This workshop series focuses on 3 key themes as outlined in the universities strategic plan for 2019/20-2024/25. Enriching the student learning experience is at the forefront of our minds, and adopting interactive pedagogies supported by modern technologies enables us to engage and interact with students for an enhanced and enriching learning experience, both face-to-face and in online environments.

Via four workshops, participants will be introduced to modern pedagogical approaches, what institutional tools can support these and hear from colleagues who have integrated these theories into their practice. More specifically, the sessions will address:

Session 1: Interactive Student Engagement & Communication
Facilitators: David Alan Watson (EDC), John Sager (EDC), Julia Chen (EDC) 
Date: 04 Mar 2019
Time: 12:30 PM - 2:00 PM
Venue: TU411

Student engagement and communication can be enhanced through the adoption of interactive pedagogies, both in a face-to-face environment or online. We begin this series with an in-depth look at methods such as the flipped classroom and enquiry-based learning and how modern learning technologies and tools can enable these pedagogies and result in a much more confident and active learning and teaching experience.


Session 2: Open Resources for Opening Minds
Facilitators: David Alan Watson (EDC), John Sager (EDC), Julia Chen (EDC), Johnny Yuen (LIB)
Date: 06 Mar 2019
Time: 12:30 PM - 2:00 PM
Venue: TU411

Open Educational Resources (OER) are "teaching, learning and research materials in any medium – digital or otherwise – that reside in the public domain or have been released under an open license that permits no-cost access, use, adaptation and redistribution by others with no or limited restrictions." [UNESCO] This session explores how you can integrate these resources into your curriculum, where to begin with your exploration and how this can benefit both you and your students' learning experience. You will also learn about Creative Commons (CC) and the importance of understanding open licensing and how you can share your knowledge and creativity to build a more equitable, accessible, and innovative world.


Session 3: Face-to-Face in a Virtual Space
Facilitators: David Alan Watson (EDC), John Sager (EDC), Julia Chen (EDC), Mitesh Patel (EDC) Date: 22 Mar 2019
Time: 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
Venue: Online

In this session, participants will engage in an online webinar via Blackboard Collaborate. They will learn how to design and facilitate virtual tutorials to supplement face-to-face learning experiences and also will be introduced to PolyU's video platform for asynchronous audiovisual instruction. Finally, you will learn how peer-based learning groups can enrich the student learning experience and encourage collaboration and knowledge transfer outside of the classroom.


Session 4: Modern Analytics of the Student Learning Experience
Facilitators: David Alan Watson (EDC), John Sager (EDC), Julia Chen (EDC), Christine Armatas (EDC)
Date: 26 Mar 2019
Time: 12:30 PM - 2:00 PM
Venue: TU411

As we engage with modern pedagogies and interactive technologies to enhance learning and teaching, it is essential that we evaluate the impact that these innovations have on the student learning experience. In this session we explore the methods and techniques that you can adopt to ensure quality assurance and quality enhancement of your practice, resulting in a continued cycle of good scholarly activity.