“Internationalization at Home” Initiatives for Undergraduate Music Classes
Principal Supervisors

Dr. Poon Kiu Tung
(Department of Music)

Duration

1 year and 8 months

Approved Budget

HK $100,000

 
  • Abstract
  • Brief write-up
  • Video Report

Abstract

To align with the University-wide theme on “Internationalization at Home” (IaH) and to enhance students’ learning environment by integrating eLearning technologies, two teaching and learning initiatives have been developed in undergraduate music classes. (1) CUHK-University of Memphis Virtual Classroom Exchange Pilot Program: through the use of videoconferencing, “virtual classes” conducted by instructors from both universities will be delivered to the undergraduate piano pedagogy class at CUHK and a corresponding class in the University of Memphis. Students from both universities will form ‘virtual teams’ to work outside classroom and to engage in discussion, evaluate cases studies from different cultures, consider issues from cross-cultural perspectives, and complete common learning tasks. (2) Digital Courseware Adoption and Interactive Online Exercises Development: An international established ear training and theory digital curriculum will be integrated into the existing undergraduate theory and ear training curriculum. Materials in the digital curriculum will be customized into 1 remedial micro-module and 6 micro-modules for flipped-class approach, and provide practical exercises for students’ supplementary learning. Four sets of interactive online exercises will be developed for the same class as students’ self-revision materials. The initiatives are expected to enhance students’ learning by integrating technology-enhanced, interactive, and internationalized learning activities in a regular classroom. The pedagogical design through the use of technology is expected to be transferable to other classrooms on the system level.

Brief write-up

Project objectives
  1. To align with the University-wide theme on “Internationalization at Home” (IaH);
  2. To provide opportunities for students to work with their counterparts from the United States;
  3. To engage students to consider issues with a cross cultural perspective;
  4. To enhance students’ learning environment by integrating eLearning technologies;
  5. To engage students to be active learners and empower students’ self-learning; and
  6. To provide support outside classroom with the help of technology.

Activities, process and outcomes

  1. CUHK-University of Memphis Virtual Classroom Exchange Pilot Programme: through the use of videoconferencing, “virtual classes” by instructors from both universities delivered to the undergraduate piano pedagogy class at CUHK and a corresponding class in the University of Memphis. Students from both universities formed ‘virtual teams’ to work outside classroom and to engage in discussion, evaluate cases studies from different cultures, consider issues from cross cultural perspectives, and complete common learning tasks.
  2. Digital Courseware Adoption and Interactive Online Exercises Development: An internationally established ear training and theory digital curriculum was integrated into the existing undergraduate theory and ear training curriculum. Students completed 8 remediate micro-modules, their assignments, and self-practice in this courseware. Four sets of interactive online exercises were developed for the same class as students’ self-revision materials.

Deliverables and evaluation

Post-surveys and focus-group interviews were conducted to assess students’ learning outcome. Web logs data were collected and informal reflection from students, instructor, and teaching assistants, and meeting with the software designer were conducted. The evaluation indicated project objectives have been achieved and it demonstrated a positive support of the University Themes “Internationalization at Home”, “Innovative and Design”, and “eLearning” and enhanced students’ learning experience. Collaboration with the piano pedagogy class from the University of Memphis will continue and the scale of the project will be expanded in the future.

Dissemination, diffusion, impact and sharing of good practices

The pedagogical design through the use of technology in both initiatives is expected to be transferable to other classrooms on the system level. Experience gained from the implementation of the project and its evaluation will be disseminated in the next annual CUHK Teaching and Learning Expo and will contribute to a paper the project supervisor is preparing on music pedagogy innovation and technology-enhanced learning.

Video Report

Please click the following link for viewing the report.
https://panopto.cuhk.edu.hk/Panopto/Pages/Viewer.aspx?id=416F14C6-28CC-476E-9062-AC7F010ADD94