In Hong Kong, despite the officials' efforts to reform the school curriculum, studies have found that implementation of the proposed changes has been superficial (Yeung, 2006, 2009). Recently, evidence-based school self-evaluation has become a global trend in the school improvement movement. The Education Bureau in Hong Kong has followed this trend and launched a school evaluation policy — School Self Evaluation (SSE) and External School Review (ESR). The pair of evaluation measures was initiated to help schools to evaluate their own effectiveness, to ensure public accountability and to achieve self development (Quality Assurance Division, 2006). This paper shares the findings from a local research, which looks into the perception of the policy by school curriculum leaders and its possible impact on the school curriculum and teachers. The curriculum leaders described both positive and negative effects, potential threats and weaknesses of the school evaluation policy. Specific attention was given to how effective school evaluation in effect makes curriculum reform mandatory. Findings show how the local school curriculum can be controlled by bureaucratic preferences through SSE and ESR, and ultimately lost its ability to deal with diversity. It also shows how such forces impede teachers' professional autonomy and liberty.
[Copyright © Hong Kong Educational Research Association ].

Enhancing the higher order thinking (HOT) ability of students is a worldwide educational goal. This has also become a significant objective in the curriculum reforms in Hong Kong, which aims at better preparation of students to meet the challenges of the new era. Cultural aspects are often regarded as salient in determining approaches to teaching. The influence of Chinese traditions on teaching in Hong Kong has been discussed by many researchers, who found the thinking of Confucius still strongly influences the conception of teaching of Chinese teachers. By the in-depth interviews with 12 Chinese teachers, their conceptions of effective HOT teaching were examined. Nine teaching tips were suggested by the teachers. The list of HOT teaching tips reflects that intermingled values of Western and traditional Chinese education are embraced. The findings also show how Chinese values influence teachers' conceptions of effective HOT teaching and the results are discussed with reference to the influence of Confucian thought. The comparatively narrow conceptions regarding HOT teaching imply that certain cultural barriers are still hampering Hong Kong teachers in the post-handover period. One major recommendation is that an awareness of the cultural values of the context is important for any application of foreign methods of teaching.
[Copyright © 2015 British Educational Research Association.]

Over the years numerous studies have been conducted in an attempt to determine the effect of homework on students’ learning (Thomas, 1992). In practice, there are much problems and misconceptions with the implementation of homework. In Hong Kong, this issue worsens existing educational problems (Education Department, & Home School Cooperation Committee, 1994). With the launching of curriculum reform in 2001, the education bureau in Hong Kong recommends that there be a change in homework policy and practices(Curriculum Development Committee, 2001). Schools should put more emphasis on "meaningful homework" as an integral part of the school curriculum. In the past, curriculum changes in Hong Kong often encounter unsuccessful experiences because of poor policy dissemination and implementation and mismatching teachers’ conceptions, etc (Yeung, 2004). Studies alike demonstrate that any educational change needs an authentic "paradigm shift" in perspectives, philosophy and pedagogy (Kuhn, 1970). The paper intends to look into the underpinning theory and thereafter the underlying agenda embedded with this homework policy. The researcher has adopted research method including documentary analysis and simple survey. The researcher conducts and compares content analysis of two kinds of documents -- Official homework guideline as well as various samples of school homework. A simple survey of teachers’ conception about the new homework policy has been used as kinds of triangulation. The researcher wishes that findings from the study may have empirical and practical significance to future development of homework practices and policy in schools.

Curriculum change in Hong Kong is often unsatisfactorily actualized. Yet reform in education and curriculum seems nonstop and inevitable for this international city in an era of globalization. Local policy-makers launched a comprehensive curriculum reform in 2001 (CDC, 2001). Regardless of the officials' keen effort to implement the said curriculum reform during these five years, studies still found that real change is implemented only to superficial extent (Yeung, 1994; 2005). In fact, most Hong Kong's classrooms could still be portrayed as displaying features that are characterized as the 'three Ts': teacher-centred, textbook-centered and test-centered (Adamson, Kwan & Chan, 2000). In recent years, the strategies untaken by the officials seem shifting between school-based initiatives and state-mandated attempts to promote forms of outcome-based education. External School Review(ESR) was initiated as a complementary measure for schools to self-evaluate its effectiveness and to 'ensure public accountability'(EMB, 2005). The officials believe that this forms in part a systematic and strong school development and accountability framework. However some informal, local critics are skeptical about the mechanism and frequently connect its notion to cutting of resources and closure of schools. Theoretically speaking, the concept of ESR relates to debates and discourses about standard and indicators, accountability in education, centralization and decentralization of curriculum decision-making, as well as teacher development. The present paper presentation wishes to critically analyze this current educational policy and inquire into the relation between ESR and the official intent to enforce and control curriculum change. Hopefully, questions like the following would also be addressed: how beneficial ESR has been in encouraging schools to develop and improve their curriculum and teaching? Has external inspection gone too far or not far enough? What are the pitfalls and perils