Thesis (M.Ed.)--University of Hong Kong, 1991. / Includes bibliographical references (leaf 103-109). Also available in print.

published_or_final_version / abstract / toc / Educational Psychology / Master / Master of Social Sciences

Studies of writing process over the last 40 years have clearly shown that effective revision marks the difference between the skilled and the unskilled writer. Early research also showed that school and college students typically revised little and at superficial levels, so that the scope for improvement of writing was limited. The apparent failure of student writers to revise more substantively has been variously explained. On the one hand it is suggested that adolescent writers may lack the cognitive and metacognitive resources necessary for effective revision (Flower & Hayes, 1980; Bereiter & Scardamalia, 1987; Kellogg, 2008) and on the other that school models of composition may not adequately support critical reflection or reconceptualisation (Emig, 1971; Sommers, 1980; Yagelski, 1995). However, there are marked gaps in the evidence base concerning students’ current understanding and practice of revision, particularly at secondary level. There have been few recent school-based studies and almost no examination of adolescent writers’ perspectives on revising school writing. Post-National Curriculum studies in the UK are especially scarce. There is therefore insufficient empirical evidence to determine at what level secondary students now revise their writing or to explain the problems and opportunities they may encounter in the attempt. This is especially important in the context of national concern about standards of attainment in writing and increased policy emphasis on the drafting and revising process. The current study adopts a case study approach to investigate secondary students’ understandings of the purpose and process of revising school writing, and the criteria by which they evaluate their success. It combines one-to-one observations of writing and post-hoc interviews with analysis of students’ texts over the course of a classroom writing task. The findings suggest that whilst the revisions of writers of different abilities were indeed primarily superficial, students did not necessarily lack the understanding or capacity to revise more effectively. Able writers attributed their limited practice to tightly prescribed assessment requirements and time-controlled writing conditions. They were also hampered by a dichotomous view of the choices available to them which caused them to set unnecessary parameters on their revising behaviours. These findings have important implications for practice and policy.

The research investigates the personal development benefits to students of involvement in a particular extracurricular activity (student theatre). It examines aspects of student personal development that are promoted by involvement in this extracurricular activity and discusses factors within the activity that encourage or promote these results. It does this through its focus on participants’ perceptions of what happens in the group, in terms of personal development and events and actions that affected that personal development. The extracurricular theatrical activity that is the focus of this study takes place annually in a regional Catholic co-educational secondary college in Victoria, Australia. It is a multi-age activity that involves students from Years 7 – 12. Participation is open to all students and the activity is non-competitive. A detailed review of the literature covering the areas of extracurricular activity, adolescent development and resilience is provided. The research is underpinned by an holistic enactivist world-view and makes use of the constant comparison methodology of grounded theory to analyse the data it obtains. The theoretical justification for this position is provided. The data were obtained through semi-structured or guided interviews with long term participants in the activity. The participants included students, ex-students, teachers and parents. The participants’ perspectives of the personal development that occurred through involvement in the extracurricular activity were revealed through their voices, and were examined as they described and reflected upon their experiences. The interconnectedness of the personal development benefits and the factors that enable them are highlighted. Conclusions about the significance of an increased awareness of the complex inter-relatedness of the events that subscribe to the enhancement of personal development are offered. Theory related to the elements that contribute to the development of an environment that facilitates personal development benefits is developed.

Thesis (M.Ed.)--University of Hong Kong, 1984. / Includes bibliographical references. Also available in print.

Thesis (M.Ed.)--University of Hong Kong, 1986. / Includes bibliographical references. Also available in print.

Abstract This qualitative study is designed to examine how the 8 university students (from 8 different secondary schools) define their high school experiences. The study focuses on how the 8 study participants’ unique identities shape their experiences of secondary schooling. The three paradigms, students’ heterogeneity, multiple worlds, and identity conceptually framed the study. Through the focus group interactions and two sets of individual interviews, each student’s unique identity and agency were revealed; both individual-social-collective entities that were developed in relations to others. The other sources of data were school websites, relevant media reports on schools and their communities, and policy documents on academic and international baccalaureate programs; finally, field notes were also taken. In so doing, the research critically explores participants’ voices on heterogeneity, multiple worlds of family, neighbourhood, peers,cultural and multicultural identities. Finally, the 8 young people also reflect on their 8 schools, their academic programs, overall educational experience, and particularly, how young people articulate their belonging in high schools. Findings of the study suggest that participants’ identities of who they were often echoed their class, race, and ethnicity, and in turn, affected their academic engagement and identity. Despite the public invitation of all schools on their websites for students to participate in the school communities, the participants painted an altogether different picture; not all adolescents had equal access to schooling. The study makes recommendations for policy-makers, schools, and their districts which address the issues of inequity raised in this study. Specifically, schools need to be aware of the cultural,socioeconomic, and ethnic issues and the challenges that are in the way of minority adolescents’ progress so that secondary schools can extend their support to low income and immigrant students.

Abstract This qualitative study is designed to examine how the 8 university students (from 8 different secondary schools) define their high school experiences. The study focuses on how the 8 study participants’ unique identities shape their experiences of secondary schooling. The three paradigms, students’ heterogeneity, multiple worlds, and identity conceptually framed the study. Through the focus group interactions and two sets of individual interviews, each student’s unique identity and agency were revealed; both individual-social-collective entities that were developed in relations to others. The other sources of data were school websites, relevant media reports on schools and their communities, and policy documents on academic and international baccalaureate programs; finally, field notes were also taken. In so doing, the research critically explores participants’ voices on heterogeneity, multiple worlds of family, neighbourhood, peers,cultural and multicultural identities. Finally, the 8 young people also reflect on their 8 schools, their academic programs, overall educational experience, and particularly, how young people articulate their belonging in high schools. Findings of the study suggest that participants’ identities of who they were often echoed their class, race, and ethnicity, and in turn, affected their academic engagement and identity. Despite the public invitation of all schools on their websites for students to participate in the school communities, the participants painted an altogether different picture; not all adolescents had equal access to schooling. The study makes recommendations for policy-makers, schools, and their districts which address the issues of inequity raised in this study. Specifically, schools need to be aware of the cultural,socioeconomic, and ethnic issues and the challenges that are in the way of minority adolescents’ progress so that secondary schools can extend their support to low income and immigrant students.

The broad aim of this research was to investigate group work in schools with friends and acquaintances. More specifically, the study sought to identify motivational factors that may underlie students' attitudes and behaviours when working in these contexts. Independent and interdependent self-construal, and self-efficacy for group work, were identified as variables that may be important for working in friendship and acquaintance groups. The participants were Year 10 and Year 11 students from secondary schools in the metropolitan area of Sydney, Australia. Data collection was carried out in three phases, the first two were survey-based, and the third was a mixed-methods study. In phase 1, participants (N = 188) attended two Independent schools. The main data analyses comprised exploratory factor analysis and multiple regression analysis. In phase 2, the participants (N = 583) attended nine randomly selected public schools. Data analysis was carried out using confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modelling. In phase 3, participants (N = 38), attended two randomly selected public schools. In this phase, survey, observational and interview data were collected and analysed. The observational analysis centred on how students in friendship and acquaintance groups interacted whilst working on a group problem-solving activity. The interviews focused on students' experiences in the group problem-solving activity and their general perceptions, beliefs, and feelings about group work with friends and acquaintances. Group performance in the problem-solving activity was measured. Two results seemed particularly important. First, was the suggestion that self-efficacy for being receptive to the ideas of others and- self-efficacy for group facilitation in the friendship context may "flow-on" to corresponding self-efficacy beliefs in the acquaintance context. Second, interdependent and independent self, and self-efficacy for group work, were identified as important variables with regard to students' attitudes and behaviours in friendship and acquaintance groups. From a theoretical perspective the focus in this research on self-beliefs represents a relatively new way of studying group work with friends and acquaintances. From a practical perspective, the findings from the research should provide direction for teachers when they make decisions about how to organize students into groups for the purposes of learning.

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Hong Kong, 1999. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 87-90).