Abstract
Local and global contemporary learning environments such as inclusive classrooms, international schools, social media and online/distant courses become more culturally diverse and offer challenges to our student teachers to teach in those environments. Accordingly, the main goal of this project is to prepare our students to become global-minded digital learning instructional designer and/or teachers. To achieve the goal, this project will internationalize an undergraduate course by redesigning the four components – content, materials, activities, and student learning outcomes. We will (i) add intercultural issues in teacher professional practice in the content, (ii) add case studies that are set in non-Hong Kong articles from international journals in the field and newspapers to the materials, (iii) organize guest lectures by scholars and practitioners with international background and experience virtually, student presentations/teaching to cross-cultural students, and self-reflective writing on global topics and cultural issues, and (iv) add appreciation for the importance of culture and context in teaching and learning as one of the major learning outcomes. We hope that this project will develop students’ intercultural thinking and will be able to identify major digital learning issues affecting student learning both locally and internationally.
Brief write-up
Project objectives
The three main objectives of this project are (1) to equip CUHK students with intercultural knowledge by scaffolding their understanding of digital learning through an internationalization course, (2) to provide students with international experience by engaging them in learning intercultural content and activities, and (3) to engage students in knowledge exchanges with students and teachers from other countries. To achieve this goal, the PI will redesign an elective undergraduate course related to digital learning.
Activities, process and outcomes
To internationalize the course, this project added intercultural issues in teacher professional practice in the content, and offer videos on global topics and cultural issues, revised the assignment from intercultural perspectives, and published a journal paper on internationalization.
Deliverables and evaluation
The deliverables include a journal paper, and several sets (lessons) of intercultural learning content. Most students appreciated the importance of intercultural issues when designing digital learning environments.
Dissemination, diffusion, impact and sharing of good practices
The PI shared this projects’ ideas, experience, and challenges in a CUHK webinar and an international roundtable.
Impact on teaching and learning
The teacher better understands the course content from new perspectives: Australia, UK and Japan, and has greater capacity to design intercultural content, and deliver an internationalized course. Moreover, the students gain better understanding of how cultural differences affect digital learning.
