Capacity Building of University

Teachers at Scale Supported by a

Professional Learning Community

LIM Cher Ping

Chair Professor of Learning Technologies and Innovation

The Education University of Hong Kong ranked 2nd in Asia and 16th in the world in Education

(QS World University Rankings by Subject 2020)

Aim of this Session

This session examines how quality university teacher

professional development could be designed and

implemented at scale to develop teacher competencies

for online and blended teaching and learning.

Impacts of the Pandemic on

Higher Education

Impacts of Pandemic

• The health crisis presents unique challenges for

universities who must manage the behaviour of

students within entirely new parameters and social

distancing regulations.

• The learning crisis that results from the physical

closure of universities and their limited capacity to

provide quality online learning on the one hand and/or

the limited access to online learning for certain groups

of students.

Impacts of Pandemic

Impacts of Pandemic

Impacts on Equity, Quality and Efficiency

• Access to infrastructure, devices and resources.

• Online learning resources and strategies tailored to

students with special learning needs.

• Quality of online teaching and learning.

• Online learning support for students.

• Modes of assessment.

• Relevance of curriculum to changing demands of

emerging industries and the future shape of the

workforce post-COVID-19

Pivotal Role of University Teachers

and their Competencies

Pivotal Role of University Teachers

Pivotal role of teachers in

quality online teaching and

learning

Pre-pandemic issues on

teacher capacity highlighted in

coping, recovery and building it

back better phases of the

pandemic.

Competencies of University Teachers

Analysing context and student learning needs;

Designing and implementing quality online and

blended learning lessons;

Developing online and blended teaching and

learning resources;

Providing learning and psychosocial support for

students;

Managing and evaluating online and blended

teaching and learning; and

Planning for and implementing assessments online

and/or blended.

Teacher Competencies (Online & Blended Learning)

Teacher Competencies (Online & Blended Learning)

Teacher Competencies (Online & Blended Learning)

Building the Capacity of Teachers

at Scale

Teacher Professional Development (TPD)

• “activities that develop an individual’s skills,

knowledge, expertise and other characteristics as a

teacher” (OECD, 2009, p. 49)

• may include formal and informal experiences.

• effective TPD is a long-term and continuous process

that includes regular opportunities and experiences

planned systematically to promote growth and

development in the profession (Darling-Hammond, et

al., 2017)

• a systems approach to TPD should be adopted to

strategically develop high-quality teachers at scale in

a cost-effective way (Asian Development Bank, 2017)

Effective (Quality) TPD

• Content focused.

• Incorporates active learning utilizing adult learning

theory.

• Supports collaboration, typically in job-embedded

contexts.

• Uses models and modeling of effective practice.

• Provides coaching and expert support.

• Offers opportunities for feedback and reflection.

• Of sustained duration.

(Darling-Hammond, et al., 2017)

TPD@Scale

@Scale as defined in the emerging research and

development field of learning at scale (“L@S”) refers

to learning environments mediated by information

and communication technologies (ICT) that engage

large numbers of learners, whether remotely or face-

to-face.

Envisioning TPD@Scale

Peking University X-Learning Centre - China

Teacher Education Through School-

Based Support (TESS) - India

Connected Learning Initiative (CLIx) - India

ELLN Digital Philippines

Teacher Learning Centre - Indonesia

Facilitating Elements of TPD@Scale

• Digital professional learning resources

• TPD curriculum and assessment

• Professional learning community

• Facilitators and mentors

• Support of universities, local governments and/or

national governments

• Partnerships of key stakeholders

01

An Open Access Education Platform providing 170+

teacher professional development courses and

multilevel training programmes.

Jointly launched by UNESCO-ICHEI and 11 HEI

Partners in Asia—Pacific and Africa to enhance access

to quality higher education teaching and learning.

International Institute of Online Education (IIOE)

01Three dimensions of IIOE Competency

Framework:

• Online and Blended Teaching and Learning

• ICT-enabled Administration and Management

• Emerging ICT in Industries for Higher Education

Programmes

IIOE Multilevel Training Series

Three types of Learners

Provide tailored service according to

different needs

Educational Administrators

Introduce ICT-based educational instruments to enhance HEI’s

comprehensive ICT capacity and promote the development of ICT-

related educational policies

Enhance teachers' comprehensive ICT awareness, improve their ability

of teaching with ICT tools, and nurture teachers who are proficient

in information technology.

Non-ICT Teachers ICT Teachers

A strong focus on knowledge upgrade.Helping teachers to renew their

disciplinary knowledge and enhanceresearch capabilities

FoundationAwarenessCultivation

IntermediateCapacity Building

Advanced Knowledge Application

1st DimensionCompetencies for

online and blended teaching and learning

2nd DimensionCompetencies for ICT-enabled administration

and management

Dimension 3Competencies for emerging ICT in

industries and higher education

Awareness of ICT-basededucation technologies；Understanding of online-

education pedagogies

Use of ICT instruments toimprove education quality;

ICT-empowered pedagogicalskills

Cultivate innovative thinking, guide teachers to creatively use

ICT instruments and explore new educational and teaching

models

Knowledge of ICT-based management tools,

awareness of technology-based educational

administration

Master in ICT-based tools such as online office, AI

teaching evaluation and big data assessments to empower education

management

Designing administrativesystems and educational

policies that are in line with the requirements of the

digital age

Understand the application scenarios of front-line ICT

technologies and up-to-datedevelopments of ICT-related

disciplines

Master and update the subject knowledge in the

ICT-related disciplines, and enhance applicable skills

Flexibly use ICT knowledge to carry out research and advance the development

of the relevant fields

3x3

Dimensions

& Objectives

Eight Professional Fields

Global ICT Competency Network

Cloud computing Big data

Internet of things Artificial Intelligence

BlockchainTechnology

SoftwareDevelopment& Programming

5G & telecoms Quantum Computing

Curriculum & the Future of Work

Higher education is vital to move countries away from a reliance on certain industries (such as low-skilled, low-wage, and low value-added industries in developing countries).

Holistic Approach at University Level

Lim, C.P., Wang, T.C., & Graham, C. (2019). Driving, sustaining and scaling up blended learning practices in higher

education institutions: A proposed framework. Innovation and Education, 1, 1-12. (https://doi.org/10.1186/s42862-

019-0002-0)

LIM Cher Ping

Chair Professor of Learning

Technologies and Innovation

The Education University of Hong Kong

clim@eduhk.hk

http://ied.academia.edu/CherPingLim

THANK YOU!!!

The Education University of Hong Kong ranked 2nd in Asia and 16th in the world in Education

(QS World University Rankings by Subject 2020)