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The conceptual change approach to improving teaching and learning: An evaluation of a Hong Kong staff development programme

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Abstract

This paper reports a study ofthe effectiveness of an innovative approach tostaff development, the conceptual changeapproach, which attempts to change teachers'frameworks for conceptualising teaching andlearning. The evaluation investigated theprogramme at three levels: the impact on theconceptions of teaching of the participants,the resultant impact on teaching practices, andthe consequential effect on student learning.Encouraging results were obtained. Theprogramme brought about detectable conceptualchange or conceptual development in two-thirdsof the sample group. Subsequently, all the`changed' teachers received better ratings ontheir teaching practices from their students inthe following academic year while none of thosewho did not change their conceptions showedsimilar gains in student rating scores. Aresultant positive impact on their students'studying approaches was observed for half ofthe teachers who changed their conceptions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Educational Development Centre, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Hong Kong (author for correspondence; E-mail:

    Angela Ho

  2. Department of Education, University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong

    David Watkins

  3. Educational Development Centre, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Hong Kong

    Mavis Kelly

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  1. Angela Ho
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  2. David Watkins
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  3. Mavis Kelly
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Correspondence to Angela Ho.

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Ho, A., Watkins, D. & Kelly, M. The conceptual change approach to improving teaching and learning: An evaluation of a Hong Kong staff development programme. Higher Education 42, 143–169 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1017546216800

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