Organised by Technology-Enriched Learning Initiative (TELI)
Details of the event:
Date : Dec. 6, 2017 (Wednesday) Time : 9:30am – 1:00pm Venue : CPD 3.28, The Jockey Club Tower, Centennial Campus, The University of Hong Kong
Abstract
Have you ever imagined a class, where students are actively engaged in exploring new ideas, investigating complicated cases, solving real-life problems, and creating new knowledge to challenge conventional thinking? We invite you to witness this vision become a reality by flipping the classroom.
In this half-day symposium, practitioners will share with you the rational, pedagogical strategies, challenges and solutions in adopting the flipped class approach. Together with award-winning teachers, innovative educators, and students who have experienced flipped classrooms, we explore the paths towards effective teaching and learning.
Are you a prospective university student? Have you thought of what major you want to study in the future? Interest and ability are two key factors to consider in choosing your university major. Yet, how can you really visualize how classes in universities are like just by reading a bunch of colourful prospectus, giving only factual and static information of the courses?
Worry not! Our Small Private Online Courses (SPOCs) are here to give you a real taste of university courses which will help you make a better informed choice.
HKU is now providing three SPOCs taught by our very own Professors and lecturers:
Now on Offer: Critical Readings of Popular Culture
Registration
Register for this course by sending an email to liuyiqi@hku.hk telling us your English full name, school name, and school level and get a taste of your university life to-be! The course begins in November. Registration is open until 15 November, 2017.
About the course
This four-module online course is designed to help you take a fresh, critical look at what seems familiar and ordinary. By drawing on various theories and analytical tools, you will become a sharp decoder of hidden messages in entertainment media.
Throughout this course, we will examine the following genres and topics:
Commercials: How do producers use film to convey the meaning they want to make?
Movies: What is the secret to Hollywood success?
TV dramas: Why are Korean TV Dramas so popular?
Print advertisements: Did you ever buy something because of an attractive advertisement? Why did you do that?
Assessment criteria for certificates
A Certificate of Completion will be issued upon completing the following tasks:
Attempt all quizzes in the course, and get at least 60% correct.
Participate in discussion forum by posting at least 1 meaningful post.
Submit the final assignment.
A Certificate of Excellence will be awarded to learners who get higher than 80% correct of the quizzes, and receive a Grade A for the final assignment. More details about the final assignment will be introduced during the course.
Stay tuned for these upcoming SPOCs:
Everyday Computing
Are computers outsmarting human beings? This course will help you to develop a “computational” mindset to analyze and formulate solutions for problems encountered in everyday life. We will investigate into how these problems are related to the Internet and the impact of computing technologies to humankind.
Journey into Mental Ill-Health
Mental illness is often portrayed by mass media as a threat. This is hardly the complete story. With the use of experiential exercises, case studies, and film viewing, this course will guide you to understand more about mental health issues through reflecting on your daily life and learn to co-inhabit with people with mental illness.
Organised by Technology-Enriched Learning Initiative (TELI)
Details of the event:
Date : Nov. 7, 2017 (Tuesday) Time : 3:00pm – 4:45pm Venue : Room 321, Run Run Shaw Building Speaker : Mr. Chia-Wei Wu, Director of Learning Sciences and Technologies, School of Dental Medicine (PDM), University of Pennsylvania
Abstract
Designing a successful and innovative initiative in the field of Learning and Development (L&D) is one of the most important projects for schools and organizations in the era of digital learning. It is imperative to create well-designed course materials and plan an engaging infrastructure to ensure an effective and evaluable learning experience. In this session, Mr. Chia-Wei Wu, the Director of Learning Sciences and Technologies at Penn Dental Medicine (PDM) will showcase PDM’s Online Learning Initiative and present how PDM’s Learning Technology Team (LTT) successfully developed and implemented blended learning solutions by utilizing cutting-edge learning technology tools. Moreover, you will learn how PDM LTT has harnesses the power of gamification, mobile learning and social learning to “flip” the classroom at the oldest IVY League dental school since 2013. Lastly, through an efficacy study, Mr. Wu will introduce the online learning methodologies both in synchronous and asynchronous learning scenarios with PDM’s current projects. Cecilia Tsang, the Education Development Manager from Apple, will introduce the current technology development in medical science and its influences. Different examples will be shared. This session will be of excellent value to instructional designer, online curriculum planner, or any e-learning developers whose professional focus is on finding the best use case for tomorrow’s learner.
About the Speaker
Mr. Chia-Wei Wu
Director of Learning Sciences and Technologies
School of Dental Medicine (PDM),
University of Pennsylvania
Professor Sun Kwok, a world-renowned astronomer, devotes his waking hours to exploring the wonders of the Universe. Why did he choose this path, and how did it work out for him? On 27th September, we visited Professor Kwok at the Laboratory for Space Research in Cyberport. In an interview with him, we got to know Professor Kwok as a scientist, an insightful educator, and an astronomy enthusiast brimming with passion.
When did it all begin?
It was not Professor Kwok’s childhood dream to become an astronomer. Instead, when he was studying engineering at university in Canada, one day, as he read Frontiers of Astronomy by Fred Hoyle, he found out that astronomy has much to do with physics, chemistry and biology. He realized that science are tools enabling him to understand the patterns and motions of stars, and the fascinating unknown of their composition, structure and evolution. The idea of investigating the Universe with physics was exciting, and he was inspired to pursue astronomy, eventually making important discoveries and leaving a legacy.
Curiosity and hard work paid off
For Professor Kwok, the Universe is still full of mysteries awaiting him to unveil. Despite hurdles, his curiosity and desire to solve mysteries drive him forward and help him overcome difficulties. Professor Kwok also adds it is all down to diligent preparation and effort, as one would never know when that eureka moment happens. His formula to reaching his goals is constant work, determination and hard work; not so much about natural talent or luck.
His efforts paid off. After countless ventures into deep space through telescopes, Professor Kwok is now the proud discoverer of many nebulae and stars. When asked how does he name his discoveries, Professor Kwok said, “it’s usually because of what they look like. In the case of cotton candy (nebula), it’s because of its shape!”
Places for stargazing
Professor Kwok has made a lot of professional observations on Hawaii’s Mauna Kea. The telescopes on its summit stand 4200 metres above sea level, where the skies are clear and the clouds are well below the observer. It is the location that Professor Kwok considers his favourite to observe celestial wonders.
But is Hawaii the only good place to go stargazing? Many often complain that it is difficult to see stars in Hong Kong due to severe light pollution. Professor Kwok remarks that even in Hong Kong it is not impossible to see, but people just turn a blind eye to them. In fact, Professor Kwok adds, it is extremely easy to see a planet even in Hong Kong, and people are always bewildered when he points to Venus at twilight. Professor Kwok suggests us all to go to the countryside, far away from the city lights, and marvel at the gifts of nature to rekindle our interest for our environment, because “it is all what our ancestors did. Everyone should see the Milky Way once in their lifetime.”
The next adventure
An inquisitive mind enabled ancient people to develop science and make technological advancements. Where is Professor Kwok’s curiosity leading him next? Currently, Professor Kwok works on astrobiology and is studying organic matter in space. He also believes that the integration of different fields of knowledge, such as chemistry, biology and geology, will create a multi-disciplinary perspective and be the future of astronomy.
Professor Kwok always encourages young people to pursue their dreams. “Because at the end, it is your life, and you have to have a career that is fulfilling”.
Professor Kwok was featured in the 5th episode of RTHK’s series Our Scientists. It explores Professor Kwok’s journey in becoming an astronomer, his visions in education, as well as his recent research in organic matter in space.
Follow Our Place in the Universe’s Facebook page for video clips of our interview with Professor Kwok and other astronomical facts and interesting articles!
We are surrounded by promises about a technology-enriched learning environment – for example, how online education will supplement face-to-face lectures, how artificial intelligence will provide round-the-clock assistance to students who always work until the small hours. These promises are motivating some of our teachers to bring more innovations to their classrooms. Dr. Rachel Lui, who gave a sharing session last week, is one of them.
Thanks to the Teaching Exchange Fellowship Scheme (TEFS), Rachel was able to visit the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in the summer of 2017 to investigate a new “medium of instruction” – the “Learning Glass”. The tool is a video recording system with a transparent glass board in front of the camera. This allows teachers to maintain natural eye contact with the viewers while presenting the content. The purpose is to engage students in a constructivist process of learning. Rachel’s sharing covered the following topics:
what “Learning Glass” is, and how to set it up;
why natural eye contact is important;
showing the thinking process in science education;
how “Learning Glass” is different from PowerPoint; and
whether we should invest in tools like the “Learning Glass”.
As a result of her trip, Rachel produced 47 videos for SCNC1111 which are in use from this semester. Here are two samples (click on the image to access the original video):
The informal conversations after the sharing were equally fruitful. “It was really encouraging to see that many teachers care about their courses, and are actively updating their pedagogies,” Rachel said in delight. “Some of them would like to know more about the software that I used, and some were hoping to get to know more about what can be done in the face-to-face classes after lectures are moved online.”
Rachel’s work is one example of what is possible in video lectures. As a next step, she will investigate further how to transform the entire course experience.
TEFS aims to enhance the scholarship of teaching and learning at the university through sharing of excellent pedagogical practices between HKU and other prestigious higher education institutions. Full details of TEFS can be found at http://intraweb.hku.hk/reserved_2/cdqa/doc/TEFS/TEFS_2017-18.pdf.
