Abstract

Aim:

• This project aims to produce new learning modules and workshops that seek to help social-science students to develop a comprehensive understanding of smart cities and improve their skills of urban big data analytics.

Brief Project Description:

• The project will produce new e-learning modules on the emerging challenges for urban policy and development, theory and practice of smart cities, and big data analytics linked to urban policies.
• The project will produce new case-study modules that allow students to access and learn the best practice of smart cities on various dimensions (e.g., mobility, economy, public health, built environment and governance) from around the world.
• Workshops will be organized for students to engage in exercises of big data analysis targeted at urban issues, and communicate with external practitioners and academics in the related field.

Significance:

• The project will be of utility for the ongoing pursuit of smart city development around the world by providing training on smart cities practice and big data analytics, and contribute significantly to the Sustainable Development Goals set by the United Nations and the smart city blueprint in Hong Kong.
• The project will improve the readiness of students in Hong Kong for urban policy making in the era of smart cities through a new set of micro modules and workshops.
• The project will help establish a growing international reputation in the field of teaching in smart cities and big data for the Department, Faculty, and other institutes (e.g. IOFC, ISEIS, and HKIAPS)

Brief write-up

Project objectives

This project aims to improve the overall analytical skills for students, especially for social science students who are interested in urban planning and governance in the new era of smart cities and urban big data.

Activities, process and outcomes

In the project, the project team produced 11 micro-modules (including three e-modules and case studies related to smart cities and big urban data analytics), organised one seminar and one workshop related to smart cities, and developed a pedagogy. The curriculum design and Course and Teaching Evaluation (CTE) scores of GRMD2501 “Theory and Practice of Smart Cities”, a foundation course of the new Area of Concentration on Smart Sustainable Cities, have improved significantly.

Deliverables and evaluation

The 11 micro-modules have helped improve the curriculum design and course evaluation. The Principal Supervisor (PS) has reflected the pedagogy of how to teach smart cities and how to encourage students to understand the value of urban (big) data for urban governance. The project team organised two online events (one seminar and one workshop) with about 100 participants in total.

Dissemination, diffusion, impact and sharing of good practices

The project team has disseminated good practices in various venues, including the CUHK Teaching and Learning Innovation Expo, CUHK Department of Geography and Resource Management annual teaching sharing session, and CUHK Exploration Day. An e-module shared by the PS on social media has been re-shared by researchers from other universities.

Impact on teaching and learning

This project has impacted the teaching and learning as reflected in the CTE score. According to the course evaluation, the CTE scores suggested that the teaching has been improved and the student learning outcomes have been better achieved.

Video Report

Please click the following link for viewing the report.
https://cuhk.ap.panopto.com/Panopto/Pages/Viewer.aspx?id=a1940d8e-ccee-4c9b-a00d-b12200b034e3