Thesis (M. A.)--University of Hong Kong, 2006. / Title proper from title frame. Also available in printed format.

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This study was designed to investigate whether and to what extent middle school principals are reading nationally circulated scholarly educational literature that calls for curriculum change. A second purpose of the study was to investigate how that reading influenced their leadership in curriculum decisions. By comparing the responses of principals from two samples, one group representing middle schools recognized for educational excellence by the United States Department of Education (N=43) and the second group representing a random sample of middle schools (N=237), a difference in the principals' reading practices was investigated.The following conclusions were drawn from the study:1. Principals are not doing significant professional reading in nationally circulated scholarly educational literature.2. Compared to principals of randomly sampled middle schools, principals of middle schools recognized for excellence are not generally more knowledgeable about the contents of nationally circulated scholarly educational reports.3. Contents of national reports were viewed as valuable by those middle school principals who read the reports, but the impact of the various reports has remained low because, in general, middle school principals are not reading the reports.4. The merit of the contents of the national reports for curriculum change is recognized by middle school principals.5. Reading completed by middle school principals does not focus expressly on the concerns unique to the middle school.6. Middle school principals have time to do professional reading.7. Most middle school principals have been influenced by professional literature in educational publications.

The main purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship among the Kaohsiung junior high school teachers¡¦ Personality Traits, Professional Identity and Self-Efficacy and to understand the predictability of Self-Efficacy by Personality Traits and Professional Identity. The research method this study adopted was survey research. Questionnaires were mailed to 560 junior high school teachers of Kaohsiung city in Taiwan. There were 529 valid responses, and the success rate was 94.45%. The collected data were analyzed by using the statistical methods of reliability analysis, factor analysis, descriptive statistics, t-test, one-way ANOVA, Pearson Product-moment correlation, canonical correlation and multiple regression (step-wise-regression procedure). The conclusions of this study were as follows: 1.Junior high school teachers¡¦ Personality Traits did not differ significantly in age, education background, years of teaching experience, and working position, but differed significantly in gender, marriage and school size. 2.Junior high school teachers¡¦ teaching style did not differ significantly in gender, age and years of teaching experience, but differed significantly in marriage, education background, working position and scales of school size. 3.Junior high school teachers¡¦ Self-Efficacy did not differ significantly in age, marriage, education background, years of teaching experience, and working position, but differed significantly in gender, scales of school size. 4.There were significant correlations found between junior high school teachers¡¦ Personality Traits and Professional Identity, Personality Traits and Self-Efficacy, Professional Identity and Self-Efficacy. 5.The performance of junior high school teachers¡¦ Personality Traits, and Professional Identity effectively predicted the performance of Self-Efficacy, especially the ¡§Professional attitude¡¨ aspect. Based on the conclusion above, this study provided suggestions respectively on the institute of educational administration, junior high school and future studies.

The study aims to understand the status of concentration on extracurricular reading and the academic performance of junior high school students. The purposes are: 1. to know the status of concentration on extracurricular reading; 2. to analyze the difference of the variable between the factors of concentration on extracurricular reading and the academic performance; 3. to explore the relationship between concentration on extracurricular reading and the academic performance. Surveys were given to junior high school students at the 1th,2th and 3th grade respectively in the public schools of Kaohsiung; total 300 students have replied to the questionnaires from nine classes. Analysis of variance was applied to understand the internal factors, such as their motivation, interest and attitude upon concentrating on extracurricular reading and the external factors, such as attitude of parents and teachers as well as school promotion. How students concentrated on extracurricular reading and its relationship with the academic performance was explored. The conclusions were described as follows: I. Overall analysis of the current conditions shows that junior high school students have medium involvement in extra-curricular reading; their academic achievements are in the upper medium level. II. In terms of involvement in extra-curricular reading, female junior high school students outperform male junior high school students in their overall involvement in extra-curricular reading. Due to differences in the father¡¦s and mother¡¦s education levels and the mother¡¦s employment type, there are differences in perception, and perceptions are higher for junior high school students from middle-class families than from lower middle-class families. III. In terms of academic achievement, female junior high school students have greater perceptions for overall academic achievement than male junior high school students. Due to differences in the father¡¦s and mother¡¦s education levels and the parents¡¦ employment type, there are differences in perception, and perceptions are higher for junior high school students from middle-class families than from lower middle-class families. IV. Reading motivation, reading interest, parental attitudes, school promotions, reading attitudes, the degree of involvement in reading, reading achievements, and overall involvement in extra-curricular reading all have a significant effect on the overall academic achievement of junior high school students The conclusions can be used as reference for educational administration units, schools, teachers, parents and future researchers.

ABSTRACT This paper was intended as an investigation of the sexual values and attitudes of the aboriginal junior high school students, who were born and raised in a non-patriarchal (matriarchal) society. The first part of this thesis was the literature review, including studies on the traditional aboriginal cultural characteristics and relevant theories of sexual values and attitudes. Then, this paper presented the statistic results from the author-formulated questionnaires, which stressed on the sexual values and attitudes. The valid samples in our research included 13 schools from six counties, i.e., Hualian, Pingdong, Taoyuan, Hsinchu, Taipei and Yilan County. The number of the aboriginal junior high school students was 407 and 132 for the non-aboriginal one. The total valid samples were 539. Below is a series of preliminary results elicited from the statistic analysis. 1. The aboriginal junior high students in a non-patriarchal society held a mid-to-high level attitude toward the sexual values. Among these sexual values, the value of ¡§the opinions of the two sexes¡¨ was perceived as the highest, followed by ¡§the views on social participation,¡¨ while ¡§the views on the attachment to the family¡¨ the lowest. 2. The aboriginal junior high students in a non-patriarchal society revealed a medium level of the sexual attitudes. Among these sexual attitudes, ¡§sexual harassment and sex infringement¡¨ received the highest average points, followed by ¡§the interaction of two sexes,¡¨ while ¡§the sex roles¡¨ the lowest average points. 3. The aboriginal junior high students in a non-patriarchal society who were ¡§female,¡¨ ¡§the Ami,¡¨ ¡§Father: the aboriginal, Mother: the Hans¡¨ and the expectation of their parents was ¡§treat boys and girls on an equal basis¡¨ tended to have the highest value of the equality in two sexes. While others who were ¡§male,¡¨ ¡§the Atayal,¡¨ ¡§parents aboriginal,¡¨ and their parents were with ¡§no particular expectation to child¡¨ tended to have the most deviant values of the equality in two sexes. 4. The most positive sexual attitudes held by the aboriginal junior high students in a non-patriarchal society were those who were ¡§female,¡¨ ¡§the Paiwan¡¨ and parents¡¦ harmonious degree ¡§quarrels once in a while.¡¨ However, others who were ¡§male,¡¨ ¡§the Atayal¡¨ and parents¡¦ harmonious degree of a ¡§very harmonious¡¨ displayed the least positive sexual attitudes. 5. There was significant difference between the aboriginals of different ethnicities and the Hans junior high students in the whole sexual values, ¡§the opinions of the two sexes,¡¨ ¡§the views on independent social activities,¡¨ ¡§the views on the attachment to the family¡¨ and ¡§the views on social participation¡¨ etc. ¡§The Hans (non-aboriginal)¡¨ revealed significantly higher sexual values on the whole sexual values and ¡§the opinions of the two sexes¡¨ than ¡§the Atayal.¡¨ Moreover, there was significant difference between the aboriginals of different ethnicities and the Hans (non-aboriginal) junior high students in the whole sexual attitudes and the performances constructed by factors as ¡§the interaction of two sexes,¡¨ ¡§sexual orientation¡¨ and ¡§sexual knowledge¡¨ etc. Still the Hans (non-aboriginal) appeared a more positive sexual attitude toward ¡§the interaction of two sexes¡¨ than ¡§the Atayal.¡¨ 6. Significant positive correlation appeared among each factors of the sexual values and attitudes by the aboriginal junior high students in a non-patriarchal society. The sexual values revealed a typical correlation with the sexual attitudes as well. The sexual values of the aboriginal junior high students in a non-patriarchal society can predict validly its sexual attitudes, making an explainable total variation quantity up to 38.331%. The higher sexual values of ¡§the views on social participation,¡¨ the more positive attitudes to ¡§the interaction of two sexes¡¨ and ¡§the sex roles.¡¨ The higher sexual values of ¡§the views on the attachment to the family,¡¨ the fewer performances on the ¡§sexual harassment and sex infringement.¡¨

The purpose of this study is to explore the development of the school-based curriculum in junior high schools in Tainan City. The strategy adopted for analysing this study is to consider literature review, document analysis, and interviews. Besides, analyize the curriculum contents in junior high schools in Tainan City in the 93 academic year.In addition,four academic directors at junior high schools in Tainan were selected to do the interview. They were required to verbalize their thoughts and feelings in the task. Their interviews were then transcribed, and the data were further identified, categorized, and defined.The findings were categorized into three major categorizes,SWOT analysis,curriculum development organization,and curriculum contents. The above study allows us to reach the following conclusions¡G 1¡B The committees of the school-based curriculum development in junior high schools in Tainan City have been founded by the regulations. 2¡B The school-based curriculums in junior high schools in Tainan City have been arranged by the regulations. And everything goes according to plan.However, most schools have similar plans,so it¡¦s hard to show the individuality of each school. 3¡B All of the junior high schools in Tainan City have analyzed SWOT, and have established a school vision based on the analysis. 4¡B Most members in junior high schools in Tainan City are vague about the school-based curriculum development. 5¡B The curriculum evaluation in junior high schools in Tainan City needs improving. 6¡B The integrative curriculum is widely accepped by the school-based curriculum in junior high schools in Tainan City. 7¡B Parents in urban areas actively participate in school activities; parents in country areas passively participate in school activities. Community resources are well integrated with the school-based curriculums. 8¡B In spite of the entrance examination,the school-based curriculums have no big differences between junior high schools in Tainan City. The class schedule has much difference between public and private schools. Based on the conclusions,the difficulities our schools have encountered are how to integrate School-Based Curriculum Development with the Basic Achievement Test. The findings obtained from this study attempted to provide concrete suggestions for junior high schools and educational administration agenies, and invite further research in the future.

The Basic Competency Test for Junior High School Students (BCT) has become the most important and the largest test, which is including the most number of students, the widest range and the largest number of printed paper. The BCT has deeply influenced the benefits whether three hundred thousand students are able to enter their ideal senior high schools or not. Moreover, the BCT has also become the big issue of education which all people are concerned about. The study is according to the massive questionnaire to students in the third grade of public and private junior high schools in Taiwan, their parents, students in the first grade of senior / vocational high schools, and the related educators. The main findings of the study were as follows: 1. Generally speaking, though students, parents and educators have a few different views of most identified items of BCT, the quality of the items is still highly affirmative while its function and purpose are questioned. 2. The attitude of students, parents and educators to BCT exists the evidently great differences. 3. Students who come from different backgrounds have obviously different attitude to BCT. 4. Parents from different backgrounds have obviously different attitude to BCT. 5. Educators from different backgrounds have obviously different attitude to BCT. 6. The studies of students in the third grade of junior high school is obviously influenced by BCT. 7. The BCT has caused pressure and problem to students, parents and educators. 8. The BCT does not reach the expected function. 9. The places, dates, and whether to announce the range of BCT are not accorded with the demands of the public. 10. Students, parents and educators have different demands on BCT. 11. The so-called ¡§ two peaks ¡¨ are presented to the satisfactions for students, parents and educators on BCT. According to the findings, the study provides some suggestions to the actual implement of BCT and the further study.

ABSTRACT The Relationships among Demographic Variables, Intelligences, Critical Thinking, and Emotional Intelligence of Junior High School Students. The main purpose of the study was to explore the relationships among demographic variables, intelligences, critical thinking, and emotional intelligence (EQ) of Junior High School Students. The participants included 547 students (293 males and 254 females) coming from five junior high schools in Tainan and Kaohsiung City. The instruments employed in this study were the subscales of intrapersonal intelligence and interpersonal intelligence from the Multiple Intelligences Scale, The Test of Critical Thinking Skills for Primary and Secondary School Students (TCTS-PS), The Questionnaire of Dispositions Toward Critical Thinking, and The Self-Report Scale of Children¡¦s Emotional Thinking. The Self-Report Scale of Children¡¦s Emotional Thinking comprised two subscales¡Xthe intrapersonal and the interpersonal intelligence of emotion. The employed methods included Descriptive Statistics, t-test, ANOVA, MANOVA, Cannon Correlation Analysis, and Discriminate Analysis. The main findings of this study were as follows: 1. The students¡¦ development of intrapersonal and interpersonal intelligence, critical-thinking skills, critical-thinking dispositions, and emotional intelligence were above the average. 2. The females outperformed the males in both the intrapersonal and interpersonal intelligence of emotion. 3. There were no significant differences on the EQ scores among the three grade levels. 4. The higher educational level the students¡¦ parents had, the better the students¡¦ EQ were. 5. There was a significant canonical correlation between the two kinds of intelligences and the eight factors of EQ. 6. There was a significant canonical correlation between the independent variable set and the eight factors of emotional intelligence. The independent variable set included gender, grades, the parents¡¦ educational level, intrapersonal intelligence, interpersonal intelligences, critical-thinking skills, and critical-thinking dispositions 7. The level of students¡¦ EQ could be effectively predicted by their critical-thinking skills and critical-thinking dispositions. Among the three levels of EQ, the middle level was predicted with the highest accuracy. The finding revealed that high critical-thinking skills and high critical-thinking dispositions required at least an average level of EQ. Therefore, critical-thinking is essential to EQ. Finally, some suggestions for instruction and further research were proposed.

The purposes of this study were to develop a gender equality program for junior high school, to inquire the individual class students' gender consciousness-raising and to find out the relation between teaching behavior and students' gender consciousness by undergoing a semester teaching experiment. The subjects were one class (19 females, 16 males) of 10th grade students in Junior High School in Kaohsiung City as the case group. The worksheet, depth interview and class observation were used to understand the real condition of the Implementation of Gender Equality Education. ¡uGender Bias Inventory¡vwas administered to the subjects before and after the program. The collective data were analyzed by qualitative and quantitative methods. The major findings were as following: (1) lacking of specific gender equality program, students had indistinct gender consciousness; (2) the response of students presented the dominant of fatherhood; (3) the program had improved the gender consciousness-raising but was rejected by some boys; (4) students who active participated in the program yearned for those knowledge; (5) Awakening of gender consciousness was obvious in the group of girls; (6) There were significant differences between boys and girls in gender bias. Teacher teaching behavior: (1) the response of students had positive feedback on teachers and induced their introspection; (2) the positive discrimination is empowerment for the weak group in the class.