Transforming Large Classes into Interactive Learning Environment: Implementation and evaluation of blended learning strategies with LMS and Students Response System (SRS)
Large classes are common in Hong Kong Higher Education due to the 3-3-4 curriculum reform in 2012. Facilitating effective interaction with university students in large classes is a daunting task for preserving the quality of teaching and learning. Using the SRS allows teachers to quickly understand their students' needs in a student-centered environment.
This Teaching Development Grant project aims to:
promote blended learning through the use of blended learning innovations beyond the physical classroom environment
To enhance students' opportunities for critical thinking & problem solving during lectures
To arouse students’ engagement in terms of their interest & interaction in classes through feedback from the SRS
To increase the adoption rate of the Learning Management System (LMS)
Training Workshops
Smart Device as SRS in large class
Self-help guide of a home-grown SRS - uReply (EDtool)
My contribution in this project contains various activities, such as:
Provided one-to-one coaching service to more than 50 teachers from 7 faculties on different SRS
Provided in-class support in large classes
Designed and delivered Training Materials (self-help guide, videos, wikispace and animations)
Provided consultation to other e-learning relevant tools (Learning Management System)
Developed macros, and formulas to produce reliable and consistent statistical reviews.
Collected survey data from students and teachers for later assessment.
Performed UAT Testing for existing and new tools.
Visualized data to the stakeholders (Teachers, Students, T&L centre staff, and Senior Management)
Organized regular gatherings for teachers using SRS to exchange new ideas.
Created promotional materials to stay in touch with current members (bi-monthly newsletters, and official website).
Collaborative with all the stakeholders to promote good e-teaching and learning during the project period.
Deliverables created by me
At the end of this project
More than 1,6000 students used the "Clickers";
More than 70 Teachers had implemented "Clickers"; and
More than 70 subjects, 700 classes had been adopted "Clickers".
Source: Clickers@PolyU Wiki
Peer Instruction with Students Response System (SRS): Using Mobile Devices as Students Response Systems to Transform Large Classes into an Interactive Learning Environment
Based on the TDG project, the project team received funding from the UGC. An interactive pedagogy, Peer Instruction with the adoption of SRS was introduced at participating institutions, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) and The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK).
was designed at Harvard University by Professor Eric Mazur.
Conceptests based on widespread student misconceptions are sprinkled throughout lectures. By looking at the student responses in the SRS, such misconceptions in big peer instruction classes can be identified.
A video produced by me to demonstrate the process of Peer Instruction in a large introductory classes
Peer Instruction Training from Harvard University, Mazor Group
Me presenting the Clickers Questions Taxonomy in T&L Centre Workshop (2016 May)
Workshops on Creating Effective Questions for SRS in large classes (2016 May)
My contribution in this project contains various activities, such as:
Provided one-to-one coaching service to more than 130 teachers from 7 faculties on different SRS (uReply, Kahoot!, Mentimeter)
Provided in-class support in large classes
Designed and delivered Training Materials (self-help guide, videos, wikispace and animations)
Provided consultation to other e-learning relevant tools (Learning Management System)
Produced reliable and consistent statistical reviews.
Collected survey data from students and teachers for later assessment.
Performed UAT Testing for existing and new tools.
Visualized data to the stakeholders (Teachers, Students, T&L centre staff and Senior Management)
Provided research/data analysis support to non-education field teachers who would like to disseminate their good practices to the COP.
Promoted Evidence-Based/Data-Driven approach that could enhance quality e-teaching and learning.
Supported teaching staff in-cooperate their teaching into new teaching methodologies, reflecting teaching practices and attending workshops/conferences
Organized regular gatherings for teachers using SRS to exchange new ideas
Designed promotional materials (bi-monthly newsletters, and official website).
Designed conference materials (Banner, Proceeding, Conference Booklet and Conference Bag)
Working Committee Members of e-learning Forum Asia 2017
Selected deliverables created by me
Video to demonstrate the Good Blended Learning Practice (ft. Valentina Chan)
Publication/Presentation on effectiveness of Using SRS...Know more
At the end of this project
More than 3,0000 students used the "Clickers";
More than 130 Teachers had implemented "Clickers"; and
More than 400 subjects, 2500 sessions had been adopted "Clickers".
18 teachers implemented the Peer Instruction and more than 6000 students benefited from this pedagogy.
A sustainable homegrown SRS had been provided to every teachers to use since 2016.
Source: https://www.ugc.edu.hk/doc/eng/ugc/activity/teach/PolyU4.pdf
Developing Multidisciplinary and Multicultural Competences through Gamification and Challenge-Based Collaborative Learning
This project aims to bring the following impact:
Student aspirations, efficacy and confidence toward undertaking offshore learning
experiences and understanding of other cultures.
Key skills for a competent global workforce - critical thinking, collaboration,
communication and creative problem-solving.
Student engagement in designing international learning experiences.
The eTournament is a virtual competition in which students from various regions create teams to play a strategic education game called PaGamo. They will learn about the SDGs through the PaGamO game platform. Students must also learn about their colleagues' varied cultures and backgrounds. These Online Teams will use synchronous online conversations to explore specific issues related to one SDG in depth.
My contribution in this project contains various activities, such as:
Provided one-to-one coaching service to teachers on using SRS embedded Gamified Functions.
Provided in-class support in large classes
Designed and delivered Training Materials (self-help guide, videos, wikispace and animations)
Provided consultation to other e-learning relevant tools (Other Gaming Platforms and Learning Management System)
Gamified course materials
Produced Flipped Learning materials
Suggested relevant e-pedagogy solutions to the instructors
Suggested evaluation framework for the project teams in cross-institutional meetings.
Decided methodologies (experiment, survey and focus group) to test the effectiveness of the E-pedagogy.
Analyzed quantitative and qualitative data to support the effectiveness of the E-pedagogy.
Evaluated the effectiveness between different E-pedagogy (Flipped Classroom, Game-based/Gamified Learning, SRS, and Blended Learning)
Selected deliverables created by me
Publications/Presentations on effectiveness of Game-Based Learning...Know more
Supervised Animation Video created by participating students in"Flipped Classroom Promotional Video Trailer Competition" - 1st Runner-up (2018)
Designing Game-Based Learning Experiment at the Smart Classroom
This is a model of examining the Flow state, which is a well-known psychological state, to see how those elements promote students' self-regulated learning and acceptance of use in a Game-Based Learning classroom.
Unlike most serious games, learners use GBL primarily to improve their academic performance rather than for the immersive experience.
At the end of this project
More than 400+ students joined the experiment and other research activities.
Several publications/conference papers were published to prove the effectiveness of Game-Based Learning/Gamified Learning
About 12 teachers from more than 4 faculties supported this learning concept in PolyU.
About 2,993 students experience in-classes gamification activities via SRS (uReply, Kahoot!, and Badaboom).