Unlock the Potential of AI in Feedback Designs

The emergence of GenAI has brought a paradigm shift to various industries, in particular education. Educators and researchers are working hard to harness the power of this transformative technology and actively exploring the potential of GenAI in various aspects of teaching and learning. Dr Jessica To is one of the pioneers examining the role of GenAI in developing student feedback literacy. She investigates how GenAI could be better applied to increase students’ capability to interpret and enact feedback. Her extensive research experience in assessment feedback, peer and self-assessment, dialogic use of exemplars, and educational innovations has laid a strong foundation for exploring the role of GenAI in feedback designs. Her research works have been published in various high-impact academic journals, for instance, Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education, Higher Education Research and Development, Teaching and Teacher Education, etc.

Practical Advice in the Age of AI

GenAI, in particular, ChatGPT is a useful tool to support student learning. It offers personalised feedback, recommends learning resources according to individual students’ progress, and encourages their seeking of academic assistance in a psychologically safe environment. It could also promote critical thinking and self-assessment skills when they are guided to compare their drafts with AI-generated materials and reflect on their own performance. Personalised feedback caters for individuals’ learning needs and empowers them to actively engage in their own learning journey. Despite the immense benefits of GenAI, Dr To emphasises that the considerable potential of GenAI may not be realised unless teachers possess the knowledge and capacity to incorporate GenAI in the curriculum. In the age of AI, it is advisable for teachers to:

  1. understand the constraints on one’s existing pedagogical context and selecting suitable GenAI tools to circumvent the limitations;
  2. learn the pedagogical use of GenAI through trial and error;
  3. participate in GenAI-related forums, workshops or seminars to exchange experience; and
  4. realise and address the ethical concerns about using GenAI.

Dr. To is committed to support HKU’s teaching fraternity in designing innovative and effective pedagogical, assessment and feedback practices, and promoting evidence-based initiatives to improve teaching and learning. She is eager to share her expertise and collaborate with academic staff in the University to strive for excellence in teaching learning and feedback practices.    

Dr. Jessica Kar Yan TO

Lecturer
Teaching and Learning Innovation Centre 

Teaching Portfolio Workshop Series

Event Details

Date : 6 Jun (Fri) & 25 Sep (Thu) 2025

Time :

  • [Workshop 1] 12:30pm – 2:00pm (HKT)
  • [Workshop 2] 12:00pm – 1:30pm (HKT)

Venue : Learning Lab (RRS321, 3/F, Run Run Shaw Building, Main Campus, HKU)

Guest Speaker for Workshop 2: Ms. Tanya Kempston, PGDE Programme Director and Senior Lecturer, Academic Unit of Language and Literacy Education, Faculty of Education, HKU

Facilitator: Dr. Jannie Roed, Director, TALIC, HKU

Register Now!

Abstract

Two teaching portfolio workshops will be offered. The workshops are open to all teaching staff who are interested in finding out more about compiling teaching portfolios, which are often required for promotion, tenure application, and job applications. How to compile a portfolio for applying for the University’s Teaching Excellence Award (TEA) will be covered in the second workshop scheduled in September. You can choose to attend the workshop(s) depending on your needs. For instance, it is not necessary to attend Workshop 1 before Workshop 2.

The maximum quota for each workshop is 25 participants. Once the maximum quota is reached, you may join the waiting list via the same registration link. Rest assured, you will be contacted immediately if spots become available.

Date : 6 Jun 2025 (Fri)

Time : 12:30pm – 2:00pm (HKT)

Venue : Learning Lab (RRS 321 Run Run Shaw Building, Main Campus, HKU)

Facilitator : Dr. Jannie Roed, Director, TALIC, HKU

Abstract

All academics have a curriculum vitae (CV), but few have a teaching portfolio. This workshop focuses on how to structure a teaching portfolio, what to include (e.g., reflections on professional development and leadership initiatives you have undertaken), and how to collect evidence of teaching effectiveness.

Date : 25 Sep 2025 (Thu)

Time : 12:00pm – 1:30pm (HKT)

Venue : Learning Lab (RRS 321 Run Run Shaw Building, Main Campus, HKU)

Guest Speaker : Ms. Tanya Kempston, PGDE Programme Director and Senior Lecturer, Academic Unit of Language and Literacy Education, Faculty of Education, HKU

Facilitator : Dr. Jannie Roed, Director, TALIC, HKU

Abstract

This workshop focuses on the specific teaching portfolio needed to apply for one of the University’s teaching excellence awards. You will be guided through the criteria and advised on how to present your case in the most effective manner. The workshop will also cover the next steps for unsuccessful candidates.

About the Guest Speaker

Ms. Tanya Kempston is a Senior Lecturer in the Faculty of Education and Programme Director of the Postgraduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) programme in her Faculty. She has been teaching at HKU since 2008 and was awarded the University Teaching Innovation Award in 2021 and University Outstanding Teaching Award in 2018.
For information, please contact:

Ms. Canice MOK

Teaching and Learning Innovation Centre

Teaching Exchange with the University of Toronto – Shaping the Future of Pharmacy Education

Event Details

Date : 27 May 2025 (Tuesday)

Time : 12:30pm – 1:30pm

Venue : Learning Lab (RRS 321, 3/F, Run Run Shaw Building, Main Campus, HKU)

Speaker : Dr. Ann Leung, Lecturer, Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy, HKU

Facilitator : Prof. Lily Zeng, Assistant Professor, TALIC, HKU

Register

Abstract

In this seminar, Dr. Ann Leung will share her experience from a recent teaching exchange between HKU and the University of Toronto’s Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy. This exchange successfully established the student exchange programme and opened the potential for joint postgraduate pharmacy education. Dr. Leung will reflect on differences in pharmacy practice and education between the two countries, and the resulting insights on how to prepare students for the future of healthcare.

About the Speaker

Dr. Ann Leung is a lecturer in the Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy at HKUMED, where she teaches clinical pharmacy. She is the programme coordinator of the Master of Advanced Pharmacy degree. Dr. Leung was awarded the Early Career Teaching Award 2024. She is passionate about leveraging technologies to simulate real-world practice in the classroom and creating authentic learning experiences to develop students’ holistic competencies.

For information, please contact:

Ms. Canice MOK

Teaching and Learning Innovation Centre

Communication-intensive Courses (CiC) Symposium 2025

Organized by Communication Intensive Courses (CiC), Teaching and Learning Innovation Centre (TALIC), Common Core and Centre for Applied English Studies (CAES)

Event Details

Date : 20 May 2025 (Tue)

Time : 9:30am – 3:30pm

Venue : Arts Tech Lab (RM4.35, 4/F Run Run Shaw Tower, Centennial Campus, HKU)

Register

Objectives

At the end of the Symposium, participants will be able to:
  1. Understand digital communication across the curriculum
  2. Embed digital communication in courses

Symposium Abstract

This symposium explores the imperative of intentionally embedding digital capability development within the curriculum to ensure students are equipped not only for academic success but also for the dynamic demands of the digital workplace. The keynote address will examine the misconceptions surrounding student digital literacy, the risks of assuming passive acquisition, and the strategic role of higher education institutions in cultivating discipline-specific digital employability and lifelong learning skills. The event will also feature contributions from faculty and students who will share innovative practices, challenges, and successes in integrating digital skills across diverse academic programs. Together, these perspectives will provide a roadmap for embedding purposeful digital capability development into higher education, ensuring graduates are prepared to thrive in an increasingly complex and digitally-driven world.

Rundown

Professor Elle Gregory is the Associate Dean Learning and Teaching (Faculty of Health) at the Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane Australia. She currently leads the Clinical Anatomy and Paediatric Imaging research laboratory with a focus on improving anatomical knowledge through contemporary imaging techniques and advancing our understanding of the anatomy of children and subadults. Her teaching experience spans over 20 years with a focus on anatomy education, and innovative approaches to teaching that maximise student success through collaborative student-centred learning design that leverages contemporary and future-focused technologies such as virtual reality and 360 degree videos to prepare students for the real world of employment. She leads the internationally awarded Digital Health Futures team, which embeds student digital capability development across the curriculum in all Health courses using whole of course design principles in partnership with the QUT Library, Student Success Group and Curriculum Design Studio.

9:30 – 9:35
(5 mins)
Opening
Professor Ian Holliday
Vice-President and Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Teaching and Learning)
9:35 – 10:20
(45 mins)

Keynote: Driving student digital capabilities for a digital future

The recent explosion in artificial intelligence and unprecedented acceleration in the rate of digitalisation, has disrupted all industries. Whilst many academics assume current higher education students are digital natives, research suggests that students have significant gaps in their digital proficiency on entry to University. Much effort has focused on digital transformation of the curriculum post-COVID, with a common misconception that this digitally enriched learning environment will have an osmosis effect on student’s digital capabilities. As higher education providers, it is critical that we secure our student’s digital capabilities through intentional embedding of digital capability development in the curriculum. Only then can we be confident of our graduates’ attainment of the discipline-specific digital employability and lifelong learning skills needed to thrive in the rapidly changing digital workplace of the future.

Professor Elle Gregory is the Associate Dean Learning and Teaching (Faculty of Health) at the Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane Australia. She currently leads the Clinical Anatomy and Paediatric Imaging research laboratory with a focus on improving anatomical knowledge through contemporary imaging techniques and advancing our understanding of the anatomy of children and subadults. Her teaching experience spans over 20 years with a focus on anatomy education, and innovative approaches to teaching that maximise student success through collaborative student-centred learning design that leverages contemporary and future-focused technologies such as virtual reality and 360 degree videos to prepare students for the real world of employment. She leads the internationally awarded Digital Health Futures team, which embeds student digital capability development across the curriculum in all Health courses using whole of course design principles in partnership with the QUT Library, Student Success Group and Curriculum Design Studio.

Professor Elle Gregory
Associate Dean (Learning and Teaching), Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Australia

Professor Elle Gregory is the Associate Dean Learning and Teaching (Faculty of Health) at the Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane Australia. She currently leads the Clinical Anatomy and Paediatric Imaging research laboratory with a focus on improving anatomical knowledge through contemporary imaging techniques and advancing our understanding of the anatomy of children and subadults. Her teaching experience spans over 20 years with a focus on anatomy education, and innovative approaches to teaching that maximise student success through collaborative student-centred learning design that leverages contemporary and future-focused technologies such as virtual reality and 360 degree videos to prepare students for the real world of employment. She leads the internationally awarded Digital Health Futures team, which embeds student digital capability development across the curriculum in all Health courses using whole of course design principles in partnership with the QUT Library, Student Success Group and Curriculum Design Studio.

10:20 – 10:25

5 min break

10:25 – 11:10
(45 mins)

Teacher and Student Voices (Part 1)

CCGL9067 Companies and People: Friends or Foes?

Mr. Beau Lefler
Principal Lecturer, Faculty of Business & Economics
Beau has experience in corporate and transactional legal matters across the U.S. and Asia. At HKU, Beau teaches law-related courses for undergraduate and graduate business programs, including a unique experiential learning course where students work with small businesses in developing countries. In his teaching, Beau emphasizes practical, real-world learning to help students creatively address legal and business challenges.

Students Sharing

Mr. Ignatius de Loyola Dominique Japar
Year 2, BEng(ElecE), HKU
Miss Wong Lok Hei, Kennedy
Year 2, BASc, HKU

LLAW3275/LALS3016 Legal Language in Hong Kong: Issues and Directions

Mr. Edmund Cham obtained his LLB degree from The University of Hong Kong (HKU) in 1990. After practising as a litigation solicitor for five years, he joined the legal publishing sector and started a career in legal translation. He is a freelancer Chinese editor for legal publisher Sweet & Maxwell and an authorized vetter of translations of court judgments for the Judiciary of the HKSAR, and has been providing translation services to The Law Society of Hong Kong for more than 20 years.

Mr. Cham joined the HKU Faculty of Law in 2015 as Adjunct Associate Professor, coordinating legal Chinese courses for LLB and PCLL programmes.

Mr. Cham has also been conducting talks and short-term training courses on legal Chinese and legal translation for the Judiciary, the Judicial Institute, the Department of Justice and the Hong Kong Bar Association.

Wilson is part-time Lecturer at the Faculty of Law of the University of Hong Kong. He designs and teaches courses for undergraduates and postgraduates on private international law (conflict of laws), use of language in law, and legal Chinese, including the CI-badged course LLAW3275 Legal Language in Hong Kong: Issues and Directions. He also publishes and speaks widely on law, linguistics, higher education, and their connections and interactions.
Mr. Edmund Cham
Lecturer, Faculty of Arts

Mr. Edmund Cham obtained his LLB degree from The University of Hong Kong (HKU) in 1990. After practising as a litigation solicitor for five years, he joined the legal publishing sector and started a career in legal translation. He is a freelancer Chinese editor for legal publisher Sweet & Maxwell and an authorized vetter of translations of court judgments for the Judiciary of the HKSAR, and has been providing translation services to The Law Society of Hong Kong for more than 20 years.

Mr. Cham joined the HKU Faculty of Law in 2015 as Adjunct Associate Professor, coordinating legal Chinese courses for LLB and PCLL programmes.

Mr. Cham has also been conducting talks and short-term training courses on legal Chinese and legal translation for the Judiciary, the Judicial Institute, the Department of Justice and the Hong Kong Bar Association.

Mr. Wilson Lui
part-time Lecturer, Faculty of Law
Wilson is part-time Lecturer at the Faculty of Law of the University of Hong Kong. He designs and teaches courses for undergraduates and postgraduates on private international law (conflict of laws), use of language in law, and legal Chinese, including the CI-badged course LLAW3275 Legal Language in Hong Kong: Issues and Directions. He also publishes and speaks widely on law, linguistics, higher education, and their connections and interactions.
Beau has experience in corporate and transactional legal matters across the U.S. and Asia. At HKU, Beau teaches law-related courses for undergraduate and graduate business programs, including a unique experiential learning course where students work with small businesses in developing countries. In his teaching, Beau emphasizes practical, real-world learning to help students creatively address legal and business challenges.

11:10 – 11:15

5 min break

11:15 – 12:00
(45 mins)

Teacher and Student Voices (Part 2)

BASC3200 Vulnerability Reframed: Unlocking Disability’s Potential

Dr. Estela Ibáñez-García
Lecturer, Faculty of Social Sciences

Estela Ibáñez-García is a Lecturer in the BASc in Interdisciplinary Studies in the Faculty of Social Sciences. She is an interdisciplinary scholar interested in understanding how human experience is articulated through complex and mediated cultural expressions.

She completed her PhD in The University of Hong Kong in 2016 with a dissertation that examined the role of music in the audience’s experience of dramatic performances in and through films, by focussing on issues of world-making, (inter)mediality, adaptation, recordings, meta-theatricality, performance, and ritual. She holds degrees in Art History and Musicology (University of Salamanca, Spain), a Higher Diploma in Guitar (Madrid Royal Conservatory, Spain), and Master’s Degrees in History and Aesthetics of the Cinema (University of Valladolid, Spain) and Advanced Studies in Philosophy (Complutense University of Madrid, Spain). In 2010–2011, she was a Research Fellow in the Film Studies Department of the University of Stockholm with a scholarship offered by “la Caixa” Foundation.

Before joining the BASc program, she worked as a Visiting Assistant Professor in African Studies at The University of Hong Kong (2018–2020), and as a Lecturer in Complementary Studies at The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (2021-2023).

Estela Ibáñez-García is a Lecturer in the BASc in Interdisciplinary Studies in the Faculty of Social Sciences. She is an interdisciplinary scholar interested in understanding how human experience is articulated through complex and mediated cultural expressions.

She completed her PhD in The University of Hong Kong in 2016 with a dissertation that examined the role of music in the audience’s experience of dramatic performances in and through films, by focussing on issues of world-making, (inter)mediality, adaptation, recordings, meta-theatricality, performance, and ritual. She holds degrees in Art History and Musicology (University of Salamanca, Spain), a Higher Diploma in Guitar (Madrid Royal Conservatory, Spain), and Master’s Degrees in History and Aesthetics of the Cinema (University of Valladolid, Spain) and Advanced Studies in Philosophy (Complutense University of Madrid, Spain). In 2010–2011, she was a Research Fellow in the Film Studies Department of the University of Stockholm with a scholarship offered by “la Caixa” Foundation.

Before joining the BASc program, she worked as a Visiting Assistant Professor in African Studies at The University of Hong Kong (2018–2020), and as a Lecturer in Complementary Studies at The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (2021-2023).

SWED1001-3003 Swedish

Lars Svensson has a Master of Arts from Stockholms University where he focused on history and the use of drama in education but is currently teaching Swedish at HKU Arts and Modern Languages (the Swedish program is part of the newly initiated Global Area Studies) as well as electable courses in Scandinavian politics and cultural history. He has previously worked with theater for various ages and, in his spare time, is an amateur film maker. His courses received CiC-badges for less than a year ago and he has been eager to try out his many ideas to integrate various means of communication ever since, with various successes, of which he hopes some may inspire.
Mr. Lars Eskil Gustav Svensson
Assistant Lecturer, Faculty of Arts
Lars Svensson has a Master of Arts from Stockholms University where he focused on history and the use of drama in education but is currently teaching Swedish at HKU Arts and Modern Languages (the Swedish program is part of the newly initiated Global Area Studies) as well as electable courses in Scandinavian politics and cultural history. He has previously worked with theater for various ages and, in his spare time, is an amateur film maker. His courses received CiC-badges for less than a year ago and he has been eager to try out his many ideas to integrate various means of communication ever since, with various successes, of which he hopes some may inspire.

Student Sharing

Miss Kumar Aditi
Year 2, BBA, HKU
Mr. Leung Tsz Lok Cody
Year 3, BA, HKU

12:00 – 13:00

1 hr lunch

13:00 – 14:30
(90 mins)

Workshop: Designing authentic assessment to assure digital capability success

This interactive workshop will explore the benefits of authentic assessment approaches to support student development of industry-relevant digital capabilities by showcasing examples in practice. Create new assessment items and/or strengthen existing assessment approaches considering the principles of authenticity, manageability, integrity, connectedness, purposefulness, fairness and validity; and consider how Generative AI may benefit and/or disrupt our assessment design.
Professor Elle Gregory
Associate Dean (Learning and Teaching), Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Australia

Professor Elle Gregory is the Associate Dean Learning and Teaching (Faculty of Health) at the Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane Australia. She currently leads the Clinical Anatomy and Paediatric Imaging research laboratory with a focus on improving anatomical knowledge through contemporary imaging techniques and advancing our understanding of the anatomy of children and subadults. Her teaching experience spans over 20 years with a focus on anatomy education, and innovative approaches to teaching that maximise student success through collaborative student-centred learning design that leverages contemporary and future-focused technologies such as virtual reality and 360 degree videos to prepare students for the real world of employment. She leads the internationally awarded Digital Health Futures team, which embeds student digital capability development across the curriculum in all Health courses using whole of course design principles in partnership with the QUT Library, Student Success Group and Curriculum Design Studio.

14:30 – 14:35

5 min break

14:35 – 15:20
(45 mins)

Podcast Hands-on Workshop
Mr. Nicholas Mo
Assistant Lecturer, CAES, Faculty of Arts

15:20

Closing
Professor Julian Tanner
Director, Common Core
Panellist

Dr. Wilson Kwok is an Associate Director at The University of Hong Kong. Prior to joining the University, he looked after the eLearning development and teacher training for five years in a public organization which had over 2,000 staff teaching in 30 member institutions. Under the co-branding strategy of the University Libraries and Information Technology Services, he currently holds key responsibilities in the development and support of hybrid learning, platforms, teaching spaces as well as e-assessment at institutional level.

For information, please contact:

CiC Team

For information, please contact:

Ms. Canice MOK

Teaching and Learning Innovation Centre

Preparing for Summative Peer Review of Teaching: How to Conduct Formative Peer Review of Teaching via Peer Dialogue?

Event Details

Date : 20 May 2025 (Tuesday)

Time : 1pm – 2pm

Venue : Learning Lab (RRS 321, 3/F, Run Run Shaw Building, Main Campus, HKU)

Speaker : Prof. Lillian Luk, Assistant Professor, TALIC, HKU

Register

Abstract

As a key component in the continuous improvement of teaching practices, formative peer review allows educators to provide and receive constructive feedback, share insights, and collaborate on refining their teaching strategies, which will help prepare them for summative peer review of teaching. The purpose of this workshop is to equip teachers with the skills and strategies necessary to engage in productive peer dialogue for formative peer review of teaching. Participants will learn how to structure and facilitate informal peer conversations by establishing a safe and supportive environment, and creating actionable plans for improvement.

They will also have the opportunity to engage in a discussion about the standards and qualities of good teaching within their own faculties. Therefore, to make the most of the workshop, all participants are encouraged to obtain and bring a copy of the Summative Peer Review of Teaching Form from their own faculty.

This workshop aims to help reviewees prepare for the summative peer review of teaching process, and is NOT the reviewer training workshop. It is a repeat of the reviewee workshop held on the 26 February 2024 (Monday), 17 May 2024 (Friday), 4 October 2024 (Friday), and 25 February 2025 (Tuesday).

For information, please contact:

Ms. Miffy LEUNG

Teaching and Learning Innovation Centre

Transdisciplinary Learning in Action: Environment, Imagination, and Community

Event Details

Date : 19 May 2025 (Mon)

Time : 2:30pm – 4:00pm

Venue : Learning Lab (RRS321, 3/F, Run Run Shaw Building, Main Campus, HKU)

Speakers :

  • Dr. Marie McEntee, Senior Lecturer, School of Environment, The University of Auckland | Waipapa Taumata Rau
  • Prof. Gray Kochhar-Lindgren, Honorary Professor, School of Humanities (Comparative Literature), HKU; Founding Co-Director, Wild Studios Consulting and Creative Productions LLC
  • Dr. Jack Tsao, Associate Director and Senior Lecturer, Common Core, HKU
Register

Session 1: Transdisciplinary Futures – Our Environmental Futures: Te Taiao Tāngata

The University of Auckland | Waipapa Taumata Rau, in New Zealand has emphasised the importance of complementing students’ deep engagement in the discipline with enriched and expanded knowledge and skills to enable transdisciplinary learning. To meet this strategic priority, the University introduced the Transdisciplinary Futures curriculum to develop critical transdisciplinary skills and mindsets. In this talk, Marie will share her experience and insights co-leading the development and implementation of this flagship initiative, as well as teaching and coordinating a team of 12 academics from four faculties on the University’s first foundational transdisciplinary courses, Our Environmental Futures: Te Taiao Tāngata. She will discuss how the course uses relational and cohort-based learning to enable students to engage with complex environmental issues from diverse and novel perspectives.

About the Speaker

Dr. Marie McEntee is a social scientist at the University of Auckland, New Zealand. Her research focuses on how to work in transdisciplinary partnerships involving multiple stakeholders who hold diverse and often divergent views on how to address socio-environmental issues. In 2024, she received a Research Impact Award for her work co-leading an international transdisciplinary team investigating the human dimensions of forest sustainability. Her research bridges the technical and social dimensions of conservation, aiming for more inclusive solutions. Marie is the coordinator of the Faculty of Science’s Science and Society module, which she has taught for 30 years. Between 2021-2023, Marie co-led the flagship initiative to introduce transdisciplinary learning as part of the undergraduate programme and coordinated one of the first courses for Transdisciplinary Futures. Marie is a recipient of a national teaching excellence award for sustained teaching excellence and a strong advocate for tertiary learning that is transformative, engaging and interactive.

Session 2: Activating Eco-Imaginations: The Arts, Humanities & Speculative Sustain-Abilities

The talk will explore the imaginative movements of speculation, considering how transdisciplinary learning can integrate the Arts and Humanities as dynamic forces of change to foster greater flourishing for both human and non-human worlds. Gray will examine how creative practices—such as short fiction, painting, poetry, and philosophy—can intersect with teaching and learning to generate new ways of thinking and being. Grounding our discussion in the concept of “GeoLyrics,” he will reflect on how these practices attune us to the rhythms of minor inflections, inspiring richer, interconnected approaches to knowledge and action.

About the Speaker

Prof. Gray Kochhar-Lindgren is the co-founding Director of Wild Studios Consulting and Creative Productions LLC, where he is directing projects on Future Readiness, Eco-Imaginations, and ReNewing Learning. He was Director of the Common Core from June 2014 until December 2022 and continues to serve as an Honorary Professor of the Humanities and Affiliate Faculty in Comparative Literature. Prior to HKU, he was the inaugural Associate Vice-Chancellor for Undergraduate Learning and Professor of Interdisciplinary Arts & Sciences at the University of Washington-Bothell. A Fulbright Scholar, a Principal Fellow of Advance HE, and the recipient of the Outstanding Teaching Award (Team) from the UGC and HKU, Gray is currently the lead editor of Transdisciplinary Experiments (UCL, forthcoming) and in the thickets of The Event of Noir, Becoming Elemental, and After Magritte. He lives on a dirt road in the woods on Whidbey Island, WA.

Session 3: Learning Through Place: Community-Led Revitalisation in Hong Kong and Taiwan

The talk will share the experiences from two transdisciplinary student research-based projects conducted in 2025, centred around the theme of place-based community-led revitalisation. The first project focuses on a fieldtrip to the Mui Wo community in Hong Kong, combining futures thinking, collective art, public dialogue, camping, and local food and practices to understand ways to regenerate and build resilience for long-term sustainability. The second project examines a field trip to the indigenous Atayal community in DongAo, Yilan County in Taiwan, learning about ecological practices and visiting an experimental elementary school that interweaves traditional knowledge into modern education. Jack will share how both community partnerships impress upon students an understanding of the interdependence of economic, ecological, and social health and wellbeing, asking them to produce outputs in dialogue with the locals that can be delivered back to the community.

About the Speaker

Dr. Jack Tsao is the Associate Director and Senior Lecturer at the Common Core. He is passionate about promoting transdisciplinarity and preparing students for the future of work and citizenship through social impact, experiential learning, and project-based initiatives. As a Senior Fellow of Advance HE, Jack supports the professional growth of teachers by incorporating innovative teaching methods such as gaming, storytelling, and digital and artificial intelligence technologies. He earned his PhD in Education from the University of Queensland. Jack’s research specialises in educational futures, focusing on curriculum and pedagogies, comparative and international education, digital technologies (especially artificial intelligence), and the sociology of education.
For information, please contact:

Ms. Canice Mok

Teaching and Learning Innovation Centre

Unlock the Full Potential of Generative AI Tools

Event Details

Date : 9 May 2025 (Fri)

Time : 4:00pm – 6:30pm

Venue : Learning Lab (RRS321, 3/F, Run Run Shaw Building, Main Campus, HKU)

Speaker : Mr. Kevin Pereira, Blu Artificial Intelligence

Register

Abstract

The workshop will be facilitated by Kevin Pereira, Managing Director at Blu Artificial Intelligence, a consulting firm that specializes in Artificial Intelligence. Kevin is also a part-time lecturer at the University of Hong Kong (HKU) where he teaches an MBA course titled, “Artificial Intelligence for Business Leaders” and at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) where he teaches “Big Data in Finance” and “AI in Marketing” to MBAs and other Masters’ students.

By the end of this workshop, you’ll be equipped not only to design AI-enhanced workflows that can save hours of work while producing higher quality outputs, but also to navigate and lead in the changing landscape of your profession.

About the Speaker

For information, please contact:

Ms. Miffy LEUNG

Teaching and Learning Innovation Centre

Enhancing Social Learning and Engagement through Peer-Supported Activities and a Novel Online Platform

Event Details

Date : 8 May 2025 (Thu)

Time : 12:30pm – 1:30pm

Venue : Learning Lab (RRS321, 3/F, Run Run Shaw Building, Main Campus, HKU)

Speakers (in presenting order):

  • Prof. Phoebe Lam, Clinical Assistant Professor in Paediatric Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, HKU
  • Dr. David Villena, Assistant Lecturer, Department of Philosophy, Faculty of Arts, HKU
  • Prof. Michael Botelho, Assistant Dean of Student Wellness, Clinical Professor, Vox Project Leader, Faculty of Dentistry, HKU

Facilitators:

  • Prof. Michael Botelho, Assistant Dean of Student Wellness, Clinical Professor, Vox Project Leader, Faculty of Dentistry, HKU
  • Dr. Carson Hung, Lecturer / E-learning Technologist, TALIC, HKU
Register

Abstract

Discover how asynchronous learning, peer supported pedagogies, social learning, and collaboration can transform active learning. Three case studies showcase social learning facilitated by an innovative platform to empower educators and learners in enhancing teaching and learning.

Transforming Dental Education: From Virtual Simulations to Clinical Excellence with Vox 2

This presentation will showcase Vox 2 using a flipped class pedagogy that empowers students’ learning and autonomy. This presentation will demonstrate how the platform supports before-class and in-class learning for psychomotor skills using vicarious learning dialogue videos and supports students’ transition to clinical practice.
Speaker
Prof. Phoebe Lam is a Clinical Assistant Professor in Paediatric Dentistry at the University of Hong Kong, specializing in undergraduate and postgraduate education. A recipient of three Teaching Development Grants, she pioneers innovative pedagogies such as flipped classrooms, virtual reality simulation, and gamification. Committed to student collaboration, she co-designs experiential dental projects, earning her team multiple awards for initiatives in Hong Kong, Mainland China, Uganda, Togo, and other developing regions. Her excellence in teaching was recognized with HKU’s 2024 Faculty Outstanding Teaching Award and Early Career Teaching Award.

AI, Ethics, and Peer Learning: Revolutionizing Assessment in Humanities Through Asynchronous Engagement

Showcasing Dr. David Villena’s innovative use of peer review and AI integration to foster critical thinking and student-driven evaluation in philosophy and digital ethics courses.
Speaker

Dr. David Villena teaches “The Philosophy of AI” in the current academic term and taught “The Ethics and Philosophy of Digital Technologies” in 2023/24. He works for the Master’s in AI, Ethics and Society at HKU and has extensive experience designing and facilitating courses on public sector ethics for civil service officials. More information about Dr. Villena is available on his website.

Scaling Innovation: Vox2’s Four-Pillar Framework for Sustainable, Data-Driven Education

Exploring Prof. Michael Botelho’s holistic approach to collaborative ecosystems, AI-powered change management, competency tracking, and institutional scalability for future-ready learning environments.

Speaker and Facilitator

Prof. Michael Botelho is a Clinical Professor of Prosthodontics at the University of Hong Kong and serves as Assistant Dean of Student Wellness. A pioneer in educational technology, he led the development of Vox, an award-winning digital tool that merges evidence-based pedagogy with clinical precision. His innovative work has secured multiple Teaching Innovation Grants, focusing on student engagement, assessment strategies (for and of learning), and evidence-based educational approaches.
For information, please contact:

Ms. Wing LIN

Teaching and Learning Innovation Centre

Leading Programmes for Student Success and Building Evidence for Leadership Impact

Event Details

Date : 6 May 2025 (Tuesday)

Time : 12:30pm – 2:00pm

Venue : Learning Lab (RRS 321, 3/F, Run Run Shaw Building, Main Campus, HKU)

Facilitator : Prof. Lily Zeng, Assistant Professor, TALIC, HKU

Register

Abstract

How can we harness student experiences to enhance their achievement? What opportunities lie within our programmes to elevate learning, engagement, and graduate outcomes? How can we accumulate evidence for our initiatives to gain international recognition for our leadership in teaching and learning? Drawing on evidence from five Hong Kong universities, this workshop is designed specifically for current and aspiring programme directors.
Together, we’ll:
  • Unpack the student journey – What truly shapes their learning, skills, and success?
  • Spotlight what works – Through real scenarios, uncover high-impact practices from across institutions.
  • Design for impact – Rethink programme elements—from curriculum to students’ wider university experience—to boost student attainment of educational aims.
  • Build your leadership profile – Develop strategies to champion the changes you initiate and build cases for leadership in teaching and learning in higher education.
You will leave with a review of your programme, peer-tested ideas to lead your programme, and a plan to evidence your leadership for international recognition.

About the Speaker

Prof. Lily Zeng is an Assistant Professor at the Teaching and Learning Innovation Centre and Faculty of Education. She had taken on leadership roles in coordinating and delivering the key professional development programmes at HKU and spearheaded the creation of a well-received MOOC on university teaching. At TALIC, her current roles majorly include teaching in the Postgraduate Certificate programme for HKU teachers and overseeing the Senior Fellowship category within HKU AHE Fellowship Scheme. She also provides consultations on student engagement, assessment, peer review of teaching, and teaching portfolios.
For information, please contact:

Ms. Canice MOK

Teaching and Learning Innovation Centre