There is a strong need to understand, monitor, and enhance educational quality. This paper reports on a project that developed a framework of indicators for monitoring educational quality in Hong Kong primary schools. The framework was developed through various case studies and 2 large surveys of over 200 Hong Kong primary schools (involving over 650 classes, 3,800 teachers, and 20,000 students) during 1991-95. A preliminary framework, based on the research literature, included indicators at the student individual level, the classroom level, the teacher individual level, the teacher group level, and the organizational level. The framework was tested and developed through the 2 surveys (the first conducted in 1992 and the second in 1993-94) and a total of 12 case studies. Survey data was used to map the education profiles of Hong Kong primary schools by means on indicators; by percentage of schools in high, satisfactory, and low performance; by distribution of schools on each indicator; and by profiles of characteristics of effective and ineffective schools. Six tables and seven figures are included.

This research focuses on building a computer-supported learning environment for fostering inquiry learning process, which is an essential quality of life-long learners. This research discusses how computer- mediated learning resources are designed and implemented for supporting inquiry learning of primary school children to have better understanding of puberty - a core element in the Health and Living Strand of General Studies in the Hong Kong primary curriculum. The computer- mediated learning resources include virtual devices and case studies. The various virtual devices of balance, meter rule, magnifying lens, and x-ray machine helped learners look into the body changes and sexual development during puberty, as well as reproductive anatomy. The case studies provide situations of harassment and questions early adolescents may encounter. Teachers can guide pupils to work individually or in groups to search for supporting information from the virtual devices for making wise choices. Hence, the learning resources serve to support teachers to provide a computer-supported classroom learning environment for inquiry learning of puberty.

In the era of education reform in Hong Kong, on various government documents, different concepts and functions of assessment were introduced to the community. Formative assessment is stressed as a way to improve teaching and enhance the learning of pupils. Formative assessment takes place in classrooms. It provides short term feedback to teachers so that learners' strengths and weaknesses in relation to their progression can be identified. Then teachers can use the feedback in planning what to do next in order to facilitate pupils' learning as well as promote teaching effectiveness. In response to the education reform, the researcher, as a teacher educator, wanted to study how formative assessment can be implemented in local General Studies classrooms. Fifteen student teachers were invited to be co-researchers of the present study. During their student teaching, they implemented formative assessment, collected data on their teaching and reflected on the implementation. The lessons videotaped by each of the co-researchers show the extent of the implementation of formative assessment in the classrooms. There were variations in terms of rich questioning, effective feedback, self- and peer assessment, as well as regulation of activity. Some of the assessment practices were either diluted or corrupted, though most of the co-researchers proclaimed that they successfully implemented formative assessment in their student teaching. Based on the findings of the study, the researcher attempted to make suggestions for the practising teachers so that they may initiate, implement and sustain this educational change in their subject classrooms.

In many Western countries such as the United States, Britain and Canada multicultural education has attracted the attention of many researchers. The reason is that the tide of immigrants to these countries has produced a more diverse student body. The presence of these immigrant students has generated problems for teachers and school administrators. Promotion of a spirit of tolerance and helping them to adjust has become important goals for teachers in schools in these countries. Authors such as Banks, Sleeter and Grant have documented various aspects of multiculturalism and multicultural education in the context of Western countries. The conceptualisation by Banks(1997) of multicultural education as a broad interdisciplinary field with five interrelated dimensions are quite well known. In Hong Kong the influx of Mainland Chinese to the territory since the early 1990s has been a prominent feature. As similar to the cases in many Western countries, these newly arrived people from Mainland China to Hong Kong have generated problems of integration with local people and of adjustment to the new environment. Lee(1998) has investigated the issue of new immigrants moving to Hong Kong from Mainland China. He found evidence that the new immigrants in the 1990s are no longer as economically vibrant as those in the 1960s and the 1970s and they are more dependent on social welfare provisions. This helps to offer one explanation for the social exclusion of new immigrants. The problem of adjustment encountered by immigrant children has also aroused the attention of many parties, including teachers and social workers. Researchers have documented the life of these children in Hong Kong. Though these children are of the same race as those of the local school children, the background and culture of the former is quite different from the later. For instance in Hong Kong the traditional version of Chinese character is used. However in Mainland China the simplified version of Chinese character

This research studied how resource-based learning environment (RBLE) with multimedia resources facilitates students to develop understanding of "Hong Kong Economics". The study established an RBLE by creating authentic contexts, selecting appropriate resources and tools, and adopting necessary scaffolds. Three classes of students aged 11-12 were involved in learning of the different sub-topics in various approaches: a learner-centred approach with individual computer; a teacher-centred approach with one single teacher computer; and an interactive approach of group use of a computer. The analysis included video-taped lessons and interview responses, with a finding that deep learning is effected from a more learner-centred approach.

Previous studies conducted in university and high school students confirmed that physical self-perceptions were hierarchically organized in 3 tiers, with global self-esteem at the apex, physical self-worth in the middle, and four physical self-perception sub-domains (sport competence, condition, body attractiveness, and strength) at the bottom. However, it is not clear whether children age 10 or under also exhibit similar pattern. In this study the 3-tier model was tested in 800 Hong Kong Chinese primary 4 and 5 pupils using structural equation modeling. Further more, how perceived importance and goal orientations affect physical self-perceptions at different level of generalities was considered.

In Hong Kong, the General Studies (GS) has been a core primary curriculum, which integrates three former separate subjects, Primary Science, Social Studies and Health Education, since 1994. The rationale of such an integrated curriculum is to help pupil understand the inter-relationship between people, things and their environment so that they can acquire knowledge and skills and develop positive attitudes in a holistic way. Proponents of curriculum integration claim that a good integrated subject is able to achieve more aims than those from separate subjects. An integrated curriculum should provide wider and better learning outcomes than that from learning through separate subjects. Within the context of an integrated curriculum for primary students in Hong Kong, this study aimed at identifying the intended curriculum features of the GS Curriculum. The study also intended to probe the extent of the curriculum features implemented in classrooms. A total of 189 teachers participated in a questionnaire survey. By using the method of Confirmatory Factor Analysis, this study identified four major curriculum features in this integrated curriculum, namely, "holistic learning", "relevancy to learners' life", "development of problem–solving skills" and the "Society-Technology-Society (STS) approach". Results of this study also revealed that teachers perceived the existence of these four intended features in the GS Curriculum and the gaps between the curriculum intention and the real-classroom situation.