Yang Min, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Using my PhD research (The Viability of Online Distance Learning Provision for Adult Distance Learners in Guangdong, China; completed in 2005) as an example, I attempt to show how the educational reality may be investigated self-reflexively using the phenomenological qualitative methodology that is informed by the phenomenological perspective.

To begin with, two metaphors are borrowed from the movie The Matrix (its first film) to underline the emancipatory influence that a phenomenological qualitative methodology can have upon the educational researcher. Such an emancipatory influence is both epistemologically and methodologically significant: it empowers the researcher to break away from taken-for-granted presuppositions; and it enables the researcher to become self-reflective and self-critical towards the research process and the research data. While the former has to do with the way in which knowledge about the educational reality is obtained, the latter is associated with the trustworthiness of such knowledge. The key to such emancipatory influence of the methodology is to maintain the phenomenological critical attitude made possible through the use of phenomenological reduction (bracketing).

In investigating real-world research problems, the educational researcher inevitably encounters with a range of real-world problems. In this paper, I concentrate on one of such problems: the possible researcher-bias arising when s/he is attempting to capture, transcribe and interpret the participants’ meanings expressed during interviews. Such an interpretive problem may be amplified when the researcher operates between two (or more) languages and within two (or more) cultures, as is the case of my PhD research. Such problems are examined and the methods of triangulation and peer briefing for reducing bias and strengthening the trustworthiness are suggested.

Lee Seokhee, Korean Educational Development Institute

While mutual exchanges among the Asian countries are increasing more and more, educational cooperation comes to grow in order for national development in Asia. Considering that the amount of 'official development assistance'(ODA) provided by the developed countries to Asian developing countries expands year to year, more thoughts on values and cultural issues should be raised. However, it is not sufficient to intertwine cultural and contextual understandings with educational cooperation among nations in Asia. Therefore, the purpose of this study aims at examining Asiatic values in educational cooperation among the Asian countries. The topics are following:

First, what is the Asiatic value? Is the Asiatic value now effective as a common concept? Will this concept promote the exchanges and cooperation among Asian countries? Second, what were discussed about the Asiatic values and how? Who identified the concept of the Asiatic values and cultures and which channels were used? Why do Asiatic values continue to be addressed as an alternative way in educational cooperation? Third, what differences exist in the point of views between the Western and the Asiatic values and, in particular, between Japan and other countries in Asia? For the purpose of the Asian development, which viewpoint are wanted? Fourth, what is the new perspective of Asiatic values for educational cooperation?

This endeavor is not a hegemonic control and any ethnocentrism but to pursue genuine cooperation between the countries in Asia. The respect and recognition to other culture(country) are actually essential in the mutual cooperation. In the long run, by offering new theoretical basics so as to establish new cooperation system, this thesis will contribute to the educational cooperation of Asian countries and assistance (ODA) to less-developed countries in Asia.

Samsudin Sunarti, Ministry of Education

Das Jaya, CHIJ St. Joseph’s Convent

Rai Nootan, Ministry of Education

Mathews (1992) found that high-ability students prefer cooperative learning in homogeneous ability groups to heterogeneous ability groups. This means that students who are of high ability prefer to work in groups with members of equal or higher ability rather than be part of a group with members of either mixed ability or lower ability. This preference has important implications in Singapore schools. One of the Desired Outcomes of the education system in Singapore is that students should be able to work in teams and value every contribution. In Singapore, where the only resource is the human population, human resource development is therefore of premium importance. Training students to work effectively in heterogeneous groups and helping them value the existing diversity in the classroom is essential for their future seamless integration into the multi-racial, multi-lingual and multi-religious workforce where interdependence amongst people of various abilities and diverse backgrounds is crucial for success. It thus becomes incumbent upon teachers in Singapore schools to incorporate heterogeneous grouping in their teaching strategies. This paper looks into how value can be added to cooperative learning and how students can be organised to work in any team. The strengths and weaknesses of heterogeneous groups in cooperative learning, the situations under which homogeneous and heterogeneous grouping prevail and changes that can be made to a lesson using cooperative learning to encourage more effective outcomes of heterogeneous grouping are also discussed.

Wang Yifei, The University of British Columbia

Chinese curriculum as a journey in this age of social change and cultural fluidity calls for the third space in which individuality and relationality intertwine, collide, and interact, separate yet together, parted yet holding hands, alone yet with the other. My preliminary study suggests that in this third space that I called for, the West and the East can build connections and relationships in such a way that differences and the alterity of both self and other can be respected and even promoted under certain conditions. In this presentation, I will compare Foucault's self-creation and Confucius' self-cultivation, Foucault's power relationship and Confucius’ five fundamental relationships, Foucault's rupture from institution and Confucius' unity in order to call for a third space for Chinese Curriculum Studies. This is also a call for Internationalization.

Nayak Gopa, University of Oxford

This paper highlights some methodological issues involved in ethnographic research with the aim to create awareness that teaching and research have to go hand in hand to bring about growth in knowledge and improvement in practice. While it is unanimously acknowledged that research has to move beyond armchair thinking to achieve its goal, the reality is, at times, so different that it poses a threat to the researcher, particularly, with a research design with random sampling and controlled conditions. Researchers with all the academic knowledge on what works best challenge the classroom teachers who are defenseless against their own time-tested formulae. Positive thinking and constructive effort on the part of the researchers can mitigate the dilemmas of the teachers who are often skeptical to bring in the researchers to their classrooms lest they be criticized.

This paper explores some issues involving the difficulties of an ethnographic researcher who in the pursuit of evidence has to face the brunt of collecting data against all odds. The aim of this paper is to shed light on some of the issues which both teachers and researchers and all other stake holders in the game should take into account so as to make research and teaching benefit from each other ultimately leading to the much desired change in practice and growth in knowledge.

Downing Kevin John, The City University of Hong Kong

Shin Kristina, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

The increased use of web-based learning, and pressure upon universities from both employers and funding bodies to develop students with lifelong learning skills, has brought about a shift in emphasis from a concentration on subject specialist knowledge towards more generic skills that prepare students for a diverse and rapidly changing working environment. As a result, attention has turned to the topic of metacognition or ‘thinking about thinking’ (Bogdan, 2000; Flavell, 1999; Metcalfe, 2000) and the twin challenges of producing students that have developed metacognitive skills, and providing evidence that universities have facilitated that development. This paper examines the impact of the introduction of the Learning and Study Strategies Inventory (LASSI) online in the promotion of a data driven approach to facilitating and evidencing the development of metacognition at City University of Hong Kong.

Yogev Abraham, Tel-Aviv University

Feniger Yariv, Tel Aviv University

Livneh Idit, Tel Aviv University

Comparative international surveys of students' achievements, such as IEA's TIMMS for eighth graders and OECD's PISA for 15 years old, have become increasingly popular during the last decade. As a result various countries evaluate their national status vis-à-vis their students' international ranking in such achievement tests, believing that high ranking symbolizes their future capability of competing in the global market. Subsequently, the results of such international educational rankings are highly publicized in the mass media and policies to increase educational standards are suggested. The Israeli mass media has emphasized in recent years the low rankings of Israeli students in comparison to other industrialized nations. The school system was blamed for the low achievements, and in response the Israeli Ministry of Education has initiated policies related to educational standards of achievement.

Using the 2000 PISA results we show, first, that the Israeli students' achievements were not lower than expected. Their observed mean achievements, in international comparative terms, converge with the ones expected by a regression considering the Israeli relatively low GDP per capita and relatively high proportion of school age population. Their average low score mainly results from achievement variations among school sectors. Secondly, we show that the low achievements of Israeli students are partly due to a high proportion of missing data interpreted as wrong responses. The missing data problem in Israel was much more severe than in other countries with similar international achievement ranks. It was probably caused by specific problems of data collection related to the motivation of various schools to participate in the exam. Additional findings indicate that students with high missing data on the exam were not necessarily weak students. Our findings show that the public debate in Israel on school achievements was exaggerated, and has subsequently led to bitter conflicts with the teacher unions on participation in the 2006 PISA survey. In Israel, as in many other countries, the low international ranking of students has encouraged the movement toward enforcing educational standards, ignoring the fact that the students' outcomes result from the country's economic situation and its large heterogeneous student population. The excessive occupation with the mean students' ranking has further obstructed a true public debate on achievement gaps between school sectors of dominant and subordinate groups, mainly between Jewish and Arab students.

Norhasni Zainal Abiddin, Universiti Putra Malaysia

In every university, there is code of practice or policy for graduate research student which contained in the student handbook. Every student will be given this handbook during their registration at the university. Part of this policy was designed to protect the student’s interest and welfare by stating the responsibility of the student, supervisor, school and effective ways of supervision. The question is how far this policy has been practiced and implemented effectively? Hence, there were 40 graduate research student policies have been studied from 40 universities in the United Kingdom. There were also 110 graduate students had involved in order to obtain the information needed. It was found in the research that 74% of the respondents had agreed that the policy is very helpful and worked. This paper will identify the most effective ways in practicing this policy towards the effectiveness in graduate research student supervision.

Wolf Jeanne,

Bokhorst-Heng Wendy D., Nanyang Technological University

“… we want to reach higher on her scale”(the VP, referring to Epstein’s model)

This story is about home-school partnerships in one Singapore school. This secondary school has a vision to “actively engage parents and members of the community as partners in education; to strengthen the links between home, school and the community.” The review is conducted from various perspectives: the wider Ministry of Education (MOE) and Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS) policy initiatives, and the programme in one secondary school in Singapore. We attempted to distil current levels of parental involvement through interviews and as part of our work with a parent-student-teacher-researcher advisory committee. Using Epstein’s (2002) six-types model of parental involvement, we examined how this partnership is currently working. What we discovered is that, in spite of broad recognition that excellence in education depends upon the collaborative efforts of all stakeholders in education (MOE, 2002), the promise of potential embedded in wider MOE policies and school commitment have had minimal impact on bringing parents and teachers into school partnerships. Nonetheless, a framework has been set up within with the school can “reach higher” in terms of attaining the goals it purports to have for its relationships with families. We explore challenges to creating partnership programmes and plans underway to work towards higher heights.

Zhu Chang, Univeristy of Ghent

Valcke Martin, Univeristy of Ghent

Schellens Tammy, Univeristy of Ghent

The present study investigates whether the learning conceptions and study approaches of Chinese and Flemish university students are different. This general research problem builds on an assumption frequently put forward in the literature that cultural traditions and beliefs affect ways of learning (Kelly, 1973; Säljö 1979; Hofstede, 1997; Woodrow, 2001; Tweed and Lehman, 2002).

A survey studies was set up at a Flemish university and two Chinese universities. The Conceptions of Learning Inventory (COLI) and the Approaches and Study Skills Inventory for Students (ASSIST) were administered to first-year university students from China (N=363) and Flanders (N=368).

The 3-factor model of ASSIST and a modified 4-factor model of COLI were fitted across the cultural groups through the use of multiple-group factor analysis structural equation modeling (SEM). The results indicate that Chinese students reflect a higher level of conceptions of learning as understanding information and personal change. The distribution of dominant study approaches between the two cultural groups is not significantly different. The results indicate that Chinese students do not use more surface approaches to study than the Flemish students and reflect a deep understanding of learning.

The conception of learning as understanding information significantly predicts the adoption of deep approach for students from both cultural backgrounds. As for the Flemish students, the conception of learning as remembering information is significantly correlated with the adoption of surface and strategic approaches, however, this is not the case for the Chinese students. To the Chinese students, memorization is a process in developing their understanding (Marton et al., 1996) and it is not correlated with the adoption of surface approach. This can explain the paradox of Chinese students in a certain way that although they often use memorisation, they do not stay at a surface level of learning, instead they also adopt a deep level study approach.

Rønbeck Ann Elise, Finnmark University College

When working with students with disability, collaboration and interdisciplinary work between consumers (parents and students), teachers and professionals with expert competence outside the school is recommended. The general idea is to build networks of experts, consumers and local professionals for the support of a need oriented/ adapted education. The question I will answer in this presentation is: Will collaboration help students to achieve more goal needed/ adapted and inclusive education, and will collaboration foster fundamental changes in schools?

Results from a thesis to doctor rerum politicarum degree about this subject will be used. Case studies and qualitative methods are used. This is: Interviews of parents, teachers and other professionals, observation of the students and observation of interdisciplinary groups working with the students.

In practice teacher-related work with students is still a solitary activity. As regards of interdisciplinary it seems like each sector works on its own without any real coordination with other sectors. It seems like there is little use of external competencies, and the efforts of these services are far below expected levels. In the interdisciplinary groups the concentration is primarily on exchange of information. The concentration on assessment is accentuated by a pronounced tendency to institutionalise students into the expert domain for the purpose of assessment. Afterwards experts easily become informers in stead of participants in the practical process of education.

This shows that there are two models for competence: The expert model and the generalist model. The generalist and the expert role are founded on different thinking. The generalist competence usually solves problems in context near the student. Customers are always involved here. Specialists have expert knowledge, and they are best suited to decide about own competence area. This means that experts don’t need to take decisions together with other professionals.

Rai Nootan, Ministry of Education

Samsudin Sunarti, Ministry of Education

Das Jaya, CHIJ St. Joseph’s Convent

The method of instruction of most teachers in Singapore follows the Didactic teaching or ‘Chalk and Talk’ method, which benefits students with aptitude in the academic subjects such as mathematics, science and languages (Tan, 2005). This leads to the development of students who possess the Logical- Mathematical Intelligence (LMI) or the Linguistic Intelligence (LI). The LMI students usually fare better in Science and Mathematics and later go on to form the bulk of the Science stream students while the LI students do better in language and humanities subjects, leading to the formation of the Arts stream students. However, non-academic talents and abilities, such as in the areas of music, art and sports are not given the same importance as what is given to the mainstream academic subjects (Quah, 1990). With the introduction of the Ability Driven Education (ADE) policy, launched as part of the Thinking Schools, Learning Nation vision in 1997, there is an explicit aim to equip and prepare students to meet the challenges of a knowledge economy by taking into consideration their individual abilities and talents and helping every Singaporean excel according to the combination of talents and abilities he possesses (Teo, 1999a). Students who may possess other intelligences will also be given the chance to prove themselves and shine. This is a shift away from the traditional belief that only students who are equipped with LMI or LI are intelligent. It recognizes that students may possess Multiple Intelligences (MI) and hence this results in teachers needing to vary their teaching methods.

Goh Pauline Swee-Choo, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman

It has been well documented that the approaches to learning is an important construct in trying to describe differences in students’ experiences of tertiary education contexts, and in trying to understand variations in the quality of their learning outcomes. However, what has been lacking is research into how approaches to learning operate in a Malaysian twinning programme context. First, a twinning programme environment is a unique and a complex setting, as students are required to function within a context which advocates ideals of their partner from western universities, but the students remain within the boundaries and constraints of a Malaysian educational institution. Second, academics at twinning programmes are faced with real challenges in providing learning environments that can foster deep approaches to learning that satisfy both the aims of the ‘exporter’ and also that of Malaysia. Third, there is a possibility that students operating from a twinning mode and coming from diverse cultural, social, and educational environments may exhibit different learning approaches to those espoused in western contexts.

This presentation reports on a qualitative study of 2nd and 3rd year undergraduate students from twinning programmes in Malaysia. The report begins with the premise that giving students a ‘voice’ is necessary and leads to a better understanding of their needs, thus to better cooperation between lecturers and students. Findings provide descriptions of the obstacles and ineffective ways that hinder deep learning, including a special mention of the manifestation of the phenomenon known as kiasu (a word which originated from Singapore and reflects a trait in which students strive to win or making an effort to reduce the risk of failure). At the same time, the report also highlights different possibilities for developing deep learning and understanding. Recommendations are made for learning and teaching practice in Malaysia.

Chien Chu Ying, Ingrid, The Hong Kong Institute of Education

Young Thelma, Kathryn, The Hong Kong Institute of Education

This paper presents research evidence from a Hong Kong Primary school currently engaged in a whole school capacity building professional development initiative, using commercial textbooks. A case study approach was followed, during which evidence was collected through classroom observations as well as interviews with the informants of the study: two teachers and their Principal. This provided insights into the ways in which textbooks can be used during capacity building professional development on a sliding scale, depending on the increasing independent curriculum planning skills of teachers. The evidence suggests that the informants of this study use of commercially prepared textbooks is driven by a number of factors in a reskilling process designed to provide support for teachers in a collaborative arrangement We argue that where a commercially produced textbook is used as a supporting reference point in association with a strong ‘sharing leadership’ that promotes collaborative and ‘a critical friend’ relationships across a whole school, it is possible for textbooks to be an important factor in facilitating increased teacher autonomy to plan curriculum without reference to this resource, but there remains the potential for a recursivity of how things were known and practiced in textbooks, unless there is a way for teachers to locate their subjectivity and complicity.

Hu Zhongfeng, South China Normal University

Cravens Xiu, Vanderbilt University

Li Xueqiong, Maoming College

This paper includes four parts. The first part is about the dispute of qualitative and quantitative methods,which includes three parts,such as what the qualitative and quantitative methods are, their dispute and common ideas.The second part is about the foundation of integration,including what the integration is, the necessity and possibility of integration.The third part will discuss the actual models of integration, in which we discuss the combination model by western scholars,then providing our own integration model which we call "the process model". In the short last part, we will analyze some key points about the integration in educational research practice.

Singh Kusum, Virginia Tech

Chang Mido, Virginia Tech

Mo Yun, Virginia Tech

Science achievement in high school is of critical importance because it not only prepares students for future employment but also as citizens of a global technological society. There is a strong interest internationally among educators, researchers and policy makers in understanding the determinants of science achievement. Historically, research on science achievement had focused on cognitive factors such as ability, IQ and other measures of innate aptitude. But recent research has found that achievement is also related to other domains such as affective and motivational characteristics of individuals. Researchers have included a number of psychological processes that motivate individuals to engage in and persist in achievement related activities. Individuals’ task-related efficacy, interest and value of the activity all affect their desire and commitment to persist and engage in and put effort in learning activities. Research on science achievement is showing similar results. The present study explored the relationship of self-concept and other self variables to science engagement and science achievement. Furthermore, the relationship of self variables with science engagement and science achievement was studied across ethnicity, gender and SES. The data were collected in Virginia from six high schools to estimate models of science achievement, using both self organization factors and school level science engagement (N=1560). The results supported the theoretical formulations of the conceptual model and showed significant effect of self-concept and motivation on science engagement and science grades. Science engagement showed a positive effect on science achievement, Furthermore, results showed gender and ethnicity based differences in effect of self and engagement variables on science achievement. The study supported earlier findings that inclusion of non-ability factors improves the explanation and understanding of differences in science achievement. The study has both theoretical and practical significance, providing valuable insights for the pedagogy of science.

Hofman Roelande H., University of Groningen

Hofman W.H. Adriaan, University Centre for Learning and Teaching

Dijkstra Nynke J., University of Groningen

A shift has been visible in the governance philosophy of national governments combining decentralization with a strong emphasis on guaranteeing the basis quality of education. Many countries are in the process of - or have already realized - legislation and monitoring in the field of school (self) evaluation. School (self) evaluation will be analyzed from two perspectives in this paper. On the one hand there is the internal evaluation of schools in which they assess, optimize and guard the quality of education and improve the teaching-learning process. On the other the external evaluation of the educational quality as is the explicit goal of the National Inspectorate of Education. The research question that will be answered in this paper: ’Is there a relationship between school (self) evaluation and student achievement?

Using a database of 81 primary schools and 2022 students (grade 8) a multilevel analysis has been conducted to assess what factors contribute to students’ cognitive achievement. Factors that have been included in the analysis (a) the progress that schools have made with school self evaluation, three perspectives of schools on school self evaluation, the groups involved in school self evaluation, the attitude towards the Inspectorate’s assessment frame work, the expertise of principal and teachers with school self evaluation, the use of the PDCA cycle, and last but not least the outcomes of the school self evaluation by the National Inspectorate of Education. ‘

The analyses show that the Inspectorate’s assessment has positive relationships with progress in school self evaluation and with student achievement as well. One of the school self evaluation perspectives is positively related to student achievement. Especially the role of above school management in school (self) evaluation seems of interest for further discussion.

Harrington Ingrid, University of New England

How well Australian boys perform during the compulsory years of schooling has generated consistent interest from academics, school personnel and State education departments alike. Considerable research in Australia (Ball & Lamb, 2001; Lamb, Walstab, Teese, Vickers & Rumberger, 2005; McMillan & Marks, 2003) and elsewhere (Arnot, David & Weiner, 1998, 1999; Cullingford, 1990; 1999; 2002; Erskine, 1999) has highlighted that boys experience problems at school in terms of learning, behaviour, achievement and participation. In particular, the retention of boys to Year 12 has been problematic. Through the use of qualitative research, this study set out to explore the school leavers’ accounts of their decisions to leave school early.

This presentation reports part of a larger three-year longitudinal study entitled Factors affecting boys' engagement with schooling at the Secondary level project funded by the Australian Research Council (ARC)/Strategic Partnerships with Industry – Research and Training Scheme (SPIRT) between James Cook University and Education Queensland. The boys' stories were analysed through three elements of a dominant masculinity discourse namely, a sense of power and control, a sense of independence, and a sense of 'self'. The presentation reports on how the local construction of a dominant masculinity discourse assisted in understanding the boys' early school leaving in their social context.

Kennedy Kerry J., The Hong Kong Institute of Education

Chan Kin Sang, Jacqueline, The Hong Kong Institute of Education

Fok Ping Kwan, The Hong Kong Institute of Education

Conceptions of ‘soft’ and ‘hard’ policy are now commonly discussed in the policy literature concerned with multi-level systems of governance (Abbott et al., 2000; Torenvlied et al., 2004; Cini, 2001; Hertin et al., 2003; Koulaimah-Gabriel et al., 1997). Such conceptions have been useful ways of delineating different incentives, pressures and motivations for policy implementation. On the one hand implementation can be directed by legislation and regulatory monitoring with the possibility of sanctions for non-compliance (‘hard’ policy) or it can come in the form of recommendations, education campaigns and strong advocacy (‘soft’ policy).

The application of these conceptions to education policy making is relatively new (Fok, Kennedy and Chan, 2005; Chan, Kennedy and Fok, 2005). It is clear from this work that the concepts of ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ policy are useful in understanding aspects of education policy implementation by focussing on the nature of policy and its potential to influence subsequent implementation outcomes. It is equally clear that some adaptation needs to be made to the original meanings underlying these constructs if the full potential of the ideas are to be exploited.

The purpose of this paper is to reinterpret the meanings of ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ policy with reference to particular case studies of curriculum reform and in particular to focus on the Hong Kong context that provides a unique set of influences governing both curriculum policy and its implementation.

Bokhorst-Heng Wendy D., Nanyang Technological University

Wolf Jeanne,

This paper is about the interaction between policy and practice, and more specifically, the impact wide-sweeping education policies pertinent to literacy have had on the reading initiatives in one school. The school’s quintessential reading programme is Extensive Reading, a thrice-weekly commitment to 20 minutes of sustained silent reading in a school courtyard involving all students. The wider socio-political context within which this school operates is one that overall supports the objectives of Extensive Reading, captured in initiatives such as “Read! Singapore” and “Teach Less, Learn More,” the implementation of the School Excellence Model (SEM), and a review of English language teaching in schools. And yet, despite the innovative political and educational will, this school’s pedagogical and literacy practices continue to be dominated by an exam-oriented focus that prioritises out-come and skill-based pedagogy, practice restricted literacies, and offer an English curriculum that does not fully engage their students. And so Extensive Reading morphs into something else, into something that no longer bears much resemblance to the programme it was initially designed to be. And so we are left wondering, can extensive reading ever work in this school and a school culture that does not really allow reading to be its own reward or nurture a fluid flow between students’ in-and out-of-school literate lives? Or will there always be a version operant in this school whereby students like Wei Ling (not her real name) are veracious readers in spite of the programme and almost in defiance of the programme? In her words, “You should be reading because it is on your own will, not because the school wants you to. Then I don’t see the purposes of reading.” Such policies of promise and practices of limit will be examined and discussed in the hope of answering the posed questions.

Hameedy Mansoor A., University of Alzahra

In order for the policy makers and practitioners, in any field, to base their policies and practices on research findings, they must have developed a scientistic attitude. It is the attitude that determines and maintains the quality and direction of any action, as it is a multidimensional characteristic. Attitude is multidimensional because it refers to a person's affective, behavioral, and cognitive reactions to any phenomenon. But attitudes are also changeable because they are considered to be previously learned reactions. A scientist has learned to act and react in a particular way to phenomena around her/him, especially those related to her/his field of study. Recognition and appreciation, as well as the general internalization and use of these particularities by both the policy makers and practitioners is necessary if their decisions and actions are to be research based. This is tantamount to developing a scientistic attitude!

The policy makers and practitioners in Iran are not exempt from this basic requirement. However, one reason that they may not base their decisions and actions on domestic research findings is that, in a way, they question whether the attitude of those doing the research is scientistic. Of course this very question could stem from a non-scientistic attitude toward research! Therefore, it would be appropriate not only to pose the question in regard to all three sides of the problem, but also scrutinize the cultural context within which they work. Scientistic attitude among members of any group would lead to a scientific culture within that group and vise versa. A number of studies conducted on researchers and practitioners support the notion that the attitudes are not that strongly scientistic. The policy makers can not be that different as they are also within the same cultural context. Hence, the cultural context needs to be scrutinized and changed where possible.

Tang Kwok Chun, The Hong Kong Baptist University

Secondary mathematics educators and government officials in many countries are actively engaged in the investigation of the inclusion of graphing or CAS calculators in the high school curriculum. Active Asian countries or regions include Singapore, Malaysia, India, Taiwan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand (Yang et al. 2002; Yang et al. 2003). The author believes that this is a critical chance for Hong Kong researchers and teachers to study carefully the possibilities, limits and challenges of the inclusion and adoption of Computer Algebra System (CAS) calculator for the new curriculum and public examination. This paper will first examine theories, perspectives and experiences for analyzing the possibilities, limits and challenges of CAS. Second, it will give background information about an action research project for the study of the use of CAS calculator in Hong Kong classrooms funded by HKBU. Third, the design of classroom-based action research will be illustrated and discussed. Various important design concerns will be examined, such as: validity and reliability issues, data collection methods, students??thinking analysis, and investigating the effects of instructional intervention. Fourth, various issues in relation to the facilitation of the action research project will be investigated, such as: finding action research teacher-fellows, setting the agenda, and identifying structural concerns. Finally, the author will reflect on the real potentials of CAS calculator in Hong Kong classroom with reference to the great demands on teachers and the continuous professional development of teachers through action research project.

Reyes Rachel, Miriam College

The objectives of this study were to (1) elicit students’ perceptions of certain aspects of their Miriam College education; (2) to examine the impact of the Miriam College education from the students’ satisfaction ratings and changes in self ratings; and (3) to find out what best predict students’ Cumulative Quality Point Average (CQPA). A survey questionnaire was administered to a stratified random sample of college students. Results of the study reveal strengths and areas for improvement in the Miriam College education from the perspective of its students. The findings provide suggestions for reviewing many aspects of the College Units’ programs and policies.

Har Hui Peng, Hwa Chong Institution

The perceptions of secondary three students on factors that contribute to their performance in science project work were examined. The study employed a combination of quantitative and qualitative approaches in a two-phase research design. Quantitative methods were dominant in this study while qualitative methods were used to supplement information obtained from the former to make the study more comprehensive and to gain a fuller understanding.

In the quantitative phase, a questionnaire was administered to students engaged in science project work. Data obtained were analysed using regression analysis to determine the relationships between the variables and the extent to which the factors were perceived by students to contribute to their performance in science projects. Results revealed that students perceived their abilities and the characteristics of their mentors as factors that contributed most to their performance, while the availability of resources was not perceived to be so. It was also found that students’ examination results correlated positively with their performance in science projects. Regression analysis indicated that this factor contributed to their performance in science project more than the other three factors.

In the qualitative phase, focus group interview was employed to obtain data to supplement those obtained from the quantitative phase. From the interview sessions, additional factors that the students perceived to contribute to their performance in science project were identified.

The findings of this study indicated that students should be given the necessary training to enhance their performance in science project work. It is also important to train teachers adequately to provide students with effective mentorship. Such findings would be useful for educators who are planning to start a science research program in their schools. They can also be taken into consideration by educators who are in the process of refining their schools’ research programs.

Zeng Min, The University of Hong Kong

The universities in Hong Kong have attracted large numbers of Mainland Postgraduate students over the last ten years. In a sibling yet different cultural environment, the adjustment of Mainland research students to studying in Hong Kong could be a little different to studying at Western or Mainland Chinese universities. Yet, it is surprising that little research has been directed to the adjustment of these students. This paper reports a series of qualitative studies about the phenomenon which involved 6 focus-group discussions with 24 Mainland postgradaute students and 3 follow-up case studies done in the University of Hong Kong. It was found from this studies that, on the whole, the sibling cultural setting and the presence of large numbers of Mainland peers in the Hong Kong campus provided a culturally grounded environment for the Mainland research students. However, some students still reported problems related to cultural differences in both academic integration and social integration such as language problems and problems in the interactions with supervisors, local people and peers. This research also found an especially important role for academic integration in the adaptation of Mainland research students at Hong Kong. In the struggles with the pressures and challenges in academic integration, social integration served as a support to these students in both academic issues and fulfillment of social and emotional needs. Interactions with their supervisors, expected by most informants to be the major help of their academic integration, was reported by some students as a major problem in their adaptation. This paper highlighted and discussed some main findings from this study. Implications for the administrators concerned and the possible future research were discussed too.

Ward Gillian, The University of Auckland

There is currently a crisis of teacher shortage in secondary schools in the Western world. This crisis includes countries in the Pacific such as New Zealand.

The New Zealand Teacher Supply Survey has reported that teacher vacancies in secondary schools continue to rise, particularly in the Science subject area. In addition, it has been reported that early career teachers (teachers in their third to fifth year of teaching), are leaving teaching. Consequently, the retention of high quality early career secondary school science teachers is imperative.

To understand the issue of teacher retention it is worth examining how early career secondary school science teachers perceive their work environment and how they perceive their career aspirations within this environment. Since subject departments are the key focus for many teachers’ day-to-day routines and professional development, it is the science departmental work environment that is the context of this paper.

Nine early career secondary school science teachers were interviewed about their perceptions of their respective departmental working environment. The interviews followed a semi-structured format to allow various issues to emerge and be discussed. Interview transcripts were analysed within an interpretivist paradigm. This approach, with its goal of revealing the participants’ views of reality allowed the understandings of the participants to be elicited.

Theories of career perspectives and work environment perspectives, from a structural, personal and cultural point of view, were used to examine the perceived work environment and career aspirations of the teachers. Similarities and differences in their perceptions are discussed. In addition, how their work environment and other factors influenced their career aspirations is examined.

The findings suggest some aspects that could be considered to support early career science teachers in their teaching and career aspirations, and also, the factors that may have a bearing on retaining these teachers in the teaching profession.

Peng Li, Hanze University Groningen

This investigation explored differences in motivational and learning preferences between Asian international students and local Dutch student. The sample consisted of 45 international students and 33 Dutch students, studying at the University of Groningen. The survey instrument applied was selected from the Motivated Strategies of Learning Questionnaire (Pintrich 1993). Descriptive statistics, and independent samples t-test were employed for data analysis. Statistically significant differences in three scales were found and explained – motivational scale, cognitive and learning strategies scale and resource management scale. Elements from individual learning habits, teaching methods and educational systems were discussed in order to explain these differences. The findings draw attention to dimensions of learning diversity that may be present in Dutch tertiary classrooms, and could have implications for individual students, teaching staff and management of the international student body.