Abstract
In the light of changing needs for the professional development (PD) of ESL teachers in Hong Kong, this study investigates current practice and future needs within the context of the implementation of educational reforms by the Hong Kong Government. A cohort of ESL teachers, members of a knowledge sharing community project, participated in a survey to gauge their experience of, and attitudes towards, PD. The survey produced a 100% response. Data from the cohort indicated that experienced, well-qualified ESL teachers perceive the need for PD from a broader perspective than their less qualified, less experienced peers who are driven by more immediate needs. These findings resonate with those from countries where PD is viewed as an integral part of ongoing teacher development. The paper concludes with the recommendations that the current findings would be augmented by a further, qualitative study.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
Notes
Hong Kong Education City (www.hkedcity.net) is the largest one-stop professional educational portal in Hong Kong with 90% of schools and teachers as registered members. It is operated by the Hong Kong Education City Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Government of HKSAR. It promotes the use of information technology (I.T.) to improve the effectiveness of teaching and learning by providing teachers with resources, support and platform where they can share their experience and exchange ideas.
References
Adamson, B., Kwan, T., & Chan, K. K. (Eds.). (2000). Changing the curriculum: The impact of reform on primary schooling in Hong Kong. Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press.
Bronack, S., Sanders, R., Cheney, A., Riedl, R., Tashner, J., & Matzen, N. (2008). Presence pedagogy: Teaching and learning in a 3D virtual immersive world. International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, 20(1), 59–69.
Butler, D., Lauscher, H. N., Jarvis-Selinger, S., & Beckingham, B. (2004). Collaboration and self-regulation in teachers’ professional development. Teaching and Teacher Education, 20, 435–455.
Carless, D. (2004). Issues in teachers’ reinterpretation of a task-based innovation in primary schools. TESOL Quarterly, 38(4), 639–662.
Cheng, L., & Wang, H. (2004). Understanding professional challenges faced by Chinese teachers of English. TESL-EJ, 7(4), 13–27.
Chickering, A. & Ehrmann, S.C. (1996), Implementing the seven principles: Technology as lever. AAHE Bulletin, October, pp. 3–6.
Chickering, A. & Gamson, Z. (1987). Seven Principles for good practice in undergraduate in undergraduate education. AAHE Bulletin, March.
Cobb, J. B. (2001). Graduates of professional development school programs: Perceptions of the teacher as change agent. Teacher Education Quarterly, 28, 89–107.
Education and Manpower Bureau. (2004). Information technology in education—Way forward. Hong Kong: Author.
Freeman, D. (2002). The hidden side of the work: Teacher knowledge and learning to teach. Language Teaching, 35, 1–13.
Fusco, J., Gehlbach, H., & Schlager, M. (2000). Assessing the impact of a large-scale online teacher professional development community. Proceedings of the 11th International Conference for the Society for Information Technology and Teacher Education, pp. 2178–2183.
Glatthorn, A. (1995). Teacher development. In L. Anderson (Ed.), International encyclopedia of teaching and teacher education (2nd ed.). London: Pergamon Press.
Golombek, P. R., & Johnson, K. E. (2004). Narrative inquiry as a mediational space: Examining emotional and cognitive dissonance in second-language teachers’ development. Teachers and Teaching: Theory and Practice, 10(3), 307–327.
Harris, B. (2001). Facing the challenges of education reform in Hong Kong: An experiential approach to teacher development. Pastoral, 19(2), 21–31.
Hung, T. (1999). Hong Kong association for applied linguistics newsletter, Issue 11, Hong Kong.
Lane, S., Lacefield-Parachini, N., & Isken, J. (2003). Developing novice teachers as change agents: Student teacher placements “against the grain”. Teacher Education Quarterly 55–68.
Lau, K. L., & Lee, J. C. (2008). Examining Hong Kong students’ achievement goals and their relations with students’ perceived classroom environment and strategy use. Educational Psychology: An International Journal of Experimental Educational Psychology, 28(4), 357–372.
Lave, J., & Wenger, E. (1991). Situated learning; Legitimate peripheral participation. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Littlewood, B. (2004). The task-based approach: Some questions and suggestions. ELTJ, 58, 318–325.
Macintyre, C. (2000). The art of action research in the classroom. London: David Fulton.
Mak, B. (2003). A reflective report to education and manpower bureau (EMB) on the training programme for English language proficiency certificate. Hong Kong: The Chinese University of Hong Kong.
Mak, B., & White, C. (1997). Communication apprehension of Chinese ESL students. Hong Kong Journal of Applied Linguistics, 2(1), 81–96.
Miles, M., & Huberman, M. (1994). Qualitative data analysis: An expanded source book (2nd ed.). CA: Sage.
Nunan, D. (2003). The impact of English as a global language on educational policies and practices in the Asia-Pacific region. TESOL Quarterly, 37(4), 589–613.
Nunnally, J., & Bernstein, I. (1994). Psychometric theory (3rd ed.). New York: McGraw Hill.
Ponte, P., Ax, J., Beijaard, D., & Wubbels, T. (2004). Teachers’ development of professional knowledge through action research and the facilitation of this by teacher educators. Teaching and Teacher Education, 20, 571–588.
Ramsey, P. (1980). Exact type 1 error rates for robustness of student’s t-test with unequal variances. Journal of Educational Statistics, 5(4), 337–349.
Robson, J. (2006). Teacher professionalism in further and higher education: Challenges to culture and practice. New York: Routledge.
Sen, J. (2002). Understanding teachers’ professional growth through their articulation of personal practical knowledge. Journal of Education for Teaching, 28(1), 75–78.
Shulman, L. S. (1986). Those who understand: Knowledge growth in teaching. Educational Researcher, 15(2), 535–560.
Shulman, L. S. (1987). Knowledge and teaching: Foundations of the new reform. Harvard Educational Review, 57(1), 1–22.
Shulman, L. S. (2000). Teacher development: Roles of domain expertise and pedagogical knowledge. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 21(1), 129–135.
Tam, C. F. (2009). An investigation of problems with the implementation of school-based assessment in Hong Kong from the perspective of Hong Kong teachers: An analysis of practices and beliefs. Bulletin of Educational Research (Taiwan), 51(1), 25–62.
Timperley, H. S., & Phillips, G. (2002). Changing and sustaining teachers’ expectations through professional development in literacy. Teaching and Teacher Education, 19, 627–641.
Tsang, W. K. (2004). Teachers’ personal practical knowledge and interactive decisions. Language Teaching Research, 8(2), 163–198.
Tsui, A. B. M. (2003). Understanding expertise in teaching. New York: Cambridge University Press.
Vonk, J. H. C. (1995). Teacher education and reform in Western Europe: Sociopolitical contexts and actual reform. In N. K. Shimahara & I. Z. Holowinsky (Eds.), Teacher education in industrialized nations. New York: Garland Publishing.
Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Appendix 1: Questionnaire
Appendix 1: Questionnaire
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Mak, B. The professional development needs of Hong Kong ESL teachers. Asia Pacific Educ. Rev. 11, 397–410 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12564-010-9073-5
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12564-010-9073-5