This research mainly aims to design a Wiki-based Collaborative Process Writing Pedagogy (WCPWP) to help Mainland Chinese upper primary school students with their writing. A wiki-based learning environment (www.joyouswriting.com) named Joyous Writing Club (JWC) was designed and developed by the researcher using MediaWiki software. This study was conducted in a primary school in Shenzhen, Mainland China. This research applied Design-based Research (DBR) methodology, and included three iterative research phases which lasted for over one and a half years (three semesters). Through the cyclical process of design-based research, the design for WCPWP was modified and refined during the three phases. Quantitative and qualitative methods as well as methodological triangulation were used for data collection (Hussein, 2009). Instrumentations included online wiki documents (group writing); course feedback questionnaire; writing ability (composition) pre- and posttest; writing attitude pre- and posttest; observations; interviews; open-ended questions for teacher’s questionnaire. At the beginning of the study, a rudimentary conceptual framework of WCPWP was put forward to guide the initial teaching and learning of writing in the first research phase. The WCPWP framework is proposed based on Constructivist Learning Theory (Piaget, 1967; Vygotsky, 1978; Hewett, 2009), and Social View of Writing Process Theory (Faigley, 1986; Tompkins, 2008). The initial design of WCPWP was guided by principles for exploring virtual collaborative writing (Hewett, Robidoux, & Remley, 2010) which provides a broad framework for the research design and links the general learning theory to the specific domain of learning in this study. Besides, the Systems Approach Model of Dick and Carey (1996) is used to support the instructional design in this study. Furthermore, the Alessi and Trollip's (2001) model for software design and development was used to design a wiki-based virtual learning environment. The first and second research phases involved the same Chinese language teacher participant and student participants in the same class. Both of the two phases mainly aimed to improve the design of WCPWP by investigating students’ collaborative writing processes, students’ and teacher’s perceptions and attitudes towards WCPWP, the change on students’ writing attitudes. The results in each phase showed both effective and ineffective aspects of WCPWP, which became the starting points of pedagogical (WCPWP) improvement in the next research phase. The third research phase mainly aimed to investigate the effects of improved WCPWP on students’ personal writing ability and attitudes towards writing compared that of Traditional Individual Product-oriented Writing Pedagogy (TIPWP). Besides, students’ writing process on wiki, students’ and teacher’s perception and attitudes towards WCPWP were also explored. Based on the results in this research phase, an elaborate conceptual framework of WCPWP was put forward. The results showed that the Chinese language teachers and most students had positive attitudes and perceptions towards WCPWP. They perceived that WCPWP had positive influence on improving students’ writing ability, writing attitudes, collaboration, reading and oral expression. They were also interested in using WCPWP in their future Chinese writing activities. The results further revealed that WCPWP had significant positive effects on students’ writing attitudes compared with TIPWP. Furthermore, interview results and students’ writing performance on wiki suggested that WCPWP had positive effects on students’ writing ability. However, the statistic results did not show that WCPWP had significant positive effects on students’ personal writing ability compared with TIPWP. This study also discussed the possible reasons causing the results based on theories and related literatures. This study provides an example of capitalizing on computer and wiki technology to support the collaborative writing among Mainland Chinese upper primary school students. The results of this study have theoretical implications for applying the design principles for implementing wiki-based collaborative process writing in Chinese Context. It also has great theoretical value to the field of collaborative writing in Chinese by adopting more precise characteristics of wiki-based collaborative process writing. This study may also deepen primary educators’ understanding of the links among technology, pedagogy and content. Finally, it guides educators in the integration of social media (wikis, Google Docs) as well as the design of effective matching pedagogic strategies in their teaching of writing. / published_or_final_version / Education / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

Organotin compounds (OTs), in particular tributyltin (TBT) and triphenyltin (TPT), have caused widespread adverse effects on marine organisms ever since their wide application as biocides in 1960s. For instance, TBT can induce the abnormal development of imposex in marine gastropods, and inhibit development and growth in oysters. A mandatory global ban on the use of OT-based antifouling systems, therefore, has been enacted by the International Maritime Organization to minimize their environmental impacts since September 2008. As a result, it is anticipated to see a reduction of OT contamination in the marine environment around the world. This study, therefore, primarily aims to test the hypothesis that there is a reduction of both OT contamination and its associated adverse impact to a common biomonitor, the rock shell Reishia clavigera along the coast in Hong Kong and Shenzhen, China through a series of field-based investigations. Before the field study, a method was successfully developed to simultaneously quantify the concentrations of six common OTs (i.e., mono-BT, di-BT and TBT; mono-PT, di-PT and TPT) in molluscan tissues using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. These six compounds coexist in marine environments. They are highly toxic to marine organisms and are able to induce imposex in gastropods like R. clavigera. First, a territory-wide survey on tissue concentrations of the OTs and imposex status in R. clavigera collected from 28 coastal sites of Hong Kong was conducted in 2010. The results indicated that all female R. clavigera suffered from imposex, and all rock shells contained high TPT concentrations. A probabilistic ecological risk assessment revealed that 17.6% of R. clavigera across all sites were at risk due to exposure to TPT, whereas the risk associated with TBT was relatively low. The same species collected from Dapeng Bay and Daya Bay, Shenzhen also exhibited high tissue concentrations of TPT. Second, R. clavigera transplanted from relatively clean sites to polluted sites for six months showed increases in both imposex status and tissue concentration of OTs, confirming the association between OT contamination and imposex development. Third, a 25-month population dynamics study of R. clavigera showed a limited recruitment of the species in the polluted sites. To verify if the observed OT contamination was widespread to other marine species in Hong Kong waters, a survey on the tissue concentrations of OTs in 11 local seafood species was conducted. Among them, the tongue sole Paraplagusia blochii had the highest tissue concentration of total OTs, with TPT as the most abundant residue. Potential health risk for consuming this benthic fish species was identified as both hazard quotient of TPT and hazard index exceeded unity. The overall results demonstrate that the coastal marine environments in this region are still heavily contaminated with OTs especially TPT, and there is no obvious sign of recovery of R. clavigera populations. Hopefully, with further scientific investigations, both Hong Kong and China governments will take appropriate management actions to control the use and release of these priority pollutants with a view to safeguarding the marine ecosystem and human health in this region. / HKU 3 Minute Thesis Award, 2nd Runner-up (2013) / published_or_final_version / Biological Sciences / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

Thesis (M. Soc. Sc.)--University of Hong Kong, 1992. / Xeror copy of the typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaf 78-82).

Thesis (M. Ed.)--University of Hong Kong, 1993.

Thesis (M. Sc.)--University of Hong Kong, 2002. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 168-180).

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Hong Kong, 2001. / Includes bibliographical references. Also available in print.

Thesis (M.Ed.)--University of Hong Kong, 1993. / Also available in print.

Thesis (M.Soc.Sc.)--University of Hong Kong, 1992. / Xeror copy of the typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaf 78-82) Also available in print.

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Special economic zones are one of the tools utilized by Chinese government to stimulate the growth of local economy, especially through foreign investment. This thesis is focused on special economic zone in Shenzhen and on use of special economic zones for development of inland provinces of China in recent years, which are lagging in economic development in comparison with the developed provinces on the eastern coast. Western development plan is demonstrated on the example of the province of Xinjiang. The thesis further sumarizes bow is the approach to establishment of special economic zones changing in recent years, compared to the period of early 1980s.