Tim Weijun Liang

Summary, Concluding Remarks and the Way Forward

This final chapter discusses the reported study’s empirical findings with reference to the research questions posed and background literature explored in previous chapters. More specifically, the first section of the chapter concludes the study and examines its results through a more detailed discussion of the themes assessed in the projects. The second section then elaborates upon the findings with implications for teaching practice and the use of group work in Hong Kong primary and secondary schools. Building upon recommendations for group learning made on the basis of those implications, the final section addresses the validity and reliability of the research and offers suggestions for further avenues of investigation.

Research Design: A Mixed Methods Approach with a Three-Theme Investigation and Pedagogical Intervention

This chapter explores the methodological rationale for the study reported herein and explains the related research design, research methods and means of data collection. The next section raises precise research questions, followed by a brief discussion of their significance, outlining the epistemology and theoretical perspective informing the research process. The models proposed by Crotty (The foundations of social research: Meaning and perspective in the research process. Sage Publication, Inc., 1998) and Creswell (Designing and conducting mixed methods research. Sage Publications, Inc., 2003) for developing research proposals are then explored. The third section conceptualises the research design for the three-theme investigation. The research methodology is introduced, and the research methods critically justified, followed by a concise overview of the study’s mixed methods approach. The fourth section then introduces the experimental settings, along with a brief comparison between the ‘quasi’ and ‘true’ experiments. The fifth section provides a detailed description of the teaching interventions, including presentation of the assessment instruments, and the sixth section investigates the research domains and corresponding research themes. Finally, the concluding section describes the participants, procedures, data collection and analysis of the pilot and main studies.

Has Critical Thinking Been Fruitfully Married to Group Work in Hong Kong

This chapter comprises six sections. It begins with a description of the education reform implemented in Hong Kong in the early 2000s, in which group work was suggested to play a significant role in classroom instruction. The second section traces the developmental trajectory of the Hong Kong school curriculum, as illustrated by the emergence of General Studies and Liberal Studies in primary and secondary schools. The third section describes the two subjects’ curriculum frameworks and intended goals, which highlight the importance of both group work and critical thinking. The fourth section provides an overview of the controversial issues surrounding critical thinking and how the research reported herein addressed them. The fifth section argues that group work has the potential to accelerate the paradigm shift from a teacher-centred to student-oriented approach. Finally, the concluding sections (i.e. Sects. 1.5 and 1.6) emphasise that this book constitutes a timely response to the call for scholarship examining the potential relationship between group work and critical thinking.

How Effective Is Group Work in Improving the Attitudinal Aspects of Student Learning

This chapter aims to explore the results relating to the students’ critical-thinking dispositions. The analytical tools of ANOVA will be employed to examine the data collected from CCTDI in the General Studies and Liberal Studies projects whilst MANOVA will be performed on the questionnaire-based survey results in the projects. Furthermore, in order to investigate the relationships between different variables related to group work, correlation analysis will be conducted and the results will be reported in a graphical format. In particular, this chapter will examine hypothesis 3 [i.e. more evidence of critical thinking (‘attitudinal’) exists in the ‘Teacher Guidance’ group (Type3) than the ‘Self-directed’ group (Type2)], and hypothesis 4 [i.e. more evidence of critical thinking (‘attitudinal’) exists in the ‘group work’ (Type2 & 3) students than the ‘conventional class’ (Type1) students].

How Does Chinese Culture Exert an Influence on Group Work

This chapter adopts a qualitative approach to analyse the data obtained from the student worksheets and in-depth interviews. With respect to study of ‘Chinese Ground Rules’, the regulations formulated by the different groups in the Liberal Studies project through mutual agreement are discussed. To obtain a better understanding of the implementation of those rules, several excerpts from the video-recording transcripts were extracted for further analysis here. With regard to the in-depth interviews, the responses to various interview questions given by the students (i.e. Liberal Studies project) and teachers (i.e. General Studies and Liberal Studies projects) are discussed in integrated fashion.

How Effective Is Group Work in Improving Students’ Academic Performance?

In this and the following chapters, the data collected from the main study will be analysed. Firstly, in this chapter, hypothesis testing and content analysis will be adopted to investigate the students’ academic performance in the areas relevant to Theme 1. In subsequent chapters, MANOVA will be employed to analyse the data obtained from the questionnaire-based survey, which examined the students’ critical-thinking dispositions (attitudes) relating to Theme 2. In addition, with the last theme which concerns the influence of Chinese culture on group work, discourse analysis will be used to explore the findings related to the in-depth interviews. Specifically, this chapter aims to examine hypothesis 1: ‘More evidence of critical thinking (‘skills’) exists in the ‘Teacher Guidance’ group (Type3) than the ‘Self-directed’ group (Type2) in the teaching interventions,’ as well as hypothesis 2: ‘More evidence of critical thinking (‘academic’) exists in the ‘group work’ (Type2 and Type3) students than the ‘conventional class’ (Type1) students.’

The Research on Group Work, Critical Thinking and Confucian Heritage Culture: What Does a Thematic Review Tell Us?

Group work and critical thinking are well-established areas of study in educational research. Given the abundance of academic publications dealing with these two independent domains, it is not possible to adequately review and summarise all of the work pertaining to them here. Thus, this chapter constitutes an exploratory study (Robson in Real world research: a resource for social scientists and practitioner–researchers. Blackwell publishers, UK, 2002) of the existing literature through the employment of a thematic review strategy, a useful strategy for organising various empirical studies on the two research topics and for interrogating those studies with regard to the research questions they pose. This review is divided into five sections. Following this brief introduction, the next section seeks an understanding of the group work concept and its effectiveness in student learning. Relevant articles are assembled, and their results subjected to rigorous analysis. The third section then shifts focus on the concept of critical thinking, with particular emphasis on a review of several developmental models, including those of Ennis (Educ Leadersh 43:44–48, 1985) and Kuhn (The skills of argument. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1991). The fourth section examines the influence of Confucian Heritage Culture (CHC) on classroom learning, as cultural considerations represent a significant component of the research reported herein. Finally, the fifth section explicates and justifies the conceptual framework of that research.

The Legitimacy of Curriculum Development in Post-Colonial Hong Kong: Insights from the Case of Liberal Studies.

Abstract Liberal Studies was initially introduced as a non-statutory subject in Hong Kong in 1992. It then confronted intense opposition and a bumpy implementation path before securing mandatory status in the new senior secondary curriculum introduced in 2009. Recently, this core subject has been under review. Whilst it is considered to promote students’ socio-political participation, the subject has also been accused of triggering antagonism towards the government. In view of these concerns, this article probes teachers’ perceptions of the recent development of Liberal Studies and examines the dynamic interplay between the curriculum review and the potential political controversies surrounding the subject in post-colonial Hong Kong. Reporting the results of a study comprising questionnaire-based surveys and follow-up semi-structured interviews, it reveals that whilst teachers are worried about the proposed reduction of socio-political topics in the curriculum, they approve of incorporating additional China-related content. Furthermore, the participating teachers praised Liberal Studies for its notable impact on raising students’ social consciousness, which has motivated them to learn about community affairs and fight for justice. Finally, the article also explores the study’s profound implications for the further development of Liberal Studies and citizenship education in Hong Kong and beyond.