Technology in Teaching

Project Title

Further Application of Metabolic Pathways Interaction Including Further Environmental Applications

Project Leader

Prof WK Wong

School / Dept

SSCI / BICH

Project Duration

Oct 2004 - Jan 2005

Project Description

This innovation was extended for final year students to increase their understanding of metabolic pathways in the biotechology related fields. It went into the area in greater depth than the previous adaptation. More specifically, it introduced further environmental applications to the software namely, polymer storage and utilization relevant to biological phosphorous removal.

Project Outcome

• The metabolic pathway calculator has been further developed to include a) Alternative Electron Acceptors to Oxygen and b) Polymer Storage and Utilisation.

• The calculator has been checked for any run errors and the accuracy of its calculations – it is now error free in all of the applications we have tested.

• A new interface has been developed to include these new features.

• The package has been tested in both biochemistry classes (BISC363) and chemical engineering classes (CENG361).

• The feedback from students was generally good in terms of the usefulness and ease of use of the package. However, it was considered that more background information to explain the operation of the package further would be helpful. A more extensive manual was also recommended by some. These will be undertaken over the next few months before the package is again tested in the classroom (CENG565 in Oct).

• Specific problems relevant to Environmental Engineering / Environmental Biotechnology are also being developed.

Status

Completed

Project Documents
(Only accessible by HKUST users)

• Project Plan
• Final Report

Adaptation

Adaptation from Understanding the Practical Consequences of Metabolic Pathways Interaction Using Computer Simulations

Project Title

A Further Application of Metabolic Pathways Interaction Software

Project Leader

Prof Robert Ko

School / Dept

SSCI / BICH

Project Duration

Jan 2004 - Nov 2004

Project Description

This project aimed to develop an online learning and teaching system that included the knowledge base, information dissemination structure, task-based quizzes and self-learning aids in graphical/animated formats within an integrated communication platform to encourage online discussion. Through the system, students were able to grasp abstract and complex subject matter more effectively and gain more interest and knowledge on the topic.  Also studetns were motivated to learn independtly and callaboratively.

Project Outcome

• Metabolic Simulator modified to allow the modification of macromolecules composition for protein, lipids, DNA, RNA, cell walls.

• A new interface was developed for this purpose.

• The modification further enhanced the existing package and allowed a “lower level entry” for those not familiar with metabolic simulations. Biochemists are familiar with the detailed composition of macromolecules and the pathways from which they are made. Hence, biochemistry students can commence to use the package in an area with which they are familiar and then progress to the more quantitative aspects for the simulation (the “engineering analysis”).

• The user manual was enhanced to include these changes.

• Additional problem sets were added to the existing sets.

• The simulator was trialed in BISC363 in Nov 2004 and the student responses were analysed by CELT.

• The package was well received by students, although some further background information and explanation of the underlying fundamentals was considered necessary.

Status

Completed

Project Documents
(Only accessible by HKUST users)

• Project Plan
• Final Report

Adaptation

Adaptation of Online Approach to Introduction to Biochemistry

Project Title

Online Approach to Introduction to Biochemistry

Project Leader

Prof Robert Ko

School / Dept

SSCI / BICH

Project Duration

Dec 2003 - Sept 2004

Project Description

This project aimed to develop an online learning and teaching system that included the knowledge base, information dissemination structure, task-based quizzes and self-learning aids in graphical/animated formats within an integrated communication platform to encourage online discussion. Through the system, students were

• more interested and knowledgeable in the course

• able to grasp abstract complex concepts effectively

• motivated to learn independently and collaboratively

• confident in solving problems on their own

Project Outcome

• Established framework of WebCT for BICH 121 (Introduction to Biochemistry)

• Completed Self-directed Learning Aids (SDLAs) for various topics in BICH 121

• Completed user surveys on the content and software of the online materials

Status

Completed

Project Documents
(Only accessible by HKUST users)

• Project Plan
• Final Report

Adaptation

Full Project

Project Title

ESCE500 Introductory Environmental Chemistry & Microbiology

Project Leader

Prof Pei-Yuan Qian & Dr Ice Ko

School / Dept

SSCI / AMCE

Project Duration

Jul 2002 - May 2005

Project Description

This project aimed to provide students with a highly flexible learning environment delivering course materials of various topics using an interactive and interesting medium. The web setting allowed students to learn at anytime, anywhere. Also, multimedia items, hyperlinks, animations, pop-up Q&A, self-assessments, and the discussion forum resulted in a highly interactive and interesting learning experience.The course was furnished with multimedia items to demonstrate some chemical experiments and difficult concepts. Photos of local ecosystems were taken for this course. Video clippings about state-of-the-art laboratory studies and local habitats or ecological problems were produced.

Project Outcome

• The students of the MSc Environmental Science and Engineering Program were able to be equipped with sufficient background in chemistry, biochemistry and microbiology for their core course “ESCE 520 Environmental Chemistry and Microbiology”.

• Students, especially the part-time ones, enjoyed the flexibility (temporal and physical) and interactivity of this online course.

• The course served as the pioneer of totally web-based teaching in HKUST. Through this project, both the instructors and the CELT collaborated closely on how to develop a user friendly, interactive and effective web course.

• The student evaluation and the data generated from this course provide useful information about web-based teaching in Hong Kong. This information was shared with other teaching staff in HKUST through various symposia.

Status

Completed

Project Documents
(Only accessible by HKUST users)

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

Adaptation

Full Project

Project Title

Introduction to Neurobiology: Interactive 3D Animation Prototype Development of Cranial Nerves

Project Leader

Prof Karl Tsim

School / Dept

SSCI / BIOL

Project Duration

Aug 2002 - Jul 2005

Project Description

Past experiences showed that students often had difficulty in understanding the complex cranial nerves. With the use of vivid 3D animations, this project helpED them figure out the intricate structure and functional mapping of the 12 cranial nerves in the human body.

Project Outcome

1. The graphic presentation of the 12 cranial nerves in human has been completed and tested.

2. We established that each of the established cranial nerves was to be linked up with a) A step by step interactive 3D animated simulation of the movements; b) An overview of the functions in text; c) Two sets of labels for the parts of the nerve/s; and d)  A printing function for the key information of the above items.

3. Selective Biology students participated in two of our usability testing as testers, and their comments were collected and improvements in relating the graphic presentation were followed.

4. We constructed an online supplement for BISC 224 Introduction to Neurobiology in WebCT  both for encouraging students to be familiar with online learning and to prepare for a framework to host the prototype later for summative evaluation

Status

Completed

Project Documents
(Only accessible by HKUST users)

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

Adaptation

Full Project

Project Title

Enhancing Task-Based Language Learning and Teaching with Mobile Devices

Project Leader

Sean McMinn

School / Dept

LANG

Project Duration

Jan 2012 - Feb 2013

Project Description

This proposal aimed to develop, implement and test task-based language and teaching  methodology with mobile devices connected to the HKUST wireless network and classroom computer terminals to enhance student-student and student-teacher collaboration and communication throughout various stages in the TBLT methodology and to enable teachers to give prompt and appropriate feedback based on students' immediate needs.

Project Outcome

1. Developed, implemented and tested task-based language and teaching  (TBLT) methodology with mobile devices;
2. Documented and recommended ways to enhance student-student and student-teacher collaboration and communication throughout various stages in the TBLT methodology (pre-task, task, language focus, post-task) with the mobile devices in the classroom;
3. Developed and suggested new ways to give prompt and appropriate feedback using various applications on mobile devices; and
4. Recommended further development in implementing mobile devices for teaching and learning for other CLE courses.

Status

Completed

Project Documents
(Only accessible by HKUST users)

• Project Plan
• Final Report
• Project-end Review by Project Leader

Adaptation

Full Project

Project Title

Chinese Character Writing Practice

Project Leader

Xuan Han

School / Dept

LANG

Project Duration

Oct 2008 - Sept 2009

Project Description

The project aimed to :

• Provide a learning tool for the international students to learn how to write Chinese characters which they often need but there is not enough time to do in class.

• Develop basic skills in writing Chinese characters for the international students.

• Use animation to show the order in writing Chinese characters.

• Use the list of most frequently used Chinese characters used in Lang113 and 114 to serve the goal as the first step of writing Chinese characters.

• Further build up the knowledge of Chinese language for the international students.

Project Outcome

• Chinese writing animations for the most frequently used Chinese characters in LANG113 and LANG114 were developed and incorporated into the section of Chinese Character Study in the course websites for LANG113 and LANG114.
• The Chinese Character Study website was trial with MBA students from the MBA Summer Intensive Putonghua course in summer 2009. Informal verbal feedback was collected.
• The website was demonstrated and recommended to the students of LANG113 Putonghua for Non-Chinese Language Background Students I (93 students) and LANG114 Putonghua for Non-Chinese Language Background Students II (19 students) in the fall semester 2009 for self-learning. An evaluation questionnaire survey with students was conducted at the end of the semester. Individual interviews with 3 students were arranged to collect students’ feedback about the potential learning impact of the website in Dec 2009.

Status

Completed

Project Documents
(Only accessible by HKUST users)

• Project Plan
• Final Report

Adaptation

Full Project

Project Title

Interactive Learning Objects for Learning Languages

Project Leader

Sean McMinn

School / Dept

LANG

Project Duration

Nov 2005 - Dec 2007

Project Description

The objective of this project is to provide English language students with a searchable database of interactive learning objects in order to support autonomous, life-long learning and interactive learning.

Project Outcome

1. A simplified Spider and Search System for Learning Objects (SASSLO) Search Engine and repository of interactive learning objects for English language learning was developed. 163 interactive learning objects were collected and tagged to ten major categories [Preposition (6), Subject/verb agreement (9), Sentence structure (12), Punctuation (12), Word choice (6), Tenses (15), Active/passive voice (1), Asking questions (2)] and 2 language modules (LANG209 Check It and Campus Beat)

2. The learning objects repository and search engine were demonstrated in 4 tutorial groups of LANG209 (66UG) in the spring semester 2008. An evaluation questionnaire survey was conducted at the end of the semester. System server log was recorded for the usage of the learning object search engine. Pre- and Post- Study Process Questionnaires (SPQ) were also conducted in Feb and May 2008.

Status

Completed

Project Documents
(Only accessible by HKUST users)

• Project Plan
• Progress Report
• Final Report

Adaptation

Adaptation from Interactive Learning Objects for Computer Science

Project Title

Adapting Gong for LANG208

Project Leader

Dr John Milton

School / Dept

LANG

Project Duration

Feb 2007 - Dec 2007

Project Description

To produce a simplified audio recorder which can be incorporated into any web page. Students will use the recorder to imitate authentic vocabulary and phrases so as to improve their pronunciation, intonation and overall language learning. They will have the option of saving the audio file to a server or to the local hard disk so that they can play it back and measure their improvement. The software tool will give an indication that the audio is being recorded via simple spectrum analysis feedback.

Project Outcome

• NanoGong was developed as a web-based audio recording tool, which support record, speed-controllable playback and save a voice recording as a computer file. It has been thoroughly tested and is freely available at http://gong.ust.hk/features_nano.html.
• NanoGong was incorporated into the MyWords web site (http://mws.ust.hk/mw/stu/pronunciation.php) - “Speak My Words”—with text-to speak technology to convert English text into human sounding speech supporting students to practice common phrase pronunciation, phonetic sounds and students’ word lists in the MyWords system.
• MyWords system was used as a supporting tool for students’ self-practice. Demonstrations have been given to the students and teachers in the several lectures of LANG106 (760 students), LANG206 (700 students) in spring semester 2007 and LANG 208 (460 students) in the fall semester 2007. Students are encouraged to make use of the tool for self-learning.

Status

Completed

Project Documents
(Only accessible by HKUST users)

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

Adaptation

Adaptation from Enhancing Learning Through Online Audio Communication

Project Title

Adapting Gong for LANG208

Project Leader

Dr John Milton

School / Dept

LANG

Project Duration

Feb 2007 - Dec 2007

Project Description

To produce a simplified audio recorder which can be incorporated into any web page. Students will use the recorder to imitate authentic vocabulary and phrases so as to improve their pronunciation, intonation and overall language learning. They will have the option of saving the audio file to a server or to the local hard disk so that they can play it back and measure their improvement. The software tool will give an indication that the audio is being recorded via simple spectrum analysis feedback.

Project Outcome

• NanoGong was developed as a web-based audio recording tool, which support record, speed-controllable playback and save a voice recording as a computer file. It has been thoroughly tested and is freely available at http://gong.ust.hk/features_nano.html.
• NanoGong was incorporated into the MyWords web site (http://mws.ust.hk/mw/stu/pronunciation.php) - “Speak My Words”—with text-to speak technology to convert English text into human sounding speech supporting students to practice common phrase pronunciation, phonetic sounds and students’ word lists in the MyWords system.
• MyWords system was used as a supporting tool for students’ self-practice. Demonstrations have been given to the students and teachers in the several lectures of LANG106 (760 students), LANG206 (700 students) in spring semester 2007 and LANG 208 (460 students) in the fall semester 2007. Students are encouraged to make use of the tool for self-learning.

Status

Completed

Project Documents
(Only accessible by HKUST users)

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

Adaptation

Adaptation from Enhancing Learning Through Online Audio Communication

Project Title

Hanyu Pinyin On-line

Project Leader

Xuan Han

School / Dept

LANG

Project Duration

Nov 2005 - Dec 2007

Project Description

Understanding Hanyu Pinyin and the ability to put the knowledge in use are essential to all tertiary students in Hong Kong where Putonghua becomes a popular medium both at work and in daily life. Being native Cantonese speakers, many Hong Kong students find it hard to articulate accurately sounds and tones while communicating in Putonghua and often feel inadequate in practice even though they have studied the phonetic system, Hanyu Pinyin, in primary and secondary schools.The multimedia online course is designed for providing access round the clock to both students and staff who need to improve their knowledge in understanding the phonetic system in order to speak better Putonghua, as well as their skills in using Hanyu Pinyin to communicate effectively.

Project Outcome

A web-based learning and teaching tool 《漢語拼音之家》(http://lc.ust.hk/~material/pinyin) aiming at enhancing students’ understanding of the phonetic system of Putonghua was developed. The website was specially designed for native Cantonese speakers and preparing students to seat in the public assessment 普通話水平測試.

Status

Completed

Project Documents
(Only accessible by HKUST users)

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

Adaptation

Full Project