Teachers’ perceptions of the effect of selected leadership practices on pre-primary children’s learning in Hong Kong

ABSTRACT

This study attempts to identify the leadership practices in Hong Kong pre-primary schools, and to examine their impact on children's learning. A total of 287 key stakeholders, including principals, curriculum leaders and teachers, completed the questionnaires. The study adopted a structural equation model to examine the dimensions of leadership practices. The results of confirmatory factor analyses suggest that core leadership practices can be measured in accordance with the following four dimensions: setting directions for curriculum design and development; developing people in schools; building a collaborative and reflective culture; and improving teaching effectiveness. Multiple regression analysis reveals that the implementation of those leadership practices has a positive influence on children's whole-person development in terms of knowledge, skills, and attitudes. This evidence confirms the findings of previous studies that children's development and learning are enhanced through teacher leadership practices in schools.

KEYWORDS:

• Teacher leadership
• early childhood education
• leadership practices
• children’ learning
• Hong Kong

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Alan Chi Keung Cheung is currently Chair and Professor in the Department of Educational Administration and Policy and Director of the Centre for University and School Partnership (CUSP) at The Chinese University of Hong Kong. His research areas include curriculum reform, reading interventions, and research reviews. He has been involved in many largescale randomized experiments and studies on these topics and is the author or co-author of numerous journal articles, book chapters, and technical reports.

Chrysa Pui Chi Keung is a Postdoctoral Fellow of the Centre for University and School Partnership (CUSP) at The Chinese University of Hong Kong. Her research focuses on early childhood education, teacher beliefs and practices, parental involvement and children's play-based learning.

Paula Yu Kwong Kwan is an Associate Professor in the Department of Educational Administration and Policy at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. Her research interests are school leadership, socialization of principals, and principal development.

Louisa Yuet Sai Cheung is currently Honorary Professional Consultant of the Centre for University and School Partnership (CUSP) at The Chinese University of Hong Kong. She had been Administrative Coordinator of CUSP from 2003 to 2015. She had coordinated different large-scale school development projects. Her research interests include leadership development, design, practice and evaluation of curriculum, fostering learning communities of practice and self-directed learning.

ORCID

Chrysa Pui Chi Keung http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5072-4002

Notes

1 The performance indicators used in Hong Kong help pre-primary teachers to identify the parameters for improving the quality of early childhood education.

2 The children involved in the participating classes were aged from two to six years old.

Additional information

Funding

This study was supported by the Quality Education Fund of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR).