Marina Wai-yee Wong

Teachers’ Engagement at Work: An International Validation Study

This study explored the validity of the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale in a sample of 853 practicing teachers from Australia, Canada, China (Hong Kong), Indonesia, and Oman. The authors used multigroup confirmatory factor analysis to test the factor structure and measurement invariance across settings, after which they examined the relationships between work engagement, workplace well-being (job satisfaction and quitting intention), and contextual variables (socioeconomic status, experience, and gender). The 1-factor version of the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale was deemed preferable to the 3-factor version and showed acceptable fit to the cross-national data. The 1-factor Utrecht Work Engagement Scale showed good internal consistency and similar relationships with workplace well-being and contextual variables across settings. The Utrecht Work Engagement Scale was invariant within broadly construed Western and non-Western groups but not across Western and non-Western groups. The authors concluded that the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale needs further development before its use can be supported in further cross-cultural research.

Integrated Arts Curriculum in Hong Kong Secondary Schools.

This longitudinal study (2001–09) of two Hong Kong secondary schools highlights six issues with an integrated arts curriculum: first, integration of knowledge and skills negatively precedes the integration of learners’ construction of meaning; second, integration is perceived as challenging the professions status; third, teachers are unaccustomed to co-teaching; fourth, teachers have little prior experience conceptualizing cross-discipline teaching and learning; fifth, Hong Kongs current systemwide education reform places arts integration as a relatively low priority; and sixth, because integrated arts curriculum implementation is not mandatory, the vagaries of individual school management create a plethora of integration approaches that confound the task of forging a common definition. Remedial recommendations include cascading “seed projects” to broaden teachers’ views of integrated arts and teaching, facilitating supportive school timetabling, and sharing integrated learning outcomes in the individual schools.

Assessment for Learning, a decade on: Self-reported assessment practices of secondary school music teachers in Hong Kong:

“Assessment for Learning” (Afl) is integral to the decade-old reform of Hong Kong education. To investigate the assessment practices of secondary music teachers in Hong Kong ostensibly following Afl, this quantitative study investigates the self-reported assessment practices and perception of assessment modes of Hong Kong secondary school music teachers (n = 97) drawn from 120 secondary randomly selected schools. The reported data, with a response rate of 83.3% based on 30% of the target school population, comprises responses to a self-administered survey questionnaire. Key data results findings differ from McClung (1997) and here indicate that, regardless of the perceived difficulty of implementation, respondents favored as being more suitable for their students the practice of achievement-oriented assessments. Discussion of this key result supports Morris’s (1996) view that in Chinese societies teachers emphasize students’ achievement.

Adapted action research as an instructional strategy in a music teacher education programme in Hong Kong

This study explores how adapted action research could act as a catalyst for change in curriculum development and be used as an instructional strategy in a music teacher education programme to enhance the reflective practice of student-teachers. Two cases of in-service, part-time student-teachers of a music teacher programme who conducted an individually adapted action research project are documented. Qualitative data was collected. Triangulation and discussion with participants were used to verify the findings. The findings indicate that teachers valued the enhanced opportunity for them not only to reflect and improve professional practice in teaching, but also to help their students to learn better. Teachers experienced positive classroom changes and developed ownership of their professional growth. Constraints noted include the lack of experience in action research at the beginning, and the lack of time for teachers to prepare curriculum materials, given their heavy workload of teaching.

Initiating small class teaching in Hong Kong: video reflective narratives and the professional developmental learning model

This study explores the use of video reflective narratives. It reports on data derived from 28 in-service primary school teachers undertaking professional development to support small class (n = 25) teaching in Hong Kong. The findings serve to highlight that such professional development is fraught with confounds, for professional development works at the level of the individual, and is complex and interactive. Analysis of data derived from video reflective narratives suggests that such phenomenon may be explained by reference to a professional developmental learning model. Findings suggest that such interactions are predictable and accordingly, the effects of specific professional development programs can be monitored.

Stressors and Stressor Response Levels of Hong Kong Primary School Music Teachers.

Responses from 309 randomly sampled Hong Kong primary school music teachers to the shortened version of the Chinese Teacher Stress Questionnaire were subjected to a descriptive percentage analysis, one-way ANOVA and independent t test. Obtained results identify five key stressors: “changing education policy of the government”; “being observed by colleague, student teachers, college tutors, inspectors or parents”; “too much subject matter to teach”; “inclusive education”; and “additional administrative work”. An explanation is offered identifying stressor responses being underpinned by either global or contextual issues, while others by a combination of both. Unlike other studies that found relations between stressors and respondents’ individual characteristics, the results of this study uniquely display no significant statistical evidence to link music teachers’ stressor response levels with age, teaching experience, education, specialization or teaching-related workload. The evidence here supports the view that stressors are neutral and reported stressor response levels reflect global or contextual factors which can be intensified by a combination of both.

Measuring concerns of inclusive music teaching in Hong Kong: scale development

Seeking to address a gap in the literature, this article reports the development of an instrument to measure Hong Kong primary school music teachers’ concerns about inclusive music education. To do so, a 25-item music teachers’ Concern of Inclusive Music Teaching (CIMT) scale was constructed and administered to 317 primary schools music teachers in Hong Kong, data from whom indicate that the CIMT scale comprises six concern factors – ‘learning support’, ‘learning difficulties’, ‘learning needs’, ‘resource’, ‘training’ and ‘curriculum design and assessment’. Although these data results do not support either Parsons and Fullers (1974) three-factor model or hierarchical three-factor-related model, they do support a discrepancy noted elsewhere (Kazelskis and Reeves 1987; Schipull, Reeves, and Kazelskis 1995; Boz 2008; Borich 2013) that may reflect the impact of teaching context.

Teaching students with special educational needs in inclusive music classrooms: experiences of music teachers in Hong Kong primary schools

It has been a decade since the implementation of Hong Kong’s policy of inclusion, that mainstream schools should admit students with special educational needs (SEN). This study reports on music teachers’ experiences of teaching SEN students in inclusive music classrooms. Data were derived from a qualitative multiple case study comprising10 government-funded primary school music teachers. These music teachers lack knowledge of ways to support the musical development of pupils with SEN and reported learned helplessness and effective exclusion of SEN students. The major barrier to effective inclusive music teaching evidenced is the absence of in-service training in inclusive music education.

Inclusive Education Policy in the Hong Kong Primary Music Classroom.

ABSTRACT An education reform policy and inclusive education policy have been implemented in Hong Kong for over a decade. As more students with special educational needs have entered the mainstream education system under these policies, Hong Kongs primary music classrooms offer a site where three policies interact—the education reform policy entitled “Learning to Learn,” the policy of inclusive education, and the undeclared “policy” of making savings in the government budget. This article seeks to explore the results of the interaction of these three policies. A qualitative study was carried out to investigate the views of Hong Kong primary school music teachers on the policy of inclusion in relation to music teaching. Insufficient support in inclusive learning in “non-core” subjects, such as music, is evidenced.

Music Teacher Education

This article introduces the diverse types of music teachers in the job market. It briefly describes the music teacher education systems of selected countries (in Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, and in the Southern Hemisphere) as well as the curricular components found in the music teacher education programs of these countries. The current challenges relating to music teacher education are discussed. These challenges include education reforms, professional partnership, musical cultures and world music, mass media, computer technology, and supply of music teachers. In response to these issues, some suggestions on the future directions of music teacher education are made.