Teaching Excellence Awards 2012 – A Message from The Vice-Chancellor

ota4

I am very pleased to announce the winners of the Outstanding Teaching Award (OTA) of the Teaching Excellence Award Scheme for 2012:

Individual Award
  • Dr CHAN Lap Ki, Institute of Medical and Health Sciences Education & Department of Anatomy, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine
  • Dr Gary James HARFITT, Faculty of Education
  • Dr LAM Shui Fong, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences
  • Miss Alice LEE Suet Ching, Department of Law, Faculty of Law
  • Dr Robert Shannan PECKHAM, School of Humanities (History), Faculty of Arts
  • Mr Mathew Robert PRYOR, Department of Architecture, Faculty of Architecture
Team Award
  • Dr Susan Margaret BRIDGES (Leader), Professor Cynthia YIU Kar Yung, Dr Michael George BOTELHO, :Professor Edward LO Chin Man, Dr Peter TSANG Chiu Shun, Dr Rory Munro WATT, Dr YANG Yanqi and Miss Jessica WONG Wai of the Faculty of Dentistry for the PBL 2.0: E-learning for problem-based learning (PBL) at the Faculty of Dentistry
  • Dr Hayden SO Kwok Hay (Leader), Dr Edmund LAM Yin Mun and Dr Kenneth WONG Kin Yip of the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Faculty of Engineering for the Design Thinking, Problem Solving, and Team Building: Reshaping the First Course in the EEE Curriculum

The Selection Panel was deeply impressed by the awardees’ dedication to their students, their tireless and creative efforts to make learning enjoyable and challenging, and the impact that they have made on their students’ learning.

The awardees will be honoured at the upcoming award presentation ceremony for excellence in teaching, research and knowledge exchange, which has been scheduled for Wednesday, March 27, 2013; and their names will be posted for a period of five years on the Teaching Excellence Awards Honour Board in the Main Library. Many congratulations!

I would like to thank our external assessor Professor Michele D. Marincovich (Associate Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education and Director of the Center for Teaching and Learning at Stanford University) providing us with her expert advice in situ during the final selection process. I would also like to thank Professor Amy B.M. Tsui (Pro Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President, Teaching and Learning), Professor George Tham, Dr. Gayle E. Morris and Mr. Ernest C.H. Cheung (student representative) for their assistance in this important exercise.

Last but not least, I wish to express my deep appreciation and gratitude to all the other nominees for the teaching excellence awards for their devotion and sustained contribution to promoting excellence in teaching at this University.

I look forward to seeing you all at the ceremony on March 27, 2013.

Professor Lap-Chee Tsui, Vice-Chancellor
Chairman, Selection Panel for Teaching Excellence Awards 2012

ITS Orientation Seminars in 2013 Jan

Message from Information Technology Services

Dear colleagues and students,

As the Second Semester is fast approaching, we are arranging the following orientation seminars for new University members to help them familiarize with the use of the central IT services and facilities.

Introduction to Information Technology Services 18 January 2013
(Fri)		 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm RR-201, Run Run Shaw Building Course Description and Registration
Introduction to Information Technology Services 23 January 2013
(Wed)		 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm RR-201, Run Run Shaw Building Course Description and Registration

You are welcome to attend either one of above seminars.  Please register your attendance through the HKU Event Management System at the links provided above.

For any question on the above, please feel free to contact us at ithelp@hku.hk.

Veronica Yick
User Services
Information Technology Services

Teaching Exchange Fellowship Scheme & Workshop – Jan 25

Applications are invited for the Teaching Exchange Fellowship Scheme, which was introduced by the Teaching and Learning Quality Committee in 2010-11.

Objectives
The Scheme aims to enhance the scholarship of teaching at the University through enabling academic staff members to share experience and to collaborate on teaching and curriculum development initiatives at reputable universities where excellent pedagogical practices or curriculum innovation are being implemented, and to facilitate reciprocal visits to the University by academic staff of these institutions. The Scheme is a measure also to ensure that our curriculum and pedagogy are benchmarked against international best practice.

Eligibility
All full-time teaching staff with a minimum of two years of service at the University are eligible to apply.

Deadline for Application
Interested colleagues are encouraged to attend the CETL Teaching Exchange Fellowship Scheme Workshop at January 25, 2013, which will provide an overview of the Scheme and advice on the preparation of the application. All applications and supporting documents should reach Ms. Synthia Chau, Secretary of the Teaching and Learning Quality Committee (c/o Academic Development and Quality Assurance Section of Registry) on or before March 15, 2013. Enquires may be directed to Ms. Synthia Chau at 2859 2440 or via email to schau@hku.hk.

Applicants will be notified of the results in April/May 2013.

For more details, please read the circular below.
Announcement circular from the Chairman of TLQC (document 139/1112) (HKU Portal login required)

Teaching Exchange Fellowship Scheme Workshop
Organized by Centre for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning
Facilitator: Dr. Gayle Morris, CETL, The University of Hong Kong
Date: 25 Jan, 2013 (Fri)
Time: 1.00pm – 2.00pm
Venue: Room 321, Run Run Shaw Building

Abstract
This workshop provides an overview of “Teaching Exchange Fellowship Scheme.” This workshop is open to all teaching staff who are interested in finding out more about the Teaching Exchange Fellowship Scheme. Staff will be provided an overview of the scheme, the key objectives, eligibility and advice in preparing an application. Staff who are thinking about applying in the next round are strongly encouraged to attend. Staff who are not sure, or would simply like to know more about the scheme, are most welcome.

Registration

For registration, please contact:
Ms Ivy Lai , CETL Phone: 3917 8996; Email: laichun2@hku.hk.

U21 Educational Innovation Conference 2012

Video: Nurturing global citizens in undergraduate education
Keynote presentation by Professor Amy B.M. Tsui at the U21 Educational Innovation Conference 2012

On November 8-9, 2012, the U21 Educational Innovation Steering Group organized a sixth international conference at the National University of Singapore. The event, entitled “Transformative Education in the 21st Century”, aimed to address two themes, namely enhancing active student engagement and broadening educational experience. 46 participants from institutions around the world joined the conference and heard the following keynote speeches:

  1. Bringing breadth and integration to undergraduate education
    by Professors Daniel Bernstein (University of Kansas, USA)
  2. New media literacies and personalized learning
    by Professor Michael McManus (University of Queensland, Australia)
  3. Self-direction as a path of transformative learning
    by Professor Gary Poole (University of British Columbia, Canada)
  4. Nurturing global citizens in undergraduate education
    by Professor Amy Tsui (The University of Hong Kong)

To learn more about the conference and to download the keynote presentations, please visit this website. To read the news release of the National University of Singapore, please click here.

Library advisory service available at Chi Wah Learning Commons

Message from University Libraries

With effect from 15 October, 2012, the University Libraries has launched an advisory service for students in the Chi Wah Learning Commons (智華館).  The University Libraries will offer assistance to students in:

  • using the library services and facilities;
  • formulating search strategies;
  • searching the information resources, such as Dragon (the library catalogue) and the article databases; and
  • setting up personal consultations for in-depth information search.

The advisory service is available Monday to Friday from 10 am to 5 pm in Zone R, i.e. the designated Student Advisory Services Zone shown in green in the following floor plan.

The Libraries aims to provide high quality advisory service to facilitate student learning experience at the Learning Commons which is developing into a campus hub for student-centered learning activities.

You are most welcome to share with us what you think about the Libraries’ advisory service at the Chi Wah Learning Commons by sending us an email to hkulref@hku.hk.

Commencement of Advisory Services for Students at the Chi Wah Learning Commons

Message from Information Technology Services

Information Technology Services announced the commencement of advisory services for students on the second floor of the Chi Wah Learning Commons (智華館) on 15 October 2012 (Monday).

On the second floor, an area (shown in green in the following floor plan) is designated as a Student Advisory Services Zone where students may seek advice from a number of departments, namely the Academic Advising Office (AAO), Centre for Applied English Studies (CAES), Centre of Development and Resources for Students (CEDARS) and the University Libraries.

The Student Advisory Services Zone consists of an open space where the advisors are on duty; a Language Practice Laboratory (to be opened later); and ten interview rooms for one-on-one discussions. There is a display screen at each end of the Zone showing the servicing hours of the advising departments.

The following outlines the types of advice that students will be able to obtain in the Learning Commons.

The Academic Advising Office (AAO) will provide academic advice to students on a one-on-one basis in the following areas:

  • adjustment to university studies and development of study plans;
  • guidance on academic regulations and cross-faculty learning opportunities;
  • attending to academic areas of weakness;
  • planning for postgraduate studies; and
  • exploration of campus resources to enhance academic success.

The Centre for Applied English Studies (CAES) will provide English writing support in one-on-one sessions where undergraduates and postgraduate students can come to:

  • get advice from teaching assistants;
  • learn how to analyze and plan an assignment;
  • learn how to grow as a writer;
  • develop writing techniques in both academic and literary writing.

The Centre of Development and Resources for Students (CEDARS) will focus primarily on providing “non-academic” advice to students covering such areas as career advising, service and experiential learning opportunities, generic skills (e.g. time management, study and life skills, and personal growth), campus life planning (e.g. financial management, housing needs), and university life planning (e.g. goal setting, learning plans, cultural awareness).

The University Libraries will offer assistance to students in:

  • using the library services and facilities;
  • formulating search strategies;
  • searching the information resources, such as Dragon (the library catalogue) and the article databases; and
  • setting up personal consultations for in-depth information search.

Moreover, CAES and CEDARS are jointly offering the “Peer English Tutoring” scheme in the Zone; and, in conjunction with the Chinese Language Centre, CEDARS is also offering the “Survival Cantonese” scheme. More details of the schemes can be found at these websites: http://caes.hku.hk/ve and http://cedars.hku.hk

The University is committed to making the Learning Commons an inspiring, vibrant and technology-rich learning space.  The provision of high quality advisory services to enhance student experience and to enable skills development is pivotal to the development of the Learning Commons into a campus hub for student-centered learning activities.

Opening of the Chi Wah Learning Commons

Message from the Computer Centre

The 6,000 square metres Chi Wah Learning Commons (智華館) is located at the podium levels of the University’s new Centennial Campus. The facility, which spreads over three levels, is a technology-rich, shared or common space in which students, teachers and others can come together to interact, and participate in various kinds of activities held there.

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Dr. David M. Pomfret honoured with the UGC Teaching Award 2012

Dr. David M. Pomfret, Associate Professor of the Faculty of Arts, was honored with the University Grants Committee (UGC) Teaching Award 2012. He received the award in recognition of his outstanding teaching performance and achievements, as well as his leadership in and scholarly contribution to teaching and learning.

Since joining the University in 2001, Dr. Pomfret has distinguished himself as a teacher, a pioneer and a leader within HKU, and beyond. The depth of Dr. Pomfret’s engagement with students and reflections on their learning processes, the thoroughness with which he choreographs his teaching, the tirelessness with which he pursues perfection, and his remarkable record of sustained teaching excellence mark him as a highly unusual, talented and charismatic teacher. Dr. Pomfret was awarded the University’s Outstanding Teaching Award in 2010.

Our colleagues have been honoured with the Award in two consecutive years since its inception. This is clear evidence showing the excellent quality of teaching and learning at the University.

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