Empowering University Teachers for Virtual Delivery

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the teaching models of educational institutions worldwide. After a year of experimentation and trial and error, teachers and students are more supportive of remote learning and new learning technologies. Institutions are now ready to create versatile, sustainable and disruption-resilient remote learning opportunities in the future.

In Hong Kong, the University Grants Committee (UGC) recently introduced a Special Grant for Strategic Development of Virtual Teaching and Learning (VTL) to universities. The grant supports universities in developing governance frameworks for VTL, VTL development for skill-based training, and enriching the educational experience of VTL through professional development and technology/infrastructure development.

With the collaboration among different universities and organizations (e.g. Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers), inter-institutional professional development events on several VTL topics will be developed for teachers and learning designers in Hong Kong as well as the Asia-Pacific region:

Artificial intelligence for automating assessment in large classes, such that teachers spend less time on administrative work and more time for value-added personal student mentoring.

Open educational resources (OER) and ‘unbundled learning’ for low-cost, stackable, integrity-promoted curriculum, such that more people get the flexibility and chances for updating their skills and preparing for career changes.

Virtual reality and mixed reality for virtual instruction, such that students receive adequate essential practical and safety training before working on sites with potential dangers.

Dr Leon Lei
E-learning Technologist, The University of Hong Kong
Chair, IEEE Hong Kong Section Education Chapter