This study examined the relationships between principals’ leadership practices (LP), professional learning community (PLC), teachers’ perceptions of self-efficacy (TE) and whole-child development (WCD) in the context of kindergarten education. A total of 2120 Hong Kong kindergarten teachers participated in the study. Results showed that LP had positive effects on five components of PLC; LP facilitated teachers’ perceived WCD directly and indirectly through the mediation of three PLC components, namely shared sense of purpose, collaborative activity and a collective focus on child learning. Moreover, three PLC components (i.e., a collective focus on child learning, deprivatized practice and reflective dialogue) had positive effects on teachers’ perceived WCD via self-efficacy. The implications for enhancing PLCs in kindergartens are discussed. Copyright © 2019 All Academic, Inc.

This paper intends to study the beginning stages oftechnology adoption during distance learning in early childhood education (ECE) and focus on digital tools and equipment used during this period. We circulated a questionnaire to a representative group of teachers, seeking to find out more about teacher and school preparedness, strategies to provide distance education, and teachers' experiences while making this transition. Findings from survey results and interviews from forty-three teachers indicate that technological factors are strongly linked to school readiness. Teachers do not have pedagogical techniques for the current distance education learning environment. The pedagogical implications of these specialised tools were discussed. Four different pedagogical practices are central for distance education in a crisis and several difficulties encountered during the process. Although being prepared to ensure the continuity of education was challenging, schools and teachers found ways to overcome the obstacles. Results build on previously reported findings regarding school closure during virus outbreaks, and they may serve as guidance for teachers and school leaders as they move into technology adoption in ECE education. This research can also help create emergency response educational plans for kindergartens and provide an excellent historical record. Copyright © 2021 The 16th International Conference on Computer Science and Education.

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has led to widespread change in people's lives across the world. Indeed, such change is especially evident in the education sector, where this global phenomenon has arguably triggered some of history's most significant advancements. In this study, we explore how the early childhood education sector in Hong Kong has coped with schooling during this period. Furthermore, we investigate the extent to which players in Hong Kong's early childhood education scene had to adjust in light of dynamically changing local government guidelines and why that has led to long-term improvements. To derive meaningful conclusions from this study, we use a mixed-methods approach that relies on data collected from surveys, interviews, and case studies relevant to the topic at hand. This data is then analysed, and themes are formed through coding. We also explore teachers' feelings, technology adoption, and examples from practice to determine how schools have supported young children's education. The research demonstrates how early childhood education and care centres innovatively provide education during a crisis. Traces of success in making teaching and learning possible and meaningful are visible, even with children of a young age. Consequently, this research yields key lessons about ECE learning and teaching during crises. Copyright © 2021 The International Academic Forum.

Since the first class suspension, announced in Feb 2020 due to the prevalence of Covid-19, many schools, including all kindergartens, primary, secondary, and tertiary institutions, have redirected their face-to-face learning to online learning to strive for 'suspending classes without suspending learning'. The physical closure has switched face-to-face learning to learning at home, which has given rise to a new role for parents and guardians in children's learning. As a significant stakeholder in the education process, parent-child experiences are among the most influential driving factors contributing to the success of any educational reform, and hence should be analysed to inform future decisions. This research sought to examine parental issues experienced by the parents of children engaged in distance learning. Parents agreed with the policy to keep the learning going, but they also highlighted the challenges they faced while supporting their children's home learning. Parents explained that they were experiencing difficulties balancing their responsibilities, learner involvement, accessibility, and learning outcomes. Some notable implications and recommendations for future implementation of distance learning or blended learning were discovered as a result of the study. Parental views towards the Hong Kong kindergartens' readiness to adopt technology in emergency distance learning adoption were also discussed. Copyright © 2021 The International Academic Forum (IAFOR).

With the increasing concern in school teachers’ well-being and growing focus on the early childhood education sector in recent years, the present study explored the factors that contribute to the psychological well-being of kindergarten teachers in Hong Kong. Based on a sample of 459 kindergarten teachers in Hong Kong, the authors demonstrated that teachers’ psychological well-being was strongly determined by their self-belief, which were contributed by their relationship with colleagues, and their positivity in attitude towards life and work. The authors further demonstrated that teachers’ self-belief was influenced by their perception of the school culture. Implications for establishing a positive attitude in kindergarten teachers and enhancing their psychological well-being were discussed. Copyright © 2021 The International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies (ISQOLS) and Springer Nature B.V.

Teachers play a crucial role in promoting motor development in early childhood. A series of focus-group discussions was conducted with kindergarten teachers in Hong Kong to co-design movement activities. This paper reports the process and implications to teachers’ professional development. Copyright © 2021 International Review of Finance Ltd.

This special issue on early STEM education collects ten articles that present a series of studies covering topics about curriculum and pedagogy, teacher education and professional development, family environment, and inclusive education for enhancing young children’s STEM learning experiences. These collected studies have presented empirical evidence obtained from diverse cultural contexts, including Australia, Germany, Hong Kong, Mainland China, Singapore, and the United States. With varying designs and diversified approaches, these studies jointly present a vivid picture of the STEM world and may therefore provide some contributions to theoretical developments and practical improvements. Copyright © 2020 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.

Hong Kong has launched reforms to advocate child-centred pedagogies in kindergartens since 2000. This study examined the actual pedagogical interactions in eight kindergarten classrooms via videotaped observations. The teachers were surveyed before the observation and interviewed after receiving the observational report. Evidence revealed that the Hong Kong teachers used various scaffolding strategies to maintain a reciprocal interaction, and teacher-directed instruction dominated the pedagogical interactions. Most teachers had a positive attitude towards teacher–child interactions, yet traditional beliefs persisted. Teachers’ pedagogical interactions were associated with their age, years of teaching experience and educational level, but not with the age group they taught. Copyright © 2020 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

Since its return to China in 1997, Hong Kong has launched a series of large-scale reforms to establish a new post-colonial education system. Early childhood education (ECE), however, is totally privatised and independently regulated by the market mechanism. Reforming such a private market is thus a challenge to the educational authorities. In this chapter, we will examine the ECE policies that have been implemented (or proposed) from the year 1997 to 2015, through the ‘3A2S’ framework (Li, Wang, & Fong, Int J Chin Educ 3(2): 161–170, 2014). Analyses of the most recent data obtained from the governmental agencies indicate that:(1) The ECE market has been well regulated by the supply and demand mechanism.(2) All the subsidy measures share the aim of assuring children’s equal access to affordable ECE.(3) Self-evaluation and school improvement mechanism has been well established to promote the accountability of ECE.(4) Sustainability of ECE has been highlighted by the policymakers.(5) Social justice has been upheld in the policymaking process.All these findings jointly imply that Hong Kong might be a good case of study for the policymakers in other countries, as it has really achieved a balance between the affordability, accessibility, accountability, sustainability and social justice of ECE. Copyright © 2017 Springer Science+Business Media Singapore.