Abstract

The recent positive psychology movement has given a new impetus to revisiting the perennial problem of teacher burnout, suggesting that intervention efforts could be more productively shifted from coping with symptoms or components of burnout to promoting or enhancing the antithesis of burnout. It is argued that the components of burnout (emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced sense of personal accomplishment) are diametrically opposites of the good life (the pleasant life, the engaged life, and the meaningful life), which is led or lived by people who build and cultivate positive character strengths. Based on the review on the connection of well-being with forgiveness and gratitude, it is further suggested that strength-based interventions based on forgiveness and gratitude are effective and could be integrated into the positive approaches to combating burnout.

Keywords: burnout; character strength; forgiveness; gratitude; well-being

Abstract

In Hong Kong, despite the officials’ efforts to reform the school curriculum, studies have found that implementation of the proposed changes has been superficial (Yeung, 2006, 2009). Recently, evidence-based school self-evaluation has become a global trend in the school improvement movement. The Education Bureau in Hong Kong has followed this trend and launched a school evaluation policy — School Self Evaluation (SSE) and External School Review (ESR). The pair of evaluation measures was initiated to help schools to evaluate their own effectiveness, to ensure public accountability and to achieve self development (Quality Assurance Division, 2006). This paper shares the findings from a local research, which looks into the perception of the policy by school curriculum leaders and its possible impact on the school curriculum and teachers. The curriculum leaders described both positive and negative effects, potential threats and weaknesses of the school evaluation policy. Specific attention was given to how effective school evaluation in effect makes curriculum reform mandatory. Findings show how the local school curriculum can be controlled by bureaucratic preferences through SSE and ESR, and ultimately lost its ability to deal with diversity. It also shows how such forces impede teachers’ professional autonomy and liberty.

Keywords: school evaluation; curriculum change; curriculum implementation

Abstract

The need for continuous reform in education to meet the challenges in changes to society, to the economy and to different political situations is widely acknowledged. However, the issue of what the lever and change strategy should be remains unresolved. Education authorities in many places have resorted to accountability among schools as policy levers. Underlying the accountability movement is the belief that under a competitive system, schools will become more receptive to change and become more effective. Some academic researchers doubt the effectiveness of such a movement and warn of undesirable side effects such a movement may bring about. This paper reports the case of a junior secondary school in a large city in Mainland China where market forces and competition were adopted as the lever to build up the drive for change and achieve better results. In the case school, it was found that teachers responded to the pressure of market force and competition in adopting change and achieving the goals set. Students’ performances in public examinations and inter-school extra-curricular activities were impressive which was seen as of prime importance by the school management and parents. However, behind this rosy picture was an absence of a collaborative culture among teaching staff, and the loss of moral purpose, both are essential for the long-term sustainable development of quality education.

Keywords: education policy; China; education change

Abstract

Current incidence of obesity among children and adolescents in the United States necessitates the development of physical activity based programs. It is postulated that one such arena for these programs is found in properly structured school physical education. Such programs hold the potential to promote active lifestyle that leads to positive health changes among children, youth and future adult populations. Accordingly, the purposes of this paper were to, firstly, identify current rationalizations and tangible research evidence that supports a quest for development of exemplary school-based physical education, secondly, describe challenges that school-based physical education currently faces, and thirdly, suggest recommendations for promotion of quality physical education. In our opinion these steps are necessary to guide our efforts for an effective school-based physical education that can help us to manage overweight and obesity problem in children.

Keywords: childhood obesity; school physical education; physical activity promotion

Abstract

While the trichotomous framework of achievement goal theory has received considerable discussion in Asian and North American cultures, it is not clear whether this framework can also be applied in Arabic cultures. The purpose of this study was to test the validity of the trichotomous framework of achievement goals as measured by Midgley et al.’s (2000) scales on Omani students. Ninth grade students (N = 1,636) enrolled in science classes at Muscat public schools in Oman completed the scales. The sample was randomly divided into two subsamples. The first sample (n = 786) was used for exploratory factor analysis whereas the second sample (n = 850) was used for confirmatory factor analysis. Results of both analyses supported the three-factor structure of the trichotomous frameworkof achievement goal theory: (a) mastery, (b) performance-approach, and (c) performance-avoidance goals; all correlated positively with each other (rs ranged from .32 to .45). Construct validity of the scales was supported by their relationships with academic self-efficacy in ways that are predicted by theory and consistent with previous research. Reliability analyses showed that the scales’ scores had relatively moderate levels of internal consistency. Implications of the findings for future research and practice are discussed.

Keywords: achievement goal; academic motivation; validation

摘要

香港自推行中文科新課程之後，課程取向從舊課程的知識和範文導向轉變為能力導向，但香港的中文科教師長期習慣以知識講授為主的教學模式，要改變教師對教學的傳統觀念和教學模式並不容易。本研究採取大學學者與前線教師協作的模式，協助一所中學的中三級教師以自主學習理論為基礎調適全年的單元教學設計，從而促進學生的自主閱讀能力。本文主要從教師的角度探討她們在一年的長期協作計畫中，在對協作計畫的觀感、閱讀教學觀和教學模式三方面的改變，從中反思協作模式的優點和困難，歸納出促進及阻礙教師落實課程改革理念的因素。

關鍵詞：語文教師；專業協作；閱讀教學觀；教學模式；課程改革

Abstract

The new Chinese language curriculum in Hong Kong has changed the traditional instructional approach from a knowledge- and text-based approach to a competence-based approach. As teachers are used to adopt a knowledge transmission approach in teaching Chinese language, it is not easy to change their traditional conception of teaching and instructional approach. This study aims at helping Chinese language teachers in secondary schools to adapt their instructional design based on the self-regulated learning theory to facilitate the development of students’ independent reading ability. This article mainly describes how teachers’ perceptions on the collaboration project, conceptions of reading instruction, and instructional practices changed during this one-year collaboration project. Based on the findings of the study, the advantages and difficulties of collaborative approach as well as the facilitating factors and barriers in teachers’ implementation of curriculum reform are discussed.