Editorial – Innovation in Teaching and Learning – Tracy Zou

This is the first time that Teaching and Learning Connections focuses on the topic of innovation in teaching and learning. As highlighted in the Message from the Director of CETL for this issue, we view innovation in teaching and learning in a broad sense, which covers innovations in classroom teaching; innovations in learning environments; technological innovations; innovative curriculum design; and innovative approaches to working with students as partners. The paragraphs below briefly introduce each article collected in the current issue.

Tutoring with strategies and creativity: Teaching assistant to construct an engaging learning environment by Raphael Ngai shares creative strategies and tactics in tutorial facilitation. This is the very first article contributed by a research postgraduate student, who reflects deeply on his teaching experiences and proposes ways that can create collaborative, interactive, and intellectually inspiring learning experiences in tutorials.

Why the use of wearable technology in instructional teaching matters? by Fung Fun Man (National University of Singapore) focuses on the innovative use of technology that tackles important instructional issues identified in laboratory teaching. Acknowledging the assistance of the latest learning technology, Fung illustrates a number of innovative means that can make laboratory teaching not only captivating, but also more conducive to the development of essential knowledge and skills in the discipline.

Design, build and create: Engaging students as active content creators in a Virtual Reality CC Course by Nicol Pan introduces the philosophy and process of developing interdisciplinary teaching in a Common Core course. Using one course on virtual reality as an example, Nicol also shares important insights into the cultivation of an interdisciplinary teaching and learning environment through the Common Core platform.

Innovative pedagogical practices in MOOC teaching by Attin Cheng illustrates and discusses several innovative practices in MOOC pedagogy that have contributed to the success of a course with much higher completion rates than average. In addition to the rationale behind the pedagogy, useful lessons learnt and tips regarding the design and delivery of the course can also be found in this article.

A day of unlocking innovative learning at HKUST by Tracy Zou is a personal reflective writing on her experience in a one-day symposium on Unlocking Innovative Learning held at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. A key message regarding innovative learning in higher education that she acquired from this symposium is to have both students and teachers acting as learners who explore and push the knowledge boundaries together in an academic community.

Would you like to share with us your opinion?
We are looking forward to hearing your opinions. Please email your views to us (tracyzou@hku.hk) or simply voice your opinion in the Poll through one click.

Would you like to contribute to future issues of Teaching and Learning Connections?
Please express your ideas through emails to tracyzou@hku.hk. I am happy to discuss with you and assist you in the publication process.

Preview of the next issue (Issue 8)
Issue 8 to be published by the end of September 2018 will focus on Impact of Teaching and Learning. Possible topics include, but are not limited to the following: measuring the impact of teaching and learning; the impact of teaching and learning enhancement initiatives; and the impact of teaching and learning on the wider community.

Stay tuned with us.

Alice Lee
Dr. Tracy Zou

Editor of ‘Teaching and Learning Connections’
Assistant Professor
Centre for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning
The University of Hong Kong

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