Research Findings: Previous studies have found that a growth mind-set was associated with optimal learning and well-being outcomes. However, much of this research has been conducted among adolescents and young adults. Relatively little is known as to whether these associations also apply to young children. The present study aimed to examine whether mind-sets are associated with school engagement and subjective well-being in the early childhood context (i.e. first-grade students). A total of 402 Hong Kong first-grade students (219 boys and 183 girls; mean age = 6.69) were recruited. Self-reported questionnaires were administered to assess students’ growth mind-set, engagement, and subjective well-being. Structural equation modeling was used to analyze the data. Results indicated that students who endorsed a growth mind-set were more likely to report higher levels of engagement and subjective well-being. Practice or Policy: Our study demonstrates the importance of growth mind-set for optimal functioning among young children. Growth mind-set may need to be nurtured in the early childhood context as a potential pathway to improving students’ academic engagement and subjective well-being. Copyright © 2022 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.

Emotional intelligence (EI) is foundational to students’ success in the university. However, past studies on EI in the higher education context have mostly focused on how EI is related to academic achievement neglecting student engagement and other learning-related outcomes (e.g., generic outcomes). In this study, we examined whether and how individual differences in EI influence students’ learning, engagement, and achievement during their first year at university. An explanatory sequential mixed-methods design was used to garner both quantitative and qualitative insights. We recruited and followed up with 560 first-year students in Hong Kong. The quantitative findings revealed a strong EI gradient with more emotionally intelligent students having higher levels of learning, engagement, and achievement. Qualitative findings corroborated the quantitative results and further showed that emotionally intelligent students are goal-directed, assertive, and self-regulated. Taken together, this study sheds light on the importance of EI for the optimal functioning of first year university students. Theoretical and practical implications of the findings are discussed. Copyright © 2021 The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.

Teachers in special education, compared with those in mainstream contexts, encounter more challenging situations in teaching and suffer from lower psychological and emotional well-being. The major research purpose was to test the effects of teacher values, emotions and emotion regulation on their psychological well-being. The current sample included 66 teachers from three special education schools. Results showed that teachers’ intrinsic value, enjoyment, as well as cognitive reappraisal all positively predicted teachers’ life satisfaction, while teacher anger negatively predicted occupational stress. Moving a step further, when teachers’ cognitive reappraisal levels were taken into consideration, teachers who reported high anger but low cognitive reappraisal were found to have significantly lower life satisfaction. Comparatively, higher life satisfaction was found among teachers who reported high cognitive reappraisal. Theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed in relation to research advances in teacher emotions and emotion regulation. Copyright © 2021 selection and editorial matter, Junjun Chen and Ronnel B. King; individual chapters, the contributors.

This chapter focuses on work enjoyment, a typical form of positive emotions, experienced by teacher leaders and examines its influence on their daily workplace creativity beyond the classroom. The chapter also investigates whether quality recovery precedes work enjoyment.Drawing on multiple theoretical perspectives and rich literature from psychology, organizational behavior and education disciplines, a general theoretical model was proposed and tested with Experience Sampling Method (ESM) data collected from teacher leaders in Hong Kong and Shanghai. Cross-lagged path analysis results revealed that work enjoyment creates a critical emotional state bridging personal resources and teacher leaders' creativity. Copyright © 2021 selection and editorial matter, Junjun Chen and Ronnel B. King; individual chapters, the contributors.

Although there is an increasing body of studies on assessing teacher emotions in mainstream education, there is a lack of appropriate measurement tools to assess the emotions of special school teachers. This study tested the generalizability of the 26-item Teacher Emotion Inventory (TEI) among 66 teachers from three special schools in Hong Kong using Rasch modeling. A range of key indicators (e.g., unidimensionality, item fit, person ability and item difficulty match) were tested. The results showed that the TEI for special education teachers (S-TEI) had generally acceptable psychometric properties. The S-TEI seems to be a valid tool to assess the emotions of special school teachers. Copyright © 2021 selection and editorial matter, Junjun Chen and Ronnel B. King; individual chapters, the contributors.

Lately, the topic of emotions in academic contexts has gained research attention, yet there has been relatively little exploration of how beliefs about collaboration contribute to students’ epistemic emotions. The objective of the present study was to examine this relationship in a Liberal Studies lesson. Forty-three Hong Kong secondary school students from two Liberal Studies classes participated in the study voluntarily. They completed instruments measuring their beliefs about collaboration and epistemic emotions (curiosity, confusion, anxiety) after they had completed a collaborative activity in the class. Path analysis showed a negative association between beliefs about collaboration and the two negative emotions (anxiety and confusion), yet a positive one with curiosity. These relationships were found to be consistent, as predicted by theory. Results of the study underscored the need to understand beliefs about collaboration and emotive variables and how these can be harnessed to promote positive learning outcomes. Copyright © 2021 selection and editorial matter, Junjun Chen and Ronnel B. King; individual chapters, the contributors.

The role of emotions in student engagement has been examined in many studies. However, little is known about how emotional intelligence (EI) is related to engagement and other key learning outcomes in higher education. To fill this gap, this study examined how EI is associated with student engagement and how EI and engagement jointly predict key learning outcomes in higher education, including the students’ GPA, generic outcomes, and satisfaction with the university experience. The study adopted a prospective longitudinal design involving 560 first-year students from 10 faculties of a university in Hong Kong. The data were collected at two-time points, namely before the start and after the end of the students’ first year in the university. Structural equation modeling was employed to test the measurement and hypothesized models. Results indicated that EI positively predicted all dimensions of student engagement and promoted key learning outcomes (including GPA, generic learning outcomes, and students’ satisfaction with the university) via the different dimensions of student engagement. The model also explained 16%, 44%, and 38% of the students’ GPA, generic learning outcomes, and satisfaction with their university experience, respectively. This study provides empirical evidence on the positive effect of EI on the students’ optimal functioning in the higher education context. Implications of the findings are discussed. Copyright © 2020 Instituto Superior de Psicologia Aplicada, Lisboa and Springer Nature B.V.

This study examines the relationship between affective, normative, and continuance commitment of teachers to their profession and their organization, and turnover intentions. Hong Kong teachers (N = 1060) from religious and non-religious, English medium and Chinese medium of instruction, and band 1 and band 2 schools participated. Teachers from religious schools were higher in affective commitment to organization while teachers from non-religious schools were higher in normative commitment to profession. Teachers from EMI and band 1 schools were higher in affective and normative commitments while teachers from CMI and band 2 schools were higher in turnover intentions.
[Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd.]

The present study explored the home literacy environment for Chinese ESL kindergarteners and examined the relationships between home literacy practices and language and literacy skills. Ninety Hong Kong Chinese ESL kindergarteners were assessed for English vocabulary, phonological awareness, letter knowledge and word reading. Their parents completed a questionnaire about home literacy practices. Results showed that these practices can be classified into three aspects: shared reading, exposure to English materials and home teaching. Shared reading uniquely predicted receptive and expressive vocabulary, syllable awareness and word reading in English. Exposure to English materials predicted expressive vocabulary and home teaching predicted letter knowledge.
[Copyright © 2015 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.]