Associate Professor
Director of Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching
Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
www.celt.ntu.edu.sg
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Title
University 2.0: Social Learning – Collaborative, Participative and Sustainable
Abstract
Web 2.0 has opened enhanced opportunities and new dimensions in the use of web technology to support effective learning and teaching in universities. It also promises to integrate various services into a more holistic model for scholarship. At the Nanyang Technological University, we have adopted a campus-wide approach to social learning to synthesize the various aspects of educational support to create a collaborative and participative environment for both faculty and students. The challenge of sustainability of such practices was operationally considered to ensure that initiatives undertaken will not be short-lived but remain effective for faculty under continual usage.
Biography
Professor Daniel Tan is currently the Director/Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching (CELT) and Associate Professor/School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering at the Nanyang Technological University. He obtained his BSc from the University of Aston, Birmingham, England. He subsequently achieved a PhD from the University of Manchester, Institute of Science and Technology, and a post-graduate Diploma in Teaching in Higher Education from the National Institute of Education, Singapore. His technical interests cover Internet and ICT security, cloud technologies, human factors design and usability.
Professor Tan, as Director of CELT (then Centre for Educational Development) at the Nanyang Technological University, led a team to develop and implement an eLearning campus eco-system. This environment – which comprises a holistic approach towards system design, learning platform, and server architecture; together with edUtorium, the staff-development programme and pedagogical-design service; as well as eUreka, an automated online project-work-management system that effectively manages student processes of knowledge creation, discovery and transfer – has resulted in a high immersive and adoption rate, by both staff and students.
Through this innovative eLearning initiative, the University has won recognition as a winner of the Intelligent20 Award 2003, Honouree of CIO Asia100 Award 2004, EMC Best Practice Award 2004, National Health Group Distinguished Contributor Award 2005, ZDNet Asia Smart50 Award 2006, and SiTF eLearning Organization of the Year 2006. eUreka was awarded the prestigious Ascilite Award 2008 with noteworthy commendation for 'appropriateness for the target audience' and 'fit of the project to its specified goals'; and the Leadership Award for 'Best in Project Work Management' in the IMS Global Learning Impact Awards 2009.
Professor Tan was also conferred The Public Administration Medal (Silver) at the Singapore National Day Awards 2007 for his outstanding contributions to advancing the quality of educational development, instructional and media-support services, student learning and professional teaching in the University as well as the educational community in the nation.