Professor TAN, Cheng Yong

My research program critically investigates how different sources of influence (home, school, sociocultural, technological) give rise to educational inequality and other complex issues that require comprehensive educational solutions in the form of educational policy, leadership, and practice, and school-home partnerships. In my research, I have employed both theoretical and empirical analyses. In particular, I employ a comprehensive suite of methodological approaches, including (a) multilevel modelling and latent class/profile analysis to examine international large-scale datasets such as those from the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA); and (b) umbrella review, three-level meta-analysis, meta-ethnography, and systematic review to synthesize findings from quantitative and qualitative studies respectively.

1. Ranked among top 2% of scientists worldwide by Stanford University & Elsevier (2023)
2. Invited Visiting Scholar, Faculty of Social Science, University of Stavanger, August 2023
3. 2022 Research Output Prize for article 'How school leadership practices relate to student outcomes: Insights from a three-level meta-analysis' published in Educational Management Administration & Leadership
4. Faculty Knowledge Exchange Award 2021 for project 'Co-creating a new normal of empowered learning through digital citizenship research' (Co-investigator)
5. My article 'Conceptual diversity, moderators, and theoretical issues in quantitative studies of cultural capital theory' published in Educational Review in 2017 has been chosen as Article of the Year by the journal (watch video abstract).
6. Visiting Fellowship, School of Education, University of Glasgow (University of Glasgow/University of Hong Kong Early Career Mobility Fund 2016-2017)
7. University of Hong Kong Faculty of Education Early Career Outstanding Teaching Award 2016

External Grants Received and Projects Undertaken:

1. 'School leaders' challenges and responses during the COVID-19 pandemic: Derving recommendations based on evidence from a systematic review' Public Policy Research Funding Scheme. HK$308,415. Principal Investigator (Apr 2023 - Apr 2024).
2. '"Social justice leadership for learning": A new conceptualization of school leadership' General Research Fund. HK$830,730. Co-Investigator (Jul 2023 - Jun 2026).
3. 'Evaluation study on the implementation of the fine-tuned medium of instruction arrangements for secondary schools' Education Bureau. HK$14,500,000. Co-Investigator (30 Dec 2022 - 31 Mar 2026).
4. 'eCitizen Education 360: An extension of the Learning and Assessment for Digital Citizenship project' D. H. Chen Foundation. HK$1,500,000. Principal Investigator (Jun 2022 - Sep 2023).
5. 'eCitizen Education 360'  (Co-Principal Investigator) - project under auspices of Learning and assessment for digital citizenship (e-citizenship)’ Theme-based Research Scheme Project No. T44-707/16-N. HK$20,000,000. (2020-2022).
6. ‘Understanding the neural mechanisms of expert recognition of musical notation and Roman letters’ General Research Fund. HK$588,200. Co-Investigator (2020-2021).
7. ‘What is the contribution of school leadership to student learning? A thematic review and meta-analytic study’ General Research Fund. HK$262,212. Principal Investigator (2019-2020). Critical reflections
8. ‘What is the contribution of school leadership to student learning? A thematic review and meta-analytic study’ HKU General Research Fund Success Award 2018/2019. HK$20,000. Principal Investigator (2019-2020).
9. 'Building capacity of Vietnam schools to implement fundamental and comprehensive reforms: Designing and piloting interventions through professional development' The Head Foundation. £120,000. International Collaborator (May 2017-October 2018).
10. Fellowship at University of Glasgow. Glasgow/HKU Early Career Mobility Fund 2016-2017. HK$50,000 (2016-2017).
11. ‘An investigation of the impact of leadership practices on student learning and development outcomes in Singapore schools’ National Institute of Education Grant. SG$232,068. International Collaborator (2015-2017).

Internal Grants Received and Projects Undertaken:

1. 'Equity and school leadership practices' HKU Education Faculty Research Fund. HK$59,869. Principal Investigator (2022-2023). 
2. 'Family socioeconomic status and student learning motivation: Three-level meta-analysis of PISA data' HKU Education Faculty Research Fund. HK$59,869. Principal Investigator (2021-2022).
3. ‘What is habitus? Pursuing construct clarity through a meta-ethnographic review of qualitative studies’ HKU Education Faculty Research Fund. HK$58,590. Principal Investigator (2020-2021).
4. ‘Why does school socioeconomic status matter? A meta-analytic study mapping out the relation between school socioeconomic status, familial and school resources, and student achievement’ HKU Education Faculty Research Fund. HK$59,985. Principal investigator (2019-2020).
5. ‘Do different students benefit equally from school principal leadership? A multilevel investigation of the PISA 2015 data’ HKU Education Faculty Research Fund. HK$30,000. Principal investigator (2017-2018).
6. ‘The contribution of cultural capital to students’ mathematics achievement: What matters most - Home educational resources, beaux arts appreciation, familiarity with evaluative standards, or transmission of values?'’ HKU Education Faculty Research Fund. HK$18,240. Principal investigator (2015-2016).
7. ‘What is the relationship between cultural capital and children’s learning outcomes? Interrogating the published data systematically using a meta-analytic approach’ HKU Seed Fund for Basic Research. HK$119,204. Principal investigator (2014-2015).

Key Publications:

1. Tan, C. Y., Hong, X., Gao, L., & Song, Q. (2023). Meta-analytical insights on school SES effects. Educational Review. Advance online publication.
2. Tan, C. Y., Dimmock, C., & Walker, A. (2024). How school leadership practices relate to student outcomes: Insights from a three-level meta-analysis. Educational Management Administration Leadership, 52(1), 6-27.(see video and research brief)
3. Tan, C. Y. (2022). Influence of cultural values on Singapore school leadership. Educational Management Administration & Leadership. Advance online publication.
4. Feng, S., & Tan, C. Y. (2024). Toward conceptual clarity for digital cultural and social capital in student learning: Insights from a systematic literature review. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 11.

Influence of Familial Factors on Student Learning and Development:

5. Tan, C. Y., Gao, L., Hong, X., & Song, Q. (2023). Socioeconomic status and students' science self-efficacy. British Educational Research Journal, 49(4), 782-832.

6. Tan, C. Y. (2022). Direct and indirect influences of familial socioeconomic status on students' science achievement. Oxford Review of Education. Advance online publication. (see blog)

7. Tan, C. Y., & Liu, D. (2022). Typology of habitus in education: Findings from a review of qualitative studies. Social Psychology of Education, 25, 1411-1435. (see blog)

8. Tan, C. Y. (2020). Family cultural capital and student achievement: Theoretical insights from PISA. Singapore: Springer.

9. Tan, C. Y. (2020). What PISA and ASPIRES studies tell us about the nuanced influences of cultural capital on student learning: Construct complexity, student outcomes and contexts. British Educational Research Journal, 46(6), 1338-1356.

10. Tan, C. Y., Lyu, M., & Peng, B. (2020). Academic benefits from parental involvement are stratified by parental socioeconomic status: A meta-analysis.Parenting: Science and Practice, 20(4), 241-287. 

11. Tan, C. Y., Peng, B., & Lyu, M. (2019). What types of cultural capital benefit students' academic achievement at different educational stages? Interrogating the meta-analytic evidence. Educational Research Review, 28. doi: 10.1016/j.edurev.2019.10028

12. Tan, C. Y. (2018).Socioeconomic status, involvement practices, and student science achievement: Insights from a typology of home and school involvement patterns. American Educational Research Journal, 56(3), 899-924.

13. Tan, C. Y. (2017). Do parental attitudes toward and expectations for their children’s education and future jobs matter for their children’s school achievement?British Educational Research Journal, 43(6), 1111-1130.

14. Tan, C. Y. (2017). Conceptual diversity, moderators, and theoretical issues in quantitative studies of cultural capital theory.Educational Review, 69(5), 600-619. (watch video abstract)

15. Tan, C.Y. (2017). Examining cultural capital and student achievement: Results of a meta-analytic review. Alberta Journal of Educational Research, 63(2), 139-159.

16. Tan, C. Y. (2013). Theoretical discussion on forms of cultural capital in Singapore. Asia-Pacific Education Review, 14(2), 103-112. 

17. Tan, C. Y. (2012). Understanding Asian parenting from a Rasch perspective.Asian Journal of Social Psychology, 15(4), 273-283.

Influence of School Factors on Student Learning and Development:

18. Tan, C. Y. (2023). Influence of principal leadership across contexts on the science learning of students. Asia-Pacific Education Review. (see blog).

19. Tan, C. Y., Gao, L., & Shi, M. (2022). Second-order meta-analysis synthesizing the evidence on associations between school leadership and different school outcomes. Educational Management, Administration & Leadership, 50(3), 469-490.

20. Dimmock, C., Tan, C. Y., Nguyen, D., Tran, T. A., & Dinh, T. T. (2020). Implementing education system reform: Local adaptation in school reform of teaching and learning. International Journal of Educational Development, 80. Advance online publication.

21. Tan, C. Y. & Dimmock, C. (2020). The relationships among between-class ability grouping, teaching practices, and mathematics achievement: A large-scale empirical analysis.Educational Studies, 48(4), 471-489.

22. Tan, C. Y., Liu, P., & Wong, W. L. V. (2020). Different patterns of relationships between principal leadership and 15-year-old students' science learning: How school resources, teacher quality, and school socioeconomic status make a difference.Frontiers in Psychology. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.02257

23. Tan, C. Y. (2018). Examining school leadership effects on student achievement: The role of contextual challenges and constraints.Cambridge Journal of Education, 48(1), 21-45.

24. Dimmock, C., & Tan, C. Y. (2016). Re-conceptualizing learning-centred (instructional) leadership: An obsolete concept in need of renovation. Leading and Managing, 22(2), 1-17.

25. Tan, C. Y. (2014). Influence of contextual challenges and constraints on learning-centered leadership.School Effectiveness and School Improvement, 25(3), 451-468.

26. Tan, C. Y. (2012). Instructional leadership: toward a contextualized knowledge creation model.School Leadership and Management: Formerly School Organization, 32(2), 183-19.

Influence of Sociocultural Factors on Student Learning and Development:

27. Tan, C. Y. (2023). Understanding Singaporean educational leadership: A sociocultural perspective. In P. Liu & L. M. Thien (Eds.), Educational leadership and Asian culture (pp. 1-21). Routledge.

28. Yuen, M., Wu, F., Wong, F., Yeung, P., Lam, C., Chan, K., Ma, G., & Tan, C. Y. (2022). Inclusive education in a Chinese context: A Hong Kong perspective. In W. Beamish & M. Yuen (Eds.), The inclusion for students with special educational needs across the Asia Pacific (pp. 79-93). Springer.

29. Dimmock, C., Tan, C. Y., & Chiong, C. (2021). Social, political and cultural foundations of educational leadership in Singapore. In R. Normand, L. Moos , M. Liu, & P. Tulowitzki (eds.), The cultural and social foundations of educational leadership: An international comparison (pp. 215-233). Springer. 

30. Tan, C. Y. (2020). Book review for "Identity, equity and social justice in Asia Pacific education". SOJOURN: Journal of Social Issues in Southeast Asia, 35(2), 403-405.

31. Tan, C. Y., & Dimmock, C. (2018). National and transnational influences on school organization. In C. James, D. F. Eddy-Spicer, M. Connolly, & S. D. Kruse (Eds.), The Sage handbook of school organization (pp. 414-429). London: Sage.

32. Tan, C. Y. & Liu, D. (2017). What is the influence of cultural capital on student reading achievement in Confucian as compared to non-Confucian heritage societies?Compare, 48(6), 896-914.

33. Dimmock, C., & Tan, C. Y. (2016). Explaining the success of the world’s leading education systems: The case of Singapore. British Journal of Educational Studies, 64(2), 161-184.

34. Tan, C. Y. (2015). The contribution of cultural capital to students' mathematics achievement in medium and high socioeconomic gradient economies. British Educational Research Journal, 41(6), 1050-1067.

35. Tan, C. Y., & Dimmock, C. (2015). Tensions between meritocracy and equity in Singapore: Educational issues in preparing a workforce for the knowledge-based economy (Working paper). Head Foundation: Singapore.

36. Dimmock, C., Hairon, S., & Tan, C. Y. (2014). Curriculum, leadership and religion in Singapore schools: How a secular government engineers social harmony and the ‘state interest’. In Chapman, J. D., McNamara, S., Reiss, M. J., & Waghid, Y. (Eds.), The international handbook on learning, teaching and leading in faith-based schools (pp. 533-551). Dordrecht: Springer.

37. Tan, C. Y., & Dimmock, C. (2014). Examining how a “top-performing” Asian school system formulates and implements policy: The case of Singapore. Educational Management Administration & Leadership, 42(5), 743–763.

38. Dimmock, C., & Tan, C. Y. (2013). Educational leadership in Singapore: Tight coupling, sustainability, scalability, and succession. Journal of Educational Administration, 51(3), 320-340.

39. Tan, C. Y. (2013). Organizational legitimacy of the Singapore Ministry of Education.Oxford Review of Education, 39(5), 590-608.

Influence of Technological Factors on Student Learning and Development:

40. Pan, Q., Lan, M., Tan, C. Y., Tao, S., Liang, Q., & Law, N. W. Y. (2024). Protective factors contributing to adolescents' multifaceted digital resilience for their wellbeing: A socio-ecological perspective. Computers in Human Behavior, 155, 108164.

41. Tao, S., Lan, M., Tan, C. Y., Liang, Q., Pan, Q., & Law, N. W. Y. (2024). Adolescents' cyberbullying experience and mental health status: Sex difference in the moderating role of cognitive-emotional regulation strategy. Computers in Human Behavior, 153, 108122.

42. Lan, M., Pan, Q., Tan, C. Y., & Law, N. (2022). Understanding protective and risk factors affecting adolescents' well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic. npj Science of Learning, 7(32).

43. Tan, C. Y., Pan, Q., Zhang, Y., Lan, M., & Law, N. (2022). Parental home monitoring and support and students' online learning and socioemotional well-being during COVID-19 school suspension in Hong Kong. Frontiers in Psychology, 13. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2022.916338

44. Tan, C. Y., & Hew, K. F. (2019). The impact of digital divides on student mathematics achievement in Confucian heritage cultures: A critical examination using PISA 2012 data. International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education, 17, 1213-1232.

45. Tan, C. Y., & Hew, K. F. (2017). Information technology, mathematics achievement, and educational equity in developed economies.Educational Studies, 43(4), 371-390.

46. Hew, K. F., & Tan, C. Y. (2016). Predictors of information technology integration in secondary schools: Evidence from a large-scale study of more than 30,000 students. PLoS ONE, 11(12), e0168547. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0168547.

Publications with Postgraduate Students:

47. Song, Q., & Tan, C. Y. (2024). The relationship between family socioeconomic status, gender inequality and higher education selection from 1962 to 2018: A secondary analysis of the China General Social Survey data. Higher Education.

48. Jiang, Y., Lau, C., & Tan, C. Y. (2023). Socioeconomic status and chidlren's English language and literacy outcomes: The mediating role of home literacy environment. Early Education and Development. 

49. Cho, F. T.-H., Tan, C. Y., & Wong, Y. K. (2023). Role of line junctions in expert object recognition: The case of musical notation. Psychophysiology.

50. Song, Q., & Tan, C. Y. (2022). The association between family socioeconomic status and urban-rural and high-school attainment gaps: A logistic regression analysis of the China Family Panel Studies data. British Educational Research Journal, 48(6), 1102-1124.

51. Chan, R. W., Yuen, M., & Tan, C. Y. (2021). Cultural sensitivity of the Interpersonal Reactivity Index in Empathy measure. International Journal of Childhood Education, 2(3), 19-26.

52. Shi, M., & Tan, C. Y. (2020). Parental autonomy-support, parental control, SES, and mathematics achievement: A latent profile analysis. Journal of Research in Childhood Education, 35(4), 535-549.

53. Shi, M., & Tan, C. Y. (2020). Beyond oral participation: A typology of student engagement in classroom discussions. New Zealand Journal of Educational Studies, 55, 247-265.

54. Fung, F., Tan, C. Y., & Chen, G. (2018). Student engagement and mathematics achievement: Unravelling main and interactive effects. Psychology in the Schools, 55(7), 815-831.

55. Homer, R., Hew, K. F., & Tan, C. Y. (2018). Comparing digital badges-and-points with classroom token systems: Effects on elementary school ESL students' classroom behavior and English learning. Educational Technology & Society, 21(1), 137-151.

Conference Presentations:

56. Tan, C. Y., & An, Q. (2024). A systematic review of school leaders' challenges and responses during COVID-10: What the international evidence says. Paper presented at Center for Information Technology in Education Research Symposium (CITERS) 2024, Hong Kong, 3-4 May.

57. Tan, C. Y. (2024). Equitable school leadership practices for students from low-SES schools: A review of empirical research. Paper presented at 'School leadership and equity in student learning; Conceptualization, contexts, and effectiveness'  Symposium at American Educational Research Association Annual Meeting 2024, Philadelphia, 11-14 April.

58. Pan, Q., Zhang, Y., Liang, Q., Tan, C. Y., Tao, S., Lan, M., & Law, N. (2024). Developing and validating a short digital litgertacy assessment fopr grade 3-12 students. Paper presented at National Council on Measurement in Education, Philadelphia, 11-14 April.

59. Tan, C. Y., Lan, M., Liang, Q., & Tao, S. (2023). Navigating the digital world: Strategies for improving student wellbeing online. Chair in Symposium at Educational Research Association of Singapore Conference and World Educational Research Association Focal Meeting 2023, Singapore, 22-24 November.

60. Tan, C. Y., Cheung, H. S., & Lee, S. (2023). Meta-analytic evidence on associations between parenting (involvement and styles) and children's learning outcomes. Paper presented at Educational Research Association of Singapore Conference and World Educational Research Association Focal Meeting 2023,  Singapore, 22-24 November.

61. Tan, C. Y. (2023). What cultural values underpin Singapore school leadership’. Invited plenary presentation at International Conference on Educational Leadership and Asian Culture (ICELAC) 2023, Malaysia, 5 August.

62. Tan, C. Y. (2023). Recognzing the indirect effects of socioeconomic status on students' science achievement. Paper presented at symposium "The psychological science of economic inequality", 15th Biennial Conference of the Asian Association of Social Psychology, Hong Kong, 13-15 July.

63. Tan, C. Y., Pan, Q., Zhang, Y., Lan, M., & Law, N. (2022). Socioeconomic status, parental involvement, and student outcomes during COVID-19 school suspension in Hong Kong. Paper presented at AERA 2022 Annual Meeting, San Diego, California and Virtual, 21-26 April.

64. Tan, C. Y., Pan, Q., Zhang, Y., Lan, L., Lam, P., & Law, N. (2021). Students' learning experiences during COVID-19 and familial SES. Paper presented at EARLI 2021, online, 23-27 August.

65. Shi, M., & Tan, C. Y. (2019). Relationships between student engagement in classroom discussions and parenting style: A structural equation modelling approach. Paper presented at World Education Research Association 2019 Focal Meeting, Tokyo, 5-8 August.

66. Dimmock, C., & Tan, C. Y. (2018). The leadership story behind Singapore school success: What PISA ignores. Paper presented at 31^th International Congress for School Effectiveness and Improvement, Singapore, 8-12 January.

67. Tan, C. Y. (2017). The role of contextual challenges and constraints on the relationship between principal leadership and student achievement. Paper presented at 30^th International Congress for School Effectiveness and Improvement, Ottawa, Canada, 7-10 January.

68. Tan, C. Y. (2017). Who benefits from studying in higher socioeconomic status schools? An examination of individual differences in science achievement in developed economies. Paper presented at 30^th International Congress for School Effectiveness and Improvement, Ottawa, Canada, 7-10 January.

69. Dimmock, C., & Tan. C. Y. (2016). Do increased professionalism and school autonomy explain the success of the world's leading education systems? Multiple pathways - the case of Singapore. Paper presented at 29^th International Congress for School Effectiveness and Improvement, Glasgow, Scotland, 6-9 January.

70. Tan, C. Y. (2015). Unravelling the effects of cultural capital on students’ mathematics achievement in countries with different socioeconomic gradients: An international study using hierarchical linear modelling. Paper presented at British Educational Research Association Annual Conference 2015, Belfast, Northern Ireland, 15-17 September.

71. Tan, C. Y., & Dimmock, C. (2015). Principals’ contribution to educational inequity: An analysis of the structure-agency relationship in the centrally controlled education system of Singapore. Paper presented at Asia Leadership Roundtable, Bangkok, 9-10 March.

72. Goh, J. W. P., Salleh, H., & Tan, C. Y. (2014). Are Western school leadership theories applicable to non-Western societies? A Rasch analysis of work cultural values of Singapore principals. Paper presented at 2014 International Conference of the Asia Pacific Educational Research Association (APERA-HKERA 2014), Hong Kong, 19-21 November.

Invited Lectures and Presentations:

1. 'What should school leaders do to promote equity in student learning in low socioeconomic status schools?', plenary presentaion at Impact for Educational Equity: Dialogues and Pathways for Diversity and Inclusion Conference, The Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 4 May 2024.
2. 'Enhancing methodological quality of meta-analyses: Insights from meta-analyses on parental involvement', HKU School of Nursing, Hong Kong, 24 April 2024.
3. 'What determines student achievement? Meta-insights on the role of school SES composition and leadership', keynote speaker in International Professorial Talk Series 2024, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Malaysia, 6 January 24.
4. 'Fostering and developing high-quality research', Swansea University, Wales, 20 November 2023.
5. 'Educational and work futures: Conceptualization and plans for advancing the field', University of Sunshine Coast, Australia, 13 November 2023. 
6. 'eCitizen Education 360 (2022): An extension of the Learning and Assessment for the Digital Citizenship Project', D. H. Chen Foundation Co-Learning Session, Hong Kong, 17 October 2023.
7. 'What could school leaders do to promote equitable student learning?', The Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 14 October 2023.
8. 'The many facets of parenting for student learning: What the evidence says', Pedagogik Forum, University of Stavanger, Norway, 21 August 2023.
9. 'Understanding student learning from parental and home perspectives', plenary presentation at Inclusive Education Seminar, Oslo Metropolitan University, Norway, 17 August 2023.
10. 'What cultural values underpin Singapore school leadership', plenary presentation at International Conference on Educational Leadership and Asian Culture 2023, Malaysia, 5 August 2023. 
11. 'Meta-insights on the relationships among socioeconomic status, parenting, and children's learning', National University of Singapore, Singapore, 1 August 2023.
12. 'Student well-being and parenting during COVID-19: What really matters? Insights from the eCitizen Education (2022) study', School-University Partnerships Symposium: Mental Wellbeing Matters, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, 23 June 2023.
13. 'Using meta-analysis to unravel school leadership effects on student learning outcomes', University of Calgary, Canada, 9 February 2023.
14. 'School leadership and student learning: Interrogating the meta-analytic evidence' , University of Manitoba, Canada, 1 December 2022.
15. 'School leadership and student learning: Examining associations and contexts', National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, 25 July 2022.
16. HKU SCAPE research seminar 'Meta-analysis', The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, 17 March 2022.
17. 'Students' learning experiences during COVID-19 and familial SES', plenary presentation at Digital Citizenship Plus Seminar Series, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, 24 May 2021.
18. 'Unravelling a complex relationship: Do students learn better with the use of information technology?', keynote presentation at Learning and Teaching Expo 2019, Hong Kong SAR, 11-13 December 2019.
19. 'Interrogating the relationship between principal leadership and student achievement: The role of contextual challenges and constraints', Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, 26 November 2018.
20. 'The role of contextual challenges and constraints on the relationship between principal leadership and student achievement', University of Glasgow, Scotland, 3 July 2017.
21. 'The role of contextual challenges and constraints on the relationship between principal leadership and student achievement', Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, 23 October 2017. 
22. 'Integrating etic and emic perspectives in the study of parenting in Singapore', Ninth Family Research Network Forum “Nurturing our young – Parenting in the 21^st century”, Singapore, 2013.

Editorial Contributions:

1. Associate Editor, Frontiers in Education - Educational Leadership (2024-)
2. Associate Editor, International Journal of Educational Management (Jan 2023-)
3. Associate Editor, Frontiers in Psychology (2021-2024)
4. Editorial Board Member, Education Journal (May 2019- May 2021)
5. Editorial Board Member, Education Reform Journal (Apr 2019-)
6. Editorial Board Member, Journal of Research in Childhood Education (2018-present)

Seminars:

1. Seminar 'How does access to IT influence students’ mathematics achievement? Interrogating equity issues through examining main and interactive effects'  on 1 Jun 2019. Teachers and other educators in the audience learned about how familial and school resources moderated the relationships between access to information technology and mathematics achievement. Organizers: HKU CITE, HKU TELI, HKU Libraries, & HKEdCity.
2. Seminar 'Do secondary students learn better with information technology at home and in school? Interrogating the data from Confucian Heritage Cultures' on 9 Jun 2018. Teachers and other educators in the audience learned about how students could benefit from information technology in their learning. Organizers: HKU CITE, HKU Education Faculty, HKU TELI, HKU Libraries, HKEdCity, & IEEE Hong Kong section – Education Chapter.
3. Seminar 'Integration of information technology in schools: Examining the enabling factors' on 9 Jun 2017. Teachers and other educators in the audience learned about how information technology could be integrated in school teaching. Organizers: HKU Centre for Information Technology in Education (CITE), HKU Education Faculty, HKU Centre for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning (CETL), HKU Technology-enriched Learning Initiative (TELI), HKU Libraries, Hong Kong Education City (HKEdCity), & ETC Educational Technology Connection (HK) Ltd.

Media Coverage/Social Media:

2024

• Policy brief 'Policy recommendations on building capacity for managing future school closures' via ALiTE (19 March 24)
• Project report 'School Leaders' Challenges and Responses During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Deriving Recommendations Based on Evidence from a Systematic Review' posted on Asia Pacific Centre for Leadership and Change, The Education University of Hong Kong (14 March 24)
• Interview for ‘Meta-analytic insights and world-leading educational research’ (19 Jan 24)

2023

• Interview for the news article 'Why do Hong Kong students shine in the International Baccalaureate? 'Selective' entry, well-resourced schools and wealthy homes at play: Educators' Results of the interview were reported in South China Morning Post on 23 Jul 23.
• Do school leaders have agency over their school contexts? via ALiTE Blog (2 May 23)

• Interview for the news article 'Meritocracy and elitism in Singapore' on my expert opinions on how meritocracy has fueled inequality in Singapore. Results of the interview were published in The Business Times on 7 Apr 23.

• Justice and equity in student learning: Leveraging the power of habitus via ALiTE Blog (19 Jan 23)
• Press release: Bulletin 1 'Cumulative impact under New Normal: Insights for positive actions' (Mar 2023) sharing findings from the eCitizen Education 360 (2022) study involving some 200 school leaders, 800 teachers, 8000 students, and 3000 parents from 51 schools in Hong Kong
• Press release: Bulletin 2 'New insights on key factors impacting students' wellbeing and schools' online teaching and calls for collaboration to establish a digital New Normal' (Jul 23) sharing findings from the eCitizen Education 360 (2022) study involving some 200 school leaders, 800 teachers, 8000 students, and 3000 parents from 51 schools in Hong Kong

2022

• It's still socioeconomic status: Unravelling the influence of social origins on students' learning attitudes and beliefs via SCAPE blog (5 Dec 22)
• Empowering teachers to enhance student learning via ALiTE Research Brief (14 Apr 22)
• Children's right to education in a digitally unequal world via SCAPE blog (13 Apr 22)
• Sharing on how school leadership practices relate to student outcomes via Faculti (17 Jan 22)

2021

• Interview by UNICEF Youth Envoys on digital inequality in Hong Kong on 28 May 2021.

2020

• RTHK 123 Show - interview on 'Educational inequality' on 29 September 20 (https://www.rthk.hk/radio/radio3/programme/1_2_3_show/episode/707817).
• My meta-analytic study on how parental involvement activities impact student learning was referenced in 11 news media platforms (August-September 2020) featuring how parents can be involved in supporting their children’s online learning during the school suspension in COVID-19. These media platforms are The Greenville News, Detroit Free Press, Statesman Journal, USA Today, The Indianapolis Star, The Arizona Republic, JS Online – Milwaukee-Wisconsin Journal Sentinel, MSN, The Columbus Dispatch, Medium US, ThriveGlobal
• Interview for the news article 'The struggles of homeschooling in the world’s tiniest apartments' on my expert opinions on how school suspension during COVID-19 in Hong Kong has impacted student learning and exacerbated social and digital inequality. Results of the interview were reported in major newspapers including Bloomberg (dated 20 May 2020), The Straits Times (Singapore dated 20 May 2020), and 台湾醒报 (dated 25 May 2020).
• Research brief (posted on webpage of The Joseph Luen Hung Charitable Trust: Asia Pacific Centre for Leadership and Change, The Education University of Hong Kong) on how informed school leadership practice can impact student learning from project 'What is the contribution of school leadership to student learning? A thematic review and meta-analytic study'
• A set of six bulletins sharing findings and implications from the eCitizenship Education 360study involving over 550 school leaders, about 790 teachers, 1300 parents, and 6300 students from primary, secondary, and special schools in Hong Kong. 

2017

• Sharing on cross-cultural perspectives of parenting via an interview by Ms Katrina Lee, Editor/Super Parents magazine. The interview was subsequently published in a special feature article ‘Chinese versus Western parenting: How parents in Hong Kong could promote optimal child development’ in the May 2017 issue of Super Parents magazine (pp. 16-21).

2016

• Sharing on contingency perspective of school leadership via a Skype interview by Dr Johannes Mioskavo. The interview was broadcast by Pedagogical (Instructional) Leadership Network (PLR-network) via an audio podcast ‘What type of school leadership benefits student learning most?’ on 5 Oct 2016. The podcast is accessible via Facebook and other social media.

Selected Journals where I had Served as Reviewer:

• Review of Educational Research (regular reviewer)
• Educational Research Review (regular reviewer)
• American Educational Research Journal (regular reviewer)
• Educational Administration Quarterly (regular reviewer)
• British Educational Research Journal (regular reviewer)
• Journal of Educational Psychology (regular reviewer)
• Child Development (regular reviewer)
• Computers & Education
• Critical Studies in Education
• Educational Review

Conferences where I Have Been Invited to Serve as Reviewer:

• Society of Research for Child Development 2023 Biennial Meeting (reviewed 13 submissions) 
• American Educational Research Association 2024 Annual Meeting
• American Educational Research Association 2025 Annual Meeting

Courses taught:

1. MEDD8001 Educational issues and research
2. MEDD7124 Individual and home predictors of students’ academic achievement
3. MEDD8669 Teacher and classroom predictors of students’ academic achievement
4. EDUR8054 Social inequality in educational achievement
5. EDUR8200 School effectiveness and improvement

Research topics of PhD/EdD students supervised:

1. Cultural capital and urban-rural educational inequality in China
2. Digital divide in Hong Kong secondary education: A cultural capital perspective 
3. Examining educational (in)equality in Mainland China: Institutional, sociocultural and individual factors
4. Inequity of English education in China
5. The relationship between parental involvement, parental involvement with technology use, autonomy supportive parenting and academic achievement, mediated by intrinsic motivation
6. Familial and school factors in student learning
7. Examining parenting styles and parental investment strategies improving high-SES students' academic performance in international schools in Mainland China
8. Academic aspirations of working-class students in elite universities in China 
9. The temporal toll on families: Parental work schedules, well-being, and child development 
10. How educators' perceptions and school policies affect parental involvement in student learning in Hong Kong