In September 2019, we won a British Council Funding and with a team of researchers from different universities, we started a small research project on happy school, focusing on how a happy learning environment will affect the well-being and learning of students.
The research, taking reference from the 22 criteria of the UNESCO Happy School Framework published in 2016, originally aimed to find 6 local primary schools of different backgrounds that were perceived as 'happy school' to take part.
Like all our other projects, it has been delayed first by the protest, then by the pandemic. Led by Chief researcher, Research Assistant Professor, Dr. Daisy Zhang, JC School of Public Health and Primary Care, CUHK Thomas Jing Mindfulness Centre for Research and Training, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, her team adapted the pen and paper survey into audible online format in April, but by then schools were too overwhelmed with their own online teaching. We had to wait till October, well after schools reopened, before we could ask schools to help again.
As at the end of the year, 760 primary students, 454 parents and 79 teachers from 7 schools (4 local schools from different bandings, 2 direct subsidy, 1 private) have participated in the survey, and their principals interviewed.
Dr. Zhang's team has developed a Happy School Index (HSI), for all participants to rate the happiness level of their school from 0-10, with 10 being the happiest.
Whilst the data is still being analysed, preliminary results show:
1) higher HSI rating is associated with students’ better mental and physical health, and self-perceived performances and academic outcomes.
2) HSI is significantly correlated to nearly all the 22 criteria of the UNESCO Happy School, Framework, hence just by asking participants to rate the HSI of a school, can show how likely a school is doing according to the 22 criteria.
The full results will be announced later in 2021, and each participated school will receive an individual report. We will explore further funding for further research given the potential of it being a tool to help schools to formulate happy learning policies.
The research, taking reference from the 22 criteria of the UNESCO Happy School Framework published in 2016, originally aimed to find 6 local primary schools of different backgrounds that were perceived as 'happy school' to take part.
Like all our other projects, it has been delayed first by the protest, then by the pandemic. Led by Chief researcher, Research Assistant Professor, Dr. Daisy Zhang, JC School of Public Health and Primary Care, CUHK Thomas Jing Mindfulness Centre for Research and Training, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, her team adapted the pen and paper survey into audible online format in April, but by then schools were too overwhelmed with their own online teaching. We had to wait till October, well after schools reopened, before we could ask schools to help again.
As at the end of the year, 760 primary students, 454 parents and 79 teachers from 7 schools (4 local schools from different bandings, 2 direct subsidy, 1 private) have participated in the survey, and their principals interviewed.
Dr. Zhang's team has developed a Happy School Index (HSI), for all participants to rate the happiness level of their school from 0-10, with 10 being the happiest.
Whilst the data is still being analysed, preliminary results show:
1) higher HSI rating is associated with students’ better mental and physical health, and self-perceived performances and academic outcomes.
2) HSI is significantly correlated to nearly all the 22 criteria of the UNESCO Happy School, Framework, hence just by asking participants to rate the HSI of a school, can show how likely a school is doing according to the 22 criteria.
The full results will be announced later in 2021, and each participated school will receive an individual report. We will explore further funding for further research given the potential of it being a tool to help schools to formulate happy learning policies.