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Micro-Module Courseware Development Grant
Scheme 3: eLearning Pedagogy Research
Call for Applications (2016-17)
(PROPOSAL SUBMISSION DEADLINE: 25 March 2017)

Introduction

As stated in CUHK’s Academic Development Proposal (ADP) for 2016-2019, institutional advancement in eLearning is one of the University’s major directions for development, and the construction of micro-modules to support flipped classroom will be widely promoted. Funding has been secured from UGC in three consecutive years starting from 2015-16 for three different schemes to support eLearning development. In particular, a total of $1.5m is allocated for the year 2016-17 to support eLearning pedagogy research in the context of using micro-modules for flipped classroom implementation. We are now inviting applications from members of the teaching staff for projects funded under this allocation (Scheme 3: eLearning Pedagogy Research). The deadline of this call for applications is 25 March 2017. Proposals will be reviewed and selected internally within CUHK by a Review Committee appointed by the Subcommittee on Education Technologies of the IT Governance Committee (ITGC-SET). The grants will be released by May 2017 with a start date of 1 May 2017.

Applicants should also pay attention to the “Pilot Scheme on eLearning Policy” (available at http://www.cuhk.edu.hk/eLearning/download/PilotSchemeELPolicy_15Oct.pdf), and in particular its Section 3 that describes a “Pilot Scheme of eLearning on Courses offered to Undergraduate and Postgraduate Programmes, including Micro-modules” and its Section 5 that describes “Issues on Intellectual Property and Copyright”.

Aim

Quality enhancement must be evidence-based so as to ensure stakeholders’ buy-in and long term success. Many CUHK teachers have embarked on the development of micro-modules for flipped classroom and/ or blended learning. This provides invaluable opportunities for them to work in concerted effort to evaluate the effectiveness of various eLearning pedagogies and address related research questions with a view to interpreting and applying their research findings in the context of international literature results to build and advance knowledge in eLearning. Proposals for funding are invited from teachers who will not only use micro-modules for flipped classrooms but also conduct eLearning pedagogy researches.

While eLearning is under rapid development and many meaningful research topics are emerging, applicants are invited to design research projects under the following areas to help facilitate the University to identify its way forward for eLearning, and in particular, the use of micro-modules for flipped classroom implementation:

  • Effectiveness of eLearning in the context of implementing outcomes-based approach
    • fostering students’ learning outcomes in the three domains: knowledge, professional and generic skills, as well as values and attitude
    • aligning learning activities and assessment with learning outcomes
  • students' readiness in eLearning
  • barriers and difficulties in eLearning development and ways to address them
  • risks/ threats in the context or eLearning and their management (examples of risks/ threats cited by teachers include possible impacts on class attendance rate, students’ reading capability and habit, students' face-to-face communication skills, and teacher-student interaction, etc.)
  • management of face-to-face vs eLearning contact hours

Teachers who have previously received support to develop micro-modules and implemented flipped classrooms with satisfactory results are also encouraged (to collaborate with other teachers) to design pedagogy research projects and apply for funding under this Scheme.

Project Scale and Application Procedure

An application form can be downloaded from the micro-module grant website: http://www.cuhk.edu.hk/eLearning/mmcd/mmcds3-apply16.doc.  Proposals should include the basic information, project objectives, background of research, research design, plan and methodology, evaluation and dissemination plan, how the project can support the University’s strategic aims, and proposed budget of the project. In general, applicants should devise proposed projects with a maximum budget of $150,000. The allocated fund can be used to support staff cost (e.g., student helpers, TA, RA), service cost (e.g., external vendors and services provided by CUHK units) in developing micro-modules, purchase of software and hardware, and/or teaching relief (maximum $60,000 for each teacher participating in the project), expenses on local and non-local conferences for presenting pedagogy research results (maximum $12,000 for each teacher participating in the project), publication cost and other research expenses. Also, applicants should indicate whether the project is funded by other sources.

Completed application forms in MS Word or PDF format should be sent through email to mmcd@cuhk.edu.hk, no later than 25 March 2017. Please do not send hardcopy applications. Once we receive your application, we will send you an acknowledgment email within three working days.

Teaching Assessment and Department Consent

The University has clear policy to ensure efforts in teaching development and pedagogy research will be recognized in the appraisal and reward systems. It is the responsibility of department chairs to interpret Course and Teaching Evaluation (CTE) results and evaluate innovative practices as well as teaching development and pedagogy research effort in a proper manner, and to prudently assign teaching load so that new development will not impose undue pressure and create excess workload to participating teachers. Applicants should consult with department chairs for the corresponding arrangements on teaching assessment as well as teaching relief (including the hiring of relief teachers specified in the proposal).

Project requirements
  1. Successful applicants should complete their project within 12 months after the start date (1 May, 2017).
  2. Interim Report: Participants should have introduced micro-modules for flipped classroom in at least one course within 6 months after receiving the grant, and should have collected evidence to address the research questions as stated in the proposal. They should share the progress of their work by producing a report including a short write-up (~300 words) and a short video (~2 minutes).
  3. Final Report: A final report including a written report and a short video is required. A standard template will be provided for the written report.
  4. A plan on self-evaluation and dissemination of research results is required for all projects, and evaluation results constitute part of the final report.
  5. The reports together with some of the micro-modules will be widely promoted across the University by various websites (e.g., the micro-module grant website, CLEAR’s website, and KEEP (https://keep.edu.hk)).
  6. Grant recipients will be invited to showcase the outcomes of their projects or course websites and take part in experience-sharing activities.
  7. Participants are encouraged to present their research results in conferences and to publish their research results in international referred journals.
Support and Consultation

Advice in preparing the proposal and estimating the budget is available through a support and consultation service, jointly provided by The Centre for Learning Enhancement And Research (CLEAR) and the Information Technology Services Centre (ITSC), by making an appointment at http://www.cuhk.edu.hk/eLearning/c_services/scs/clinic.html. Teachers with and without eLearning development experience are encouraged to work in a team. The review panel will take into consideration such collaboration in evaluating the project proposal. Teachers are also welcome to make use of the studios and the self-editing stations in the newly established Centre for eLearning Innovation and Technology (ELITE) located at the 6/F of Hui Yeung Shing to make micro modules. Details of ELITE can be found in http://www.cuhk.edu.hk/eLearning/c_tnl/ELITE.html. A group has been established in the Education Faculty to provide pedagogy consultation service. Please contact Professor Chi-Shing Tse, Associate Director of Centre for Learning Science and Technologies and Associate Professor of Department of Educational Psychology of Education Faculty, at cstse@cuhk.edu.hk for details.

 Additional Resources