This study examined the self-efficacy of TAs in Hong Kong. Quantitative method was adopted. 463 TAs had participated in this study, and their self-efficacy had been tested in 5 domains: teaching support, learning support, behavior management, cooperation and administrative support. The findings were obtained by the means of “Teaching assistant efficacy scale” which was developed by Yan, Lum, Lui, Chu and Lui (2015). Data indicated that TAs were most confident in cooperation and least confident in teaching support and behaviour management. Training to support students with special education needs (SEN) were found to contribute to TAs’ self-efficacy in all 5 domains. However, no differences were found among different training hours because the training cannot meet the needs of TA. This paper suggested reforming the TA training program to increase TAs’ self-efficacy.

The findings are based on a larger study on systematically comparing leadership development and practice in seven differentially performing education systems (Malaysia, Australia, Hong Kong, England, Indonesia, Russia, and Singapore) (Harris et al.). The contextual background of principalship training in Hong Kong was the Principals’ Continuing Professional Development Framework introduced since 2002 (Education Department, 2002). Under this Framework, all existing and newly appointed principals have been required to undergo continuous professional development or prior certification (Education Bureau, 2010). Based on 20 interviews with principals, key staff and teachers of three secondary schools in three different bandings. One of key themes identified in the data is the roles of the school principal as a change agent. This key finding is compatible with findings that highlighted the prominent role of the principal as a key change agent for the successful implementation of school-based management, both in Hong Kong (e.g. Cheng, 1992; Ma, 1993; Ko & Walker, 2014; Ko, Cheng & Lee, 2016) and in schools worldwide (e.g. Hallinger, 1992; Hopkins & Reynolds, 2001; Marks & Printy, 2003; Wohlstetter et al., 2008).More specifically, the roles of school principals are discussed in relation to the different conceptualisations and charaterisations of principalship in transactional, instructional, transformational, and distributed leadership theories.

This study explored the nature and effects of leadership for learning in the context of Hong Kong primary schools. Employing a mediated model of leadership for learning, the study examined how school leadership practices are perceived and shaped in the high accountability context of Hong Kong school education. Consistent with other recent empirical studies of school leadership effects, the research explored the relationship between school leadership, school-level capacity for improvement and student learning outcomes. Regression analyses found a negative impact of principal leadership practices related to strategic direction and policy environments, but a positive impact of staff management and resource management practices in terms of enhancing support for students. Contrary to expectations, schools’ capacity in supporting students had less impact on student academic outcomes than the negative impact of resources capacity and workload of teachers. Instead, mixed impact was found between principal leadership and student academic outcomes; it was negative regarding practices in strategic direction and policy environment, but positive in leader and teacher growth and development. The study refines our understanding of how the socio-cultural and organisational contexts of schools shape successful school leadership.
[Copyright © 2015 Philip Hallinger and James Ko.]

Recent research has documented the rapid growth in the number of universities offering degree courses using English as the medium of instruction (EMI) throughout Asia. While some of this research has considered the impact of EMI instruction on student learning, only limited attention has been given to the experiences of other stakeholders, such as academic staff who are expected to deliver EMI courses in tertiary institutions. Therefore, this chapter explores the perspectives and experiences of academic staff at a large EMI tertiary institution in Hong Kong. Using a framework of teacher identity, the chapter considers the role of EMI policy and practice in the ability of academic staff to negotiate multiple identities, including ‘academic economist’, ‘researcher’, and ‘teacher’, by revealing the dominant discourses that constrained and enabled their professional identity construction. The data describes the challenges that academic staff experience in constructing their preferred identities in an EMI environment and how they negotiated such challenges. Implications for policymakers wishing to support the identity construction of academic staff at EMI tertiary institutions throughout Asia and beyond are considered and suggestions for future research discussed.

Background: Abundant research has been undertaken on the importance of teachers’ feedback to the school achievement of students. However, focus has rarely been placed on the differences between the perception on feedback of students and teachers. Being a part of the study which was sponsored by a General Research Grant awarded by Research Grants Council of UGC, Hong Kong (Project Number 844011), we attempted to find out the differences between students’ and teachers’ perception on feedback. Aims and Keywords: The study aimed to find out the differences between Hong Kong primary school students and teachers in their views to feedback. Sample: Four thousand five hundred and seven students between primary 3 and primary 5, 132 teachers from 26 Hong Kong primary schools were sampled in the study. Method: A 42-item instrument with 4-Likert point response scale was constructed by the research team to collect the responses from Hong Kong students and teachers of their perception on 6 dimensions in feedback. Multidimensional Rasch analysis was conducted on the collected data with CONQUEST 2.0. Results: The results showed that: (1) item-fit was between 0.5 and 1.5 for all items except one; (2) Rasch person reliabilities in the 6 dimensions ranged from 0.72 to 0.86 and item reliabilities was 1.00; (3) the effect size of the respondents’ status (teacher or student) in the 6 dimensions ranged from 0.32 to 0.64. Conclusions: In this study, there are moderate differences between the students and teachers in the perception on the source of feedback, the effectiveness of feedback and the function of feedback. On the other hand, there are little differences among the two types of respondents in the perception on the goodness of feedback, the focus/target of feedback and the expectation of feedback.

In an effort to enhance the quality of teachers and teaching, and to lead internal curriculum development in primary schools, the Hong Kong Education Bureau created a new curriculum leader post entitled primary school master/mistress (curriculum development) or PSMCD for short. The main purpose of the study was to examine the perceptions of these curriculum leaders on their competence in leading the primary school reform. Using a stratified random sampling technique, 125 curriculum leaders were chosen to participate in the current study. Survey questionnaire and semi-structured interviews were conducted. The findings of the study suggest that PSMCDs in general supported the goals and the rationale of the reform. In addition, they also agreed that moderate progress had been made in implementing the curriculum reform in their school. Though progress had been made in many areas, our findings have highlighted several key challenges that these PSMCDs faced in performing their roles. These challenges include heavy workload, learner diversity in the classrooms, the use of diversified modes for assessment, and having too many reforms at the same time. Implications and recommendations are discussed.
[Copyright © 2016 The Author(s).]

This study examined the immediate and long-term effects of an Assessment for Learning intervention on pre-service sports coaches’ attitudes towards Assessment for Learning in sports. The hypothesis that the intervention had an immediate effect on the experimental group towards Assessment for Learning was only partially supported by this research. Nevertheless, the hypothesis that the intervention had a long-term effect was supported. This study has successfully shown that the intervention can be very effective in developing competencies in Assessment for Learning among pre-service sports coaches in Hong Kong. Through the intervention, the pre-service sport coaches made positive changes in attitudes towards Assessment for Learning, as used in sports teaching, and recognised its effect on student learning. Their positive responses serve as a “green light” for introducing Assessment for Learning for all in-service sports coaches and physical education teachers in Hong Kong.
[Copyright © 2013 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht.]