The Influence of External Pressures and School Leader Support on Civic Education Teachers

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Friday 7:45 am
  In Roundtable Session: Internal and External Forces Shaping Principal Leadership

Abstract

Purpose: This study examines how school leaders in Hong Kong support civic education teachers by fostering their autonomy (TA) and self-efficacy (TSE) amongst external pressures in a polarized society.
Methodology: Using multilevel structural equation modelling, we analyzed survey responses from 511 civic education teachers across 60 secondary schools in Hong Kong.
Findings: Teachers experiencing greater external pressure reported lower TSE, while those with more school leader support exhibited higher TA and TSE, both individually and collectively. Female teachers and those with more experience showed higher TSE and TA, respectively.
Conclusion: This study provides novel empirical insights into the role of school leadership in enhancing TA and TSE in civic education, offering implications for theory, policy, and practice in Hong Kong.

Authors

• Koon Lin Wong, The Education University of Hong Kong

• Ming Ming Chiu, The Education University of Hong Kong

• Kerry J. Kennedy, The Education University of Hong Kong

• Ki Keith Chan, The Education University of Hong Kong

• Soobin Choi, The Education University of Hong Kong