Hong Kong student teachers' beliefs about children's learning: Influences of a cross-cultural early childhood teaching experience

Twenty-one in-service early childhood students participated in a teaching practicum in Australia as part of the final year of a Bachelor of Arts in Hong Kong. Students spent two weeks visiting a university and early childhood settings in Australia. The university based component of the program included workshops and discussions with lecturing staff located in both the Australian and Hong Kong universities. Students were asked to complete written statements about “What is children’s learning?” before and after their practicum experience. An inductive analysis of students’ written statements and practicum evaluations revealed an increase in beliefs about children’s learning as “active understanding” over the two-week period. Implications for teacher education programs are discussed. Copyright © 2007 The University of Newcastle, Australia.