Ideology Of education : the relationship between cultural capital and academic achievement in liberal studies in Hong Kong secondary schools by

Abstract

This study is devoted to examine the relationship between cultural capital and the performance in Liberal Studies (LS) of Hong Kong students. It is discovered that the socio- economic status (SES) of the family positively correlates with the accumulation of cultural capital. Using the data from two classes in one local school, it indicates that there is cultural inherence for students from families with higher SES in terms of economic resources, social class values imposed towards their children and the cultivation of learning habits. For those who deprived in cultural capital, they are more disadvantaged in studying LS owning to the limited economic resources for them to develop proficient language skills, lower educational expectation from parents and inadequate cultural activities. Definitely, it is not saying students from lower class have no chance to succeed in LS, it is found that there are external forces, such as personal effort, adoption of online resources and peer discussion. This study can offer insights on the transmission of class advantage across generations and reflection on cultural reproduction and social mobility.