Handling national controversy on the education frontline: perceptions of Hong Kong teachers on the pedagogies for National Education

ABSTRACT

During the turbulent 2018–19 school year, we researched Hong Kong teachers’ perceptions regarding the design and implementation of National Education in schools for students aged 12–17. We seek to make a contribution to understandings of aspects of the cultural, political and social dimensions and contexts relevant to teacher education. 41 civic and/or national education teachers were interviewed about their educational aims, content, teaching methods and assessment approaches. Teachers believe National Education should deliver and assess knowledge of China and nurture students’ identification with the nation through teaching Chinese culture and history via a balanced pedagogical approach and experiential learning. They discuss the relationship between Hong Kong and China, and conclude that teaching about the Chinese government is unavoidable. This indicates that in addition to teachers’ long established cultural, civic and cosmopolitan forms of nationalism, they are now using national unity and economy-induced nationalism to frame their professional work. These findings are significant because they indicate teachers’ fundamental and educational characterisations of National Education at this crucial juncture of Hong Kong; highlight the issues that should be considered for any programmeof initial or in-service teacher education; and, ultimately, indicate the nature of what may possibly be implemented in schools.

KEYWORDS:

• Hong Kong national education
• teacher perceptions
• aims
• content
• teaching methods
• assessment

Acknowledgments

This study was funded by General Research Fund of University Grants Committee (#18604317)

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the General Research Fund, University Grants Committee [18604317].

Notes on contributors

Eric King-Man Chong

Eric King-Man Chong is interested in citizenship education, global citizenship, interdisciplinary curriculum and teaching methods, national identity and Hong Kong politics.

Jun Hu

Jun Hu is research assistant at the Education University of Hong Kong.

Eric Chi-Keung Cheng

Eric Chi-Keung Cheng is a specialist in knowledge management and Lesson Study. He earned his Doctor of Education in education management from the University of Leicester.

Ian Davies

Ian Davies has wide international experience in global citizenship education, researching and publishing extensively as well as supervising and teaching undergraduate, masters and PhD students.

Hayes Hei-Hang Tang

Hayes Hei-Hang Tang is assistant professor at the Education University of Hong Kong. He is interested in the fields of education policy, higher education, academic profession and youth studies. His research focuses on the sociological role of higher education in entrepreneurial society and the global city.

Yan Wing Leung

Yan Wing Leung is adjunct associate professor at the Education University of Hong Kong.

Steven Chung-Fun Hung

Steven Chung-Fun Hung is assistant professor at the Education University of Hong Kong. His research interests are education policy of civic education, student movement and political participation, Hong Kong history with contemporary China, history of Hong Kong education and education policy, sociology of knowledge and curriculum, historical and comparative methodology.