This study investigates different types of social capital which are developed in play-based learning settings through a Family-School-Community partnership. Social capital is understood as the accumulated resources from existence of networks and connections with others. Data was collected through focus groups with 49 principals, senior and class teachers in Hong Kong kindergartens. Bonding social capital is formed in professional development activities among teacher groups while bridging social capital is developed through parental involvement. There is a potential for linking social capital to be mobilized through interactions between schools and community networks. Capturing such social capital could facilitate play-based learning practices. Copyright © 2023 The Authors.

The purpose of this study is to examine the mediating role of Professional Development Initiatives (PDIs) in relation to the implementation of New Secondary School curriculum in Hong Kong and student learning. Data were collected from 414 Key Learning Area coordinators and subject heads who were responsible for managing curriculum of senior secondary education in 91 Hong Kong secondary schools. Results indicated that three types of PDI (i.e. curriculum planning, professional sharing and support for teachers) mediated the impact of teachers' collaborative practices on their conceptions of student learning. Whereas two PDIs have exerted mediating effect of teachers' curriculum orientation on student learning. Implications for facilitating teachers' curriculum implementation towards reform and sustaining various types of PDIs are discussed. Copyright ©2021 Elsevier .

This study adopts a social capital perspective to explore the characteristics of “Family-School-Community” partnership model in the kindergarten settings and how these partnerships influence play-based learning implementation. Data were collected through curriculum documents and focus group interviews with 49 participants. Findings revealed that bonding social capital was resided in teacher groups and exhibited in form of various professional development activities. Bridging and linking social capitals where those relationships are developed through the collaborations between home, kindergarten and society. Such partnerships bring about important resources facilitating play-based learning curriculum practices in the kindergartens. The proposed explanatory model may shed a light of providing early childhood practitioners and researchers with a social capital perspective of how to develop an effective play-based learning. Copyright © 2020 All Academic, Inc.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine the key factors affecting Mainland Chinese students pursuing a Master of Education degree in Hong Kong on their study abroad decision and return intentions. Design/methodology/approach: The current study employed a mixed-methods approach to investigate factors that affect Mainland Chinese students pursuing MEd degrees in Hong Kong. Participants were first invited to fill out a questionnaire. After collecting and analyzing the survey data, in-depth interviews with a selected group of students were carried out by the research team to obtain useful qualitative data to triangulate the survey findings. A purposeful and convenience sampling method, carried out through the personal network of the research team, was used to recruit MEd Mainland Chinese students in Hong Kong to participate in the current study. Findings: The findings provided compelling evidence that Hong Kong was an attractive study destination to this particular group of MEd Chinese students. The findings also indicated that academic factors were more important than social, cultural and economic factors when it came to choosing their study destination. In contrast to previous studies, participants expressed a much stronger desire to return home upon graduation. The three most influential predictors of their decision to return were the lack of a Hong Kong teaching certificate (r=+0.36), the opportunity to contribute to their hometown (r=+0.31) and the inclination to be closer to family and friends (r=+0.20). Originality/value: While a number of studies have been carried out to study why Mainland Chinese students chose Hong Kong as their study destination to pursue their teacher training degree, none of these studies focused exclusively on fee-paying MEd Chinese students. Hong Kong is facing keen competition from both traditional host countries and emerging host countries to recruit students from Mainland China. It is therefore crucial to understand the needs of

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to contribute to a better understanding of the international mobility of mainland students in special administrative regions of China and in places outside China.Design/methodology/approach - There have been studies using the framework of push–pull and reverse push–pull factors to explore the movement of mainland students to North America, Australia, Singapore and Hong Kong. This study follows up by exploring such research directions in Macau, which is another special administrative region of China. Different from previous studies, the sample of this study came specifically from 130 students enrolling in teacher education undergraduate programs in Macau.Findings - In this study, using data collected from questionnaires and interviews, the factors affecting mainland student teachers’ choice of Macau as a place for their undergraduate studies are examined. Other related issues such as the challenges these students face and their intentions after their graduation are also studied.Originality/value - The data collected for this study were primary and original, drawing specifically from students enrolling teacher education programs. Following the various studies on the global movement of mainland students, this study aimed at understanding mainland students’ mobility pattern in one of China’s special administration regions, Macau. In this regard, cultural identity and cultural factors were considered on top of other factors. Copyright © 2019 Emerald Publishing Limited.