An emerging role of teacher-researchers in Hong Kong through a school-university collaborative research project

Abstract

Teachers’ engagement with research has long been advocated to enhance their professionalism. Yet classroom-based research is still relatively new to teachers in Hong Kong. This study aims at exploring the reasons behind the lack of a teacher-as-researcher ethos in Hong Kong. Teachers from four local primary schools participating in a school-university partnered project to promote collaborative inquiry project-based learning (IPjBL) were interviewed. Teachers from four different subject areas, including Chinese, General Studies and Information Technology teachers and teacher librarians, have worked collaboratively in equipping their students with the knowledge and skills across disciplines to implement IPjBL. IPjBL is a new teaching approach that offers opportunities for teachers to engage in research, taking on the dual role of both teacher-practitioner and teacher-researcher. In this study, five focus group interviews were conducted with the teachers involved to collect in-depth qualitative data on their experiences, comments and reflections on this school-university collaborative research project. The influence of this partnership on teacher professionalism will be examined in term of four aspects: the teacher as individual, teaching practice, curriculum design and school culture. The facilitating and debilitating factors impacting on teachers’ development as researchers in Hong Kong will also be discussed. Findings have revealed that time constraints and teachers’ conceptualization of “research” as something “complex that only academics at universities do” are the main reasons for their lack of interest in taking on the teacher-researcher role in Hong Kong. In contrast, expertise and school administrative support are found to be key elements conducive to teachers’ success in conducting action research in the classroom. These findings have potentially significant implications for educators, school administrators and teachers in developing a school climate that promotes teacher professionalism and empowers teachers with the knowledge as well as skills to face the new challenges in their teaching practice brought about by ongoing education reforms.