published_or_final_version / abstract / Education / Doctoral / Doctor of Education

In 2012, the vast majority of programmes within the eight tertiary institutions in Hong Kong will transform from three-year to four-year undergraduate curricula. As a result, general education requirements, extra-curricular modes of learning, methods of assessment, and numerous other issues are being considerably revised under the rhetoric of “reform.” Although several public policy documents produced by the governing body for tertiary education (the University Grants Committee) offer rationales for reform, there has not yet been a study which examines the individual interests, expectations and concerns of professors working in the Hong Kong public university system. Through interviews and questionnaires with professors working at tertiary institutions in Hong Kong, this project aimed to define and evaluate the reform issues which academic staff consider most meaningful. Responses from academic staff members were analyzed not only as a whole, but by demographic factors, such as individual universities, fields of study, cultural backgrounds, educational backgrounds, and work experiences. This study employed a sequential mixed-method exploratory design, combining qualitative and quantitative approaches. Hence, the study progressed through two stages: a single qualitative stage in which data was gathered from 23 semi-structured interviews, and a single quantitative stage in which a thirty-item questionnaire was completed by 261 full-time junior and senior level academic staff. For the qualitative stage, a phenomenological approach was adopted to explain and compare the perceptions of individuals deeply invested in Hong Kong’s curriculum reform. For the quantitative stage, a number of statistical tools were utilized to explicate results, draw comparisons, and support conclusions. As a result of interviews and the quantitative data propagated by the questionnaire, it was found that 1) there were more negative than positive responses concerning the articulation and implementation of reforms; 2) conspicuously negative scores were generated on all four defined aspects of the reform process; 3) there was a general sense that research expectations had increased and there was a greater emphasis on international benchmarking in the Hong Kong higher education sector; 4) a significant proportion of academic staff wanted to see greater collaboration between different universities, increased recruitment of international students, a greater emphasis on Putonghua and English language training, an upward adjustment in the retirement age for professors, and greater freedom for students to change degree programmes; and 5) statistically significant differences could be observed on several issues, depending on individual professors’ universities, fields of study, cultural and educational backgrounds, and work experiences in Hong Kong. Based on these results, implications for Hong Kong, reforms in other cultural contexts, and future research were advanced. / published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

published_or_final_version / Public Administration / Master / Master of Public Administration

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

published_or_final_version / abstract / toc / Education / Master / Master of Science in Information Technology in Education

published_or_final_version / abstract / toc / Education / Master / Master of Education

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Science in Information Technology in Education

by Lam Tak Shing John. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1998. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 138-150). / Abstract also in Chinese. / ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS --- p.i / TABLE OF CONTENT --- p.ii / LIST OF TABLES --- p.vi / FIGURES --- p.vii / Abstract --- p.viii / CHAPTER / Chapter I. --- INTRODUCTION --- p.1 / The Hong Kong Education Context and Dropout Situation --- p.7 / Statement of the Problem --- p.13 / Purpose of this Study --- p.14 / Significance of the Study --- p.15 / Research Questions --- p.16 / Limitations of the Study --- p.16 / Chapter II. --- REVIEW OF LITERATURE / Introduction --- p.18 / Relevant theories / The Epidemilogical Concept of Students at Risk --- p.19 / Social Constructivist Model of Students at Risk --- p.20 / Alienation Theory and Finn's Participation-identification Model --- p.23 / Wehlage's Dropout Prevention Theory: School Membership and Educational Engagement --- p.27 / An Adapted and Integrated Explanatory Model of School Failure and Dropping Out --- p.30 / Chapter III. --- RESEARCH METHODOLOGY / Introduction --- p.33 / The Research Paradigms --- p.34 / Phenomenological Approach --- p.36 / Symbolic Interactionism --- p.36 / Subjects and sampling --- p.37 / Context of Study --- p.41 / Research Design and Method --- p.42 / Multiple-case-study method --- p.43 / Unit of analysis --- p.44 / Analytic Induction Method --- p.46 / Data Collection / Data collection methods --- p.50 / Focus Group Interview --- p.51 / Individual Interviews --- p.52 / Participant Observation --- p.52 / Analysis of physical artifacts --- p.55 / Data Analysis --- p.56 / Coding strategies --- p.57 / Enumeration --- p.57 / Typological analysis --- p.58 / Analytic induction --- p.59 / Triangulation and trustworthiness --- p.61 / Chapter IV. --- RESEARCH FINDINGS / Introduction --- p.64 / Research findings from various data collection methods --- p.65 / Participant Observation Findings --- p.65 / Focus Group Interview Findings --- p.69 / Non-participant Observation Findings --- p.69 / Interview Findings --- p.70 / Three Typical Cases --- p.75 / The Emergent Patterns/ Themes --- p.80 / Some Interim Conclusions --- p.88 / Categorization of perceptions --- p.92 / Summary of the Findings and their relations to the Research Questions --- p.95 / Propositions --- p.96 / Chapter V. --- DISCUSSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS / Introduction --- p.99 / School restructuring --- p.99 / School restructuring for at-risk students --- p.100 / Recommendations for Hong Kong school restructuring --- p.103 / Accommodation --- p.104 / Academic engagement --- p.108 / School social engagement and school organization --- p.111 / Teacher culture --- p.116 / Implications for teacher education and action research --- p.120 / "Other implication: A 'second Chance"" re-entry mechanism" --- p.121 / Conclusion --- p.123 / APPENDIX I Interview Guide --- p.126 / APPENDIX II Focus Group Interview Guide --- p.127 / APPENDIX III Case profiles of the subjects --- p.130 / References --- p.138

Cheung, Hin Wah. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2010. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 206-216). / Abstracts in English and Chinese; appendix 2 in English and Chinese. / Abstract --- p.i / Abstract in Chinese (摘要） --- p.ii / List of Figures and Tables --- p.vii / Abbreviations Glossary --- p.ix / Chapter Chapter 1 --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1 --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter 1.2 --- "Research Background, Significance and Question" --- p.4 / Chapter 1.3 --- Research Structure --- p.10 / Chapter 1.3.1 --- Research Subject and Time Period --- p.10 / Chapter 1.3.2 --- Research Objectives --- p.11 / Chapter 1.3.3 --- Hypotheses --- p.12 / Chapter 1.3.4 --- Research Methodology --- p.14 / Chapter 1.3.5 --- Limits of the Research --- p.16 / Chapter 1.4 --- Thesis Structure --- p.17 / Chapter Chapter 2 --- Literature Review: Theoretical Discussion --- p.24 / Chapter 2.1 --- Introduction --- p.24 / Chapter 2.2 --- The Concept of Religion and Politics --- p.24 / Chapter 2.3 --- Church-State Relations --- p.30 / Chapter 2.3.1 --- Role of Church --- p.30 / Chapter 2.3.2 --- The Models of Church-State Relations --- p.32 / Chapter 2.3.3 --- Types of interaction between Church and State --- p.39 / Chapter 2.4 --- Education: A Battlefield between Church and State --- p.42 / Chapter 2.5 --- Political Bargaining & Decision --- p.44 / Chapter 2.6 --- Conclusion --- p.46 / Chapter Chapter 3 --- "Church-State Relations in Hong Kong: Three governments, Four religions, Different relations" --- p.49 / Chapter 3.1 --- Introduction --- p.49 / Chapter 3.2 --- Church-State relations in the colonial age --- p.49 / Chapter 3.2.1 --- Catholicism and Protestant Christianity --- p.51 / Chapter 3.2.2 --- Buddhism and Taoism --- p.55 / Chapter 3.3 --- Church-State Relations in the transition period and after the return of sovereignty --- p.59 / Chapter 3.3.1 --- HKSAR Government & Four Religious Bodies --- p.60 / Chapter 3.3.2 --- Chinese Government & Four Religious Bodies --- p.69 / Chapter 3.4 --- Inter-religion Relations --- p.79 / Chapter 3.5 --- Conclusion --- p.81 / Chapter Chapter 4 --- "Religion, Education and School Management Reform" --- p.84 / Chapter 4.1 --- Introduction --- p.84 / Chapter 4.2 --- Religion and Education in Hong Kong --- p.84 / Chapter 4.2.1 --- Roman Catholicism --- p.88 / Chapter 4.2.2 --- Protestant Christianity --- p.91 / Chapter 4.2.3 --- Buddhism --- p.94 / Chapter 4.2.4 --- Taoism --- p.96 / Chapter 4.3 --- Schools in Hong Kong: Types & Management in the Past and Present …… --- p.98 / Chapter 4.4 --- "School Management Reform: reason, process and consequence" --- p.103 / Chapter 4.4.1 --- School-based Management: History and Development --- p.105 / Chapter 4.4.2 --- The Impact of School Management Reform --- p.108 / Chapter 4.5 --- Different Responses of Different Religious Organizations --- p.119 / Chapter 4.6 --- Conclusion --- p.132 / Chapter Chapter 5 --- Finding: Reasons for Different Responses and Relations --- p.142 / Chapter 5.1 --- Introduction --- p.142 / Chapter 5.2 --- The SAR Government's Dependence on Education Service Provision --- p.142 / Chapter 5.3 --- Social influence of Religious Organizations --- p.148 / Chapter 5.4 --- Relations with the Chinese Government --- p.161 / Chapter 5.5 --- Three factors and Religious Group --- p.170 / Chapter 5.6 --- Factors for Further Consideration --- p.172 / Chapter 5.7 --- Conclusion --- p.182 / Chapter Chapter 6 --- Conclusion --- p.191 / Chapter 6.1 --- Introduction --- p.191 / Chapter 6.2 --- Review of Major findings --- p.191 / Chapter 6.3 --- Further discussion of the research findings --- p.195 / Chapter 6.3.1 --- China and Church-State relations in Hong Kong --- p.195 / Chapter 6.3.2 --- Functional Interaction and Church-State Relations --- p.197 / Chapter 6.3.3 --- Conflict of Ideology and Church-State Relations --- p.199 / Chapter 6.4 --- Suggested Topics for Further Study --- p.202 / Chapter 6.5 --- Conclusion --- p.203 / Bibliography --- p.206 / Appendix --- p.217

Ho, Ching Wai. / Thesis submitted in: October 2008. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2009. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 171-179). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Abstract --- p.i / Acknowledgement --- p.iii / List of Figures --- p.iv / Chapter 1 --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter 2 --- Theoretical Framework and Research Methodology / Chapter 2.1 --- Literature Review --- p.8 / Chapter 2.1.1 --- Definition of Terms --- p.24 / Chapter 2.2 --- Methodology --- p.25 / Chapter 3 --- What you say may not be what you do: The linkage between idea and practice / Chapter 3.1 --- Introduction --- p.33 / Chapter 3.2 --- Guiding Questions --- p.35 / Chapter 3.2.1 --- The Active Participants --- p.36 / Chapter 3.2.2 --- The Ambivalent Followers --- p.43 / Chapter 3.2.3 --- The Indifferent Subscriber --- p.50 / Chapter 3.2.4 --- The Escaper --- p.59 / Chapter 3.3 --- Chapter Conclusion --- p.63 / Chapter 4 --- Friends and .... Customers? Changing Ideas of Teacher-Student and Teacher-Parent Relationship / Chapter 4.1 --- Introduction --- p.68 / Chapter 4.2 --- Teacher-student Relationship --- p.71 / Chapter 4.3 --- Teacher-parent Relationship --- p.89 / Chapter 4.4 --- Chapter Conclusion --- p.108 / Chapter 5 --- Teachers´ة Identities / Chapter 5.1 --- Introduction --- p.113 / Chapter 5.2 --- A Brief Note on Professionalism --- p.114 / Chapter 5.3 --- Loci of Identities --- p.117 / Chapter 5.3.1 --- The Virtuous Teacher --- p.117 / Chapter 5.3.2 --- The Techno-Professional Teacher --- p.122 / Chapter 5.3.3 --- The Super Teacher --- p.127 / Chapter 5.3.4 --- The Indifferent Teacher --- p.131 / Chapter 5.4 --- Chapter Conclusion --- p.136 / Chapter 6 --- Discussion and Conclusion / Chapter 6.1 --- Discussion --- p.142 / Chapter 6.2 --- Conclusion --- p.155 / Appendix / Chapter A --- Interviewees´ة profile --- p.164 / Chapter B --- "Screen capture for Advertisement from The Education Bureau, HKSAR with transcript" --- p.166 / Bibliography --- p.171 / Abstract --- p.i / Acknowledgement --- p.iii / List of Figures --- p.iv / Chapter 1 --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter 2 --- Theoretical Framework and Research Methodology / Chapter 2.1 --- Literature Review --- p.8 / Chapter 2.1.1 --- Definition of Terms --- p.24 / Chapter 2.2 --- Methodology --- p.25 / Chapter 3 --- What you say may not be what you do: The linkage between idea and practice / Chapter 3.1 --- Introduction --- p.33 / Chapter 3.2 --- Guiding Questions --- p.35 / Chapter 3.2.1 --- The Active Participants --- p.36 / Chapter 3.2.2 --- The Ambivalent Followers --- p.43 / Chapter 3.2.3 --- The Indifferent Subscriber --- p.50 / Chapter 3.2.4 --- The Escaper --- p.59 / Chapter 3.3 --- Chapter Conclusion --- p.63 / Chapter 4 --- Friends and .... Customers? Changing Ideas of Teacher-Student and Teacher-Parent Relationship / Chapter 4.1 --- Introduction --- p.68 / Chapter 4.2 --- Teacher-student Relationship --- p.71 / Chapter 4.3 --- Teacher-parent Relationship --- p.89 / Chapter 4.4 --- Chapter Conclusion --- p.108 / Chapter 5 --- Teachers´ة Identities / Chapter 5.1 --- Introduction --- p.113 / Chapter 5.2 --- A Brief Note on Professionalism --- p.114 / Chapter 5.3 --- Loci of Identities --- p.117 / Chapter 5.3.1 --- The Virtuous Teacher --- p.117 / Chapter 5.3.2 --- The Techno-Professional Teacher --- p.122 / Chapter 5.3.3 --- The Super Teacher --- p.127 / Chapter 5.3.4 --- The Indifferent Teacher --- p.131 / Chapter 5.4 --- Chapter Conclusion --- p.136 / Chapter 6 --- Discussion and Conclusion / Chapter 6.1 --- Discussion --- p.142 / Chapter 6.2 --- Conclusion --- p.155 / Appendix / Chapter A --- Interviewees´ة profile --- p.164 / Chapter B --- "Screen capture for Advertisement from The Education Bureau, HKSAR with transcript" --- p.166 / Bibliography --- p.171