University of Leicester School of Education Centre for Educational Leadership and Management Thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor of Education The Role of Careers Teachers in Hong Kong Secondary Schools LI Kwai Fong, Shirley 2004 UMI Number: U601196 All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. Dissertation Publishing UMI U601196 Published by ProQuest LLC 2013. Copyright in the Dissertation held by the Author. Microform Edition © ProQuest LLC. All rights reserved. This work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. ProQuest LLC 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 Acknowledgements I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to my supervisor, Professor Raymond Bolam, for his insightful remarks, practical advice and invaluable guidance throughout the process of this research. I am also indebted to Doctor Howard Stevenson, another supervisor, for giving me valuable advice while I was putting the finishing touches on this thesis and rendering me substantial help while I was writing the codicil. I would like to express my sincere thanks to the principals of the case study schools for giving me access to their schools and being most helpful to me during my visits. Furthermore, I wish to thank those careers teachers, students, parents and other education stake-holders for acceding to my request for an interview. I also greatly appreciate the kind cooperation of those careers masters/mistresses who had completed and returned the questionnaire in time. In addition, my gratitude goes to all professors, lecturers and librarians of the University of Leicester, and the staff of the Hong Kong British Council for rendering me their assistance whenever I needed. Lastly, I am deeply indebted to members of my family for their encouragement and support while I was undertaking this serious study. Abstract The aim of this study is to examine the practice of careers guidance in Hong Kong secondary schools by means of a comprehensive research into the roles of careers teachers. It inquires into the expectations and perceptions of careers teachers themselves and the key members of their role set - the principal, students and parents of the school. A proposed ‘Model of Careers Teachers’ Roles’ derived from the academic literature in the context of Hong Kong is also examined through a number of key questions. This study explores the importance of future policy planning and development of careers guidance to facilitate the school to work transition of students. Careers teachers’ roles are presented as multifaceted and reliant on sound knowledge, skills and theories from continued professional development. In this study, the methodological tools are a survey and three case studies. The breadth of evidence is provided by 82 valid replies to the questionnaire survey, and the depth of the grounds is derived from three case studies comprising interviews, documentary analysis and observation. Then, the roles of careers teachers in Hong Kong secondary schools are analysed, and the various aspects of their roles and duties are identified. Factors that help and hinder the provision of careers guidance are also examined. Finally, a ‘Comprehensive Counselling and Guidance Programme’ is proposed as a guideline for careers teachers to enhance their performance of duties and to improve their services for their students at all levels in their schools. Contents Acknowledgements....................................................................................... ii Abstract.......................................................................................................... iw Contents ............................................................................................... iv Abbreviations............................................................................................... ix Figures........................................................................................................... xi Tables............................................................................................................... xii Chapter 1 Introduction........................................................................... 1 1.1 Aims of Research ................................................................................................ 2 1.2 Rationale for the Study ......................................................................................... 3 1.3 Theoretical Perspective........................................................................................ 6 1.4 Organization of the Thesis .................................................................................. 6 Chapter 2 Careers Guidance in the Hong Kong Context......... 8 2.1 Introduction .......................................................................................................... 8 2.2 The Hong Kong Context ..................................................................................... 8 2.3 The History and Development of careers Guidance in Hong Kong ................ 15 2.4 The Needs for Guidance in Hong Kong Secondary Schools ........................... 18 2.5 Summary .............................................................................................................. 23 iv Chapter 3 Literature Review 24 3.1 Introduction ....................................................................................................... 24 3.2 Evolution of Careers Guidance ........................................................................ 24 3.3 Definitions........................................................................................................... 25 3.4 Theories of Career Development ..................................................................... 28 3.5 Career Development Programmes in Secondary Schools ............................... 44 3.6 School-to-Work Transition .............................................................................. 49 3.7 Roles of Careers Teachers in Secondary Schools ........................................... 54 3.8 Role Theory ....................................................................................................... 62 3.9 Summary .......... 67 Chapter 4 Research Design and Methodology...................................... 69 4.1 Introduction ......................................................................................................... 69 4.2 Theoretical Framework ........................................................................................ 71 4.3 Quantitative and Qualitative Research Paradigms ........................................... 72 4.4 Research Design and Methods............................................................................ 75 4.5 The Survey: Sampling, Construction, Piloting, Distribution and Data Collection .................................................................................... 84 4.6 Case Studies ........................................................................................................ 88 4.7 Access and Ethical Issues in Research .............................................................. 92 4.8 Triangulation ........................................................................................................ 94 4.9 Reliability and Validity of Educational Research ............................................ 94 4.10 Chronology of the Research ............................................................................... 96 4.11 Summary .............................................................................................................. 99 v Chapter 5 The Survey 100 5.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................ 100 5.2 Results and Findings........................................................................................... 100 Sample Schools ...................................................................................... 100 Careers Masters/Mistresses ................................................................... 102 Roles of Careers Teachers...................................................................... 104 5.3 Analysis ....................................................................................................... 106 Careers Teachers’ Role as Careers Information Officer 108 Careers Teachers’ Role as Educator................................................ 112 Careers Teachers’ Role as Careers Counsellor............................... 115 Careers Teachers’ Role as Careers Consultant............................... 118 Careers Teachers’ Role as Coordinator........................................... 120 Helping and Hindering Factors.............................................................. 121 Comparison of Rank Orders of Careers Teachers’ Roles between ‘Actually Do’ and ‘Should Do’ ................................................................ 124 5.4 Summary ................................................................................................................ 131 Chapter 6 Case Studies............................................................................... 132 6.1 Introduction.........................................................................................................