THE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG

KNOWLEDGE TEAM

Minutes of a meeting of the Knowledge Team held on Friday, February 20, 2004 at 12:30 – 2:00 pm in the Conference Room, 4th Floor, Main Library.

Present: Dr Anthony W. Ferguson (Convenor) Dr John Bacon-Shone Dr Bruce Cheung Professor Francis Chin Dr Colin Day Dr Bob Fox Mrs Louisa Horne Dr David Johnston Mr Andrew Lih Dr Elaine Martyn Dr Nam Ng Mr David Palmer Ms Tina Pang Mr Peter Sidorko Dr Frank Tong Ms Carmen Wong Ms Lillian Wong Mr Ivan Wu Ms Antonia Yiu Dr Allan Yuen Dr Y.C. Wan (Secretary)

Apologies: Mrs Angela Castro Professor Thomas Kvan Dr Nancy Law Dr John Nicholls Dr Catherine Robinson Mr Benny Tai

The Convenor extended his warm welcome to Dr Bacon-Shone, Dr Johnston, Mr Lih and Dr Yuen, who attended the meeting for the first time.

1. Minutes

The minutes of the last meeting held on Friday, January 16, 2004 were confirmed without amendment (Appendix 1).

2. Matters arising from the last meeting Matters arising from the last meeting have been included as agenda items of this meeting.

3. LEARNe t: a brief introduction

Mr Sidorko gave a demonstration of LEARNet (http://learnet.hku.hk/), a UGC- funded project for sharing learning and teaching materials among the tertiary institutions in Hong Kong. He introduced the use of the Learning Resource Catalogue (LRC3) as an online environment that helps academics to find, develop and share learning resources and a means of collaboration between groups of academics with common interests. He further remarked that the catalogue is still in its infancy and encouraged KT members to contribute information of learning resources to it.

4. Reports from task forces

(a) SARS report. What can we learn from it?

The Convenor presented his paper What We Can Learn from the SARS Survey (distributed during the meeting).

He remarked that lack of face-to-face interaction and lack of time were the main problem areas discerned after looking at the problems identified by 30-50% of the respondents as critical. He also noted that roughly one-third of the teachers who responded to the survey felt that they needed help in using a learning platform or setting up a course web page and that online help was preferred among the teachers. He concluded by suggesting the following actions: (i) Advise policy group of survey results related to the lack of face-to-face contact when classes are closed. (ii) Ask for volunteers to brainstorm ways of streamlining/speeding up uses of ICT should classes be closed. (iii) Look for ways of providing web-based teaching/learning.

Members discussed the suggestions and made the following comments: - It is necessary to take a closer look at the survey results before deciding on the directions and strategies for implementation... - Human assistance, such as telephone hotline, may be useful to supplement self-help online tutorials. - It is good to brainstorm for ideas in order to take appropriate actions when there is a SARS outbreak.

The Convenor invited members to participate in the brainstorming sub- group and Dr Fox, Dr Johnston, Dr Ferguson, Ms Carmen Wong, Mrs Horne (Chair) kindly volunteered to join. The Convenor further remarked that membership of the sub-group be open and invited members to join [Mr Lih joined the sub-group after the meeting].

(b) Institutional repositories. KT to receive recommendations and decide what

2 to do next

Mr Sidorko, Chair of the Institutional Repositories Taskforce, referred to the paper An Institutional Repository for the University of Hong Kong: an Issue Paper (distributed) and explained in details the pros and cons of each of the four possible options for introducing an institutional repository at HKU, namely: (i) Undertake a full implementation of DSpace (or other similar package with a full approach, similar to the OSU model. (ii) Implement DSpace (or other similar package) with a ‘soft’ approach. (iii) Develop an effective institutional search engine for HKU. (iv) Adopt a wait and see approach.

Members exchanged their views on the four options and made the following comments: - Concerns over privacy under the local data protection law. - Different types of data, such as teaching materials, personal data and research materials, may need different handling methods. - A member preferred to adopt the third option because it gives more autonomy to contributing departments. - Options 2 and 3 are somehow related and it is possible to adopt both options at the same time.

After discussion, members agreed to adopt both options 2 and 3. The Institutional Repositories Taskforce also kindly agreed to look further at the availability of suitable search engines for introducing an institutional repository at HKU and report back to KT.

(c) Learning platform. How is this to be launched?

Dr Ng distributed the document E-Learning Platforms: SOUL and ILN. He remarked that implementing the two additional learning platforms, ILN and SOUL, is more complicated that expected and there are still some outstanding issues that require the feedbacks from the Faculty of Education and SPACE. He noted that the two platforms would soon be ready for launching campus-wide and CC planned to hold a discussion forum on ILN and SOUL for KT members and others in the next few weeks.

5. IT in teaching/learning. Students ’ views

Mr Wu, the student representative, shared with members the following comments on IT in teaching/learning he received from students: - Students felt that adapting to multiple learning platforms may be difficult. - HKU portal is good and user friendly. - First-time users felt WebCT difficult to use. - Students preferred to check their university email account by Webmail instead of HKU portal because it involves less steps to do so. - Computer labs are usually crowded and students need to queue for laser printers during rush hours. - HKUST and CityU provide computer facilities in indoor public areas, such

3 as canteens and corridors. - Some had opined that it is sometimes difficult to seek help using computers in the Main Library. - Students seldom bring their laptops to school because laptops are heavy and can be stolen. - CC’s help desk should be open during lunch hours.

Dr Ng remarked the laptop subsidy programme was introduced to enable students to use computer and network resources anytime/anywhere and at the same time students would be less dependent on computer facilities provided by CC. This rationale has been incorporated as part of the guidelines in allocating resources to CC though students are not bringing laptops to school as expected. He further commented on the limited resources allocated to CC at a time of budget cut and informed members that a consultative meeting with student participation will be held in March.

6. Other businesses

(a) Knowledge Team status report

The Convenor distributed the document Knowledge Team Status Report and remarked that the report will be discussed in the next meeting,

7. Items delayed to the next meeting

(a) Student e-Learning portfolio (b) Unified web-based online training proposal (c) Laptop tendering exercise status report (d) “Hot issues”. What to do next (e) Educause IT summary (f) Flashlight opportunity

8. Next meeting

The Team agreed that the next meeting be held in about one month’s time.

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