City University of Hong Kong (CityU) galvanizes e-learning efforts with regional conference

CityU, a global pioneer in e-learning, will maintain the momentum of its e-learning efforts despite the fallout from the global recession, which has forced many corporations and institutions to tighten budgets and scale back on non-essential projects.

The University, which has been at the forefront of e-learning since 2000, sees its investment in using IT to support student learning as critical in broadening students’ skill sets, enhancing the convenience and flexibility of learning and encouraging new ways of thinking.

“With more students returning to further education in a bid to hone their skills during the downturn, we fully intend to keep up our investment in e-learning,” said Dr Jerry Yu, CityU’s Chief Information Officer.

The University, celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, will host the e-Learning Forum Asia 2009 on May 11 & 12, a two-day conference that draws together global e-learning experts and education professionals to share experience and exchange innovative ideas.

Featured speakers include academics from notable education institutions such as University of New South Wales of Australia, The London School of Economics and Political Science of United Kongdom, Nanyang Technological University of Singapore, Feng Chia University of Taiwan as well as executives from leading software provider Blackboard. Senior officiating guests will include Dr Zhijian Yang, Deputy Director-General of Higher Education, Ministry of Education, the People’s Republic of China and Dr Ka Ki Chan, Deputy Secretary for Education, Education Bureau, the Government of the HKSAR.

Students at CityU, the leading academic institution in Hong Kong to embrace e-learning at a university-wide level, applauds its efforts. Mr Albert Chan, a final year Computer Engineering undergraduate student, says some of the e-initiatives have generated better discussions and greater debates among his classmates.

“To an extent, the e-discussion forum board has encouraged quieter members of the class to speak up outside of the classroom. The online tool also makes discussions less repetitive because everyone is on the same page about the issues that have been addressed,” explained Mr Chan.

e-learning is gradually altering the way learning is delivered, Dr Yu pointed out. It no longer only erodes the boundaries of time and geography, but is also reshaping the way students are thinking and learning with an emphasis on collaboration, communication, teamwork and independent critical thinking.

“e-learning is not only changing the whole classroom environment, but is also introducing a new learning approach. Students now spend less time on routine tedious tasks like copying notes and more time on thinking, discussion and analysis. They are learning in an entirely different way,” explained Dr Yu.

Over the last three years, e-learning at the university has evolved from a practical electronic platform used for turning in assignments and checking announcements to a full-fledged interactive tool that has incorporated features like discussion forums and downloadable playback lectures, observed Mr Chan.

Miss Tracy But, a part-time MS Electronic Commerce programme student, said Blackboard, the web-based course management system used across all of the university’s programmes, is a real time saver, a pertinent advantage given her hectic commute schedule between Hong Kong and Mainland China where she works as a supervisor at a plastics factory.

“Blackboard is useful in the sense you can easily download all the course and content information from one concentrated platform. You don’t need to look for information yourself,” she explained.

In addressing the issues of convenience, flexibility and self-paced learning, e-learning has particular relevance for mature students trying to balance work and study, and who are returning to the classroom in ever growing numbers.

CityU first consolidated its e-learning activities by institutionalizing the use of Blackboard at a university-wide level in 2004. More recently, it has taken e-learning to the next level by piloting the use of Echo 360, a fully automated and integrated system that captures university lectures in their entirety. It has also introduced an ePortfolio tool that enables students to showcase their learning outcomes and academic achievements online, thereby enhancing student centered learning and providing them the opportunity to reflect and take greater responsibility for their own studies.

“Using IT to support student learning has always been part of the University’s strategic plan.  As a relatively young and fast moving university, we recognized early on that IT would be a change agent in the education sector. It has been a priority for us ever since,” explained Dr Yu, noting, “all universities will eventually have to adopt e-learning; it will just be the pace of adoption that will vary.”

With technology changing the world so rapidly, a core challenge going forward lies in the university’s ability to identify the tools most relevant and effective, and best suited to be incorporated into its virtual platform.

“In the future, e-learning will penetrate all levels of the education sector from primary right through to lifelong learning. We will reach a point where the separation between learning and e-learning will cease. Learning will just be learning,” Dr Yu added.

For further information on the e-Learning Forum Asia 2009, visit this page.