“Teachers: Are you ready?”: The introduction of liberal studies in the new senior secondary curriculum reform in Hong Kong

Hong Kong is experiencing an unprecedented curriculum reform. The New Senior Secondary (NSS) curriculum started in 2009 with the introduction of a new compulsory core subject - Liberal Studies (LS) - is a major focus of concern. LS is a new subject not only in terms of its subject matter but also in the concepts, aims, learning strategies, and assessment. This is an in-depth study adopting a narrative approach, aiming to investigate the experiences of a group of practicing LS teachers in their first year of curriculum reform. We will report our findings using the four commonplaces in curriculum development: milieu, teachers, learners, and subject matter (Schwab, 1969) as a framework of analysis. The initial analysis of the teachers' narratives shows that they encounter challenges in different aspects. The various issues of concern include the preparation of frontline practitioners, the provision of support to them, the composition of the teaching team and the becoming of the LS teachers. Unfolding the experiences of these LS teachers will help policy makers and school leaders to understand the impact of curriculum reform from the perspective of practicing teachers and thus recommend appropriate support to suit their needs.