Abstract

This study examined the relationship of occupational stress, Type A personality, and social support with the three aspects of teacher burnout, emotional exhaustion depersonalization, and personal accomplishment. Teachers who were single, of graduate status, and with fewer years of teaching experience had a higher level of burnout. Moreover, teachers experiencing more stress, lacking in social support were more burned out. Personality type was found to exert both a main and buffering effects on burnout. Type A teachers were less burned out and less adversely affected by the harmful effects of stress. Ways to cope with stress were also suggested to help alleviate teacher burnout.

摘要

本研究旨在對本港中學生學習數學的態度作一認定。八百九十四名中學生接受了問卷調查，其中包括了五題關於數學學習興趣、六題關於學習態度和七題關於學習困難的問題。文中研究了上述各項與數學成績、父母期望及本身期望的相關並用多元回歸分析瞭解興趣、態度和困難對數學成績的影響。

Abstract

The present study was undertaken to investigate the attitude towards learning mathematics among local secondary school students. 894 students from 26 schools were required to respond to a questionnaire which consists of 5 questions on the interest in learning mathematics, 6 questions on the attitude on learning mathematics and 7 questions on the difficulty encountered in learning mathematics. Correlations with mathematics achievement, expectations from parents and self were studied and multiple regression analyses reveal that interest in learning mathematics and difficulty perceived in the learning have strongest relation with mathematics achievement.

摘要

本研究利用錄影帶，比較和分析幾所英文中學（對照組）和把部份或全部學科改用母語授課的中學（實驗組），在中一四個學科──科學、歷史、地理和數學所採用的「授課用語」模式；探討實驗組老師轉用母語授課的適應情況；和找出由於「授課用語」模式的不同，在「教學活動」上可能產生的差異。研究結果顯示：（一）多間習慣上稱為英中的學校，在中一各學科，上課時多以廣東話為授課口語，而書面語亦多英文夾雜。（二）實驗組老師轉用母語授課，未有遇到嚴重的適應問題。（三）轉用母語授課的學校，在多項教學活動上，例如教學次常序的時間分配、老師講課的深入程度、發問的次數、學生填答堂課的自發性……等，都比同一科目，選用英文課本的學校優勝。研究又顯示教學活動的差異程度，數學科最少，而各社會科和科學科則有性質不同的差異。

Abstract

In this article, we compare and analyse the differences in the medium of instruction and the structure of classroom lessons using 4 subjects (Science, History, Geography and mathematics) in the Fl level between two groups of schools. Schools in the experimental group made a change in the medium of instruction in some subjects from English to Chinese recently. The control group is a group of Anglo-Chinese schools of matched standard. The result of this research shows that: (I) teachers in a number of Anglo-Chinese schools use mainly Cantonese for verbal communication and a fair proportion of mixed-code written words in their lessons; (2) teachers in the experimental group do not encounter much difficulty in adopting Chinese as the medium of instruction; (3) in a number of instructional issues, such as the timing of lesson subroutines, the depth of treatment of subject content, the frequency of questioning and pupils' reliance on their teacher in doing classwork, schools in the experimental group do better than the control group. This research also indicates that these instructional issues show least difference in Mathematics lessons. However, differences of unlike nature were observed in Sciences and Social Science lessons.

摘要

本文由課程社會學的觀點出發，透過課本的內容分析，探討小學課程內容與個人現代性的關係。作者選取香港及台灣正規課程中最通行的教科書版本，並參照東、西方有關現代性的研究成果設計“個人現代性－傳統性”量表，從而對兩地的小學國語及社會課本進行量化分析。研究結果顯示四套課本的現代性比重大於傳統性，但均有現代性與傳統性相抗衡的現象；而香港課本的現代性較強，台灣課本的傳統性較強。反映兩地課本均發揮“再生產”社會既有文化意識的功能。

Abstract

This essay explores, from the perspective of Sociology of Curriculum and through the method of content analysis, the relationship between primary school curricular content and Individual Modernity. The author designed an "Individual Traditionality-Modernity Scale" which was based on relevant research results in the West and East. This scale was then used in a quantitative analysis of two school subjects: Chinese Language and Social Studies, using a selection of the most popular editions of textbooks in Taiwan and Hong Kong. The study revealed that elements of modernity constitute a greater proportion than traditionality in the four sets of textbooks. However, these two opposing elements often crop up in the same issues covered by the textbooks. It was also discovered that elements of modernity are stronger in textbooks from Hong Kong, whereas elements of traditionality are stronger in those from Taiwan. These show that the textbooks concerned have taken up a function of "Re-production" of the cultural values in the two societies.

Abstract

The purpose of the present investigation was to develop a profile of graduate physical education faculty members in terms of job satisfaction, and to compare the top-20 ranked physical education departments against 20 other randomly selected physical education departments. Results did not identify a set of variables that was consistently related to job satisfaction. However, correlations revealed that among all factors, only salary consistently produced significant relationships with all six aspects of job satisfaction, suggesting that higher paid faculty members were more satisfied. The factor "hours of teaching" also showed a consistent relationship with job satisfaction, although not to the extent of salary, suggesting that faculty members who taught less hours were more satisfied. Finally, results indicated that faculty were most dissatisfied with pay among all six aspects of satisfaction. Univariate analysis of variance revealed that overall satisfaction and pay satisfaction of the top-20 departments' faculty members were significantly higher than non-top-20 departments' faculty members, although the actual pay between the top-20 and non-top-20 departments was not significantly different.

Abstract

In Hong Kong, educational attainment obtained at the sixth form and the tertiary levels is one of the key determinants for higher social status attainment. This paper examines the relationships between socio-educational status of the home and science achievement at the sixth form level using the IEA Hong Kong Science Study data. The type of schools attended and the history of the cohort of sampled students were taken into account as they progressed through the education system. The findings show that there is a patterned relationship between educational provision and social-educational status of the home. Furthermore, there are evidences showing congruence with the speculation that although nowadays education does provide a means for upward social mobility for the under-privileged, this occurs only to a small extent and mainly for students at the right tail of the ability continuum who pursue their matriculation study in the well-maintained government schools.

Abstract

From different perspectives, different strategies can be developed for research on school administration. The effectiveness approach assumes that school effectiveness is the major concern of school administration. The structure of school effectiveness provides a model linking up different categories of variables in terms of principal effectiveness, teacher effectiveness, student effectiveness, context of leadership, context of teaching, and context of learning. Based on this structure, four sets of strategies are developed for conceptualizing school administration research: Individual category strategies, relationship strategies, interaction strategies, and global strategies. The characteristics of these strategies are presented and compared. In terms of complexity in conception, there forms a hierarchy of research strategies. When compared with the individual category strategies and relationship strategies, the interaction strategies and global strategies can provide more powerful conceptual tools for research, even though the former two are more popular in the field of school administration research.

摘要

本文從探索科技轉變的種類及過程，進而討論教育對科技轉變所產生的作用。雖然「發明」活動在科技轉變的過程中非常重要，作者放棄了熊彼得（Schumpeter）的「大突破」觀點而引用了Rosenberg的「漸進的積累」的觀點：一個發明最後能被採用及對經濟成長產生作用，是經過無數次的改良的。要促進這「漸進的積累」，有針對性的科研活動固然重要，但工人「從工作中學習」及「從使用中學習」所起的作用，也是絕對不能忽視的。這些「學習」的出現，有兩個條件：一是工人的學習能力與適應能力；二是工場的組識所提供的學習環境。在學習能力及適應能力方面，基礎教育的設計應著重工人的通識教育而不是職業訓練；在工場的組織方面，應著重工人的主動參與及能讓工人提供迴輸的組織安排。對於後者，「工人合作社」是一個很值得研究的模式，而工人能否是必需的先決條件。基礎教育在這方面的作用，也是不容低估的。最後本文提出了一些對促進科技轉變的教育的一些研究方向。

Abstract

This paper examines the types and process of technological changes, and the role of education in facilitating these changes. Even though invention is a significant step in technological changes the author adopts Rosenberg's conception of "gradual process of accretion" instead of Schumpeter's great break-through conception, in the present analysis. In order to factilitate this "gradual process of accretion", mission-oriented R&D is crucial. However, the importance of Learning-'by-doing and Learning-by-using of the workers call never be overlooked. There are two basic conditions for these types of learning to occur: the ability to learn and the ability to adapt of the workers; and the learning opportunity provided by the structure of the workplace. For the first condition, general education rather than technical skill training is more appropriate. For the second condition, work group arrangement where workers can participate in and provide feedback for decision-making is germane. With reference to the latter, a certain level of basic knowledge and the ability to participate in democratic decision-making of the workers are prerequisite. The importance of general education is also obvious here. Finally, this paper raises some research agenda in the study of education for technological changes.

Abstract

The article analyses the causes and consequences of the expansion in higher education in Hong Kong. Various justifications for the expansion, as well as problems which could result from it, are examined in the light of different theories of the relationship between higher education and the graduate labour market. The cost - effectiveness of the expansion and its effect on the ideal of liberal education, on society and on the perceived value of education are discussed. Finally, problems related to implementation of the expansion are examined, including declining quality of education, teacher shortages, poor preparation and insufficient numbers of entering students, insufficient coordination with actual manpower needs, the inability of education to replace experience, and the increase in tuition fees.

摘要

七十年代或以前，香港的課程發展主要是受考試、政治和教科書的影響。在計劃實施普及教育的七十年代初期，有關課程內容的設計與發展程序的模式的價值矛盾與取捨的討論已開始萌芽。普及教育實施後，這種討論更為廣泛和深入。本文試從平等／自由；共同／分殊；普及／精英；短期／長期收益；行政／專業主導五個度向探討香港目前課程所出現的各種問題。前四個度向都是和課程內容的設專計有關，最後一個是和課程發展程序的模式有關。

Abstract

Before the seventieth of this century, the curriculum development of Hong Kong was predominently influenced by examination, politics and textbooks. After the implementation of the compulsory schooling, continuous debates on the choice of curricular design and models of curriculum development have been one of the important issues in the educational system of Hong Kong. This article tries to delineate the issue based on the following five dimensions: equality vs freedom; common vs diversity; comprehensive vs elitism; short vs long term benefit; administrative vs professional. The first four dimenstions related to designs of the curriculum, while the last one pertaining to models of curriculum development.

Abstract

This study investigated the relationship between internship experience and subsequent academic performance. The post-internship academic performance was compared to that of the students with no internship experience. Grade-point average as well as results of degree examination were used as measurement indicators of academic performance. The statistical results supported the conclusion that the accounting students with internship experience outperformed the others with no internship experience in terms of academic performance. In addition, the interns tend to have significant improvement in the post-intern academic performance.