Winter Sandbox Series 6: Embedding wellbeing in the curriculum: using a wellbeing lens to consider blended and online learning

Date : 28 January 2021 (Thu)
Time : 4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. (HK time) / 8:00 – 9:00 am (GMT)
Venue : Zoom
Speaker : Dr Alison Gilmour, Lecturer in HE Learning and Teaching, University of Greenwich

Registration

Abstract
University student wellbeing has been of growing concern to the higher education sector; heightened in the last year in the context of a global pandemic and widespread adoption of blended and online models of teaching by campus-based universities. Over the last six years or so, international and UK-based literature has increasingly directed attention to ‘whole-university’ approaches to student wellbeing, and the need for us to consider the relationship between wellbeing and learning, teaching and assessment. This approach is supported in the UK-based University Mental Health Charter (Hughes and Spanner, 2019).

But what does this mean for those of us teaching university students in blended and online environments? How can our teaching practice positively shape student wellbeing? This Winter Sandbox will: explore ways of thinking about embedding wellbeing in the curriculum; the relationship between wellbeing and academic practice; and provide the space to explore practical ways in which we can embed wellbeing in our curriculum, having taken a wellbeing lens on our academic practice.

About the Speaker
Dr Alison Gilmour is a Lecturer in HE Learning and Teaching at the University of Greenwich with specific expertise in enhancing teaching practice in online and blended contexts and supporting student engagement at a distance and in dispersed learning communities. Based in Greenwich Learning and Teaching, Alison works with staff across the university to enhance teaching practice, teaches on a PGCert in HE Learning and Teaching, and leads a cross-institutional project: Embedding Wellbeing in the Curriculum including research on introducing compassion focused pedagogy. During 2020, Alison co-ordinated the university’s Adjusting to Blended Learning Environment self-paced online CPD. She previously worked at Queen Mary University of London and as a Learning Enhancement Manager at The Open University in Scotland, including leading cross-sector enhancement projects commissioned as part of Quality Assurance Agency Scotland Enhancement Theme work: Staff: enhancing teachingStudent perceptions of ‘good’ feedback and The use of data and evidence in retention and progression.

Winter Sandbox Series Session 4: Providing social and cognitive learning support

Date : 12 January 2021 (Tue)
Time : 12:30pm – 2:30pm
Venue : Zoom
Speaker : Dr. Janet Chan, Lecturer, Faculty of Science, The University of Hong Kong

Registration

Abstract
Virtual teaching and learning has become a mainstream instructional delivery system during the pandemic nowadays. Without physical face-to-face presence, students may feel isolated or disconnected from their peers and teachers. This may discourage students from learning. When designing online/hybrid/hyflex courses, how can the teachers help students to engage? In this session, I will share my teaching experience of building learners’ sense of community and providing learning support through various components embedded in the course design, including assessment and in-class or out-of-class activities.

About the Speaker
Dr. Janet Chan is a Lecturer of School of Biological Sciences and the Programme Coordinator of Master of Science in Environmental Management at HKU. She is the recipient of the 2020 University’s Teaching Award and the Award for Teaching Excellence 2019-20 of Faculty of Science. Her teaching approach seeks to enhance student learning by using a holistic approach for science education and ensuring teaching and learning are truly international. Being a professional in higher education and environmental industry, she is a Fellow of HEA (Advance HE) and a Professional Member of the Hong Kong Institute of Qualified Environmental Professionals. Her teaching and course design, therefore, embed the attributes of an environmental professional. She has been teaching in HKU for over 10 years, coordinating and teaching over seven Master’s courses and one UG biostatistics course consisting of more than 300 students. Apart from teaching, she supervises more than 10 students’ research or action projects a year and mentors RPGs. She also coaches colleagues in teaching and learning.

Winter Sandbox Series: Creative Online and Hybrid Course Designing

Message from Centre for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning

Dear Colleagues,

We would like to invite Course Coordinators at HKU to join our Winter Sandbox Series: Creative Online and Hybrid Course Designing, which aims at supporting Course Coordinators in their course designs in various aspects, including integrating effective online and blended learning components into their courses. 

The third session will be held on 7 January 2021 (Thursday). There will be a 20-minute presentation, followed by breakout room discussions facilitated by CETL academics. In the breakout rooms, TELi instructional designers and disciplinary experts will also provide support and feedback. 

Session 3: Humanising Technology in Online and Hybrid Learning  (12:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. 7 January 2021)

In the past 12 months, we swiftly move from face-to-face to entirely online, and some of us had a taste of what it feels like to teach in dual-mode/ hybrid mode. Even though our teaching modality changed, the need for connection and engagement becomes more evident. Technology provides bits and pieces of solutions; however, it is up to the teachers to connect these dots to give their students meaningful experiences. This session will explore easy-to-use apps and some of its basic features to improve collaboration and communication among teachers and students. We will look into practical tips to provide active learning experiences for your students and retain as much human connection as possible.

About the Series:

The Winter Sandbox consists of six sessions. Four hands-on sessions will allow space for creative thinking and expert feedback and time to workshop your iterative re-designs. The other two sessions will provide expert input on learning design and blended learning respectively.

We encourage participants to join all the sessions in this Series. Course Coordinators are recommended to bring their course templates and ideas for the Spring Semester (January-May) in 2021.

Registration: https://www2.cetl.hku.hk/cetlevents/regist/456/registEvent.php?eventId=456

More information about the Winter Sandbox Series can be found here: https://www.cetl.hku.hk/winter-sandbox-2020/

See you online!

Centre for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning

[Students as Partners Series] Seminar 1: Students-as-Partners during COVID 19

Message from Centre for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning

What will our students learn, do and remember from COVID-19? Learning should not and does not have to stop. In this sharing session, the presenters will share their experience of Hear This! A Festival of Radio Drama on Zoom run entirely online in May 2020. How a students-as-partners project which puts a ‘train the trainer’ model into action, is conceptualised, organised and implemented will be discussed. The ‘take away’ for students from this project in terms of them strengthening their portfolio of achievement and having a living artefact showing their contribution to education during COVID-19 will also be shared.

Date & Time : 11 November 2020 (Wed), 12:30 – 1:30pm
Venue : Conducted via Zoom
Student Presenters :
Didi, Di Heng Tse, (PDGE)
Mari Lam (BEcon and Finance, Year 4)
Alya Prasad (BEd and BSci Year 3)
Presenter : Ms. Tanya Kempston, Lecturer, Faculty of Education, HKU
Facilitator : Dr. Cecilia K Y Chan, CETL, HKU

Registration

For information, please contact:
Mr. Thomas Lau , CETL
Phone: 3917 4807; Email: kanclau@hku.hk​

How to Deliver Interactive Dual-Mode Classes?

Message from Centre for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning

How to Deliver Interactive Dual-Mode Classes?

Dual-mode teaching provides both online and classroom-based instructions. However, teachers face various challenges as they journey through this form of teaching. The Centre for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning has created a video (https://youtu.be/G8Vjv7VzAr0) on how to deliver interactive dual-mode classes. This video will introduce to you practical strategies to make your class more interactive, connect with your students better, and help achieve your learning outcomes. It will cover essential tips in managing your class, quick and easy activities to keep them engaged, and some tools you can use to motivate your students.

Virtual Conference: Meeting the Challenge of Student Mobility in a Global Pandemic

Message from Centre for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning

You are cordially invited to join us for the Virtual Conference – Online Internationalisation: Meeting the Challenge of Student Mobility in a Global Pandemic.

Date: 13 November 2020 (Friday)
Time: 9:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. (Hong Kong Time)

Registration

Should you have any enquiries, please contact Mr. Thomas Lau (kanclau@hku.hk).

Centre for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning

Building your Teaching Career in Academia – Applying for Teaching Development GRANT (TDG)

Organised by Centre for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning (CETL)

Details of the workshop:
Date : 9 Oct 2020 (Friday)
Time : 12:00nn – 1:00pm
Venue : Virtual Venue – via zoom
Presenters : Dr. Cecilia Chan, Centre for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning, HKU

Abstract
This is part of a workshop series to help both new and experienced teachers to realise the resources available in the university, particularly in terms of teachers’ recognition and potential in teaching, ultimately, to build their career in higher education. The “Building your Teaching Career in Academia” series will include workshops to help you develop your teaching portfolio for fellowship and Teaching Excellence Awards, career planning (particularly if you are on a teaching track), research into scholarship in teaching and learning including Teaching Development Grant, as well as sharing from other teachers who have been engaging in best teaching practices.

This workshop will focus on how to write a teaching development grant proposal. Given the deadline for the next round is on Friday, 16 October 2020, many teachers may be wondering if they should apply, or if they are qualified to apply, or what can they apply for, what kind of limitation, outcomes and initiatives are expected in a TDG; all the what and how of TDGs will be answered. I sincerely encourage you to come along if you are thinking of applying for a TDG.

Online Registration

For information, please contact:
Mr. Thomas Lau , CETL
Phone: 3917 4807; Email: kanclau@hku.hk​

International Virtual Forum in Teaching and Learning: Students-as-Partners in Online Learning – Voices from HKU

Message from Centre for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning

Date: 30 Sept 2020 (Wed)

Time:
3:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. (Hong Kong Time)
8:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. (GMT)
5:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. (AEST)

Venue: To be held virtually

About the Forum
The terms flipped, blended, flexible, hybrid, distance, synchronous, asynchronous, virtual and mobile learning have now become integral to our teaching. As we welcome students into our university in an online format for the first time, we also want to take the opportunity to converse with them and their teachers to learn more about this new experience.

This International Virtual Forum in teaching and learning brings us closer to one another, provides us a platform to reflect, share and chat with HKU students, teachers, experts, and colleagues from other universities around the world.

We are extremely fortunate to have senior leaders from HKU and universities in Australia, United Kingdom, Finland and Ireland with us to share their views on teaching and learning in the past months and to share their thoughts on how this will impact on universities in the coming years. More information about the Forum can be found here https://www.cetl.hku.hk/iforum2020/

Online Registration

For information, please contact:
Mr. Thomas Lau, CETL
Phone: 3917 4807; Email: kanclau@hku.hk

Get-Together: Ready for Dual-Mode Teaching?

Message from Centre for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning

Date: 17 Sep 2020 (Thu)
Time: 2:00pm – 3:00pm
Venue: Virtual Venue – via zoom
Presenters:
Dr. Cecilia Chan, Centre for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning, HKU;
Mr. Patrick Leung, Centre for Applied English Studies, HKU;
Dr. Jian Yang, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, HKU;
and one more presenter to be confirmed

Facilitator: Dr. Tracy Zou, Centre for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning, HKU

Online Registration

More information is available at https://www.cetl.hku.hk/ws200917/

Abstract
Dual-mode teaching at HKU will start from September 22, 2020. While most courses are available online throughout the current semester, some will have students returning to campus for face-to-face teaching in the classroom. In such mode, we need to engage both the face-to-face and online groups effectively, which can be challenging. Let us get together to discuss and share issues and solutions in order to be ready for the dual-mode teaching.

This session will take place right after the Chit-n-Chatting session on Building Your Teaching Career. Participants who have registered for the Chit-n-Chatting are welcome to stay and join. Colleagues are also very welcome to sign up only for this session on dual-mode teaching.

Look forward to meeting you there. Let us tackle this together!

For information, please contact:
Mr. Thomas Lau, CETL
Phone: 3917 4807; Email: kanclau@hku.hk​

Building your Teaching Career in Academia – Teaching Excellence Awards Virtual Workshop

Message from Centre for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning

Date: 23 Sep 2020 (Wednesday)
Time: 1:00pm – 2:00pm
Venue: Virtual Venue – via zoom
Presenters:
Dr. Ruijing Meng, Principal Lecturer, HKU Business School;
Dr. Cecilia Chan, Centre for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning, HKU

Online Registration

Abstract
This is part of a workshop series to help both new and experienced teachers to realise the resources available for teaching in the university.

This workshop is open to all teaching staff who are interested in finding out more about the different Teaching Excellence Awards. Staff will be provided with an overview of the award schemes, the key selection criteria, and some suggestions on preparing an evidence-based teaching portfolio. An award winner will share with us her experience of applying for the award. Staff who are thinking about making an application in the next round are strongly encouraged to attend this workshop. Staff who are not sure, or would simply like to know more about the scheme, are also very welcome.

The deadline for the next round of application is Friday, October 23, 2020. Please refer to the circular on Teaching Excellence Award Scheme, 2020 here: https://tl.hku.hk/teaching-excellence-awards/

About the Speaker
Dr. Rujing MENG is the Director of Master of Finance Programme, Director of Master of Finance in Financial Technology, and a Principal Lecturer at the University of Hong Kong (HKU). She was awarded B.A. from Guanghua School of Management, Peking University and Ph.D. from Fuqua School of Business, Duke University.

She teaches and conducts executive education in the area of Capital Markets and Investments, Corporate Financial Management, and Derivatives Pricing. She has received a number of teaching awards, including the University Outstanding Teaching Award 2017; the Faculty Outstanding Teacher Award (Postgraduate Teaching) 2017, 2012, 2006; the Faculty Outstanding Teacher Award (Undergraduate Teaching) 2017; and the HKU-Fudan University International MBA Teaching Award 2014.

Rujing’s main research interests include Capital Markets and Investments, Corporate Finance, Real Options, and Risk Management. She has published research papers in reputable international journals. Her research honors include the SAAJ Research Excellence Award in Corporate Finance 2008.

Rujing also regularly writes articles on hot topics of the financial markets in Hong Kong and Mainland. Her articles have been published in Bloomberg Businessweek (China), CAIJING Magazine, Caixin, Financial Times (Chinese), and Shanghai Securities Journal.

For information, please contact:
Mr. Thomas Lau , CETL
Phone: 3917 4807; Email: kanclau@hku.hk​