This chapter reports on two studies conducted in both Hong Kong and Australia. The purpose of these research studies was three-fold: first, to evaluate the secondary business education curriculum; second, to explore its role in both Hong Kong and Australia, in order to determine the future directions in the light of perceived social, environmental, technological and political changes; and third, to make appropriate recommendations to policymakers in the respective countries. The results of the two studies demonstrated that the current secondary business education curriculum in Hong Kong and Australia has moved towards, but is not yet fully conversant with the need for, a paradigm shift from a predominantly skills-based curriculum to a dynamics-based curriculum. The notion of competence and its origin are discussed. A move towards a more holistic perspective of competence, that is, an interpretative-relational perspective is proposed and illustrated for business education. The introduction of competency standards for the clerical-administrative occupations in private industry tends to restrict the curriculum to the achievement of skills and outcomes, rather than move towards a broader base. It is recommended that the aims of secondary business education be under constant review; the image of business education be updated; there be an increased emphasis on vocational education, provision of resources, and opportunities for professional development for business education teachers. Implications for research, policy and practice including a business education curriculum based upon an interpretative-relational model of competence are drawn.
[Copyright © Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2009.]

Business education has been offered in Hong Kong secondary schools for more than 50 years, and has gone through a number of key stages in response to economic growth. The key developmental stages are: (a) 1950s and 1960s, (b) 1970 to mid-1980s, (c) mid-1980s to 1999, and (d) 2000 to 2008. Another new stage of development will be implemented in 2009. This paper provides a historical review of the four key developmental stages, introduces the forthcoming new stage, and analyses and discusses the curriculum development of all these stages in line with the economic changes. It is recommended that pupils in different forms and at different academic levels be taught both generic business knowledge and vocational aspects of business to sustain Hong Kong’s economic success.
[Copyright © 2008 International Vocational Education and Training Association.]

This study identifies the meaning of students’ competence conceived by 26 secondary school business teachers in Hong Kong by using phenomenographic research and dicusses how these conceptions draw implications on business education. Findings show that students’ competence is seen as possessing: (1) work-based skills, (2) good subject knowledge, (3) professional attributes, (4) critical thinking ability, (5) practical experience, and (6) a belief in lifelong learning. These six conceptions are illustrated with sufficient extracts and further covered in three dimensions: performance, personal, and integrated. They are basically in line with the views on developing competent youth in knowledge-based society and empower the latest development of business education in a global sense.
[Copyright © 2006 International Vocational Education and Training Association.]

In view of the rapid need for using information and communication technology (ICT) in TVET, teachers need to realize and generate technology-based strategies. This study aimed to transform modules to online learning by using engaged learning theory via Blackboard system. Through a collection of students’ and teachers’ reflections, assignments and online records, it was found that students and teachers increased their level of participation in an e-learning environment but some costs and challenges were also identified. This paper employs a Business Studies module to illustrate the online learning transformation with Blackboard to report students’ and teachers’ responses. Furthermore, it identifies their changing roles throughout. The costs, benefits, and challenges of using Blackboard in TVET are also discussed.
[Copyright © 2010 International Vocational Education and Training Association.]

This study identifies pre-service business teachers' conceptions and ways of teaching business subjects by using phenomenographic and grounded theory research methods. All 25 students who were completing the Business Studies major of a four-year full-time BEd programme in Hong Kong were the research participants. The researcher observed how the participants conducted their business lessons in the practicing school, and asked them to describe good teaching of business subjects and the ways in which they taught. The participants displayed five conceptions of teaching business: (1) knowledge delivery, (2) cognitive skills development, (3) attitude and moral cultivation, (4) interaction promotion and (5) application enhancement. These conceptions were multi-faceted, and can be conceptualised into three dimensions: performance, personal and integrated. The two broad teaching approaches, teacher-centred and student-centred, were strongly related to the conceptions that the teachers held. Hence, it is recommended that pre-service teachers should be provided with up to date subject knowledge base and open learning environments to increase their understanding of teaching.
[Copyright © 2005 Common Ground, Christina, Wai Mui Yu.]

This paper details how a successful school event, the Teen Entrepreneurs Competition, creates an authentic learning environment and builds up a win-win mechanism for enterprise education and business teacher education in the context of Hong Kong. The detail of this competition, including the rationale behind it, its features, organisation, timeframe, level of participation, outcome, benefits, and some ideas for future development are clearly outlined.
[Copyright © 2005 managementjournals.com Limited.]

Secondary vocational education performs an initiative role in meeting socio-political and economic demands. Tsui's (1997) Review Report of Prevocational and Secondary Technical Education suggests a new curriculum pattern in the light of Hong Kong's structural changes in economy and its technological advancement. The new curricula emphasize on language, business and technological subjects that comply with the generic, fundamental and transferable requirements (para 3.18). The major new subjects named as Business Fundamentals, Technology Fundamentals, Design Fundamentals, Word Processing & Business Communications, Graphical Communication and Technological Studies will be implemented in year 2000 and ultimately introduced into secondary grammar schools (para 4.15). To enhance the quality of teaching, the report also suggests that updated and relevant training should be given to vocational teachers to keep them close to the real trend (para 4.21). The ratio of graduate teachers to non-graduate teachers in prevocational schools changes from 1:1 to 7:3 within 5 years. However, there is no further concrete strategy to support the corresponding teacher training. Currently, around sixty percent of graduate business teachers are untrained and eighty percent of the business teacher samples from secondary schools perceived that insufficient teacher training was provided for them (Velde, 1997c). In facing the great challenges in new curricular and professional upgrading within such a short time frame, challenge appears in teachers' capability and adaptability. Further development of vocational teacher education is urgently required. By defining competencies for secondary vocational teachers is a powerful means in providing information to help them to be successful in their job (Esque and Gilbert, 1995; Hager, 1995). According to Marrelli (1998), competencies are measurable human capabilities that are required for effective work performance demands. The competency model