The key elements and process of teacher change: Hong Kong experience

Abstract

In the past decade, Chinese language teachers in Hong Kong experienced a series of educational reform, including curriculum reform, more restricted quality assurance and new assessment mechanism (Education Bureau, 2000; 2006). They are expected to design and implement their school-based Chinese language curriculum, to use new teaching materials and strategies, so as to match up with the educational reform. In this circumstance, teachers should be confidence to receive new challenges, and willing to make paradigm change. However, a number of literatures show that some teachers are not ready or even resist changes (e.g. Richardson, 1998). Guskey (2002; 2012) proposes a model of teacher change. He believes that by providing professional development program for teachers, they will change their classroom practices; students’ learning outcomes will be improved and finally teachers’ beliefs and attitudes will be changed. An ethnographic study conducted by the researcher found that the process of teacher change is more complicated and there is key element which helps to facilitate teachers’ change and their professional development. The study examined efforts to implement 13 innovative practices of Chinese language in 11 primary schools in Hong Kong. The researcher found the key element for teacher change is: project managers demonstrated a new instructional approach, and let the Chinese language teachers see it worked in their classrooms with their students. This provided the teachers vivid experience and strong evidence. Teachers were then willing to adopt the new approach. When they experience the joy and reward of the new teaching approach, their beliefs and attitudes changed. They further look for the rationale which contributed to the change and initiatively pursuit their professional development. Based on the above finding, the researcher proposes a new process of teacher change: professional development programme, demonstration of a new teaching approach, change in students’ learning outcomes, change in teachers’ classroom practice, change in teachers’ beliefs and attitudes, and teachers’ professional development.