ERIC Number: EJ915897
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2010
Pages: 26
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1056-7879
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Teachers' Experience of Secondary Education Reform in Hong Kong
Luk-Fong, Pattie Yuk Yee; Brennan, Marie
International Journal of Educational Reform, v19 n2 p128-153 Spr 2010
This article examines teachers' experience in relation to the massive top-down but ever-changing education reform initiatives in Hong Kong, where "East meets West" in cultures and identities. A life-narrative approach was used to probe the daily experience of 24 secondary school teachers of different ages, genders, and marital statuses to examine how they translate and implement educational reforms. Excerpts from secondary school teachers' narratives show that teachers were experiencing a lot of new forms of "glocal" practices--that is, mixing of both global and local practices (Robertson, 1995)--as new discourses met with Confucian traditions and existing practices in Hong Kong. New discourses included pupil centeredness, learning to learn, lifewide learning in curriculum reforms, and assessment for learning and school-based assessment in assessment reforms; Confucian traditions included teacher-centered pedagogy, emphasis on academic achievement, and high-stakes examinations. Although deeply concerned about difficulties in teaching, many teachers love teaching and working with students. Analysis of their stories revealed that teachers' experiences were complex and multifaceted; teachers saw tensions and opportunities in the reforms and serious challenges to their roles. Implications for policy makers, researchers, and teachers are discussed. (Contains 1 note.)
Descriptors: Learning Strategies, Educational Change, Foreign Countries, Secondary School Teachers, Teaching Experience, Teacher Attitudes, Personal Narratives, Educational Practices, Confucianism, Asian Culture, Academic Achievement, Educational Assessment, High Stakes Tests, Teacher Role
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Hong Kong
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A