education, the absence of pedagogical considerations in the software design is an emerging problem. In order to understand the music teachers’ needs and expectations from music software, the purpose of this study was to investigate the most useful and desired features of commonly used music software from the perspective of music teachers’ pedagogical concerns. A simple questionnaire and a semi-structured interview were conducted with 15 purposefully chosen primary or secondary school music teachers in Hong Kong. Those teachers were chosen to included both primary and secondary schools, and both mainstream local curriculum and international baccalaureate (IB) program. Teachers recently graduated were particularly chosen as they have experienced the most recent pre-service music teacher training which incorporated the considerations of ICT in education. Results show that music notation software is the most popular software used for music teaching, followed by audio editing software and mobile apps. Choice of particular music software brand is up to the availability and personal preference from the music teachers. The main use of music software by teachers is for preparing teaching materials. Software mostly used during the music classes is mobile apps for the purpose of demonstration. Some of the desired