Dr LEE, Daphnee Hui Lin   李玟霖
Associate Professor
Department of Education Policy and Leadership
Phone No: (852) 2948 8057
Email: dhllee@eduhk.hk
Contact
ORCiD
0000-0003-1925-1937
Phone
(852) 2948 8057
Email
dhllee@eduhk.hk
Address
10 Lo Ping Road, Tai Po, New Territories, Hong Kong
Scopus ID
55531154400
Research Interest

Research Interests

Teacher Professional Identity, Professional Learning Communities, and Professionalism

Sociology of Education

Political economy and Broader Context of Education

Teaching Interest

Professional identity and professionalism

Collaboration in professional learning communities

Research Methods

External Appointment

1. 2014- Research Convenor, Teacher Learning and Professional Development task force, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.

2. 2014 - Member, International Comparative Studies task force, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.

Personal Profile

Daphnee Hui Lin LEE is a sociologist by training and researcher in education who employs a sociological lens. She is an Associate Professor of Education Policy and Leadership at The Education University of Hong Kong. Daphnee has a lifelong passion for understanding how change shapes professional identities and how professionals empower themselves in the face of change. Her research journey recently focuses on how school leaders and professional developers may empower teacher collaboration for educational change and school improvement through professional learning communities. Daphnee investigates the identities and values underpinning professional practice and learning with a theory she developed on identity grafting. In her book on Managing Chineseness (Palgrave Macmillan, London, 2017), Daphnee examines the theoretical implications Chinese professional identities through the concept of identity grafting. Prior to EdUHK, Daphnee started the earlier phases of her academic scholarship at the National Institute of Education (Singapore), Nanyang Technological University. Her Ph.D. work at the Australian National University laid the foundations to the sociological explanation of empirical work on the way identities are constructed and exercised, linking individual, social, and organizational experiences to global reforms and movements.

Research Interest

Research Interests

Teacher Professional Identity, Professional Learning Communities, and Professionalism

Sociology of Education

Political economy and Broader Context of Education

Teaching Interest

Professional identity and professionalism

Collaboration in professional learning communities

Research Methods

External Appointment

1. 2014- Research Convenor, Teacher Learning and Professional Development task force, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.

2. 2014 - Member, International Comparative Studies task force, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.

Selected Output

Scholarly Books, Monographs and Chapters
Research book or monograph (author)
Lee, D.H.L. (2017). Managing Chineseness: Identity and ethnic management in Singapore. London: Palgrave Macmillan
Chapter in an edited book (author)
Lee, D. H. L. (2021). Delicate multicultural balance of Singapore. In Halse, C., & Kennedy, K, (Eds.), Multiculturalism in Turbulent Times (159-174). Singapore: Routledge
Areepattamanil, S.,Chiam, C.L., Lee, D.H.L., & Hong, H. (2015). Correlates of science achievement in Singapore: A multilevel exploration. ., Science Education in East Asia (607-629). Switzerland: Springer
Hung, D., Shaari, I., Lee, D., & Lee, S. S. (2014). Developing a Habitude: When learning isn't always fun. In Hung, D., Lim, K. Y. T., & Lee, S. S, (Eds.), Adaptivity as a transformative disposition for learning in the 21st century (pp. 87-105). Singapore: Springer
Lee, D.H.L. (2014). What Chinese Am I?: The Use Of Heritage For Economic Imperatives In Developmental State Singapore. In Menkhoff, T. Chay, Y.W. Evans, H‐.D. (Ed.), Catalysts of Change: Chinese Business in Asia (pp.1-31). Singapore: World Scientific
Textbook (author)
Lee, D.H.L. (2014). Cultural Psychology. Singapore: SIM University Press.

Journal Publications
Publication in refereed journal
Lee, D. H. L. (2023). Identity Grafting: Influence of Confucian Model Universities on Chinese Singaporean Engineering Professionals. Discourse-Studies in the Cultural Politics of Education. Accepted 24 Feb 2023.
Ho, C. S. M., & Lee, D. H. L. (2023). The effect of authority transitions on teachers’ entrepreneurial behavior. Teacher Development. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/13664530.2023.2182829
Lee, D. H. L. (2023). Identity grafting: Pedagogical identities underpinning teaching practices across five Chinese cities. Professional Development in Education. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/19415257.2022.2155986
Lee, D. H. L. (2023). When social hierarchy meets hierarchical school culture: What Chinese Hong Kong school leaders need to know about within and beyond school influences on school collaborative culture. Educational Management Administration and Leadership. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/17411432231158299
Lee, D. H. L. (2023). Identity dilemmas of an English language teacher: Negotiating transformations in the language profile of a primary school in Hong Kong. Asia Pacific Journal of Education. Accepted 27 Feb 2023.
Lee, D. H. L., & Ip, N. K. K. (2023). The influence of professional learning communities on informal teacher leadership in a Chinese hierarchical school context. Educational Management Administration and Leadership, 51(2), 324-344
Jang, S. T., Halse, C., Lee D. H. L, & Hon, Q. (2022). Belongingness and national belonging among youth in Hong Kong. Youth & Society, 54(8), 1307-1329
Ho, C.S.M, Lee, D.H.L (2022). Financial literacy: The impact of the foreign-language effect on risk-taking values, financial attitudes, and behavior of Hong Kong secondary students. Asia-Pacific Education Researcher Doi:10.1007/s40299-022-00670-5.
Lee, D. H. L (2021). Relationships between policy, teachers’ values, and professional capital in teacher collaboration in hierarchical Chinese societies. Journal of Professional Capital and Community, XX, XX-XX
Lee, D. H. L., & King, R. B. (2021). Childhood Home Language Effects on Teacher Risk-Taking and Student-Centered Professional Practice in a Bilingual Chinese Context. The Asia-Pacific Education Researcher, XX, XX-XX
Ho, C. S. M., & Lee, D. H. L. (2021). Integrating positive financial attitudes to nurture students’ identity as informed financial decision-makers in high power distance Chinese contexts.. Journal of Educational Change, 22(2), 247-270
Lee, D. H. L., & Halse, C. M. (2021). Advancing the theory of identity grafting in Chinese school systems.. Journal of Educational Change, 22(2), 297-314
Lee, D.H.L. (2021). ‘Marrying Eastern and Western Values’: Identity grafting as a whole-school effort to improve student learning via mixed-ability learning. Journal of Educational Change, 22(2), 271-295
Lee, D. H. L. (2021). Identity grafting for educational change in Chinese school systems.. Journal of Educational Change, 22(2), 147-156
Lee, D. H. L. (2020). Teacher sociolinguistic backgrounds: A multilingual domain approach to understand teacher agency and language planning outcomes.. Current Issues in Language Planning, 21(5), 490-511
Ho, C. S., & Lee, D. H. L. (2020). School banding effects on student financial literacy acquisition in a standardised financial literacy curriculum. The Asia-Pacific Education Researcher, 29(4), 377-391
Lee, D.H.L., & Lee, W.O. (2018). Transformational changes in instruction with professional learning communities?: The influence of teacher cultural dispositions in high power distance contexts. Journal of Educational Change, 19(4), 463-488
Lee, D.H.L., & Chiu, C.S. (2017). “School banding”: Principals’ perspectives of teacher professional development in the school-based management context. Journal of Educational Administration, 55(6), 686-701
Ning, H. K., Lee, D. H. L., & Lee, W. O. (2016). The relationship between teacher value orientations and engagement in professional learning communities. Teachers and Teaching: Theory and Practice, 22(2), 235-254
Ning, H. K., Lee, D., & Lee, W. O. (2015). Relationships between teacher value orientations, collegiality, and collaboration in school professional learning communities. Social Psychology of Education, 18(2), 337-354
Lee, D.H.L. Hong, H. & Niemi, H. (2014). A contextualized account of holistic education in Finland and Singapore: Implications on Singapore educational context. The Asia-Pacific Education Researcher (TAPE), 23(4), 871-884
Areepattamannil, S., & Lee, D. H. L. (2014). Linking immigrant parents’ educational expectations and aspirations to their children’s school performance. Journal of Genetic Psychology, 175(1), 51-57
Lee, D. H. L., Hong, H., Tay, W. Y., & Lee, W. O. (2014). Professional learning communities in Singapore schools. Journal of Co-operative Studies, Special issue: Transformative power of co-operation in education, 46(2), 53-56
Lee, D.H.L. & Lee, W.O. (2013). A professional learning community (PLC) for the new teacher professionalism: the case of a state-led initiative in Singapore schools. British Journal of Educational Studies, 61(4), 435-451
Lee, D.H.L. (2013). Beliefs On "Avoidant Cultures" In Two French Multinational Corporations". Cross Cultural Management: An International Journal, 20(1), 20-38
Lee, D.H.L. (2013). Bourdieu’s Symbolic Power and Postcolonial Organization Theory in Local- Expatriate Relationships: An Ethnographic Study of a French Multinational Corporation in Singapore. Current Sociology, 61(3), 341-355
Lee, D.H.L. (2012). Branding Asia through public diplomacy: Structural‐historical factors, convergences and divergences. Place Branding and Public Diplomacy, 8, 209-221
Lee, D.H.L. & Shaari, I. (2012). Professional Identity Or Best Practices?: An Exploration Of The Synergies Between Professional Learning Communities And Communities Of Practice. Creative Education, 3(4), 457-460

Conference Papers
Invited conference paper
Lee, D. H. L. (2022, 5). A Comparative Study of Teacher Professional Capital and Values in Two Chinese Hierarchical Contexts—Hong Kong and Singapore. Paper presented at Conference of The Comparative Education Society of Hong Kong (CESHK), Hong Kong
Lee, D. H. L. (2021, 11). Keynote: Identity Grafting, Values, and Professional Development. Marginalised voices in contemporary times: addressing inequities through professional learning and education. International Professional Development Association (IPDA), England
Lee, D. H. L. (2021, 5). Simplifying complexity via professional learning. Reimagining Learning in Complex Times. International Professional Development Association (IPDA), Hong Kong
Lee, D.H.L. (2017, 9). Chineseness of Overseas Chinese in Singapore: Time and Space. International Conference on Textbook Studies and “Chineseness”, Beijing
Lee, D.H.L. (2016, 3). Exploring the potential for teacher enactment of instructional and transformational leadership: Factors, dispositions, and practices. Paper presented at the Asia Leadership Roundtable 2016: Surfacing indigenous leader practices (knowledge)
Refereed conference paper
Lee, D. H. L. (2021, 5). Born-again Chineseness: Implications for teacher professional learning in Hong Kong. Conference of the International Professional Development Association (IDPA), Hong Kong
Lee, D. H. L. (2021, 4). Policy implications of different approaches to reforms in collaborative teacher professional development in two Chinese contexts. Conference of The Comparative Education Society of Hong Kong (CESHK), Hong Kong
Jang, S. T., Lee, D. H. L., Hon, C. K. Q., & Halse, C. (2020, 12). Sense of Belonging of Hong Kong Youths Living at the Intersections of Multiple Social Constructs. The 12th Korean Association for Multicultural Education, Seoul, Korea
Lee, D. H. L. (2020, 4). Identity Grafting: Teachers and Engineering Professionals Collaborating to Prepare Students for the ‘Real-World’. Improving Students' Learning, Achievement, Critical Thinking and Participation in the Real World paper session.. AERA Annual Conference., San Francisco
Lee, D. H. L. (2019, 4). A language-informed case study to reconceptualise the power dynamics of race and ethnicity. International approaches to ‘talking back’ to structural racism and exclusion in education symposium paper.. AERA Annual Conference, Toronto
Lee, D.H.L. (2015, 6). Dynamism in theory, policy and practice of professional learning communities in Singapore schools.. Paper presented and symposium chaired at Redesigning Pedagogies Conference, Singapore
LEE, D.H.L. (2014, 11). Disjuncture between state program and reality... for the better? Professional learning communities in Singapore schools. Paper presented at Australian Association for Research in Education Conference, Brisbane, Australia
Kaur, B., Areepattamannil, S., Lee, D. H. L., Hong, H., & Su, R. H. C. (2014, 4). Does bullying at school predict student academic performance? Evidence from 65 countries. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Philadelphia, United States
Lee, D.H.L., Hong, H., Tay, W.Y., Ning, F.H.K., & Lee, W.O. (2013, 7). State-Led Implementation of Professional Learning Communities (PLC) in Singapore Schools – A Study. Paper and proceedings presented at The Transformative Power of Co-operation in Education, Scarborough, United Kingdom
Lee, D.H.L. & Lee, W.O. (2012, 11). The Development of Professional Learning Communities: The Singapore Case. Paper and proceedings presented at International Conference of Education Research, Seoul, Korea


All Other Outputs
Other outputs
Lee, D. H. L (2021). Professional Learning Communities Empower Teacher Leadership. Hong Kong: The Education University of Hong Kong
Lee, D. H. L., & Chiu, C. S. (2021). Nurturing Teacher Leadership Via Professional Learning Communities (Secondary Schools, 3 Reports).. Hong Kong: The Education University of Hong Kong
Lu, J., & Lee, D. H. L. (2020). EPL Impact: School leadership teams that work.. Hong Kong: EPL & APCLC, The Education University of Hong Kong.
Halse, C. M., Lee, D. H. L., Jang, S. T., & Hon, Q. C. K. (2020). 2019 Hong Kong Youth Belonging Survey Results Summary.. Hong Kong: The Education University of Hong Kong.
Lee, D. H. L., & Chiu, C. S. (2019). Individual School Reports on PLC Study (12 technical reports). Hong Kong: The Education University of Hong Kong
Lee, D. H. L., & Wan, S. W. Y. (2019). Individual School Reports on PLC Study (3 technical reports).. Hong Kong: The Education University of Hong Kong

Project

Global competence and Online Social Networks: Identities, Cognitive skills, and Sociocultural Factors as Facilitators and Barriers to using Diversity as a Strength
This study aims to help youths develop global competence to embrace diversity, we will study how individual and sociocultural factors serve as facilitators and barriers to youths’ global competence, providing research insights for targeted action to help youths embrace and learn from diversity. Our interdisciplinary project will study how individuals’ global competence, especially in perspective-taking and adaptive thinking, interact with identities, physiological responses, and media information literacy.
Project Start Year: 2022, Principal Investigator(s): LEE, Daphnee Hui Lin 李玟霖
 
An Exploratory Study to Profile Forms of Identity Grafting with Forms of Teaching Practice in Chinese Contexts
Pilot statistical studies show that teachers’ childhood family socialization (e.g., childhood home language / CHL and past socioeconomic status / P_SES) is consequential to their current personal values and professional practices. We identify *key identity constructs from pilot studies: age, gender, ethnicity, *childhood and current home language, *past and present housing type, years of teaching, appointment in school, subject specialization, *education credentials, country of birth, and overseas study experience). We have performed cluster analysis on secondary data in a pilot study to develop preliminary ideas on plausible connections between forms of identity grafting and forms of teaching practices. While we have gained insight from the pilot study into plausible factors that influence connections between identity and practice in Chinese contexts, we need a statistical analysis that can test the path of influence between related variables. With these results, we confirm the need for a more extensive study, and submission of the GRF application (2022/23). Resulting from pilot studies, we also identified a new approach to operationalizing identity grafting with a closer integrity to its original conceptualization. We now focus on eliciting teachers’ past experiences (childhood and teacher dialogues), and understanding how teachers draw connections between these experiences and their pedagogical practice.
Project Start Year: 2021, Principal Investigator(s): LEE, Daphnee Hui Lin 李玟霖
 
Teacher Leadership: Influences of Hierarchical Chinese Contexts on the Capacity of Professional Learning Communities to Empower the Classroom Teacher
Hong Kong’s schools need teacher leadership to improve student learning and stay ahead of rapidly changing educational demands. For classroom teachers without formal leadership roles, they still need the capability to influence educational decisions on student learning. The question is, can PLCs succeed in empowering teacher leadership in hierarchical Chinese contexts such as Hong Kong? Despite increased collaboration among teachers, studies show more needs to be done to empower informal teacher leadership in Hong Kong schools. Our research team aims give recommendations to improve PLCs in Hong Kong schools by understanding how professional development takes place for the classroom teacher according to school type, principal leadership, and teacher dispositions. The findings will contribute to future studies on Chinese school systems (e.g., Hong Kong and Singapore), building on previous studies.
Project Start Year: 2019, Principal Investigator(s): LEE, Daphnee Hui Lin 李玟霖
 
Professional Learning Communities: Developing Teacher Leadership in Differentiated Instruction Through Reflective Dialogue – A Pilot Study
This research aims to conduct a pilot study that will eventually lead to the full implementation of the research with an ECS grant application. The full implementation seeks to investigate the inter-play between Reflective Dialgoue (RD), Teacher Leadership (TL), and Differentiated Instruction (DI) practice with Hong Kong teacher engagement in PLCs context, guided by the following research questions:
1. What factors support / impede the development of teacher capacity in DI, within the context of PLCs?
2. How do these factors function as facilitators of / challenges to TL in the effective enactment of DI?
3. How are #1 and #2 mediated by the effective enactment of RD?

Project Start Year: 2015, Principal Investigator(s): LEE, Daphnee Hui Lin 李玟霖
 
Professional learning communities: Developing teacher leadership in differentiated instruction through reflective dialogue-A pilot study
Department Research Grant
Project Start Year: 2015, Principal Investigator(s): LEE, Daphnee Hui Lin 李玟霖
 
Reflective Learning in Individual and Group Settings - An Exploratory Study Comparing Reflective Learning in Hong Kong and Singapore
This research explores the conditions that may improve reflective dialogue by comparing interpretations and enactments of this practice in group-based professional learning. It draws upon the Principal Investigator’s previous research findings from a baseline study of 4690 teachers belonging to 96 Singapore schools, which culminated into a year-long in-depth ethnographic study of 11 professional learning teams from 8 schools. Through the observation of teacher engagement in professional conversations, an inductive approach was taken to derive a contextually grounded articulation of reflective dialogue in professional learning.
In continuation of previous research efforts, this research seeks to kick-start the exploration of future investigations in teacher collaborative learning in school-based professional learning communities.
By choosing a significantly different but comparable context, I seek to examine if the empirical articulations of reflective learning in the previous research requires refinement in a differently structured context, given a distinct but somewhat similar cultural base.

Project Start Year: 2015, Principal Investigator(s): LEE, Daphnee Hui Lin 李玟霖
 
Reflective learning in individual and group settings-An exploratory study
Research and Development Office Startup Research Grant
Project Start Year: 2015, Principal Investigator(s): LEE, Daphnee Hui Lin 李玟霖
 
A Teacher-Led Interpretation of the Teacher Growth Model: Inquiry into the Professional Identity of Singapore Teachers
This project seeks to map the Singapore Teacher’s professional identity through the way teachers in Singapore exercise Decisional Capital in the sense-making and interpretation of selective aspects of the Teacher Growth Model (TGM) (i.e. Ethical Educator and Transformational Leader) developed by the Academy of Singapore Teachers, Ministry of Education (AST-MOE). Through this, we seek to find the convergence between theory, policy and practice in the examination of how these facets of the TGM have contributed to the development of professional capital that supports a teacher-led professionalism. Occurring hand-in-glove, the research collaboration seeks an organic source for the definition of professional standards for teacher identity from teachers on the teaching track, as they are the builders of pedagogical capacities in the teaching force. We will commence our investigation with the strategic exploration of the interface between teacher interpretation of Ethical Educator and Transformational Leader from the TGM, through their deployment of Decisional Capital in the sense-making process. With the insights gathered from this inquiry, we look forward to inform AST work that supports the growth of teacher’s professional identities as Ethical Educators and Transformational Leaders, and also to offer theoretical insights as to how Decisional Capital is an important component in the growth of teacher’s professional identity. We aim to do this by offering a compilation of ground-up teacher professional identity, so as to contribute to the understanding of how TGM has encouraged and supported the growth and professional development of teachers in their roles as Ethical Educators and Transformational Leaders. We will focus on a qualitative study of the identity domains of Ethical Educator and Transformational Leader in order to support an in-depth probe into these domains. This research will engage a teacher sample in an online discussion forum, after which selected participants will be interviewed in a focus group setting. An adapted Grounded Theory approach informs data collection and analysis, where theory development of current TGM and Decisional Capital frameworks are sought in the process of locating their points of convergence, based on insights gathered in this inquiry.
Project Start Year: 2015, Principal Investigator(s): LEE, Daphnee Hui Lin 李玟霖
 
A Value-Mediated Approach to Profiling Professional Learning Communities in Singapore Schools
This mixed-methods study provides a baseline report of the Academy of Singapore Teachers’ (AST) implementation of Professional Learning Communities (PLC) in Singapore schools. Subscribing to the notion that values underpin dispositions, we employ a value-mediated approach to the profiling of PLCs in Singapore schools. An inductive approach is undertaken to map good practices and challenges in PLCs, and the relationships between teacher Value-Orientations and PLC Engagement. This report consolidates findings from survey and ethnographic observations. A survey was conducted on 96 schools (4690 teachers) to gather teacher self-reports on their personal engagement in PLC activities, and school provisions for a PLC-supportive environment. Ethnographic fieldwork complemented the online questionnaire data collection. Eight schools (11 teams) were selected as case studies to observe how teacher self-reports manifest on the ground, within the context of the conversations that emerge as the teams of teachers meet for PLC. PLCs in Singapore schools predominantly display high Focus on Student Learning. We also observed the emergence of informal mentors in PLCs taking on responsibilities to influence the strategic direction of the teams. Of the four mentoring approaches (Facilitating, Guiding, Accommodating, and Directing), Facilitating approaches were found to be most conducive for encouraging Reflective Dialogue and Collaborative Learning. Directing approaches resulted in lowered PLC Engagement. The study of Value-Orientations highlights that teachers with higher Rule-Orientation and lower Risk Aversion share positive relationships with all PLC Engagement factors, especially with Reflective Dialogue, while Power Distance is inversely related to teacher Focus on Student Learning. However, when individuals form groups, team cultures can inspire members to acquire values that differ from what they otherwise possess as isolated individuals.
Project Start Year: 2012, Principal Investigator(s): LEE, Daphnee Hui Lin 李玟霖
 
Prizes and awards

Tan Kah Kee Postgraduate Scholarship (2008) Singapore

Date of receipt: 1/1/2008, Conferred by: Tan Kah Kee Foundation
 
Lee Foundation Prize (2002) Singapore

Date of receipt: 1/1/2002, Conferred by: Lee Foundation