Abstract
While Zoom is a power tool for real-time video communications, it will be challenging to use Zoom to conduct lab teaching for learning biodiversity which involves guiding students to observe huge amount of specimens from different angles, magnifications and/or treatment. In order to provide the online learning experience with quality compatible to the traditional lab teaching, this project aims to produce more than 30 narrated specimen-based videos, with high clarity and good resolution, which can be used during Zoom teaching and also as stand-alone learning materials that students can go through at their own pace, making the whole learning process more personalized. This project also acts as a prototype for preparing an online lab course, which is uncommon, and how to integrate the multimedia-based learning materials into various online learning systems, including Zoom, Panopto and Blackboard. To share the precious experience with the eLearning community at CUHK, all Zoom videos and an e-User Guide for lab eLearning will be made available for all teachers in CUHK.
Brief write-up
Project objectives
• To provide an online learning experience with quality comparable to the traditional lab teaching
• To produce detailed labelled videos with narration which can be used during ZOOM teaching and also as stand-alone learning materials
• To set an example of preparing an online lab course and integrating the multimedia-based learning materials into different online learning systems
Activities, process and outcomes
• Production of specimen-based videos for 4 lab sessions of BIOL3022 “Biodiversity Laboratory II” to substitute specimen tours in traditional face-to-face lab course and flower dissections for demonstration and for completing e-worksheets
• Delivery of Zoom sessions which are made available as Panopto videos
• Production of videos and a Zoom session for the campus walk activity of BIOL3570 “Biology of Vascular Plants”
Deliverables and evaluation
• 29 specimen-based videos have been produced and 4 Zoom sessions have been held for online learning of BIOL3022 “Biodiversity Laboratory II”
• 4 campus walk videos have been produced and one Zoom session has been held for online learning of BIOL3570 “Biology of Vascular Plants”
• View data from Panopto and users’ feedback were collected
Dissemination, diffusion, impact and sharing of good practices
• Zoom sessions are uploaded to Panopto and can be accessed by CUHK users
• Poster presentation was held in CUHK Teaching and Learning Innovation Expo 2019/20
• A user manual for preparing an online lab course is uploaded to OneDrive and can be accessed by CUHK users
Impact on teaching and learning
• The project allowed the lab course to continue with quality teaching and learning when the teaching mode had to be switched from face-to-face to online due to COVID-19 outbreak in Hong Kong.
• It has laid the foundation for teachers to practise flip classroom in future teaching, by turning part of the teaching time into knowledge-based and even skill-based videos, allowing more time for technical skill training and higher flexibility on course design.
