In this issue, we discuss how the COVID-19 pandemic has undeniably changed the global education scenario and created significant challenges for the higher education landscape by disrupting all aspects of the global education system to an overwhelmingly extraordinary and unpredictable degree but at the same time, also provided significant opportunities for us to explore ways of how to best deliver content online through the use of new technology-enhanced active learning strategies in order to engage our learners in new ways of learning and interacting outside of the classroom. In this issue, we will also be discussing our PALMS Project activities to support teachers towards transitioning to online teaching in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic as well as our newest Quality Education Fund (QEF) initiative and new directions and pursuits in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL)
Welcome to the second issue of our Pedagogic & Active Learning Mobile Solutions (PALMS) Project newsletter chronicling our 3-year UGC-project under the “Funding Scheme for Teaching and Learning Related Initiatives (2016-19 Triennium).” The focus of this newsletter is “Active Learning Pedagogies in STEM Education.” The newsletter marks the second year of our PALMSproject and serves as our lens to spotlight the ongoing efforts, progress and milestones of the project through insightful news, updates and highlights of our ongoing inter-university collaborations with our project partners.
In this issue, we are delighted to have Professor Carmel McNaught, PolyU’s consultant for all the UGC T&L Projects, kindly contribute a short piece entitled “Actively thinking about learning.” We’ll also be introducing our newest bespoke online game-based learning platform for students called CELL Game (http://palms.polyu.edu.hk/educational-apps/cell-game/). We’re also excited to share with you new features and updates to “YoTeach!” and soon-to-be-released iOS and Android versions to the App Store and Google Play for download.
The 1st issue of our PALMS Newsletter
The focus of this newsletter is “Active Learning Pedagogies in STEM Education.” Although the project began late last year we thought now was the time to launch our project newsletter. We are delighted to share the first issue of our PALMS newsletter, which includes a snapshot of useful information about what has been going on, information about our new technological developments featuring our “YoTeach” and “Badaboom!” active learning platforms as well as mobile solutions that are happening in collaboration with our project partners.