Development and validation of teacher motivation scale in project learning

S16 - Scale development using Rasch models: Paper 3According to self-determination theory (Ryan & Deci, 2000), different types of motivation can be placed on a continuum according to the extent they reveal self-determination. From the least self-determined to the most self-determined motivation are (a) external regulation (doing a task for external monitoring), (b) introjected regulation (doing a task for approval from others), (c) identified regulation (doing a task for its importance), and (d) intrinsic regulation (doing a task for enjoyment or interest). Based on this theoretical framework, we developed a scale to measure teachers’ motivation in implementing project learning activity. The scale consisted of 20 items grouped in 4 subscales (i.e., external, introjected, identified and intrinsic). Confirmatory factor analysis on data from 182 Chinese teachers from eight secondary schools in Hong Kong supported the four-factor structure of the scale. Results of 1-dimensional Rasch analysis using the Winsteps programme suggested that the response categories functioned well and there was more than one dimension to the data. When the data were subjected to a 4-dimensional Rasch analysis using the Conquest programme, it was found that the data fitted the model well. Overall, the teacher motivation scale was found to be reliable and valid. This instrument provides important resources for the schools that implement project learning activity.postprintThe 7th Conference of the International Test Commission: Challenges and Opportunities in Testing and Assessment in a Globalized Economy, Hong Kong, China, 19-21 July 2010. In Programme Book of the 7th Conference of the International Test Commission, 2010, p. 60, paper

The impact of employee satisfaction on quality and profitability in high-contact service industries

2008-2009 > Academic research: refereed > Publication in refereed journalAccepted ManuscriptPublishe

School support and teacher motivation to implement project-based learning

The present study investigated how school support was related to teachers' motivation and willingness to persist in project-based learning. The participants were 182 Hong Kong teachers who completed a questionnaire about their school's support and their motivation to implement project-based learning. The results of structural equation modeling indicated that when teachers perceived their schools as being stronger in collegiality and more supportive of teacher competence and autonomy, they had higher motivation in project-based learning and stronger willingness to persist in this educational innovation. Perceived school support predicted teachers' attitude for future persistence both directly and indirectly through its influence on teacher motivation. The results suggest that social-contextual factors are important for teacher motivation in the implementation of educational innovations. © 2009 Elsevier Ltd.published_or_final_versio

Teacher and student intrinsic motivation in project-based learning

In this study we examined the relationship between teacher and student intrinsic motivation in project-based learning. The participants were 126 Hong Kong secondary school teachers and their 631 students who completed evaluation questionnaires after a semester-long project-based learning program. Both teachers and students were asked to indicate their motivation in the program, and students were also asked to report the instructional support they received from their teachers. The results of hierarchical linear modeling analyses showed that teacher intrinsic motivation predicted student intrinsic motivation directly as well as indirectly through the mediation of instructional support. When teachers reported higher intrinsic motivation in the program, their students tended to perceive receiving more support from them and to report higher intrinsic motivation in the learning experience. © Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2008.postprin

Self-construal and social comparison effects

Background. Social comparison research usually demonstrates that students will have higher self-evaluation in downward comparison but lower self-evaluation in upward comparison. However, the existence of this contrast effect may depend on people's self-construal. The contrast effect may exist only for people with independent self-construal. For people with interdependent self-construal, the contrast effect may be attenuated. Aim. The study investigated the role of self-construal as a moderator of the social comparison effects in authentic classrooms. Sample. The participants were 96 Chinese seventh-grade students (41 male, 51 female and 4 unreported) from a secondary school in Hong Kong. Method. The experiment employed a 2 × 2 between-subjects design based on 2 levels of self-construal (independent, interdependent) and 2 levels of comparison standard (upward comparison, downward comparison). The dependent variable was students' self-evaluation. Results. A two-way ANOVA indicated a significant interaction between self-construal and comparison standard on self-evaluation. When the students' independent self-construal was activated, they reported higher self-evaluation in downward comparison but lower self-evaluation in upward comparison. However, such a contrast effect was attenuated when the students' interdependent self-construal was activated. They reported high self-evaluation in both upward and downward comparisons. Conclusions. The outcome of social comparison depends on whether independent or interdependent self-construal is salient in the classroom. © 2007 The British Psychological Society.link_to_subscribed_fulltex

The service-profit chain : an empirical analysis in high-contact service industries

2010-2011 > Academic research: refereed > Publication in refereed journalAccepted ManuscriptOthersThis research was supported in part by The Hong Kong Polytechnic University under Grant no. G-YH77.Publishe

An empirical study of employee loyalty, service quality and firm performance in the service industry

2009-2010 > Academic research: refereed > Publication in refereed journalAccepted ManuscriptOthersThis paper was supported in part by the Hong Kong Polytechnic UniversityunderGrantno.1-BB7M.Publishe

When high achievers and low achievers work in the same group: The roles of group heterogeneity and processes in project-based learning

Background. There has been an ongoing debate about the inconsistent effects of heterogeneous ability grouping on students in small group work such as project-based learning. Aim. The present research investigated the roles of group heterogeneity and processes in project-based learning. At the student level, we examined the interaction effect between students' within-group achievement and group processes on their self-and collective efficacy. At the group level, we examined how group heterogeneity was associated with the average self- and collective efficacy reported by the groups. Sample. The participants were 1,921 Hong Kong secondary students in 367 project-based learning groups. Method. Student achievement was determined by school examination marks. Group processes, self-efficacy and collective efficacy were measured by a student-report questionnaire. Hierarchical linear modelling was used to analyse the nested data. Results. When individual students in each group were taken as the unit of analysis, results indicated an interaction effect of group processes and students' within-group achievement on the discrepancy between collective- and self-efficacy. When compared with low achievers, high achievers reported lower collective efficacy than self-efficacy when group processes were of low quality. However, both low and high achievers reported higher collective efficacy than self-efficacy when group processes were of high quality. With 367 groups taken as the unit of analysis, the results showed that group heterogeneity, group gender composition and group size were not related to the discrepancy between collective- and self-efficacy reported by the students. Conclusions. Group heterogeneity was not a determinant factor in students' learning efficacy. Instead, the quality of group processes played a pivotal role because both high and low achievers were able to benefit when group processes were of high quality. © 2008 The British Psychological Society.link_to_subscribed_fulltex