published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

published_or_final_version / abstract / Linguistics / Master / Master of Arts

published_or_final_version / abstract / Linguistics / Master / Master of Arts in Applied Linguistics

published_or_final_version / Chinese Language and Literature / Master / Master of Arts

published_or_final_version / Applied English Studies / Master / Master of Arts in Applied Linguistics

Informed by a sociocognitive view of writing, this study investigated six Chinese EFL students’ focus of decision-making and extent of criteria use in evaluating student texts, their decision-making in response to peer feedback and factors affecting their decision-making and criteria use in computer-mediated criterion-referenced peer review in one Chinese university setting. A multiple-case design was adopted and data were collected from a variety of sources, including think-aloud protocols, stimulated recall, semi-structured interviews, document analysis and classroom observations. An examination of the think-aloud and stimulated recall data revealed that five out of the six students displayed language-oriented decision-making while evaluating peers’ texts. The students also tended to emphasize consistently specific elements of student writing within language, content and organization regardless of task type. They used part of the assessment criteria to the extent that particular elements evaluated by them coincided with specific components of the criteria. In response to peer feedback, the students decided to incorporate it selectively into revision, with one student being an exception. Data analysis indicated that the students’ focus of decision-making and criteria use while evaluating peers’ texts were affected by the following factors: students’ own writing beliefs, conceptions and knowledge; teacher’s writing beliefs, conceptions and associated classroom practices; writing task types and features of student texts. The students’ decision-making in response to peer feedback was found to be subject to the influence of four categories of factors: student writer factors, especially their writing beliefs and knowledge; student reviewer factors; teacher factor and writing task factor. The findings provide an in-depth look into both the cognitive and social dimensions of peer review. On the basis of the findings, the study proposes a tentative exploratory model of Chinese EFL university students’ decision-making in criterion-referenced peer review. It captures the interplay between cognitive and social dimensions of peer review and throws light on the interaction between cognition and context in the case of learning to write through peer review. Particularly regarding the social dimension of peer review, the variety of factors influencing the students’ decision-making and criteria use in this activity indicate that their evaluation of peers’ texts and response to peer feedback were not linear processes, but were mediated by multiple factors. Among the various factors identified, the strong influence of the writing beliefs and conceptions held by the students, their peers and the teacher suggest the crucial role played by learner and teacher beliefs in affecting L2 students’ learning to write through peer review. This study also highlights the interactional effect of views about writing and learning to write exhibited by the students, their peers, the teacher and the “methodology” of criterion-referenced peer review on the students’ decision-making and extent of criteria use. Finally, the study makes pedagogical recommendations concerning how to enable students to make informed decisions in criterion-referenced peer review to bring its theoretical potential into full play. Recommendations for further research are also proposed. / published_or_final_version / Education / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

This action research explores ways of adapting Task-based language teaching for teaching grammar to Primary six Hong Kong students while maintaining the structural Presentation-Practice-Production approach. It integrates two kinds of focused tasks into the intervention. They are Consciousness-raising tasks and Practice-based tasks. It investigates learners‘perceptions of those two tasks on English grammar learning by collecting questionnaires and conducting interviews. After the first cycle of the intervention, the researcher analyzed the data, students‘performance and works in order to make adjustments for the second cycle. Qualitative and quantitative techniques were employed to collect data from high, average and low-achieving students. It was found that students were positive towards Consciousness-raising tasks, Practice-based tasks and the intervention. They were generally satisfied with the chances provided for individual and group learning, teacher‘s PowerPoint presentation, teacher support and task sequencing. Implications for future research encompass investigation on the intervention‘s emphasis on a sequence of focused tasks to learn the form, meaning and use of target structures for leading learners to attain accuracy, fluency and complexity in second language acquisition. Most importantly, it suggests that teachers have to be flexible and design suitable tasks according to the target structures, students‘ability and learning style as well as available resources. / published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

Cross-cultural studies like the GLOBE project on effective leadership attributes have been widely explored in business organizations. However, little research has been done in the area of cross-cultural leadership development amongst secondary school students and its relation to perceived important leadership attributes by the students. Recognizing this gap, this study was devised to explore the leadership training that a sample of students in Hong Kong, China and Singapore have received and whether the leadership training activities reinforced or diminished the culture-specific leadership traits endorsed by their societies. This research employed a mixed methods design in which both qualitative and quantitative data were collected. Seven teachers and three students were selected for semi-structured interviews, while 122 students between the age of 16 and 19 from the three regions were invited to complete a questionnaire. The intensity of leadership training involvement of students from Hong Kong, China and Singapore was explored in the first part of this study. It was found that with more government support, Singapore had the most systematic leadership development programs for secondary students, followed by Hong Kong and China. Based on the comparison of 23 traits of effective leaders, the second part of this study revealed that students’ perception of important traits of effective leaders aligned with those endorsed by their cultures. It was found that culture played a more definitive role than leadership training in influencing students’ ideas of outstanding leaders. / published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

This study compares formative assessment practices in primary mathematics classrooms in Guangzhou, Hong Kong and Melbourne. Nine schools (three in each research location) were studied to examine the similarities in and differences between formative assessment practices for mathematics, and to identity underlying factors that may account for these similarities and differences. Videotaped classroom observations and face-to-face semi-structured teacher interview were the main data collection methods employed. The study identifies several similarities and differences in formative assessment practices by reviewing a total of 1140minutes of videotaped classroom observations (380 minutes from each city). Four similarities were noted: (a)a common structure of formative assessment practice; (b) providing feedback on what students had done well and what they needed to improve; (c) encouraging students to engage actively in the feedback process; and, (d) infrequent use of practical assessments. In addition, six differences were found: (a) interpreting, judging and suggesting on students’ work; (b) forms of assessment (including self and peer assessment); (c) assessment items; (d) effective feedback;(e) specific format for presenting mathematics; and, (f) ways of receiving feedback. Three key factors have been suggested to account for the similarities in and differences between formative assessment practices in primary mathematics classrooms in the three research locations: (a) cultural influences on mathematics learning and examinations; (b) assessment reform initiatives; and, (c) teachers’ conceptions about formative assessment. This study contributes to the understanding of formative assessment practices in the classrooms by proposing a theoretical framework for comparing formative assessment practices that takes into account cultural, social, school and classroom factors. Potential directions for future research are suggested, including further comparisons of mathematics formative assessment practices at other schools in Guangzhou, Hong Kong and Melbourne, and in other countries with similar cultural backgrounds. / published_or_final_version / Education / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy