City University of Hong Kong has a lot of great digital learning resources to engage students in different modes of learning, from enabling online collaboration to facilitating make-up classes. These tools were proven helpful during the COVID-19 pandemic when students could not attend campus classes. With face-to-face classes resuming, teachers may continue the adoption to broaden access to learning for all students. Let us take a look at these digital learning tools:
Relevant tool(s): Zoom BigBlueButton
When gathering in person becomes challenging, online conferencing tools such as Zoom and BigBlueButton provide a handy channel to meet your students synchronously online. A recording will be available after the session for revision. Computing Services Centre (CSC) publishes the Zoom Quick Start Guide for Instructors. Alternatively, you may utilize BigBlueButton, also known as Canvas Conferences (instruction: How do I create a conference in a course?), for your virtual classes.
Relevant tool(s): Google Docs
Whether meeting face-to-face or virtually, educators can adopt co-creation platforms, such as Google Docs, to facilitate collaborative work and idea-sharing among students. Students can participate with any internet-capable device without special technical skills, software, or equipment.
Relevant tool(s): Canvas Discussions
Students can access Canvas discussion forums to communicate synchronously or asynchronously based on reading materials, cases, and questions supplied. Teachers are encouraged to provide suitable interactions and feedback during the discussion to pinpoint ambiguity or bridge missing knowledge.
Relevant tool(s): Canvas Quizzes uReply
One-minute essays and short polls are practical tools for collecting student feedback during class. Teachers can utilize Canvas Quizzes or uReply to evaluate students' understanding and adjust the teaching plan to address the concern. For more information about how to use these tools, you may visit Canvas Quizzes instruction "How do I create a quiz with individual questions?" and uReply User Guides.
Relevant tool(s): Panopto Recordings Youtube Khan Academy
Panopto is a handy lecture recording solution integrated with Canvas. Teachers may follow the steps at the page "Panopto - record instructional video" to create your instructional videos. If the time to produce a video is not feasible, educators can outsource relevant educational videos available online. YouTube and Khan Academy offer high-quality instructional videos on various academic topics. Including the links to the relevant videos in your Canvas course with citations is sufficient.
For Panopto recording support, please contact the Digital Learning Support at 3442-6727 or email dl.support@cityu.edu.hk.
If studio recording is required, contact the GE Lab in the Talent and Education Development Office (TED) at 3442-5746 or email cityugelab@cityu.edu.hk.
For on-site support, please call the IT Service Desk at 3442-8340.
Visit "Staff Development Online Series" on the TED website for faculty development opportunities.
