Abstract

Narrative therapy is introduced as a postmodern form of practice suitable for the integration of contrasting orientations of guidance and discipline practices in Hong Kong schools, where guidance and counseling programs and activities under the whole school approach are suggested as viable means to promote student whole-person development. While the narrative approach as a mode of school counseling might have a direct impact, more importantly, the approach as an attitude and a way of life in the school setting could offer new ways of providing psychoeducational services and promoting student growth and development. The need for research in narrative practice in Hong Kong schools is emphasized and discussed.

Keywords: narrative therapy; guidance and counseling; Hong Kong

Abstract

Industry today is driven by information, global competition and knowledge. These factors have led to continual changes in workplaces as organisations strive to remain viable. This study examined the nature of changes that occurred in two distinct organisations in Australia over two years. It also examined how workers are adapting to those changes in terms of learning, and considered what implications there are for higher education. The participants constituted 18 workers from a medical service industry and 19 workers from an engineering organization. The data were analysed qualitatively and results indicated several categories of change. It was also apparent that while much learning was occurring in the workplace, there was very little direct association between workplace learning and higher education for the workers in this study although several have degrees or have organised their own further study. Suggestions are made regarding the current practices in universities and workplace learning and for better collaboration. For example, universities need to develop closer ties with industry and curriculum models that prepare workers for ongoing changes in the workplace should be developed.

Keywords: changing workplaces; higher education; workplace learning

Abstract

This paper examines how males and females apply self assessment (SA) as a learning tool. SA is "the involvement of students in identifying standards and/or criteria to apply to their work and making judgments about the extent to which they met these criteria and standards" (Boud, 1986). The sample of 256 females and 233 males from Barbados, West Indies came from ten high schools. Participants from Form 5 (Grade 11 in American high schools) were formally trained for three terms of an entire academic year. Whilst SA1 measured naturally occurring SA skills used prior to formal training, SA2 measured SA skills after formal training. Participants mastered making informed choices in life; learned and incorporated new ideas; demonstrated self motivation and responsibility; established prior learning and evaluated their own learning. However, whilst males tended to use significant others in the SA process, females appeared to be more autonomous. Females used posits, checklists, self tests and several memory games, quizzes and puzzles. Males thought about their tasks (cognitively and metacognitively) and showed autonomy about their actions and decision making differently from females. Females were more apt to discuss and arrive at mutually agreeable conclusions than males. These results have implications for SA training.

Keywords: self assessment; males; females; autonomous; choices; learning

Abstract

This study examines the following four supervision issues in the instructional or teaching supervision of 47 pre-service teachers by 42 co-operative teachers: (a) Relationships among the different supervisory styles (i.e., Attractive Supervisory Style, Interpersonally Sensitive Supervisory Style, and Task Oriented Supervisory Style) as measured by the Supervisory Styles Inventory (Friedlander & Ward, 1984); (b) Relative perceived prevalence of different supervisory styles; (c) Relationship between supervisory styles and supervisees' satisfaction with their supervisors; and (d) Prediction of supervisees' satisfaction with their supervisors by the different supervisory styles. The results showed that most cooperating teachers are perceived by pre-service (trainee) teachers to utilize the attractive or non-directive supervisory style. This supervisory style was found to have the highest significant bivariate correlation coefficient and the only significant partial correlation coefficient with satisfaction with supervisor. Finally, attractive supervisory style is the only significant predictor in a multiple standard regression with satisfaction with supervisor as the criterion. Limitations and implications are discussed in relation to the findings of this study.

Keywords: supervisory approach; supervision mode; supervision process; supervisory style

Abstract

At the end of the first year of the Quality Schools Project (a comprehensive school reform project in Hong Kong), the author conducted a series of semi-structured interviews with the program facilitators. These 3-hour interviews were done to assess the project's progress at the 40 participating schools, and to identify factors that affected the progress. The interviews were transcribed and analyzed for common issues. Four dominant themes emerged. The program facilitators perceived the following as important to the progress of school reform: (a) quality of school leadership, (b) misalignment of reforms with public examinations, (c) degree of initial implementation success, and (d) role of program facilitators. These findings are similar to those from other recent studies. Implications for comprehensive school reform program providers, school principals and policy makers are also discussed.

Keywords: school-university partnership; comprehensive school reform; change agents

摘要

香港從1998年開始把普通話列為中、小學的核心課程，本港的師資培訓機構，如何能有效地把在方言區成長的學員培訓成勝任的標準語教師？本文從一項對新入職普通話教師的教學研究中選取了幾個個案，回溯他們在教育學院學習普通話及進行教學實習的情況，並追蹤他們執教後第一、二年普通話科教學能力的發展，從而指出教學信念是促使他們在不同教學階段發生調整、轉化，以至成長的主導因素，並提出師資培訓課程能幫助學員建立和更新教學信念的相應措施。

關鍵詞：教師教育；普通話教師；教學信念

Abstract

Putonghua (spoken Mandarin Chinese) has been one of the core curricula in Hong Kong since 1998. This article is concerned about how local teacher training institutions can prepare competent Putonghua teachers in a non-native context. A few typical cases have been identified as the focus of study from a longitudinal research on beginning teachers. Their training in past teacher education program is reviewed, and their early experiences in teaching Putonghua analyzed. Findings from this study indicate that beliefs of the beginning teachers are crucial to their professional growth. It is argued that Putonghua teacher educators should incorporate corresponding measures for fostering proper beliefs of student teachers in teacher education programs.

摘要

本研究以「每日一篇」網上閱讀計劃的讀者為研究對象，目的在於探討推展網上閱讀計劃成效顯著的因素，研究結果可供有意設計和開發優質網上教學計劃者參考。結果顯示，下列因素與推展網上閱讀計劃的效能有密切的關係：1. 網站穩定，操作簡單、容易。2. 教材難易度適中。3. 即時給予回饋，並肯定其努力。4. 學生可以自主學習。5. 老師和家長的鼓勵與支持。通過每天上網學習，學生漸漸養成了閱讀的習慣。習慣一旦養成，學生便會自主學習了。

關鍵詞：網上閱讀；學習動機；親子關係

Abstract

The participants in our study are readers who take part in the "A Passage a Day" online reading program. We aim at finding out factors for the effectiveness of promoting an online reading program. The results of the study will be relevant for those who want to advocate or design quality online learning projects. It has been shown that the following factors are closely linked to the effectiveness of promoting an online reading program: 1. A stable and accessible website. 2. Suitable comprehensibility of learning materials. 3. Instant affirming feedback to acknowledge participants' effort. 4. Students' self-motivated learning. 5. Support and encouragement from teachers and parents. Through reading online on a daily basis, students gradually develop a reading habit.