Exploring the Assessment Conceptions, Competencies and Training Needs of School Leaders to Promote Assessment for Learning in Hong Kong

Abstract

Raising student learning standards is a key educational priority, with Assessment for Learning (AfL) identified as a significant strategy for enhancing educational quality. Despite its potential, implementing AfL effectively remains challenging, particularly in Hong Kong, where reforms aim to shift away from a deeply entrenched examination-oriented culture. Since 1997, Hong Kong has introduced large-scale educational reforms, including AfL, to improve student learning outcomes. However, these initiatives have often been perceived as ambitious yet ineffective.

This study examines the role of school leaders in facilitating AfL, focusing on their capacity to foster a positive assessment culture. Using a pragmatic mixed-methods approach, the research explores the perspectives of 159 secondary school leaders through surveys and semi-structured interviews. The study aims to investigate leaders’ conceptions of AfL, their perceived leadership competencies, and their training experiences to promote AfL in Hong Kong.

One of the findings reveal that while school leaders understand AfL principles and support their integration, there is a significant gap in their leadership competencies to implement these practices effectively. Despite acknowledging their limitations, leaders seldom engage in Assessment-related training due to dissatisfaction with existing programs and the absence of a formal training framework. This highlights the need for comprehensive training initiatives to enhance their leadership abilities in AfL.

The study underscores the impact of Hong Kong's Confucian cultural values, which emphasize authority and high-stakes examinations, presenting barriers to AfL adoption. By examining the AfL conceptions and leadership competencies of school leaders, the research contributes to the theoretical understanding of assessment leadership and addresses the literature gap on training sufficiency in Hong Kong.

Through exploring the intersection of global educational trends with traditional test-driven cultures, the study offers insights for developing effective training programs to support AfL implementation, thereby fostering a robust assessment culture in Hong Kong’s educational landscape.

Date of Award	17 Jun 2025
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	University of Bristol
Supervisor	Sally M Thomas (Supervisor) & Nicola Warren-Lee (Supervisor)