IEMA

Centre News


August 2016
Paper Presentation at The European Educational Research Association (ECER) Conference 2016, UK

Prof. Allan Walker and his research counterparts, Dr Darren Bryant and Dr James Ko, will give a paper presentation at the ECER Conference 2016 at Dublin, UK on August 22-23, 2016. Their presentation topic is 'How do school leaders in Hong Kong shape policy enactment?'

To know more about their presentation, please visit the ECER 2016 website.

APCLC-HKPI Monograph Series 2016

The APCLC-HKPI Monograph "Reframing Educational Leadership Research in the 21st Century" by Dr David Ng Foo Seong released in Aug 2016.

This Monograph has three goals. The first is to map the data analytical methods used in educational leadership research over the past thirty years (1980–2016). The investigation covers the research methodologies used in Instructional Leadership, Transformational Leadership and Distributed Leadership. The purpose is to establish the types of data collection and analyses methods used to contribute to the development of our current body of knowledge on educational leadership. The second goal is to determine if the current methodologies adopted for the past three decades are still adequate to inform us of the complex interaction patterns, influence, interdependencies and behavioral outcomes that are associated with the social context of the school. The third goal is to explore potential alternative methodologies in the study of educational leadership. These alternative methodologies are gleaned from more recent developments of research methodologies used in other fields. These fields such as health, development of society among others have similarities with the study of educational leadership. The common link are the social contexts and the systems influence involving the spectrum of interactions, change and emergence. We will look at published empirical research and associated theories that look at influence, interdependencies, change and emergence. The hope is that these alternative methodologies will enable us to reframe how educational leadership research can move forward.

The Monograph can be accessed at http://www.eduhk.hk/apclc/monographs.html.

July 2016
APCLC Research Fellow Dr. Choi Taehee won research grant from Research Grants Council’s Early Career Scheme 2015/16

Dr Choi Taehee Fellow of the Asia Pacific Centre for Leadership and Change and Assistant Professor of Department of Education Policy and Leadership, received a Early Career Scheme (ECS) grant of HK$767,782 from the Research Grants Council (HK). The research grant is for a project entitled “State-funded outsourcing of English language education: Does new education privatisation ensure “quality education for all” in Hong Kong secondary schools?"

For more information about the study, please visit the APCLC website.

EPL-APCLC Seminar on Quality Education for All

Dr Choi Taehee and Dr Qian Haiyan, fellows of APCLC, conducted a Seminar on ‘Quality Education for All? Lessons from "Success Cases" of Seoul and Shanghai’ for EdUHK Faculty and students on July 28, 2016. Details of the seminar below:

Date:                                   July 28, 2016
Time:                                   12:30pm to 1:30pm
Venue:                                 D3-P-05, Tai Po Campus, EdUHK
Registration / Enquiries:  Tel: 2948 8476 or ayfchan@eduhk.hk (Mr. Aaron Chan)

About the Seminar:
Different societies strive to enhance their education as it is considered to be tool to raise their competitiveness. This seminar looks into two "success cases". Seoul and Shanghai. Are their practices keeping up with their successful image? Exploring the education of migrant children in Shanghai and practice of outsourcing of public education in Seoul through analysis of policy documents, and case studies, the seminar aims to provide insight into the complexity of ensuring quality education for all.

EPL-APCLC Research Seminar on Teacher Leadership Development and Principal Facilitation

Dr Annie Cheng and Dr Elson Szeto, fellows of APCLC, conducted a Research Seminar on ‘Teacher Leadership Development and Principal Facilitation: Novice Teachers' Perspectives’ for EdUHK Faculty and students on July 15, 2016. Details of the seminar below:

Date:                                   July 15, 2016
Time:                                   12:15pm to 1:30pm
Venue:                                 D4-1/F-20, Tai Po Campus, EdUHK
Registration / Enquiries:  Tel: 2948 8975 or wongts@ied.edu.hk (Mr. Max Wong)

About the Seminar:
This presentation explores novice teachers' perspectives on their teacher leadership roles and their principal's facilitation of their leadership development. A cohort of 20 novice teachers teaching in Hong Kong participated in this study. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and documentary evidence during a two-year period. The results show that six novice teachers performed principal-delegated and teacher-initiated teacher leadership roles facilitated by principals' practices., which are essential for the development of teacher leadership. This has important implications for the roles of teachers and principals in fostering teacher leadership in schools. Teacher educators are also informed for enhancement of initial teacher education.

Leader Learning Seminar on ‘Facing the Change’ for Leaders of Christian & Missionary Alliance Church Union HK

On Friday, 8th July 2016, Dr Lu Jiafang, Associate Director of the APCLC and Associate Professor of Department of Education Policy and Leadership, EdUHK, conducted a leader learning seminar on Facing the Change for all kindergarten principals and their supervisor of Christian & Missionary Alliance Church Union HK. During the seminar, participants engaged with Dr Lu who presented simulations and strategies in facing changes informed by research in successful school leadership and school improvement. The seminar allowed participants to recount and consolidate approaches to manage school in time of change.

Paper Presentation at The Third International Conference on Open and Flexible Education, Hong Kong

Dr James Ko, APCLC research fellow and Assistant Professor of Department of Education Policy and Leadership, EdUHK, gave a paper presentation at The Third International Conference on Open and Flexible Education, Hong Kong on July 6-8, 2016. His paper presentation topic is 'Supporting pre-service teachers in preparing for their teaching practicum: A blended learning approach'.

To know more about Dr Ko’s presentation, please visit the conference website.

School Improvement Institute 2016

Each year the Executive MA in International Educational Leadership and Change (IELC) hosts a School Improvement Institute (SII) for school leaders from throughout the region. The 6th such Institute was held in Hong Kong in early July. The key theme this year is Team Leadership in Context – this year’s theme looks into the influence and impacts of Team Leadership in different contexts by examining contextual factors and leadership practices that impact on team effectiveness. The IELC is a cutting-edge online programme that has attracted school leaders and professionals from Japan, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, Pakistan, Canada, UK, Netherlands, Sweden, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong and Mainland China.

For more information of the Summer Improvement Institute and the IELC programme, please visit: http://www.eduhk.hk/ielc.

 

June 2016
APCLC Knowledge Transfer Support Scheme

The Asia Pacific Centre for Leadership and Change (APCLC) announces the initiation of a Knowledge Transfer Support Scheme (KTSS) in the area of leadership and change.

The KTSS is designed primarily to promote knowledge transfer of research conducted by Centre academics and research fellows to practitioners in school. Applications are limited to teams comprised of EdUHK and APCLC Fellows (i.e., including any of the Research, Senior Research, and Scholar-Practitioner Fellows). Qualified project teams must include a PI who is a full-time EdUHK APCLC Fellow or staff member, and at least 1 co-investigator from the Asia Pacific region who holds a current appointment as an APCLC Research or Scholar-Practitioner Fellow.

Eligible Forms of APCLC -KTSS Projects include:

  • Support for the development of programmes, resources, and instructional tools that flow from recently completed research, or approaching completion, that is otherwise inadequately funded for KT purposes;
  • Support for a development project. For instance, this could take the form of translation and field testing of an APCLC development product or instructional tool. Intellectual property issues related to development products emerging from these funded projects must be clarified at the time of funding; and
  • Projects linked explicitly to an ongoing or completed research or development project conducted by an APCLC Fellow or APCLC staff member.

Applications may be submitted as of July 1 in any given year and will be accepted on a rolling basis throughout the year subject to available remaining funding. For details of the scheme and application, please visit the APCLC website. If you have any enquiries, please contact us at apclc@eduhk.hk or 2948 6257 (Anthon Chu Yan kit).

Keynote Presentation at The Annual Meeting of Academy of International School Heads, Bavaria, Germany

Prof. Allan Walker was invited to give a keynote address at The Annual Meeting of Academy of International School Heads (AISH), Bavaria, Germany on June 27 to July 1, 2016. His keynote topic is 'Harvesting pollen: Leading successful intercultural schools'.

To know more about Prof. Walker’s keynote presentation, please visit the AISH website.

Keynote Presentation at The Education Renovation in Vietnam and the Asian Region conference, Hanoi, Vietnam

Dr Qian Haiyan, APCLC Research Fellow and Assistant Professor of Department of Education Policy and Leadership, EdUHK, gave a keynote address at The Education Renovation in Vietnam and the Asian Region conference, Hanoi, Vietnam organized by a team of partners which includes the British Council, Vietnam; University of Glasgow, Vietnam National University, Education and Vietnam Institute of Educational Science on June 29, 2016. Her keynote topic is 'Experiences and lessons of successful educational reform in China and Shanghai’.

To know more about Dr Qian’s keynote presentation, please visit the THF website.

EPL-APCLC KT Seminar on Curriculum Reform with a School-based Approach

Dr Theodore Lee conducted a KT Seminar on ‘Curriculum Reform with School-based Approach’ for EdUHK Faculty and students on June 14, 2016. Details of the seminar below:

Date:                                   June 14, 2016
Time:                                   12:00nn. to 1:00pm
Venue:                                 D2-LP-12, Tai Po Campus, EdUHK
Registration / Enquiries:  Tel: 2948 8975 or wongts@ied.edu.hk (Mr. Max Wong)

About the Seminar:
Curriculum reform with a school-based approach is often assumed to offer schools and teachers autonomy and flexibility, enabling them to develop a school-based curriculum and pedagogies to better fit the needs of students. Over the last decade, the Hong Kong school-based curriculum development have encountered issues worthy of worldwide concern and discussion. By reviewing experiences in HK and international evidence, this study has identified the key challenges and difficulties in school-based curriculum reform with three aspects. Intellectually, there was a lack of strong and broad shared knowledge base for curriculum development. As a result, most school-based curriculum initiatives were too piecemeal, fragmented and shallow.  Structurally, many teachers wasted time ‘ reinventing the wheel’ when developing school-based curricula. This left them without sufficient time and energy to be effective in teaching. Culturally, the reliance on the school management to steer school-based reforms meant it was unable to build the new culture for teachers to make changes in their daily practices. Without cultural changes, the curriculum reforms are not sustainable and effective. This study proposes a cooperative platforms that integrates the strengths of central intelligence and school-based initiatives to maximize the support of curriculum development at teacher, school-site and system levels.  

Keynote Presentation at The International Symposium on Trilingualism and Trilingual Education in China, Xi'an, China

Dr Choi Taehee, APCLC Research Fellow and Assistant Professor of Department of Education Policy and Leadership, EdUHK, gave a keynote address at The International Symposium on Trilingualism and Trilingual Education in China, Xi'an, China on June 10-13, 2016. Her keynote topic is 'Multilingual education, identity, and educational reforms'.

To know more about Dr Choi’s keynote presentation, please visit the Trilingual Education project website.

Keynote Presentation at The Understand Leadership IB Continuum Workshop, Singapore

Dr Darren Bryant, Associate Director of APCLC and Assistant Professor of Department of Education Policy and Leadership, EdUHK, gave a keynote address at The Understand Leadership IB Continuum Workshop, Singapore on June 10, 2016. His keynote topic is 'Approaches to Leadership Practices in IB Schools'.

To know more about Dr Bryant’s keynote presentation, please visit the IB website.

KT Seminar on Making Practicum a Successful Experience

Dr Choi Taehee and Dr James Ko conducted a KT Seminar on ‘Making Practicum a Successful Experience’ for EdUHK Faculty and students on June 2, 2016. Details of the seminar below:

Date:           June 2, 2016
Time:           1:00pm to 2:00pm
Venue:         B4-LP-13, Tai Po Campus, EdUHK

About the Seminar:
This seminar will present an overview of digital course with 9 lessons on various topics and e-learning activities that required reflective engagement of learners and professional dialogues with peers. The project holders will discuss the findings on student teachers’ senses of agency and work experience during the teaching practicum.  In specific, it will be argued that a successful practicum experience may not be dependent on the actual performance in observed lessons, but ore their confidence in their capacities in providing instructional and emotional support to their students and their senses of work accomplishment in the practicum contexts. The challenge of developing an effective intervention to promote student teachers’ agency beliefs and pedagogical awareness will be discussed. Some considerations of student teachers and experienced teachers on giving feedback o students will be compared.

To know more about the Seminar, please visit: www.eduhk.hk/lttc/pd  .

Leadership Training at St. Margaret’s Co-educational English Secondary and Primary School

On Wednesday, 1 June 2016, Dr. Darren Bryant, Associate Director of the APCLC, conducted leadership training at St. Margaret’s Co-educational English Secondary and Primary School.  He worked with 16 middle and senior leaders in a session entitled “Using Professional Learning Communities to support the work of schools”.  The workshop focussed on using the PLC approach as a means to embed capacity building within the normal work of leaders and teams.
May 2016
APCLC Research Fellow Dr Qian Haiyan, awarded the Early Career Research Excellence Award

Dr. Qian Haiyan, Research Fellow of APCLC, was awarded the Early Career Research Excellence Award in May 2016. Dr Qian’s research project, “Leading School-based Research to Improve Student Learning: Lessons from Shanghai”, was funded by the Early Career Scheme in 2014-2015. The project was rated “excellent” (with a full score of 5.0) and won an Early Career Award from the Research Grants Council. Only 22 of the 359 early-career scholars funded by the RGC in 2014/15 received this prestigious award. The project aims at building an in-depth understanding of the leadership strategies and practices associated with the successful promotion and implementation of school-based research in Shanghai. The findings will have substantial implications for schools around the world, and for Hong Kong in particular.

For more information about the study, please visit the APCLC website.

APCLC Research Fellows Gave Presentations on PD Initiatives in In-Depth Use of Learning Management Systems

Dr Theodore Lee and Dr James Ko, APCLC Research Fellows and Assistant Professors of Department of Education Policy and Leadership, gave presentations on PD Initiatives in In-Depth Use of Learning Management Systems to EdUHK Faculty on May 31, 2016. Their presentation topics are:

1. Designing Technology-enhanced Formative Assessment Tasks to Develop First-year Students’ Higher-thinking Skills.
2. Designing Systematic Blended Learning Strategies with Locally Relevant Resources to Support Teaching and Learning of an ES Core Course
3. Navigation and User Experience of the New Moodle Platform

To know more about their presentations, please visit: www.eduhk.hk/lttc/pd

Paper presentation at The IB Educator Certificate University Conference 2016

Prof. Allan Walker and his IB research counterparts, Dr Darren Bryant of HKIEd and Prof. Lee Moosung of University of Canberra gave a presentation at The IB Educator Certificate University Conference 2016 in Kent of the USA on May 23, 2016. Their presentation topic is “How does participation in the IB continuum relate to Student Learning Outcomes?”

To know more about their paper presentation, please visit the IBEC University Conference website.

Visit for Prof. Geoffrey Riordan of University of Canberra

Prof. Geoffrey Riordan, Dean of Faculty of Education, Science, Technology & Maths at the University of Canberra, visited the APCLC on May 24, 2016. During his visit, Prof. Riordan and Prof. Allan Walker will discuss possible joint research and development initiatives on leadership and learning through the University of Canberra, the FEHD & APCLC of HKIEd.



Visit for Mr. Azad Oommen of Central Square Foundation

Mr. Azad Oommen, Executive Director of the Central Square Foundation (CSF), will visit the APCLC on May 24, 2016. During his visit, Mr. Oommen and Prof. Allan Walker discussed possible development initiatives on improving education in India through the CSF and the APCLC.



Excellent Leadership of Learning and Teaching Programme

Around 450 principals, teacher leaders and scholar-practitioners from more than 100 Hong Kong primary and secondary schools came together for the FEHD-APCLC Knowledge Transfer programme 2016, titled “Excellent Leadership of Learning and Teaching”.

Participants engaged with Prof. Chiu Chi-shing, Professor of the Department of Education Policy and Leadership and Associate Director of The Joseph Lau Luen Hung Charitable Trust Asia Pacific Centre for Leadership and Change (APCLC) and The Centre for Excellence for Learning and Teaching, and his school development team presented strategies to improve student outcomes under the new curriculum and examined how we can systematically develop outstanding learning and teaching teams. The programme allowed participants to:

  • further understand and integrate how leadership in learning and teaching facilitates effective learning, including class preparation, class observation, assessment of teaching & learning and teaching effectiveness; and
  • better use data and evidence to evaluate school development; and to cope with new expectations of teaching and learning, such as
    self-directed learning, e-learning and Science-Technology-Engineering-Math (STEM) education.

Our learning and teaching leadership programmes are part of the Faculty of Education and Human Development and the APCLC’s commitment to supporting quality leading, learning and teaching in Hong Kong and across the region.



APCLC wins Public Policy Research Grant of Central Policy Unit, HKSARG

Dr Annie Cheng and Dr Elson Szeto were awarded a competitive PPR grant of Central Policy Unit, Hong Kong Government to examine impact of Mainland exchange programmes, study tours and volunteer activities on Hong Kong youth’s national identity.

This study aims to:

  • examine secondary students’ perceptions of their national identity;
  • evaluate whether the Mainland exchange activities have influences on students’ perceptions of national identity;
  • identify which types of those activities can enhance their formation of national identity; and
  • identify what factors of Mainland exchange activities attribute to their change in national identity.  

For more information about the project, please visit the project website.



ECE-APCLC Public Seminar on May 10, 2016

Dr. Bev Flückiger, Associate Professor of Griffith University conducted a Seminar on 'Age Appropriate Pedagogies in the Early Years of School ' for HKIEd academic staff and students on May 10, 2016.

  • Date: May 10, 2016 (Tuesday)
  • Time: 12:30pm to 1:30pm
  • Venue: D4-G-02, Hong Kong Institute of Education, Tai Po Campus
  • Enquires / Registration: Tel: 2948 7762 (Helen Cheung) Email: plcheung@ied.edu.hk

About the Seminar
This session reports on the first stage of an initiative designed to refocus pedagogies in Queensland Preparatory Year (Prep) classrooms in order to address increasing concerns about the 'schoolification' of young children at an increasingly younger age. Developed in partnership between the Queensland Department of Education and Training (DET) and the Griffith Institute for Educational Research (GIER), the initiative consists of a professional learning program and an associated research program.

The innovative design of the initiative ensured that it was both research-informed and research-led. The nature of the design is presented along with aspects of the research method to demonstrate how pedagogical change was enacted effectively and supported through partnerships between schools and researchers. The findings of the research focus on leaders and leading, teachers and teaching, and learners and learning and demonstrate the positive benefits for children's engagement and learning that emerged from age-appropriate pedagogies. The positive findings led to a decision to continue the professional learning program, and associated research into 115 schools, thus broadening its scope in 2016.


KT Seminar on Blended Learning in Hong Kong

Dr Darren Bryant, Associate Director of APCLC and Assistant Professor of Department of Education Policy and leadership of HKIEd, with Mr Darren Harbutt conducted a knowledge transfer seminar on Blended Learning in Hong Kong. In the seminar, Dr Bryant and Mr Harbutt led presentations on the BOLT project so far, sharing success stories, reporting on upcoming events and offering an opportunity to engage in discussion about blended learning in a Hong Kong context. Details of the seminar below:

  • Date: May 10, 2016 (Tuesday)
  • Time: 12:45pm to 2:15pm (light lunch from 12:30 to 12:45pm)
  • Venue: ACC 209, 2/F Jockey Club Academic Community Centre, Hong Kong Baptist University
  • Enquires / Registration: Tel: 3411-7231

To know more about the Seminar, please visit: http://www.bolt.edu.hk .

KT Workshop on School Reform and Effective Team Leadership

Dr Lu Jiafang, Associate Director of APCLC and Associate Professor of Department of Education Policy and leadership of HKIEd, conducted a knowledge transfer workshop on School Reform and Effective Team Leadership for Guangdong Province Kindergartens, Primary and Secondary school principals on May 11, 2016 at Guangdong University of Education. In the workshop, Dr. Lu presented successful principal leadership on school reforms. Participants were allowed to examine strategies and development plans for uplifting their school teams and student outcomes.

Visit for Dr Bev Fluckiger of Griffith University, Australia

Dr. Bev Flückiger, Associate Professor, School of Education and Professional Studies of Griffith University, visited the APCLC on May 4-10, 2016. During her visit, she and Prof. Allan Walker discussed possible collaborative research for leaders in in early childhood education between the APCLC and the Griffith University. She also conducted an knowledge transfer seminar on ‘Age Appropriate Pedagogies’ for the HKIEd faculty on May 10, 2016.

Visit for Director of Dulwich International Suizhou High School

Ms Karen Moffat, Director of Dulwich International Suizhou High School, visited the APCLC on May 7, 2016. During her visit, she and Prof. Allan Walker discussed the possible leader development and leader learning programmes for the Dulwich International.



APCLC Knowledge transfer and leader learning workshop on May 4, 2016

On Wednesday 4 May, 2016, Dr. Darren Bryant, Associate Director of APCLC and Assistant Professor of Department of Education Policy and Leadership of HKIEd, delivered a knowledge transfer and leader learning workshop entitled Appraisal: Using Evidence for Learning and Change to the senior and middle leadership team at St. Margaret’s Co-Educational English Secondary and Primary School. Together, they examined standards of effective appraisal policy and practice.

Visit for Prof. Greer Johnson of Griffith University, Australia

Prof. Greer Johnson, Director, Griffith Institute for Educational Research and Professor at School of Education and Professional Studies of Griffith University, visited the APCLC on May 4, 2016. During her visit, she and Prof. Allan Walker discussed possible collaborative research for leader learning between the APCLC and the Griffith University.

April 2016


The 54th Annual Meeting of Journal of Educational Administration

On 10 April, the 54th Annual meeting of the Journal of Educational Administration (JEA), hosted by the APCLC, was held in Washington, D.C. in conjunction with the American Educational Research Association’s Annual Meeting 2016. Following a meeting of the Editorial Advisory Board, board members were joined by JEA authors, reviewers, and other international affiliates of the APCLC to honour the winners of three annual awards that are bestowed by JEA. Participants from Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Israel, The United Kingdom and The United States were in attendance.

The A. Ross Thomas Outstanding Paper Award is selected annually by EAB members from among the 36 papers published in the most recently completed volume of JEA. JEA sponsors the Educational Leadership and Strategy category of the Emerald / European Foundation for Management and Development Outstanding Doctoral Research Award. Each year JEA selects the Outstanding and Highly Recommended dissertations. Winners of the Outstanding Dissertation receive an certificate and a cash prize. While the ODRA acknowledges the work of new scholars in our field, the JEA Legacy Award is bestowed on senior international scholars who have made a sustained and influential contribution by developing key research areas. Each author has contributed a Legacy Paper to JEA.

Joseph Lau Chair Professor Allan Walker and Professor Philip Hallinger, editors of JEA, are pleased to announce the following award winners:

'A. Ross Thomas Outstanding Paper Award’

Outstanding Paper:
Jason A. Grissom , Susanna Loeb and Hajime Mitani (2015). Principal time management skills: Explaining patterns in principals’ time use, job stress, and perceived effectiveness. Journal of Educational Administration, 53(6), pp.773 - 793.

Highly Commended Papers:
Heather E. Price (2015). Principals’ social interactions with teachers: How principal-teacher social relations correlate with teachers’ perceptions of student engagement, Journal of Educational Administration, 53(1), pp.116 - 139.

Linda C. Lee (2015). School performance trajectories and the challenges for principal succession, Journal of Educational Administration, 53(2), pp.262 - 286.

'Emerald / European Foundation for Management and Development (EFMD)
Outstanding Doctoral Research Award’
(Highly Commended Doctoral Research is also acknowledged)

Outstanding Doctoral Research:
Dr. Izhak Berkovich
The Open University of Israel
“Transformational leadership in education and emotional reframing”

Highly Commended Doctoral Research:
Dr. Haim Shaked
Bar-Ilan University, Israel
"Systems thinking in school leadership: Characteristics, sources and development"

'Legacy Awards'

  Daniel Duke
Professor
University of Virginia

Legacy Paper @ JEA, 53(5): 682-697
Organizing education: Schools, school districts, and the study of organizational history
  Martha McCarthy
Presidential Professor
Loyola Marymount University

Legacy Paper @ JEA, 53(3): 416-438
Reflections on the evolution of educational leadership preparation programs in the United States and challenges ahead
  Rodney Ogawa
Professor
University of California

Legacy Paper @ JEA, 53(6): 794-804
Change of mind: How organization theory led me to move from studying educational reform to pursuing educational design


School Principal Forum
Student Engagement in the Age of Distraction

More than 100 Educational leaders from aided, government, direct subsidy and international schools, and school sponsoring bodies came to the School Principal Forum organized by the Asia Pacific Centre for Leadership and Change (APCLC) to discuss Student Engagement in the Age of Distraction. The Forum was held on April 21 at the YMCA of Hong Kong.

Participants engaged with Professor Steve Cardwell of University of British Columbia who presented factors that contribute to student engagement within the culture of schools. The forum allowed participants to understand and integrate personalized learning to support student engagement and, more importantly, to create positive learning environments to enhance student engagement.

Our regular high profile Principal Forums are part of the APCLC's commitment to supporting high quality school leadership in Hong Kong and across the region.


Paper Presentations at Roundtables and Symposiums of The American Educational Research Association (AERA) Annual Meeting 2016

Prof. Allan Walker (Director of APCLC and Dean of FEHD), Dr Darren Bryant (Associate Director of APCLC), Prof. Cheng Yin Cheong, Prof. Stephan Huber, Dr Guri Skedsmo, Dr. Qian Haiyan, Dr. Theodore Lee and Dr. James Ko (APCLC Research Fellows), Prof. Lee Moosung (APCLC International affiliate) and Dr Tiffany Li (APCLC alumnus) gave paper presentations at the AERA Annual Meeting 2016 at Washington DC on April 8-12, 2016.

Their paper topics are:

  "Exploring the Link of Between Participation in the International Baccalaureate Continuum an Student Learning Outcomes”
  “A Contextualized Instructional Model in China: Perceptions in Shenzhen and Guangzhou”
  “World School Leadership Study: Concepts and Design”
  “Curriculum Reform with a School Based Approach in Hong Kong: Intellectual, Structural and Cultural Challenges”

To know more, please visit the AERA 2016 website.

Visit for Professor Shi Kan of Renmin University of China

Prof. Shi Kan, Professor of Psychology and Human Resources Management from Renmin University China visited the APCLC on April 29, 2016. During his visit, he and Prof. Allan Walker and Dr Lu Jiafang discussed possible collaborative research in international education between the APCLC and Renmin University of China.

Visit for Senior Researcher of Griffith University

Dr. Richard Glen, Senior Researcher of Griffith University visited the APCLC on April 26, 2016. During his visit, he and Dr. Darren Bryant, Associate Director of APCLC discussed possible collaborative IB research endeavours between the Griffih University and the APCLC.

APCLC KT Seminar on April 19, 2016

Dr Steve Cardwell conducted a KT Seminar on 'Perspectives on Student Engagement ' for more than 20 HKIEd faculty and post graduates on April 19, 2016.

About the Seminar
In this interactive seminar with Dr. Steve Cardwell, we explored notions of student engagement. How students are engaged or disengaged in their school experience were discussed as we try to understand education from the students' point of view. Ideas for enhancing the conditions necessary for students to be deeply engaged in their learning and the implications for practice are considered.

About Dr. Steve Cardwell
Steve Cardwell is Professor of Teaching and Director of the Transformative Educational Leadership Program at the University of British Columbia, and a former Superintendent and CEO of the Vancouver School District. He holds a doctorate in Educational Leadership with a focus on student engagement in urban secondary schools.

Steve began his career as a science and biology teacher in northen British Columbia, and over a 35-year career has held a variety of leadership roles in professional associations and the education system. Most recently, he has served as President of the BC School Superintendents' Association and has been appointed to the national Canadian Education Association Council. In 2013 Steve received the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee medal for his outstanding service to public education.

Steve is known for his valuing of ethical leadership and responsibility, building and fostering strong working relationships, leading with technology and demonstrating exemplary communication skills. Steve recently served on the BC Council for International Education and maintains a strong interest in building multi-cultural connections and awareness on a global level.





March 2016
APCLC School Principal Forum on April 21, 2016

Dr Steve Cardwell conducted a School Principal forum on 'Student Engagement in an Age of Distraction' for APCLC in April 2016. Details below:

    Date:      April 21, 2016 (Thursday)
    Time:      9:00am to 4:00pm
    Venue:    Assembly Hall, YMCA of Hong Kong
    Enquires: Tel: 2948 8270 (Eugene Wong) Email: apclc@ied.edu.hk
   (Participation is by invitation only.)

About the Forum
The essential role of the school principal in supporting student engagement is one that is often overlooked in research and principal development.  This interactive forum aims to explore the relationship between student engagement and academic outcomes, with a particular focus on intellectual engagement.  Participants will explore implications with respect to student engagement for policy and practice within their own contexts. 

Key Areas of Learning:

  1. What are some factors that contribute to student engagement within the culture of schools and what are some solutions?
  2. How might we facilitate understanding and integration of personalized learning to support student engagement and success?
  3. How should we create positive learning environments to enhance student engagement?

About Dr. Steve Cardwell
Steve Cardwell is Professor of Teaching and Director of the Transformative Educational Leadership Program at the University of British Columbia, and a former Superintendent and CEO of the Vancouver School District. He holds a doctorate in Educational Leadership with a focus on student engagement in urban secondary schools.

Steve began his career as a science and biology teacher in northen British Columbia, and over a 35-year career has held a variety of leadership roles in professional associations and the education system. Most recently, he has served as President of the BC School Superintendents' Association and has been appointed to the national Canadian Education Association Council. In 2013 Steve received the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee medal for his outstanding service to public education.

Steve is known for his valuing of ethical leadership and responsibility, building and fostering strong working relationships, leading with technology and demonstrating exemplary communication skills. Steve recently served on the BC Council for International Education and maintains a strong interest in building multi-cultural connections and awareness on a global level.


Keynote Presentation and International Leader Learning Workshops at the CIS Symposium on Intercultural Learning,
Hong Kong

Prof. Allan Walker presented a keynote address at the Council of International School Research Symposium on Intercultural Learning in Hong Kong on March 3-4, 2016.

An audience of around 100 influential international education leaders and scholar-practitioners attended the Symposium. Prof Walker’s presentation is entitled “All things to all people? Ongoing tension around intercultural school leadership”.

To know more about the CIS Symposium, please visit the Symposium website.





Asia Leadership Roundtable 2016

The Asia Leadership Round Table (2010-2016) is a series of meetings called by the Joseph Lau Luen Hung Charitable Trust Asia Pacific Centre for Leadership and Chang of HKIEd. It is now widely regarded as a premier ideas forum for discussion around school leadership in the Asia-Pacific region. In 2016, themed Surfacing indigenous leader practices (knowledge), the conference was held in Singapore and was opened by Prof. Tan Oon Seng, Director of NIE Singapore and Professor Allan Walker from HKIEd. Scholars, practitioners and policy makers from 15 countries across five continents attended the 2016 Roundtable. A highlight was a recount of the academic impact of the Roundtable and formal APCLC research agenda after its first six years.

To find out more, please visit http://www.ied.edu.hk/apclc/roundtable2016/index.html.