Policy into practice in Hong Kong pre-primary kindergartens: the impact of a reform agenda viewing early childhood as the foundation for lifelong learning

In this paper we outline the provision of pre-primary education in the Hong Kong SAR and discuss how the educational reform initiatives of 2000 (Learning to Learn) and global imperatives provided the impetus to reshape a new educational approach to early childhood education. We use the example of a half-day pre-primary (kindergarten) programme to illustrate the ways in which policy and guidelines are enacted and how they appear to reflect all the attributes of the reform movement that have adopted contemporary ideas from the international educational arena. We highlight the interpretations and enactments of these new educational imperatives in a system that has a long history of different cultural pedagogical traditions that often do not resonate with western pedagogical approaches.     

Efficient point-by-point engine calibration using machine learning and sequential design of experiment strategies

Modern engines are controlled by electronic control units, which operate all the engine actuators based on the signals from various sensors in the engine. Traditionally, the control parameters of the actuators are obtained through huge amount of trial-and-error experiments. However, using traditional approach to calibrate these parameters becomes more challenging with the increasing incorporation of new technologies into advanced engines. In order to reduce the number of experiments required in the calibration process of modern engines, a novel point-by-point engine calibration approach based on machine learning methods is proposed in this study. It is an iterative procedure that, for a given operating point, sequential design of experiment (DoE) strategy is utilized to measure the responses of different engine sensors corresponding to different actuator signals, and a machine learning algorithm called initial-training-free online extreme learning machine is utilized to incrementally learn the relationship between the sensors and actuators based on the measurement acquired. In each iterative cycle, meta-heuristic optimization is performed on the machine-learning-based model to search for the best parameters, which are then used as the initial parameters for generating DoE plan of the next cycle. The iteration is repeated until the optimal parameters of that operating point are found. To verify the effectiveness of the proposed approach, experiments on both simulation engine in commercial software and real engine in test bench have been conducted. The results show that the engine calibration can be carried out with significant fewer experiments and time by using the proposed approach.     

Long-term Tai Chi exercise increases body stability of the elderly during stair ascent under high and low illumination*

The effects of long-term Tai Chi exercise on body stability of the elderly during stair ascent under high and low illumination were investigated. Forty-five healthy elderly women were divided into three groups, namely, Tai Chi exercise group, brisk walking group and no-exercise control group. All the participants ascended a staircase, during which force platforms and a motion capture system collected the data. Under the high illumination, Tai Chi exercise participants exhibited higher loading rate and anteroposterior centre of pressure (COP_ap) displacement as well as a lower braking impulse than no-exercise group. Under the low illumination, Tai Chi exercise participants demonstrated higher COP_ap and mediolateral centre of pressure (COP_ml) displacements as well as lower braking and lateral impulses compared with no-exercise participants. The centre of mass (COM)_ml sway in Tai Chi and no exercise participants were higher, the loading rates in Tai Chi and walking participants were higher, and the lateral impulse in no exercise participants was higher under low illumination than under high illumination. Thus, low illumination increases the risk of falling. Tai Chi participants increased their foot clearance, head inclination angle and COP_ap displacement under low illumination to increase their stability during stair ascent.     

Comparing Indirect Effects in SEM: A Sequential Model Fitting Method Using Covariance-Equivalent Specifications

In social science research, an indirect effect occurs when the influence of an antecedent variable on the effect variable is mediated by an intervening variable. To compare indirect effects within a sample or across different samples, structural equation modeling (SEM) can be used if the computer program supports model fitting with nonlinear constraints. However, such an option is not routinely available in every popular software program. In this study, the basic idea of generating covariance-equivalent models in SEM is given and a sequential model fitting method is proposed as an alternative without the need to use nonlinear constraints. Under this method, the hypothesized model is transformed into a set of successive covariance-equivalent models so that an indirect effect is reparameterized as a single model parameter in the final transformed model. Real examples are given to illustrate how the proposed method is implemented using EQS, a SEM program that currently does not support the analysis with nonlinear constraints.     

Internationalization or commodification? A case study of internationalization practices in Taiwan’s higher education

This article examines how commodification and consumerism have sharpened the discourse of internationalization in Taiwan’s higher education. Given the strong sense of crisis in the less prestigious universities, this article argues that internationalization is only a means to survive instead of a pursuit of excellence to these universities. This empirical finding leads us to rethink the concept of internationalization and its relevance and application to Taiwan’s higher education. This article adopts a case study approach to investigate the practices of internationalization, including program and institutional mobility, overseas networking, curriculum design, teaching, and administrative support. The implications of these internationalization practices for sustainability and quality in higher education development are then discussed.     

从领导的视角看香港幼儿教育的学习空间:一种现象学的方法

近年来,香港的幼儿教育开始受到重视,政府对幼儿教育机构负责人的管理也开始加强。本文籍由从事现象学研究的学者常用的访谈法对6位幼儿期教育机构的领导进行了访谈,访谈的内容主要涉及与学习概念有关的个人发展经历和其在幼儿教育机构工作时的经验。从幼儿教育机构的领导的视角来看待香港幼儿教育的学习空间,本文探索了在他们的早期学校教育、教师培训和幼儿教育机构教学经历中的一些好的学习经验以及成人学习与幼儿学习的明显区别。     

The nature of Chinese Language classroom learning environments in Singapore secondary schools

This article reports findings from a classroom environment study which was designed to investigate the nature of Chinese Language classroom environments in Singapore secondary schools. We used a perceptual instrument, the Chinese Language Classroom Environment Inventory, to investigate teachers’ and students’ perceptions towards their Chinese Language classroom learning environments using six dimensions, namely, Student Cohesiveness, Teacher Support, Involvement, Cooperation, Task Orientation and Equity. The investigation was carried out using a sample of 1,460 secondary three (Grade 9) students from 50 Chinese Language classes in 25 Singapore government secondary schools. The nature of the Chinese Language classroom learning environments was interpreted from analyses of the perception scores obtained, as well as from various comparisons of the perception scores between different groups. Although both the Chinese Language teachers and students perceived their present classroom learning environments positively, they would like improvements in all the six dimensions of the classroom learning environments under investigation. Also teachers perceived a more positive classroom learning environment than their students in the same class. In addition, female students perceived their actual and preferred classroom environments more positively than their male counterparts.