Optimizing the Potential of Hong Kong Students: Harnessing the Interaction Between Psychological Variables and Student Achievement

There is ample international research evidence that students’ school achievement is significantly affected by their self-concept, self-regulated learning, future goals, achievement goals, basic values, perceived value of schooling, learning strategies, and motivation. Nevertheless, there has not been any study that has looked into the effects on achievement of these variables when taken together. Nor has there been any research into the joint effects on achievement of these psychological variables on schooling outcomes. As such, despite the pervasive significance of these variables for the realization of full potential (see, for example, McInerney & Van Etten, 2004; Marsh, Craven & McInerney, 2007), current practices in school settings have not fully capitalized on advances in research demonstrating the importance of these variables. The following question will be addressed: What is the nature of and relationships between academic achievement and psychological factors over time for secondary students in Hong Kong?

Funding Source: RGC - General Research Fund (GRF)