Abstract:
The Education University of Hong Kong places quality learning and teaching (L&T) at the forefront of its activities. Learning and Teaching Initiatives have also been a key aspect of the University Grants Committee’s (UGC) policies to enhance the quality of teaching and learning in Hong Kong’s higher education institutions. For years, the UGC had funded the Institute in different kind of L&T initiatives. During 2012-15, there are different types of L&T initiatives being planned, including
Teaching Development Grants (TDG)
Communities of Practices
Professional Development
Additional L&T initiatives
The University has imposed a stringent QA/QE mechanism to monitor each of the projects. Each project has to submit progress (for those with a longer duration) and final reports on their implementation, fund use, final outcomes and impact, and areas of further improvement. To review the outcomes and effectiveness of all the above-mentioned initiatives in an overall manner, and to pave the way for the direction of the University’s learning and teaching in the next triennium 2016-19. This project was carried out to examine the projects conducted, and to provide suggestions of further development and improvements. For projects approved in 2015/16 and ongoing projects not yet completed, they were also reviewed as far as possible to get a more comprehensive picture. In this regard, this project has the following objectives:
To stock-take the L&T projects in terms of deliverables, disseminations, outputs, websites, activities arranged and collaborations, etc.
To identify and examine the impact of the L&T projects in terms of: (a) student learning; (b) professional and career development of the project team staff members; and (c) practice at institutional level.
To evaluate the sustainability as well as spreading the projects across disciplines.
To identify good practices and examine in-depth on the successful factors, difficulties encountered and lessons learned.
To suggest ways for enhancing the current and future L&T projects.
Code:
T0155
Principal Project Supervisors:
Keywords provided by authors:
Subjects:
Start Date:
01 Jul 2015
End Date:
31 Jul 2016
Status:
Completed
Result:
The key output of this project, “Report on Use of UGC-funded Learning and Teaching Initiatives 2012-2015 and 2015-16” has delineated our effort to promote learning and teaching in the University. The strategic directives that relate to learning and teaching have been carried forward through implementation of the Learning and Teaching Plan, which consists of 4 key components—Learning, Teaching, Programme Development and Implementation, and Capacity Building and Environment Enhancement. TDG, start-up fund for CoPs and additional funding for PD have been the major resources with which learning and teaching initiatives are implemented. The results revealed in this report indicate that our efforts in learning and teaching development have been fruitful and promising. We endeavor to sustain our momentum of learning and teaching development that will continuously enhance the quality of our graduates.
Overall, the learning and teaching initiatives from 2012 to 2015 and from the 2015 to 2016 roll-over year have achieved significant breakthroughs in terms of stimulating new teaching pedagogies and generating a new culture of learning and teaching at the University. The fruitful results demonstrate our full commitment to improve the quality of learning and teaching, to explore new initiatives, to deepen and broaden their scope, and to inculcate the value of achieving teaching and learning excellence into the psyche of academic and teaching staff.
Impact:
The project was intended to consolidate the experience and assess the impact of L&T projects since 2012/13. The findings serve as good reference for ongoing projects’ enhancement and upcoming activity design. As of the date of submission of this report, the administration has already made refinements on TDG administration. For instance, TDG promotions have been fine-tuned so that specific group such as teaching-track staff are targeted; and, this tactic has proved to be effective in terms of participation. In this regard, the consolidated findings do inform the direction of future development.
Impact on students and educators
The findings have shed light on various issues relating to design, implementation and reporting of L&T projects. The experience gained in this project provides reference to educators to improve the implementation and design of the future L&T initiatives. The students, as the participants and learners of L&T projects, subsequently benefit from the enhancement of the projects. Moreover, students and teachers who participated in the interview was able to reflect on their experiences, consolidate their ideas for their ongoing development.
Impact on the University
The recommendations on project enhancement will improve the qualities of L&T as a whole. As effort to learning and teaching development endure, the quality of students’ learning will continue to improve. Of particular importance is the emerging culture on student-centered learning, which the University relies on the e-learning policy for promotion. With such a culture emerging, the quality of learning and, in turn, the quality of the graduates is set to progress.
Deliverables:
Report
The Education University of Hong Kong (2016). Report to the University Grants Committee on Use of Teaching Development Grants and Relevant Initiatives 2012-2015 Triennium and 2015-16 Roll-over Year.
The Education University of Hong Kong (2016). Learning and Teaching Initiatives at EdUHK.
Financial Year:
2014-15
Type:
TDG