Paper Details

Paper	Session 2b: English Paper 3
Title	Development of a Mobile Application for Fostering Independent Learning of Core Texts
Speaker	Dr. Ng Ka-Leung Andy (The Chinese University of Hong Kong) Dr. Cheung Hang-Cheong Derek (The Chinese University of Hong Kong) Dr. Hoi Wan-Heng Sandy (The Chinese University of Hong Kong)
Time	10:30am - 11:00am
Venue	YIA 409
Abstract	Due to popularization of mobile devices and easy access to internet in recent years, there is an increasing trend of integrating mobile technology into learning environment. Being personalized, self-paced, and unrestricted by time and locations, mobile learning becomes an attractive strategy to foster independent study. We have brought this approach into the compulsory general education foundation course ‘UGFN1000 In Dialogue with Nature’. The course makes use of science core-texts to engage students to explore how renowned thinkers investigate and understand Nature, and to invite students to reflect on how the journey of exploration impacts their views on human life, on society, and on the universe. Following an introductory lecture, students are required to read the core-texts and participate in a 2-hour seminar-based discussion. Students, especially those who have had little exposure to science, often find difficulties in the textual understanding when they read the core-texts on their own. To respond to their needs, we have developed an interactive mobile application DiaNable. It consists of a multitude of text-related questions with various levels of difficulty to serve as a reading companion and a self-evaluation tool. DiaNable was implemented in 2014-15 first semester. Statistics shows that students who have used DiaNable scored significantly higher in pre-class written quizzes. Students’ feedback from quantitative online survey and qualitative focus group interviews suggests that DiaNable can enhance their understanding as well as clarify misconceptions of the science core-texts. The idea of this mobile learning aid could be easily extended to other courses with intensive take-home readings.