Issue 16, February 2016

Welcome to the e-bulletin of Communities of Practice (CoPs), where you will be able to catch up with our most updated events and information of the five CoPs in PolyU.

Promotion of CoP at the BOLT foundation course

On behalf of all CoP facilitators and co-facilitators, Prof. Eric Tsui (facilitator of CoP on Using Blackboard LMS to Enhance Learning & Teaching) introduced CoP at the face-to-face session of the Blended & Online Learning & Teaching (BOLT) foundation course. The BOLT foundation course aims to explore online learning and teaching and how to apply online pedagogies, tools and techniques to your own contexts. Prof. Tsui showcased the achievements of CoP to the teachers from UGC funded institutions who joined the BOLT face-to-face session.
  

Introduction of SWIVL at the Symposium on Effective Use of Technology in Teaching & Learning

Jennifer Zheng, PhD student from the English Department, introduced Swivl with a poster presentation entitled, "Initiating Teacher Collaboration through SWIVL Video in Educational Action Research - A PhD Project Case Study", in the Symposium on Effective Use of Technology in Teaching & Learning on 8 January 2016.

Jennifer found that SWIVL provided an inexpensive and unobtrusive alternative to capturing classroom practice. The valuable video data enhanced the discussion of specific strategies and insights into authentic classroom interaction. Through the use of Swivl classroom data analysis and discussion between the teacher and researcher, the researcher and her notes were greatly enriched. The research findings will possibly lead to the development of explicit teaching models of which are invaluable for other teachers.

The Swivl Robot, Swivl Capture App and Swivl Cloud support and make student ownership of learning possible in the classroom. When students are able to create peer-to-peer instruction videos, review performances and presentations, and see progress over time, video becomes a powerful tool to support the learning process.

The CoP is now offering two sets of Swivl self-video camera for all PolyU teaching staff on a loan basis. Please write to ask.cop@polyu.edu.hk for more information.
  

Briefing Session on Guidelines for Assessing Credit-bearing Service-Learning Subjects

A briefing session on Guidelines for Assessing Credit-bearing Service-Learning Subjects was held on 19 January 2016. The aim of this briefing session was to ensure a shared understanding of and a consistent practice in the assessment of service-learning subjects. Dr. Grace Ngai (Chairman of Sub-committee on Service-Learning Subject and the co-facilitator of the Service Learning CoP) and Dr. Stephen Chan (Head of Office of Service Learning and the facilitator of Service Learning CoP) shared recently drawn-up guidelines on assessing service-learning subjects, sample assessment components and rubrics.
  




A cloud-based Personal Learning Environment & Network (PLEN) to support peer-based & lifelong learning
Date: 16 Feb 2016 (Tue)
Time: 12:30 - 1:45pm
Venue: TU411
Facilitator:

Eric Tsui (ISE)

In the age of connectivist learning, knowledge resides in a network. This talk outlines the use of a cloud-based Personal Learning Environment & Network (PLE&N) to support peer-based and lifelong learning. The PLE&N functions as a semi-automatic online forum with updates from a pre-selected set of targeted sources.

Through the use of the PLE&N, teachers, students, graduates and industry practitioners can collaborate, share and engage in a co-learning environment and not be bound by the passing of an academic semester. Together, learners also help to combat information overload.

After 4 years of usage, the PLE&N has been used by over 1,500 PolyU students. Many continue to use it even after they have graduated from the university making it a truly lifelong learning tool.

In 2015, the PLE&N earned PolyU Golden Winner, Region Asia of the Wharton-QS STARS Reimagine Education Award for its innovative pedagogy.

This activity is co-organized by the CoP on Developing, Recognizing and Rewarding Excellent Teaching, the CoP on Using Blackboard LMS to Enhance Learning and Teaching, and EDC.

Click here for further information and registration.

  

Improving Word Choice in Academic Writing – Tools You Need
Date: 22 Feb 2016 (Mon)
Time: 12:30-2:00pm
Venue: TU411
Facilitator:

Dr Linda Lin (ELC)

Educationalists believe that effective writing is all about effective word choice and proper ordering. Making appropriate word choice and using these words appropriately, however, can be a challenge to many academic writers, in particular those who write in a second language. This workshop introduces aspects of vocabulary knowledge that academic writers should pay attention to and tools that these writers can use in order to select words correctly and effectively when writing academic texts. Please click here for registration.

The workshop is jointly organised by the CoP in Enhancing Students’ English Abilities, the UGC-funded inter-institution project Professional Development in Enhancing English Across the Curriculum, and EDC. Registration priority will be given to academic faculty with teaching responsibility.

 

Roundtable Teaching and Learning: Moving Forward on the Scholarship of Teaching & Learning: Reflections from EDC Course Participants
Date: 23 Feb 2016 (Tue)
Time: 12:30-2:00pm
Venue: Teaching and Learning Lab 3, Room G017, G/F, Pao Yue-kong Library
Facilitators:

Valentina Chan (CBS), Elvy Pang (MM), KC Tsang (SD) and Robert Wright (MM)

In 2015 our Educational Development Center (EDC) offered a series of workshops on “Becoming a Scholarly Teacher”. The series included a wealth of guidance in what constitutes high impact educational research and the value of designing studies that better prepare students for life-long learning. Come and join us and hear three insightful teachers reflect on their workshop experiences and their plans to take their careers to a new level.

This activity is co-organized by Community of Practice (CoP) on Developing, Recognising and Rewarding Excellent Teaching, EDC and Centre STARS.

Click here for further information and registration.

  
 


PolyU Communities of Practice