Abstract

History is a subject that connects individuals and societies to the past. However historical scholarship in the university setting is much more complicated than merely grasping a hotchpotch of data that relates to an assortment of civilizations and bygone eras. Advanced historical study is, for instance, grounded in the process of constant interaction between the learner and factual analysis, the collecting of evidence to generate original conclusions about life in the past, and the employment of legible language so as to articulate one’s deductions.

With reference to capstone course HIST4801/2, the TDLEG proposal seeks to develop an online platform that supports and enhances the Graduation Thesis learning experience.

Designed to stimulate deep learning and critical reflection, the platform will offer short instructional videos, interactive activities, an online reflective practice portfolio, and discussion forums. As such the project is formed with the intention of, firstly, helping eliminate obstacles currently hindering students to successfully complete their independent research investigations, secondly, granting a new conduit for teacher-student communication and thus improved teacher-learner pedagogical interaction, and, thirdly, the enlarging of existing understanding amongst students as to what ‘good historical research’ constitutes.

Brief write-up

Project objectives

The TDLEG project was formed with the following objectives:

• to develop an online platform that supports and enhances the Graduation Thesis learning experience within the Department of History at CUHK;
• to establish an interactive eLearning tool that stimulates deep learning and critical reflection in order to help eliminate obstacles currently hindering students to successfully complete their independent research investigations (in English), and to grant a new conduit for teacher-student communication and thus improve teacher-learner pedagogical interaction; and
• to enlarge existing understanding amongst students as to what ‘good historical research’ constitutes.

Activities, process and outcomes

From early-2018 a comprehensive process of investigating student learning has been undertaken, and consultations undertaken with the Information Technology Services Centre so that by 2019 a test website has been formed, short instructional videos made, and preparations forged so that by the summer of 2019 the project is ready for student use. To solidify student use, and their learning process within Blackboard, a learning portfolio will be established, thereby encouraging students to engage in reflective practice as they undertake the planning and composing of their Graduation Thesis.

Deliverables and evaluation

An interactive online platform, linked into Blackboard, will be live for student use prior to the commencement of the 2019-20 academic year. All final year students in the Department of History will be expected to use the eLearning platform.

So that student opinions of the platform will be harvested, at regular dates during the forthcoming academic year, basic interviews will be undertaken by the project supervisor and feedback garnered with necessary minor transition will be made to the learning tool where required.

Given that the platform encourages greater teacher-student interaction thus Lecturers and Professors will also be asked to provide feedback. This feedback, akin to that of the students, is to help ensure project goals are met year after year.

Dissemination, diffusion, impact and sharing of good practices

Once the project is live, and feedback gathered, the project supervisor will seek to present a paper on the project at an international conference on educational practices. Although the project supervisor is aware of such forums in SE Asia as of yet no paper has been composed/sent for submission. More to the point, in the future presentations will be given within CUHK and also local universities. Within the setting of CUHK such papers will assist Departments who are considering, as the History Department once did, making a large-sized research project a fundamental element of being a Final Year Student. It is hoped, thus, that such talks will disseminate good practices and assist teachers and Departments avoid pitfalls encountered by the project supervisor in making an online tool for a capstone course.

Video Report

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