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Micro-Module Courseware Development Grant
Scheme 1: Basic Scheme
Call for Applications (October 2015)
(PROPOSAL SUBMISSION DEADLINE: 29 NOVEMBER 2015)

Introduction

As stated in CUHK’s Academic Development Proposal (ADP) for 2016-2019, institutional advancement in eLearning is one of the University’s major directions for development, and the construction of micro-modules to support flipped classroom will be widely promoted. Funding has been secured from UGC in three consecutive years starting from 2015/16 for three different schemes to support eLearning development. In particular, a total of $2m is allocated for the year 2015-16 to support micro-module production and flipped classroom implementation. We are now inviting applications from members of the teaching staff for projects funded under this allocation (Scheme 1: Basic Scheme). The deadline of this call for applications is 29 November 2015. Proposals will be reviewed and selected internally within CUHK by a Review Committee appointed by the Subcommittee on Education Technologies of the IT Governance Committee (SET-ITGC). The grants will be released by the end of 2015, with a start date of 1 January, 2016.

Applicants should also pay attention to the “Pilot Scheme on eLearning Policy” (available at http://www.cuhk.edu.hk/eLearning/download/PilotSchemeELPolicy_15Oct.pdf), and in particular its Section 3 that describes a “Pilot Scheme of eLearning on Courses offered to Undergraduate and Postgraduate Programmes, including Micro-modules” and its Section 5 that describes “Issues on Intellectual Property and Copyright”.

Aim

The aim of the Micro-Module Courseware Development Grant (Scheme 1): Basic Scheme is to support the construction of micro-modules to set up exemplary examples of micro-module production and flipped-classroom implementation across a variety of disciplines.

Project Scale and Application Procedure

An application form can be downloaded from the micro-module grant website: http://www.cuhk.edu.hk/eLearning/mmcd/mmcds1-apply15.doc.  Proposals should include the basic information, description, evaluation plan and proposed budget of the project. In general, applicants should devise proposed projects with a maximum budget of $100,000. The allocated fund can be used to support staff cost (e.g., student helpers, TA, RA) and service cost (e.g., external vendors and services provided by CUHK units) in developing micro- modules, purchase of software and hardware, and/or teaching relief (maximum $60,000 out of $100,000). Also, applicants should indicate whether the project is funded by other sources.

Completed application forms in MS Word or PDF format should be sent through email to mmcd@cuhk.edu.hk, no later than 29 November 2015. Please do not send hardcopy applications. Once we receive your application, we will send you an acknowledgment email within three working days.

Teaching Assessment and Department Consent

The University has clear policy to ensure efforts in teaching development will be recognized in the appraisal and reward systems. It is the responsibility of department chairs to interpret Course and Teaching Evaluation (CTE) results and evaluate innovative practices and teaching development effort in a proper manner, and to prudently assign teaching load so that new development will not impose undue pressure and create excess workload to participating teachers. Applicants should consult with department chairs for the corresponding arrangements on teaching assessment as well as teaching relief (including the hiring of relief teachers specified in the proposal).

Project requirements
  1. Successful applicants should complete their project within 12 months after the start date (1 January, 2016).
  2. Interim Report: Participants should have produced at least three micro modules within 6 months after receiving the grant, and share the modules and their pedagogical experience by producing a report including a short write-up (~300 words) and a short video (~2 minutes).
  3. Final Report: A final report including a written report and a short video is required. A standard template will be provided for the written report.
  4. A plan on self-evaluation is required for all projects, and evaluation results constitute part of the final report.
  5. The reports together with some of the micro-modules will be widely promoted across the University by various websites (e.g., the micro-module grant website, CLEAR’s website, and KEEP (https://keep.edu.hk)).
  6. Grant recipients will be invited to showcase the outcomes of their projects or course websites and take part in experience-sharing activities.
Support and Consultation

Advice in preparing the proposal and estimating the budget is available through a support and consultation service, jointly provided by The Centre for Learning Enhancement And Research (CLEAR) and the Information Technology Services Centre (ITSC), by making an appointment at http://www.cuhk.edu.hk/eLearning/c_services/scs/clinic.html. Teachers are also welcome to make use of the studios and the self-editing stations in the newly established Centre for eLearning Innovation and Technology (ELITE) located at the 6/F of Hui Yeung Shing Building to make micro-modules. Details of ELITE can be found in http://www.cuhk.edu.hk/eLearning/c_tnl/ELITE.html.