The effects of resilience in learning variables on mathematical literacy performance: a study of learning characteristics of the academic resilient and advantaged low achievers in Shanghai,Singapore, Hong Kong,Taiwan and Korea

Abstract

Many students from disadvantaged homes participating in Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2012 were classified as academic resilient (called disadvantaged high achiever, the DHA in this study). In comparison with peers of comparable home background status, there were also students from advantaged homes performing far behind standard in mathematical literacy performance (called advantaged low achiever, the ALA). Drawing data from the PISA 2012, this study sought to examine the similarities and differences in learning mathematics characteristics (ie gender, family and academic background, and resilience in learning variables) amongst students of the top five high-performing Asian economies, ie Shanghai, Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Korea. The results of the logistic regression analyses showed that variables like family and academic background, as well as resilience in learning mathematics variables (eg familiarity with mathematical concept, mathematics self-efficacy, mathematics self-concept and mathematics anxiety) are able to predict whether a student of comparable disadvantaged (or advantaged) home background is more likely to be classified as DHA (or ALA) or not. The findings are important to shed light on the principles and methods of mathematics education so as to help the low achievers, whether advantaged or disadvantaged, to advance to higher level of mathematical literacy attainment.     

Academic dishonesty among Hong Kong secondary school students: application of theory of planned behaviour

The theory of planned behaviour was used to examine academic dishonesty among secondary school students in Hong Kong. Participants were 386 students in Forms 1–3 (Grades 7–9). Attitudes toward cheating, perceived behavioural control, and moral obligation were positively related to the intention to cheat, but only the subjective norm against cheating was significantly related to self-reported cheating behaviour. The subjective norm was both a predictor of self-reported cheating and a moderator of the relationship between the intention to cheat and self-reported cheating: the intention predicted the behaviour only when the subjective norm against cheating was perceived to be weak.     

Are males and females still portrayed stereotypically? Visual analyses of gender in two Hong Kong primary English Language textbook series†

The present study examines how gender is represented in the visuals (or illustrations) of two English Language textbook series used in most primary schools in Hong Kong. Instead of conducting frequency counts of the occurrence of male and female characters in illustrations, or the spheres of activities they engaged in as in many previous textbook studies, this study involves qualitative analyses of how visualised male and female characters are represented in the selected illustrations of the analysed textbook series, particularly but not exclusively, in terms of their hair length and clothing. The results show that representations of females were more often portrayed having long hair rather than short hair and wearing dresses rather than trousers in both line drawings and photographs. For the colour of clothing, although blue and pink are generally considered ‘masculine’ and ‘feminine’ colours, respectively, less than half and only a small percentage of the human males and females were portrayed wearing blue and pink, respectively. For non-human characters, again, colour is not always a reliable cue to their sex. Yet, they can be recognised as males and females by the generally accepted ‘masculine’ or ‘feminine’ colour and clothing items. Hence, while binary notions of gender often remained intact in their normative forms there were also other forms of representation which challenged them.     

Media education in Hong Kong schools: possibilities and challenges

In Hong Kong, media education is not a new initiative. With the recent education reform, curricular space will undergo significant changes. Instead of having fixed subject boundaries, key learning areas will be introduced. As such, media education will find much more space for negotiating a place in the reformed curriculum. This study aims to look at how media education is implemented in schools in Hong Kong and the content and pedagogy of the media education curriculum against the background of education reforms.     

Facilitating Chemistry Teachers to Implement Inquiry-based Laboratory Work

Science teachers generally find inquiry-based laboratory work very difficult to manage. This research project aimed at facilitating chemistry teachers to implement inquiry-based laboratory work in Hong Kong secondary schools. The major concerns of seven chemistry teachers were identified. They were most concerned about the lack of class time, shortage of effective instructional materials, and the need to teach large classes. To allay teacher concerns, teaching strategies were developed to aid teachers. The strategies include the use of guided inquiry rather than open inquiry, development of ten examples of authentic inquiry, and inclusion of student oral presentations as a key component of the inquiry process. Trials done in schools indicated that these strategies are useful.     

Does maximalist footwear lower impact loading during level ground and downhill running?

A new model of running shoes which features an extreme cushioning and an oversized midsole, known as the maximalist (MAX) was launched. This design claims to provide excellent shock absorption, particularly during downhill running. This study sought to assess the effects of MAX on the external impact loading, footstrike pattern, and stride length during level ground and downhill running on an instrumented treadmill. Twenty-seven distance runners completed four 5-minute running trials in the two footwear conditions (MAX and traditional running shoes (TRS)) on a level surface (0%) and downhill (10%-declination). Average and instantaneous loading rates (ILRs), footstrike pattern and stride length were measured during the last minute of each running trial. A 12% greater ILR was observed in downhill running with MAX (p?=?.045; Cohen’s d?=?0.44) as compared to TRS. No significant difference was found in the loading rates (p?>?.589) and stride length (p?=?.924) when running on a level surface. Majority of runners maintained the same footstrike pattern in both footwear conditions. Findings of this study suggested that MAX might not reduce the external impact loading in runners during level and downhill treadmill running. Instead, this type of footwear may conceivably increase the external impact loading during downhill treadmill running.     

Prevalence and correlates of physical abuse in Hong Kong Chinese adolescents: a population-based approach.

OBJECTIVE: The objectives were to estimate the prevalence and correlates of physical abuse-related outcomes in the family setting in Hong Kong's adolescent population. METHOD: A cross-sectional study design was used. A randomly selected sample of 3,355 secondary school students in Kwai Tsing District of Hong Kong was surveyed. The response rate was 98%. RESULTS: The prevalence rates of corporal punishment, being beaten by parents for no apparent reason, being beaten to injury by family members in the past 3 months and any one of the above three were 4.9% (95% CI, 4.2% to 5.6%), 2.0% (95% CI, 1.5% to 2.5%), 1.1% (95% CI, .98% to 1.2%) and 6.6% (95% CI, 5.7% to 7.5%), respectively. Students who had experienced the above physical abuse-related outcomes were at a significant disadvantage for a wide range of morbidity indicators, including self-perceived bad health, anxiety and stress, somatic illnesses (such as asthma and epigastric pain), injuries and accidents, and hospitalization. They were more likely to have poor familial relations and coping skills, and to take up habits which potentially put their health at risk, such as smoking, alcohol consumption, and fighting with others. CONCLUSIONS: Our prevalence estimates of physical abuse in the family setting for a student population in Hong Kong is an improvement over previous local estimates of physical abuse occurrence, which were mainly based on case notifications and clinical samples. The results also show that the abused adolescents are growing up in an environment filled with physical, psychological, and familial adversities.     

School engagement and parental involvement: the case of cross-border students in Singapore

The primary purpose of this paper is to examine the mutual relationship between school engagement of cross-border students (CBS) from Malaysia in Singapore and parental involvement in education. Focus-group interviews were conducted with school personnel, CBS and their non-local counterparts to provide a comprehensive understanding of the situation. The cross-border student group comprises diverse ethnicity and most of them are highly competitive and successful in engaging in the whole educational selection process from the beginning to their exit point. This paper argues that education for the CBS represents both a unique socio-cultural phenomenon in the two Asian societies and a manifestation of a widely shared pragmatic value of educational returns. The findings reveal that the nature of CBS engagement with schools is characterized by voluntary assimilation and is rewarded by the meritocratic system of Singapore.