SSCI

Project Title

Group Project Assessment - Ensuring Grading Fairness and Effective Implementation for Educational Merit

Project Leader

Prof King L Chow

School / Dept

SSCI / BIOL

Project Duration

Sept 2008 - Feb 2010

Project Description

This project tried to apply the Games Theory for group project assessment to encourage students to contribute their full and best efforts to achieve the intended learning outcomes of the courses.

Project Outcome

• A games theory-incorporated group project assessment system and instruments were developed and tested.

•  The refined group project assessments are proposed.

Status

Completed

Project Documents
(Only accessible by HKUST users)

• Project Plan
• Progress Report
• Final Report

Adaptation

Full Project

Project Title

Enrichment Program for Biology Students

Project Leader

Dr Ice WP Ko

School / Dept

SSCI / BIOL

Project Duration

Jan 2008 - Dec 2008

Project Description

This was a service learning project jointly organized by the Department of Biology of HKUST and the Hong Kong Wetland Park (HKWP) to cultivate students' commitment to community services. The objectives of the project were to enhance the students’ overall interest in environmental conservation,  enable the students to connect what they learned from our environmental courses to the real-life situation,  provide a chance for the students to make contribution in protecting our local environment, and enhance the students’ communication skills through their service.

Project Outcome

• Adapting an innovative service learning approach, a 6-month Enrichment Program was designed for Biology undergraduates. Twelve students were selected and received a 2-day training from the Hong Kong Wetland Park  to enhance their knowledge in environmental conservation in particular that about wetlands. Through this Program, the students became familiarized with the facilities and the environment of HKWP.
• After training, the students served as ecotour guides and exhibition interpreters at HKWetland Park.

Status

Completed

Project Documents
(Only accessible by HKUST users)

• Project Plan
• Progress Report
• Final Report

Adaptation

Adaptation from Stimulating Student Learning through Community Engagement: fieldwork participation as learning process

Project Title

Biochemical Basis of Parkinson’s Disease & the Therapy

Project Title

Biochemical Basis of Parkinson’s Disease & the Therapy

Project Leader

Prof Yi Fan Han

School / Dept

SSCI / BIOL

Project Duration

Nov 2006 - May 2008

Project Description

The project aimed to develop a 3D animation software for the biochemistry and biology major students, which can show the biochemical basis of Parkinson's Disease including the symptoms, pathology and therapy.

Project Outcome

• A Simulated Learning Aid (SLA) about Biochemical basis of Parkinson's disease and the therapy, composed of videos, 2D simulated animations of biochemical pathways and a self quiz, was developed.

Status

Completed

Project Documents
(Only accessible by HKUST users)

• Project Plan
• Progress Report: First | Second | Third |
• Final Report

Adaptation

Full Project

Project Title

Demonstrations in Introductory Electromagnetism and Modern Physics Course (PHYS013)

Project Leader

Prof Nian Lin

School / Dept

SSCI / PHYS

Project Duration

Nov 2007 - May 2008

Project Description

In this project, Project Leader tried to motivate students and enhance their understanding of the mathematical equations and the physical principles underlined in a preparatory Physics course by developing and presenting  experiments of electromagnetism and physics phenomena. The project also engaged students with videos with slow-motioned playback and interactive features.

Project Outcome

• About 50 live demonstrations were performed in class of PHYS013.
• A total of 8 videos, with slow motion and frozen frames, were produced.

Status

Completed

Project Documents
(Only accessible by HKUST users)

• Project Plan
• Progress Report
• Final Report

Adaptation

Adapted from Demonstrations in introductory mechanics and their recording by videotapes

Project Title

Biochemical Basis of Parkinson’s Disease & the Therapy

Project Title

Biochemical Basis of Parkinson’s Disease & the Therapy

Project Leader

Prof Yi Fan Han

School / Dept

SSCI / BIOL

Project Duration

Nov 2006 - May 2008

Project Description

The project aimed to develop a 3D animation software for the biochemistry and biology major students, which can show the biochemical basis of Parkinson's Disease including the symptoms, pathology and therapy.

Project Outcome

• A Simulated Learning Aid (SLA) about Biochemical basis of Parkinson's disease and the therapy, composed of videos, 2D simulated animations of biochemical pathways and a self quiz, was developed.

Status

Completed

Project Documents
(Only accessible by HKUST users)

• Project Plan
• Progress Report: First | Second | Third |
• Final Report

Adaptation

Full Project

Project Title

Virtual introduction to Biomoledules and their metabolic intermediates

Project Leader

Prof Robert Ko

School / Dept

SSCI / BICH

Project Duration

Jan 2007 - May 2008

Project Description

This project introduced a virtual learning context for students to self-study on Biomolecules. It offered a step-to-step approach for students to understand the structures, properties and functions of major types of biological molecules, and reinforces students to develop clear concepts of basic biochemical principles. The virtual learning context was established through repeated visual and auditory stimulation, which replaced textual description with multimedia alternatives to enhance student motivation, engagement and learning. The flexible learning medium constructed could supplement conventional face-to-face teaching.

Project Outcome

The audio narration was integrated into two previously-developed self-directed Learning Aids (SDLA) for BICH121 and BICH122.

Status

Completed

Project Documents
(Only accessible by HKUST users)

• Project Plan
• Progress Report: First | Second | Third |
• Final Report

Adaptation

Full Project

Project Title

Pilot Courses for Science General Education in the Four-Year University Curriculum

Project Leader

Prof Michael Wong

School / Dept

SSCI / PHYS

Project Duration

Jan 2007 - Dec 2008

Project Description

The objective of this project was to offer new joint-department General Education courses (GEE) based on inter-disciplinary themes. The project investigated major teaching and learning issues including (a) factors affecting the motivation and interest of students in GEE courses ; (b) factors affecting the impact of the scientific inquiry approach on the students, through the integration of physics, biology and chemistry under common themes relevant to the daily lives of the students - an issue crucial to this new joint-department effort; (c) the effectiveness of demonstrations, field trips, and in-class questions through the Personal Response System (PRS), as well as other participatory activities on student learning in GEE courses.

Project Outcom

• Course materials for two General Education Courses (GEE) in science were developed.
• The factors affecting the motivation and interest of students in GEE courses, especially to those students with little training in science, were investigated.
• The effectiveness of interactive teaching methodologies was investigated.
• 3 students were trained during the process of developing experiments for the course “Energy and related environmental issues” and 1 student was trained during the process of designing curriculum for the course “Gastronomy” through Independent Study.

Status

Completed

Project Documents
(Only accessible by HKUST users)

• Project Plan
• Progress Report: First | Second |
• Final Report

Adaptation

Full Project

Project Title

Development and Implementation of an Integrated and Multi-media-enhanced On-line Study-station for "Physical Chemistry" and Its Interfacing Programs

Project Leader

Prof Xiao-Yuan Li

School / Dept

SSCI / CHEM

Project Duration

Nov 2005 - May 2009

Project Description

Physical chemistry has been arguably the most difficult and challenging subject for both teaching and learning in chemistry departments worldwide. The project therefore aimed to improve the curriculum and make it more program-specific for students from different departments or programmes by developing and implementing an integrated and multimedia-enhanced online study-station for physical chemistry for UG students majoring in chemistry and for other UG programmes that required physical chemistry in their curricula.

Project Outcome

• This project identified the learning difficulties in physical chemistry, proposed viable approaches for both teaching and learning to deal with the difficulties, and integrated these approaches into a multi-media enhanced on-line study platform.
• An integrated and multi-media-enhanced online study platform for Physical Chemistry courses for UG students was developed.

Status

Completed

Project Documents
(Only accessible by HKUST users)

• Project Plan
• Progress Report: First | Second | Third | Forth | Fifth | Sixth |
• Final Report

Adaptation

Full Project

Project Title

Developing Demo/Teaching Kits Based on Departmental Research Strength

Project Leader

Prof Phillips I K Sou

School / Dept

SSCI / PHYS

Project Duration

Oct 2005 - Oct 2007

Project Description

The underlying philosophy of this project was that students learn best by doing instead of listening. The project aimed to develop a learning culture by offering students a way to see and touch a number of physical inventions that have been successfully developed in the physics department at HKUST in the past few years. In terms of the learning objective, we expected participants to study in-depth these timely and cutting-edge scientific inventions. Second, this project promoted student-led experimental research through implementing a series of physical hardware or software systems based on the invention but added with their own ideas. It helped them develop skills in experimental design, encourages independent learning and critical evaluation of their approach. Also, it cultivated teamwork spirit, enriches teaching in discipline-specific research.

Project Outcome

• The project was successful in providing a platform for students to strengthen their scientific knowledge, creativity, team oriented and independent work ability in dealing with outcome-based research projects.
• 6 software and 5 hardware visible products in the form of teaching and demo kits were developed. The kits were further used for enriching undergraduate experimental physics courses and promoting science to general public.

Status

Completed

Project Documents
(Only accessible by HKUST users)

• Project Plan
• Progress Report: First | Second | Third | Forth |
• Final Report

Adaptation

Adapted from An Interactive Software Tool for the Design of Pharmaceutical Products and Processes

Project Title

Discovery-Based Functional Genomics Laboratory for Biology Program

Project Leader

Prof King L Chow

School / Dept

SSCI / BIOL

Project Duration

Dec 2005 - Jun 2007

Project Description

Discovery-based science education is regarded effective in increasing students’ learning interest in science. However, it has not been actively pursued in local or other tertiary institutes in the region since its effectiveness can only be evaluated over a long period of time and is often viewed as a project that heavily demands both human resources and supporting facilities. This project aimed to: 1. set up a small functional teaching laboratory facility with research capability for 10-15 undergraduate students and to test run this functional genomic/genetics course; 2. produce an experimental manual of several chapters, with each describing specific experimental approach/technique; 3. understand specific issues arisen from operation of this course, to solve the problem and develop a scale up version for long term implementation in our biology curriculum; and 4. evaluate the possibility of expanding this course into a core component of an elite biological science program.

Project Outcome

• A discovery-based molecular genetics course was developed providing first and second year undergraduate biology students anticipating a research career the opportunity to have a glimpse of the operation of a research lab.
• “Functional Genomics Laboratory”, a small functional teaching/research lab facility was set up with research capability for 10-15 undergraduate students and test running this genetics course. An experimental/laboratory manual of various techniques related to the initial screening procedure was produced to aid students in designing their experiments.

Status

Completed

Project Documents
(Only accessible by HKUST users)

• Project Plan
• Progress Report: First | Second | Third |
• Final Report

Adaptation

Full Project

Project Title

Demonstrations in Introductory Mechanics and their Recording by Video-tapes

Project Leader

Prof KK Fung

School / Dept

SSCI / PHYS

Project Duration

Nov 2005 - Dec 2007

Project Description

The project demonstrated the the basic laws or principles in physics, which are abstracted from subtle physical phenomena and not easily observed in daily life with videos in order to enhance students' understanding before proceeding to mathematical formulation. Interactive features, like quesions, were incorporated into the tapes to engage students actively.

Project Outcome

• Live demonstrations, more than three per week, were performed in the class of PHYS011 in the Fall semesters of 2006 and 2007 to 110 and 161 preparatory year students respectively.
• A total of 29 videos, with slow motion and frozen frames, were produced and uploaded in the course website of student access before the lectures.
• 8 interactive video-taped demonstrations, which contained questions, were uploaded to the course website in the Fall semester of 2007 for students self-learning and in class teaching.

Status

Completed

Project Documents
(Only accessible by HKUST users)

• Project Plan
• Progress Report: First | Second | Third | Forth |
• Final Report

Adaptation

Full Project