Education officials, specialist leaders and teachers have all been involved in different ways to bring about school reform in Hong Kong. This book is a very current and relevant analysis of this reform, highlighting the way in which agencies have cooperated in bringing about change over the last several decades. Through a process of wide-ranging decision-making, collaboration and consensus among key bodies and agencies of change, some important developments have occurred. The reforms collectively have had, and are continuing to have, a major impact upon schooling in Hong Kong.This volume represents a range of authors and specialists involved in a number of different reforms, covering themes such as historical policy contexts, new curriculum approaches, changing pedagogies, school leadership, implementation and change, and assessment and evaluation. This is a very topical book which provides a probing analysis of how an Asian education system has been able to reach and maintain a very high performing level.

1. Asia's High Performing Education System: the Case of Hong Kong Colin Marsh and John Chi-Kin Lee Part 1: Policy Context 2. Curriculum Reforms in Hong Kong: Historical and Changing Socio-political Contexts John Chi-Kin Lee 3. Centralization and Decentralization: An Historical Analysis of School-Based Curriculum Development Initiatives in Hong Kong Colin Marsh, Pual Morris and J.T.Y. Lo Part 2: Curriculum for New Times 4. Ideology and Priorities of School Curriculum in Hong Kong Shirley Sze-Yin Yeung 5. "Learning to Learn" Basic Curriculum Anthony Wai-Lun Leung 6. Liberal Studies in Hong Kong: Teachers' Space, Place and Fusion of Horizons John Tak-Shing Lam 7. National Identity and Patriotism in Hong Kong's Educational Reform: Student Attributes and Contested Curriculum Structures Kerry J. Kennedy and Xiaoxue Kuang Part 3: Changing Classrooms 8. The Impact of the Learning Study Approach on Chinese Classrooms - the Hong Kong Experience Po-Yuk Ko 9. Small Class Teaching in Hong Kong - Seizing the Opportunities Kwok-Chan Lai, Paul Kam-Wing Chan and John Chi-Kin Lee Part 4: School Leadership 10. Transformational School Leadership: Principals' Strategic Vision and Teacher Development Practices James Yue-On Ko and Allan D. Walker 11. Curriculum Leadership Developments - Lessons Learned and Achievements Made Kwok-Tung Tsui Part 5: Curriculum Change and Implementation 12. Initiating Change and Innovations Edmond Hau-Fai Law 13. Curriculum Reform Implementation at the Classroom Level: Impacts and Challenges Jacqueline Kin-Sang Chan and Ping-Kwan Fok 14. Changes in English Language Education: Ideology and Reform Strategies Alice W.K. Chow Part 6: Assessment 15. Assessment for Learning in Hong Kong: Conceptions, Issues and Implications Rita Berry 16. School-Based Assessment in Secondary Schools Zi Yan 17. Accountability and Improvement: Lessons from Studying Hong Kong Teachers' Conceptions of Assessment Sammy King-Fai Hui Part 7: Quality Assurance and School Evaluation 18.The Role of Quality Assurance System in the Implementation of Curriculum Reform Chi Chung Lam 19. The Effectiveness of Quality Assurance Mechanism for School Improvement Eric Chi-Keung Cheng and John Chi-Kin Lee 20. Curriculum and Teaching Reforms: Challenges and Prospects John Chi-Kin Lee