PhD Candidate in the Department of Early Childhood Education (ECE) at EdUHK. Editorial Assistant of The Journal for Journal for the Study of Education and Development (JSED).
Born and raised in Hong Kong. I obtained my bachelor's degree in Child Development (emphasis: research and teaching) at The University of Hong Kong (HKU). I am a qualified ECE teacher and special childcare worker. After completing my bachelor’s degree, I work as a Research Assistant and study my PhD at The Education University of Hong Kong.
My research mainly focuses on Arts and Creativity, curriculum, pedagogical practices, and professional development.
E-mail: jerry926yeung@gmail.com Supervisors: Dr. Alfredo Bautista
Arts and Creativity is one learning area of Hong Kong's official kindergarten curriculum ... more Arts and Creativity is one learning area of Hong Kong's official kindergarten curriculum framework. Kindergarten teachers are expected to foster children's creativity via four art forms: music, visual arts, dance, and drama. However, prior studies have investigated the provision of activities for each of the art forms in isolation and have not explored the demographic variables that predict teachers' provision of arts education activities. Investigating the provision of the four art forms and its relationship with teachers' demographics could provide an overview of the status of arts education in Hong Kong kindergartens. We had two research goals: (1) investigate the frequency with which kindergarten teachers conduct arts education activities focusing on music, visual arts, dance, and drama; (2) identify subgroups of teachers who differ regarding the provision of arts education activities and analyze how key demographic variables predict their memberships to these subgroups. We surveyed 477 teachers. Descriptive statistics, latent profile analysis, and multinomial logistic regression analysis were performed. We found that the presence of the four art forms was unbalanced. Participants reported conducting music and visual arts activities frequently, while dance and drama activities were occasionally or rarely conducted. Moreover, we identified three subgroups of teachers who provided arts education activities with different frequencies. Participants with a master's degree and those who worked in government-funded kindergartens were more likely to be in the highest arts provision group. Findings suggest that the curriculum is not being implemented accurately, as teachers do not equally expose children to the four art forms. We interpret these findings as a reflection of teachers' uneven preparation in the various art forms. Implications for educational policy regarding professional development are discussed.
Arts and Creativity is one learning area of Hong Kong's official kindergarten curriculum framewor... more Arts and Creativity is one learning area of Hong Kong's official kindergarten curriculum framework. Kindergarten teachers are expected to foster children's creativity via four art forms: music, visual arts, dance, and drama. However, prior studies have investigated the provision of activities for each of the art forms in isolation and have not explored the demographic variables that predict teachers' provision of arts education activities. Investigating the provision of the four art forms and its relationship with teachers' demographics could provide an overview of the status of arts education in Hong Kong kindergartens. We had two research goals: (1) investigate the frequency with which kindergarten teachers conduct arts education activities focusing on music, visual arts, dance, and drama; (2) identify subgroups of teachers who differ regarding the provision of arts education activities and analyze how key demographic variables predict their memberships to these subgroups. We surveyed 477 teachers. Descriptive statistics, latent profile analysis, and multinomial logistic regression analysis were performed. We found that the presence of the four art forms was unbalanced. Participants reported conducting music and visual arts activities frequently, while dance and drama activities were occasionally or rarely conducted. Moreover, we identified three subgroups of teachers who provided arts education activities with different frequencies. Participants with a master's degree and those who worked in government-funded kindergartens were more likely to be in the highest arts provision group. Findings suggest that the curriculum is not being implemented accurately, as teachers do not equally expose children to the four art forms. We interpret these findings as a reflection of teachers' uneven preparation in the various art forms. Implications for educational policy regarding professional development are discussed.
Globalization has significantly influenced preschool education around the world, including Hong K... more Globalization has significantly influenced preschool education around the world, including Hong Kong, where the official curriculum framework has recently integrated the Western notion of creativity as part of arts education, forming a new learning area: Arts and Creativity. The purpose of this study was to investigate how Hong Kong preschool stakeholders perceived Arts and Creativity and its viability in practice. We interviewed 20 teachers, 10 principals, and 20 teacher educators specializing in arts education (N = 50). Descriptive statistics and thematic analysis were used. Findings showed that Hong Kong preschool stakeholders: (1) perceived most Western pedagogical characteristics as important but not fully viable in the local context; (2) expressed that children's arts creativity is fostered from a low/null to a moderate extent, due to constraints such as parental demands, time, and resources; (3) suggested strategies to maximize children's arts creativity focusing on curricular amendments, parental education, teacher preparation, and societal changes at large. We conclude that Arts and Creativity is not perceived to be implemented in accordance to the official curriculum framework. The study reveals the need to "glocalize" this learning area in the Hong Kong context. Implications for moving forward in arts creativity preschool education are discussed.
In Hong Kong, the Education Bureau (EDB) regularly assesses the quality of services provided by p... more In Hong Kong, the Education Bureau (EDB) regularly assesses the quality of services provided by publicly subsidized kindergartens to children aged 3 to 6. Quality Review (QR) reports are written by government officials and published on the EDB’s website. This study analyzes the feedback pertaining to Arts and Creativity to better understand the role this learning area plays in Hong Kong kindergartens. Lexical and content analyses were applied on 164 QR reports published between 2017 and 2020. Findings showed that: (1) the role of Arts and Creativity in the QR reports is relatively minor, which suggests that this learning area is somewhat secondary in Hong Kong kindergartens; (2) presence of the various art forms differs significantly, with Music and Visual Arts being more frequent than Drama and especially Dance; and (3) classroom activities seem to be teacher-centered, product-oriented, and reproductive. Findings suggest that the Arts and Creativity pedagogies enacted in Hong Kong ...
Creativity. Theories – Research – Applications, 2022
In Hong Kong, the Education Bureau (EDB) regularly assesses the quality of services provided by p... more In Hong Kong, the Education Bureau (EDB) regularly assesses the quality of services provided by publicly subsidized kindergartens to children aged 3 to 6. Quality Review (QR) reports are written by government officials and published on the EDB’s website. This study analyzes the feedback pertaining to Arts and Creativity to better understand the role this learning area plays in Hong Kong kindergartens. Lexical and content analyses were applied on 164 QR reports published between 2017 and 2020. Findings showed that: (1) the role of Arts and Creativity in the QR reports is relatively minor, which suggests that this learning area is somewhat secondary in Hong Kong kindergartens; (2) presence of the various art forms differs significantly, with Music and Visual Arts being more frequent than Drama and especially Dance; and (3) classroom activities seem to be teacher-centered, product-oriented, and reproductive. Findings suggest that the Arts and Creativity pedagogies enacted in Hong Kong kindergartens are not fully consistent with the official kindergarten Curriculum Guide, which draws on a Western conceptualization of creativity in the arts. We argue that this curriculum/practice gap reveals the need for local stakeholders to embrace a “glocalization” paradigm. Limitations, future research, and implications are discussed.
This position paper aims to raise awareness among educational policymakers, teacher educators, an... more This position paper aims to raise awareness among educational policymakers, teacher educators, and school leaders around the world about the urgent need to better prepare Early Childhood Education (ECE) teachers in music education. Most countries fail to sufficiently train teachers to meet the music-related expectations of contemporary ECE curricula, which inevitably affects young children’s learning and development. Our first goal is to describe this worrisome reality in depth, based on prior literature. We elaborate on the limited music education (extracurricular, pre-service, and in-service) typically offered to ECE teachers worldwide. We then highlight the negative consequences that result from having a teaching force clearly ill-prepared in this area. Based on studies conducted with pre-service and/or in-service ECE teachers, we summarize what is known about teachers’ learning needs, motivations, and preferences regarding music education. Our second goal is to propose a series of low-cost, sustainable, and easily scalable strategies to strengthen teachers’ preparation. Practical and policy-related potential obstacles are discussed. As final remarks, we urge ECE stakeholders to (a) investigate the specific needs, motivations, and preferences of their local teachers in music education, (b) design and implement responsive training strategies, and (c) examine their impact on teachers and/or children.
This position paper aims to raise awareness among educational policymakers, teacher educators, an... more This position paper aims to raise awareness among educational policymakers, teacher educators, and school leaders around the world about the urgent need to better prepare Early Childhood Education (ECE) teachers in music education. Most countries fail to sufficiently train teachers to meet the music-related expectations of contemporary ECE curricula, which inevitably affects young children’s learning and development. Our first goal is to describe this worrisome reality in depth, based on prior literature. We elaborate on the limited music education (extracurricular, pre-service, and in-service) typically offered to ECE teachers worldwide. We then highlight the negative consequences that result from having a teaching force clearly ill-prepared in this area. Based on studies conducted with pre-service and/or in-service ECE teachers, we summarize what is known about teachers’ learning needs, motivations, and preferences regarding music education. Our second goal is to propose a series of low-cost, sustainable, and easily scalable strategies to strengthen teachers’ preparation. Practical and policy-related potential obstacles are discussed. As final remarks, we urge ECE stakeholders to (a) investigate the specific needs, motivations, and preferences of their local teachers in music education, (b) design and implement responsive training strategies, and (c) examine their impact on teachers and/or children.
International Journal for Research in Education , 2022
This article describes the current teacher professional development (PD) infrastructure of Hong K... more This article describes the current teacher professional development (PD) infrastructure of Hong Kong, one of the world's top performers in education. Drawing on contemporary policy frameworks, institutional websites, and research literature, we outline how teachers from primary and secondary local schools are supported to enhance their professional capacity. After introducing the structure of the Hong Kong education system, we describe pre-service teacher education and the Professional Ladder framework, designed by the Education Bureau (EDB) to regulate inservice PD. We then present Hong Kong's leading PD providers, followed by the PD-related obstacles, difficulties, and constraints reported in the academic literature. The article shows that Hong Kong has developed a solid PD infrastructure with hybrid characteristics. While the system is based on compliance and external accountability mechanisms, teachers are encouraged to design their PD journeys based on their interests, needs, and career aspirations. Every three years, teachers are required to complete 90 to 150 hours of PD (depending on seniority), including core and elective training (approximately 1/3 and 2/3 of the PD allotment, respectively). Structured, on-thejob, project-based, whole-school, and individual PD activities are available. The article also describes the strategies recently adopted to tackle the challenges of COVID-19. We conclude that Hong Kong has made great efforts to design a high-quality PD infrastructure within a hierarchical educational system, in which quantity of provision and content coverage have been prioritized over teacher agency and autonomy. More research is required to investigate the actual impact of PD on teachers' practices and students' learning.
Arts and Creativity is one learning area of Hong Kong's official kindergarten curriculum ... more Arts and Creativity is one learning area of Hong Kong's official kindergarten curriculum framework. Kindergarten teachers are expected to foster children's creativity via four art forms: music, visual arts, dance, and drama. However, prior studies have investigated the provision of activities for each of the art forms in isolation and have not explored the demographic variables that predict teachers' provision of arts education activities. Investigating the provision of the four art forms and its relationship with teachers' demographics could provide an overview of the status of arts education in Hong Kong kindergartens. We had two research goals: (1) investigate the frequency with which kindergarten teachers conduct arts education activities focusing on music, visual arts, dance, and drama; (2) identify subgroups of teachers who differ regarding the provision of arts education activities and analyze how key demographic variables predict their memberships to these subgroups. We surveyed 477 teachers. Descriptive statistics, latent profile analysis, and multinomial logistic regression analysis were performed. We found that the presence of the four art forms was unbalanced. Participants reported conducting music and visual arts activities frequently, while dance and drama activities were occasionally or rarely conducted. Moreover, we identified three subgroups of teachers who provided arts education activities with different frequencies. Participants with a master's degree and those who worked in government-funded kindergartens were more likely to be in the highest arts provision group. Findings suggest that the curriculum is not being implemented accurately, as teachers do not equally expose children to the four art forms. We interpret these findings as a reflection of teachers' uneven preparation in the various art forms. Implications for educational policy regarding professional development are discussed.
Arts and Creativity is one learning area of Hong Kong's official kindergarten curriculum framewor... more Arts and Creativity is one learning area of Hong Kong's official kindergarten curriculum framework. Kindergarten teachers are expected to foster children's creativity via four art forms: music, visual arts, dance, and drama. However, prior studies have investigated the provision of activities for each of the art forms in isolation and have not explored the demographic variables that predict teachers' provision of arts education activities. Investigating the provision of the four art forms and its relationship with teachers' demographics could provide an overview of the status of arts education in Hong Kong kindergartens. We had two research goals: (1) investigate the frequency with which kindergarten teachers conduct arts education activities focusing on music, visual arts, dance, and drama; (2) identify subgroups of teachers who differ regarding the provision of arts education activities and analyze how key demographic variables predict their memberships to these subgroups. We surveyed 477 teachers. Descriptive statistics, latent profile analysis, and multinomial logistic regression analysis were performed. We found that the presence of the four art forms was unbalanced. Participants reported conducting music and visual arts activities frequently, while dance and drama activities were occasionally or rarely conducted. Moreover, we identified three subgroups of teachers who provided arts education activities with different frequencies. Participants with a master's degree and those who worked in government-funded kindergartens were more likely to be in the highest arts provision group. Findings suggest that the curriculum is not being implemented accurately, as teachers do not equally expose children to the four art forms. We interpret these findings as a reflection of teachers' uneven preparation in the various art forms. Implications for educational policy regarding professional development are discussed.
Globalization has significantly influenced preschool education around the world, including Hong K... more Globalization has significantly influenced preschool education around the world, including Hong Kong, where the official curriculum framework has recently integrated the Western notion of creativity as part of arts education, forming a new learning area: Arts and Creativity. The purpose of this study was to investigate how Hong Kong preschool stakeholders perceived Arts and Creativity and its viability in practice. We interviewed 20 teachers, 10 principals, and 20 teacher educators specializing in arts education (N = 50). Descriptive statistics and thematic analysis were used. Findings showed that Hong Kong preschool stakeholders: (1) perceived most Western pedagogical characteristics as important but not fully viable in the local context; (2) expressed that children's arts creativity is fostered from a low/null to a moderate extent, due to constraints such as parental demands, time, and resources; (3) suggested strategies to maximize children's arts creativity focusing on curricular amendments, parental education, teacher preparation, and societal changes at large. We conclude that Arts and Creativity is not perceived to be implemented in accordance to the official curriculum framework. The study reveals the need to "glocalize" this learning area in the Hong Kong context. Implications for moving forward in arts creativity preschool education are discussed.
In Hong Kong, the Education Bureau (EDB) regularly assesses the quality of services provided by p... more In Hong Kong, the Education Bureau (EDB) regularly assesses the quality of services provided by publicly subsidized kindergartens to children aged 3 to 6. Quality Review (QR) reports are written by government officials and published on the EDB’s website. This study analyzes the feedback pertaining to Arts and Creativity to better understand the role this learning area plays in Hong Kong kindergartens. Lexical and content analyses were applied on 164 QR reports published between 2017 and 2020. Findings showed that: (1) the role of Arts and Creativity in the QR reports is relatively minor, which suggests that this learning area is somewhat secondary in Hong Kong kindergartens; (2) presence of the various art forms differs significantly, with Music and Visual Arts being more frequent than Drama and especially Dance; and (3) classroom activities seem to be teacher-centered, product-oriented, and reproductive. Findings suggest that the Arts and Creativity pedagogies enacted in Hong Kong ...
Creativity. Theories – Research – Applications, 2022
In Hong Kong, the Education Bureau (EDB) regularly assesses the quality of services provided by p... more In Hong Kong, the Education Bureau (EDB) regularly assesses the quality of services provided by publicly subsidized kindergartens to children aged 3 to 6. Quality Review (QR) reports are written by government officials and published on the EDB’s website. This study analyzes the feedback pertaining to Arts and Creativity to better understand the role this learning area plays in Hong Kong kindergartens. Lexical and content analyses were applied on 164 QR reports published between 2017 and 2020. Findings showed that: (1) the role of Arts and Creativity in the QR reports is relatively minor, which suggests that this learning area is somewhat secondary in Hong Kong kindergartens; (2) presence of the various art forms differs significantly, with Music and Visual Arts being more frequent than Drama and especially Dance; and (3) classroom activities seem to be teacher-centered, product-oriented, and reproductive. Findings suggest that the Arts and Creativity pedagogies enacted in Hong Kong kindergartens are not fully consistent with the official kindergarten Curriculum Guide, which draws on a Western conceptualization of creativity in the arts. We argue that this curriculum/practice gap reveals the need for local stakeholders to embrace a “glocalization” paradigm. Limitations, future research, and implications are discussed.
This position paper aims to raise awareness among educational policymakers, teacher educators, an... more This position paper aims to raise awareness among educational policymakers, teacher educators, and school leaders around the world about the urgent need to better prepare Early Childhood Education (ECE) teachers in music education. Most countries fail to sufficiently train teachers to meet the music-related expectations of contemporary ECE curricula, which inevitably affects young children’s learning and development. Our first goal is to describe this worrisome reality in depth, based on prior literature. We elaborate on the limited music education (extracurricular, pre-service, and in-service) typically offered to ECE teachers worldwide. We then highlight the negative consequences that result from having a teaching force clearly ill-prepared in this area. Based on studies conducted with pre-service and/or in-service ECE teachers, we summarize what is known about teachers’ learning needs, motivations, and preferences regarding music education. Our second goal is to propose a series of low-cost, sustainable, and easily scalable strategies to strengthen teachers’ preparation. Practical and policy-related potential obstacles are discussed. As final remarks, we urge ECE stakeholders to (a) investigate the specific needs, motivations, and preferences of their local teachers in music education, (b) design and implement responsive training strategies, and (c) examine their impact on teachers and/or children.
This position paper aims to raise awareness among educational policymakers, teacher educators, an... more This position paper aims to raise awareness among educational policymakers, teacher educators, and school leaders around the world about the urgent need to better prepare Early Childhood Education (ECE) teachers in music education. Most countries fail to sufficiently train teachers to meet the music-related expectations of contemporary ECE curricula, which inevitably affects young children’s learning and development. Our first goal is to describe this worrisome reality in depth, based on prior literature. We elaborate on the limited music education (extracurricular, pre-service, and in-service) typically offered to ECE teachers worldwide. We then highlight the negative consequences that result from having a teaching force clearly ill-prepared in this area. Based on studies conducted with pre-service and/or in-service ECE teachers, we summarize what is known about teachers’ learning needs, motivations, and preferences regarding music education. Our second goal is to propose a series of low-cost, sustainable, and easily scalable strategies to strengthen teachers’ preparation. Practical and policy-related potential obstacles are discussed. As final remarks, we urge ECE stakeholders to (a) investigate the specific needs, motivations, and preferences of their local teachers in music education, (b) design and implement responsive training strategies, and (c) examine their impact on teachers and/or children.
International Journal for Research in Education , 2022
This article describes the current teacher professional development (PD) infrastructure of Hong K... more This article describes the current teacher professional development (PD) infrastructure of Hong Kong, one of the world's top performers in education. Drawing on contemporary policy frameworks, institutional websites, and research literature, we outline how teachers from primary and secondary local schools are supported to enhance their professional capacity. After introducing the structure of the Hong Kong education system, we describe pre-service teacher education and the Professional Ladder framework, designed by the Education Bureau (EDB) to regulate inservice PD. We then present Hong Kong's leading PD providers, followed by the PD-related obstacles, difficulties, and constraints reported in the academic literature. The article shows that Hong Kong has developed a solid PD infrastructure with hybrid characteristics. While the system is based on compliance and external accountability mechanisms, teachers are encouraged to design their PD journeys based on their interests, needs, and career aspirations. Every three years, teachers are required to complete 90 to 150 hours of PD (depending on seniority), including core and elective training (approximately 1/3 and 2/3 of the PD allotment, respectively). Structured, on-thejob, project-based, whole-school, and individual PD activities are available. The article also describes the strategies recently adopted to tackle the challenges of COVID-19. We conclude that Hong Kong has made great efforts to design a high-quality PD infrastructure within a hierarchical educational system, in which quantity of provision and content coverage have been prioritized over teacher agency and autonomy. More research is required to investigate the actual impact of PD on teachers' practices and students' learning.
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Papers by Jerry Yeung