Unpacking the Impacts of Accountability on Teachers’ Emotions in Hong Kong

The existing literature indicates that accountability mechanisms in education, while intended to enhance the quality of teaching, often lead to negative emotions among teachers. A significant 90% of teachers in Hong Kong reported feelings of dissatisfaction, frustration, and anxiety following the introduction of these mechanisms. Although previous studies have explored the connection between accountability and teachers' emotional states, notable research gaps persist. These include a focus on external accountability at the expense of internal accountability, a lack of differentiation in the effects of accountability on specific emotions, insufficient exploration of psychological factors in relation to institutional impacts, and the absence of multilevel analyses linking institutional and individual emotional responses. To address these gaps, the study will examine both external and internal accountability's effects on discrete emotions such as love, joy, anger, sadness, and fear among teachers in aided schools in Hong Kong. It will also investigate the roles of teacher autonomy and a sense of calling in these relationships. The research will employ a mixed-methods approach, utilizing advanced statistical techniques like multilevel structural equation modeling and qualitative analyses from teacher interviews. The survey will involve at least 600 teachers from 30 primary and secondary schools, with follow-up interviews conducted with 15-20 participants to gain deeper insights. Overall, the study aims to provide a nuanced understanding of how accountability mechanisms influence teachers' emotions. It seeks to produce empirical evidence illustrating the relationships between various forms of accountability and specific emotional responses, while also exploring how teacher autonomy and a sense of calling shape these dynamics. Ultimately, the findings will offer valuable insights for developing more supportive accountability systems for teachers.

Funding Source: RGC - General Research Fund (GRF)