Knowledge Management Report 2017
The seminar and workshop on “Digital Tools in Teaching and Learning” has been organized by the Department of General Education, Theodore Maria School of Arts for two consecutive years. In the academic year 2016, it was held in two sessions which are 1) how to use digital tools in teaching and learning 2) Power tools, Powerpoint. In this occasion, AU President joined the 1st session with all participants. From the workshop, all of them have learned from the discussion session that 1) Digital and technology can be used as teaching tools for effective learning, 2) LMS Moodle in and out-of-classroom 3) Using Smartphone as a learning tool in the classroom. Currently, there are 49 LMS Moodle users from GE Department.
Knowledge Management:
Digital Tools on Teaching and Learning
Department of General Education
Theodore Maria School of Arts
Academic Year 2017
Digital Tools on Teaching and Learning
In 2017, the seminar and workshop on Digital Tools in Teaching and Learning part 3 “how to create E-book easiest and fastest way” was held on December 7, 2017. It provides an opportunity for lecturers to explore how the teaching materials published in electronic format. At the end of the session, all lecturers have developed their knowledge and experiences by four significance processes:
-
learning from the expert,
-
learning from other participants,
-
contributing their own e-book, and
-
discussion among them on the teaching materials publishing to the e-book.
Each lecturer published their own e-book and submitted the e-book files to the Department. Moreover, an agreement was made to publish the course outline of all GE course in e-book and it will be implemented from semester 2 the academic year 2017 onwards.
The Benefits and Advantages of E-book
An e-book is a book in electronic format. It offers many benefits and advantages.
-
Nowadays technology is everywhere so students can study and review from e-textbooks anytime.
-
When many GE course materials are published to e-textbook students who take GE courses can carry with them e-books of many subjects wherever they go.
-
In the “pubhtml5” program for e-book creating, other sources can be linked so it will be easy for students to search and access to more and related information as well as enriching students experiences.
-
Lecturers can add audio, video and animations that help to support the content and ideas that lecturers want to convey through it.
-
E-books are searchable. The function of quick searching makes e-books very convenient. Students can easily search for any information in an e-book, instead of turning page after page.
-
When e-textbooks are introduced to students as the main teaching material of the course. It is unnecessary to spend money buying book.
-
Fonts size in e-book can be adjusted that make easier to read.
-
Students are already spending a lot of time with mobile phones and computers, so it is easy to study and review the lesson in e-textbook format rather than doing something else.
-
E-books accommodate more learning styles which help to enhance students’ competency.
Classroom activities with e-book
The electronic books, or e-Books, offer students, teachers and schools an additional medium or tool of instructions that can support or enhance the learning process.
-
Enhance reading experiences. E-books have the potential to change the way our students read and consume text because of their interactivity and convenience.
-
E-book for tutorial.
-
E-book is used as a textbook in the classroom.
-
Facilitating the evaluation of students when lecturers can check the frequency of students visiting an e-book.
--------------------------------------------
Arts KM Sessions for Research and Academic Engagement
To persistently create Arts research culture and academic engagement among Arts members, in the academic year 2017, KM sessions were conducted weekly as a regular reinforcement.
In the academic year 2017, the School of Arts held KM sessions for research and academic engagement weekly. Receiving positive feedback from the faculty members, all of the sessions were moderated by an experienced researcher lecturer, Dr. Sureepong, who could provide research guidance and useful advice on research-related matters. Also, some sessions involved sharing ideas and resources for faculty academic enhancement. For instance, some lecturers required assistance with publishing a textbook for their courses and language editing for their academic works to be of standard.
To reiterate, the concept of the KM session is that every faculty member is welcome to join. Each session is thus casual, yet inspiring in nature and is for sharing, discussing, and learning from each other on any research or academic oriented topics (e.g. writing proposals, publishing papers, presenting papers, printing textbook, compiling handouts and teaching materials, language editing, updating on teaching methods and techniques, and improving student assessment ).
In sum, KM sessions have played a role in enhancing Arts lecturers’ interest in doing research and academic work. In the next academic year, KM sessions for research and academic engagement will be ongoing and more time will be allotted so that Arts lectures can seek to use as one of the channels to support their professional development.